Lessons From Acts – Lesson 24
Acts 14:26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
Slow down and think about what is being said and done. Paul and Barnabas had done a lot of service for God, a whole lot of preaching and teaching before they were set apart for the work of this trip.
And now that work had been finished. Vs 26 for the work which they fulfilled. They were set aside for a specific job and now that job is done. And so they come back and tell what had happened.
Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Acts 14:28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.
And there it is again. After the job was done they abode long time in Antioch with the disciples. A long time.
Why am I making a point with this? Because what actually happened is not what is taught. It is taught different because what really happened does not fit in with the system that they have created today.
They point to Paul for the basis for what they teach, but they change what really happened to fit their program. They will say Paul could not go out and preach until a local church laid hands upon them. Yes they ignore that fact that no one laid hands upon Paul to go and preach and teach in Antioch.
Then they teach that once hands are laid upon them then the job is permanent and perpetual. No wait. Once the trip was over the job was fulfilled and they stopped.
They teach that Paul went out and came back and reported and then went out and came back and reported. And they say that missionaries today follow Paul’s example. So they have created what they call the furlow.
They will go to the field for a few years, come back and report, and go right back out.
But that is not what Paul did. Paul and Barnabas were set aside for one trip and went out fulfilled it and came back. And stayed back. A long time. There will not even be any talk of going out again for a while.
What they say Paul did and what they claim they are modeling their system after is actually not what really happened. And it is clearly documented for us in God’s Word.
After the trip Paul and Barnabas get back to the teaching and preaching that they were doing in Antioch before the trip. And the Bible says this lasted a long time.
I am not saying that the current system is a bad thing. I am just saying be honest and do not say that your system is modeled after what Paul did.
So Paul is parked again in Antioch teaching with no plans yet to go out again and then trouble comes from Judaea. False teachers show up. We will see that these men are not sent by James to teach this false teaching.
But we know that James was not happy when Gentiles first got saved. And we know from other things that James says and will do later that James is not excited about Gentiles getting saved.
So James just sticks with Jewish customs and Jewish people. Taking a position on Gentiles getting saved without any emphasis or enthusiasm. He is ok about it, but doesn’t teach on it or promote it.
James will even send enforcers up to Antioch that get Peter to stop eating with the Gentiles.
Can people under that attitude that James had who are watching and listening take things wrong. Maybe misread what you think on something. I sure think so. Men who are following the Jewish rules show up in Antioch teaching a works salvation.
A works salvation based on Jewish rituals.
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Paul and Barnabas say whoa. Stop. And they dispute with them.
Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
I think from what happened it is safe to say that these false teachers would not listen to Paul and Barnabas and would not accept their authority on this matter.
And I think it is also safe to say whose authority that they would accept and that is James and his bunch. If that was not so then there would be no need for the trip. Paul had all the authority he needed as an Apostle to settle the matter. Paul in no way needed James to decide which position was correct.
Paul position was absolutely correct and already verified by Jesus and the Word of God.
But these trouble making false works teachers would not listen to Paul. They are the reason for the trip. It was not as some falsely teach that James was the ultimate authority and they needed James to solve this issue of doctrine.
Each church is to be vertical in authority. God, then an undershepperd, and the people. That is it. What is called man made horizontal authority is actually not Biblical.
So the local church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem not to get Jerusalem’s authority but that was the only way to stop these false teachers who would not listen to anyone else but James and his crowd.
Acts 15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
As was the way of Paul and Barnabas they went sharing the word of God as they traveled thru these villages and towns. And notice they were preaching the conversion of the Gentiles. And look at the reaction of the believers.
Great joy unto all the breathren. So the news of Gentiles getting saved was not only acknowledged and agreed with, but they had great joy over it.
This detail is here in this place for a purpose. It is for a comparison to the reaction of another group. We read of those in Phenice and Samaria having great joy over it and we go. That’s right. Amen and Amen.
That is the proper reaction. That is the reaction that should be expected.
Acts 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
The reaction of the Pharisees which believed is quite different. What a contrast. No joy mentioned here.
Acts 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing,
To me that is crazy town. I mean really. There should have been zero disputing. Zero. It is a cut and dried thing. Black and white. No grey at all. Salvation is not of any kind of works period.
If James and his crowd would have been teaching correctly, and if they would have been excited about and involved in Gentiles getting saved, then the people in Jerusalem would have known better.
And there would have been no disputing. But there was. They are disputing the most basic thing. How to be saved. It is by faith and grace alone. And Jesus Himself told them all before He ascended that it was for everyone.
Jesus told them to preach all nations and every creature. So Peter finally rises up and stands for the truth.
Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Way to go Peter. I mean thank you and Amen and Amen.
The truth Peter spoke is then followed up Barnabas and Paul and they give the evidence of God working among the Gentiles.
Acts 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
Then James speaks.
Acts 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Acts 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
So sometime after Peter came with the news that Gentiles got saved and now James did a search thru the scriptures and found in the prophets that Gentiles would get saved. And he refers to this now.
This proves that James knew what the word of God said, but he did not get joy from it and did not get involved in it and did not make it a major point of teaching and preaching in his ministry.
Acts 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Acts 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Acts 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Now James gives his position on this. And notice what is missing in what he says. There is no reaction like the brethren’s on the way down. No great joy. And there is no involvement.
Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
His reaction is to not trouble the Gentiles. Basically leave them alone. Simply let them be. And just tell them to obey a few rules.
Acts 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
And then James adds this odd statement.
Acts 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
What is James saying with that? The laws and rules of Moses are read every Saturday in the synagogues. What is James implying here? What is he suggesting?
I think it is something like this. If the Gentiles want to learn, then they can go and worship in the synagogues every Saturday. So let’s just leave them be.
He ends the meeting with that. Christians worship on the Lords day not on Saturday, and we have been delivered from the bondage of the Law of Moses. And James and all Christians were instructed to get the Gospel out to everyone.
So if you spend anytime really thinking about it, how James ended the meeting was wrong on several levels.
They then decided it is a good idea to send some men back with Paul and Barnabas and to their credit the purpose is to deliver letters to Gentile churches correcting and denouncing the false teaching that started all of this.
Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
Acts 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Acts 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Acts 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Acts 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Acts 15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
So they not only corrected it with letters but sent men to tell them face to face and of course the Gentiles rejoiced at this.
Acts 15:31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
Acts 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
Acts 15:33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
Acts 15:34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
Acts 15:35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Issue solved. Trouble over. And what do Paul and Barnabas do. They contine in Antioch teaching and preaching the Word of God.
Again we see that the 1st missionary trip was one trip that was fulfilled. Paul did not go on a trip and then come back and report and then go right back out on another trip and keep repeating that.
We also see here the power and danger of false teaching. It was so powerful and dangerous that it had to be dealt with. It required a long trip, and letters, and person to person preaching sent out to correct it.
We also see the danger of putting the status of men over the word of God.
Paul had the Word of God. He told them the truth, but because it was not coming from James and his crowd those teaching the error would not listen.
This is not an isolated incident. Catholics do this every day. What the Pope teaches is in error and goes against the Word of God. But because the truth does not come from the Pope many Catholics will not listen. They put a man and his position above the word of God.
They can hear the truth and be shown the truth and reject it because it does not come from the source that they have put on a pedestal.
Catholics are not the only ones to do this. Any group can have people in it that do this. I have seen Baptists do it. I had a preacher one time start preaching that you should not pray to the Father because He is a billion zillion miles away. Instead he started preaching that you need to pray to the Holy Spirit.
That was clearly against the Bible. Jesus clearly taught to pray to the Father. It was also denying the attribute of being all present to the Father. So it was a huge error for multiple reasons.
I tried to reason with the other church members. None of them would listen to reason. They all put a man over the Word of God.
We had to leave. What happened? The preacher killed the church. Kicked out anyone who would vote against closing it down.
He sold the property, ran off with the money. And hurt over a hundred people in the process.
It is never a good thing. Never. To put a man over the Word of God.