WEDNESDAY 09 June 2021 “Questions” Acts 15:12-21

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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

Do you sometimes struggle a bit finding PRACTICAL application to SPIRITUAL truth?

In the past few days we’ve been looking at a very significant event in history… it’s often called “the Jerusalem council”. It’s recorded for us in Acts 15 and the issue at hand was a big deal, and for some people, very complex and far reaching in its practical application. Remember all the disciples Jesus selected, who later became the apostles taking Jesus’ message to the world, were JEWISH men. They’d all been raised deeply rooted in all aspects of Judaism. Jesus spent almost ALL of His time with Jewish people, in the Galilee region or around Jerusalem. Yet Gentiles (non Jewish people) were responding to the Gospel of Jesus in large numbers, first in Jerusalem, then Samaria with Philip, (Acts 8) then Caesarea with Peter & Cornelius, (Acts 10), and finally with Paul & Barnabas on their first missionary journey. (Acts 13 & 14)

Most of the Jewish believers in Jesus felt quite strongly that Jesus’ Gospel was intended first and foremost for Jewish people, and then POSSIBLY for Gentiles. BUT, many felt the Gentiles must participate in Jewish traditions, rituals and ceremonies BEFORE being eligible to be ‘saved,’ and considered legitimate followers of Jesus! That would include circumcision for the Gentile men, memorization of the 10 Commandments & all the Laws of Moses, and living faithfully in adherence to them. Also, faithful adherence to the weekly Sabbath laws etc.

Yesterday we saw how Peter and the apostles finally resolved this hot debate, declaring that the Gentiles (anyone in the world who is NOT Jewish), who had trusted in Jesus for their salvation, and received the Holy Spirit from God, would be received as legitimate Jesus followers WITHOUT participation in or adherence to the Jewish laws! I think the word ‘cataclysmic’ is not an exaggeration in describing the implications of this declaration!

Let’s rejoin this historic scene in Acts 15:12 as Luke reports what happened next: “The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.” Do you see that while Paul & Barnabas had verbally expressed the wondrous story of Jesus, and they had given personal testimony of how Jesus had changed their lives, it was also the powerful working of the Holy Spirit in miracles that convinced the Gentiles of the truthfulness of Jesus and His Gospel! May I ask an important question? If you have trusted in Jesus and the truthfulness of His Gospel… what convinced you it was true, and how has Jesus changed your life? Have you experienced some miracles?

Luke reports something very significant happened next. “When they had finished James spoke up. ‘Brothers, listen to me…it is my judgment that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality…” (Acts 15:13-21)

Now who is this “James”? You may recall James, the disciple & brother of John, was killed by King Herod (Acts 12:2). There was a second disciple of Jesus named “James the son of Alphaeus” (Luke 6:15), but this James in Acts 15:13 is neither of those men. This is actually James the 1/2 brother of Jesus! You’ll find him named in Mark 6:3 and referred to in Acts 1:14 where Luke describes those who came back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and the ascension of Jesus: “They all joined together in prayer along with…Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers.”

None of Mary’s children had believed Jesus to be the Son of God UNTIL His resurrection. Then they understood and they trusted in Jesus. This James, a 1/2 brother of Jesus, became a passionate follower of Jesus. In fact he evidently had significant leadership skills, for the apostles drew James into key leadership of this Jesus movement in Jerusalem, as we see here in Acts 15. By the way, almost immediately after this meeting in Jerusalem, James wrote a 5 chapter letter to the Jewish followers of Jesus, explaining in great detail, what the decisions reached at this historic meeting meant and how to apply it practically in life! That letter was distributed all across the Roman Empire, where Jews lived, and you’ll find that letter toward the end of our New Testament, as the little book titled ‘James’!

Now we need to be sure we understand something here. James was NOT declaring in this statement in Acts 15:20 that Gentiles must DO these things mentioned IN ORDER for them to be saved! Oh no. They had all agreed Gentiles AND Jews were ALL saved completely by God’s GRACE through their FAITH in Jesus and His full atonement death and resurrection! These were PRACTICAL things James was helping the Gentiles see should be the tangible evidence of the authentic work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

So I have another question for all of us, all around the world. What do you see as the PRACTICAL things which authentic followers of Jesus Christ DO or DON’t DO, which is evidence to a watching world, of the saving, life transforming work of the Holy Spirit of God in their lives? Don’t rush past that question. Ponder it deeply… make some notes in your journal. Read the question over a few times, talking to Jesus in prayer about that question. And consider what it says in Galatians 5:16-25 about the evidence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Something has been stirring in my heart for a few days as I’ve been pondering this event in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. I’ve been pondering WHY James felt the need to send a letter to the Gentile followers of Jesus cautioning them about their behavior? Now here is a powerful question that I’ve been wrestling with: Are the following two tangible evidences of the Holy Spirit working in the life of a true Christian:

#1… That I have a “Holy Hunger” to be a person who wants to live a holy life that is honoring to God, in every way? Is that evidence of the Holy Spirit of God at work in my life?

#2… That I have a “Spirit Sensitivity” so when I see or hear something that God views as NOT right, NOT God honoring, then I feel a stirring in my spirit. That stirring is the Holy Spirit aligning my moral conscience with the holiness of God.

Now here’s an important question for all of us to consider. If I DO NOT have a hunger to be a ‘holy, God honoring’ man; and if I DO NOT have a sensitivity in my spirit to a stirring from the Holy Spirit when I see or hear things that God views as immoral or wrong. . . should I be concerned that the absence of those experiences may be an indication that the Holy Spirit of God is NOT active in my life? And what might be reasons for this? Well, maybe because I’ve quenched or grieved the Holy Spirit so often that I’ve grown calloused to any work of the Spirit in my life?(Eph. 4:30) Or maybe… I’ve never been authentically born again, regenerated, by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit does not live within me!

You see friends, this big meeting in Jerusalem was challenging every person to look deeply into their own lives and seek to discern if they had genuinely experienced all the life transforming work that God wanted to do in them as they trusted Jesus for their salvation. And as we close today, I invite you to do the same! And here’s a great worship song to help you in this. . .

Today’s Scripture is Acts 15:12-21.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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