Good day dear friends. I received word that Leroy "Tubby" Bryant had heart surgery in San Antonio yesterday. Today is when Cindy Gratz is having surgery in Bryant, TX, to relieve pressure on her spinal cord. Please hold these two in your prayers today.
We continue to study how to Build Up the Body of Christ. And here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: In Acts 15:1-12 we find a “messy” church. Messy in the sense that they had conflict regarding a doctrinal practice among the first Christians. Read the passage and see what the conflict was. See how the two sides were able to discuss their differences and allow God to work through them and find the final resolution of this problem.
Here is that passage from The Message version of The Bible:
Acts 15:1 It wasn't long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: "If you're not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can't be saved." 2 Paul and Barnabas were up on their feet at once in fierce protest. The church decided to resolve the matter by sending Paul, Barnabas, and a few others to put it before the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem. 3 After they were sent off and on their way, they told everyone they met as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria about the breakthrough to the Gentile outsiders. Everyone who heard the news cheered - it was terrific news! 4 When they got to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas were graciously received by the whole church, including the apostles and leaders. They reported on their recent journey and how God had used them to open things up to the outsiders. 5 Some Pharisees stood up to say their piece. They had become believers, but continued to hold to the hard party line of the Pharisees. "You have to circumcise the pagan converts," they said. "You must make them keep the Law of Moses." 6 The apostles and leaders called a special meeting to consider the matter. 7 The arguments went on and on, back and forth, getting more and more heated. Then Peter took the floor: "Friends, you well know that from early on God made it quite plain that he wanted the pagans to hear the Message of this good news and embrace it - and not in any secondhand or roundabout way, but firsthand, straight from my mouth. 8 And God, who can't be fooled by any pretense on our part but always knows a person's thoughts, gave them the Holy Spirit exactly as he gave him to us. 9 He treated the outsiders exactly as he treated us, beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed him. 10 "So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too? 11 Don't we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?"
12 There was dead silence. No one said a word. With the room quiet, Barnabas and Paul reported matter-of-factly on the miracles and wonders God had done among the other nations through their ministry.
The Christian church was born within Judaism. Judaism required and still requires the circumcision of the male who would be a part of the Covenant between God and Abraham (Gen. 17). Therefore some of those who were Jews first, then accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ, believed that one had to become a Jew as well as a Christian. And that would mean getting circumsised. Paul didn't see it that way, though he himself was a Pharisee and was himself presented on the 8th day for circumcision. It is in Antioch that Paul and Barnabas are visited by some Jews who, as the passage says, insisted that everyone must be circumcised if they are to be Christians. An argument, and quite heated from the reading of the passage, breaks out between Paul and these visiting Jews. There is enough of a break in the shouting back and forth that "the church" decided that a delegation including Paul and Barnabas should go to the apostles and the church in Jerusalem to get the final word.
This delegation travels to Jerusalem sharing the good news of what God had done among the Gentiles (nonJews) and everyon receives this news with glad hearts. Once in Jerusalem those Pharisees who had become Christians are angered with the thought of having believers who are not circumcised. A special meeting is called to resolve this issue and it is only when Peter takes the floor that folks begin to understand and listen to what God is trying to say to them througn Paul and others. It was during that "dead silence" that Paul and Barnabas were able to share what amazing things God had done "among the other nations through their ministry."
Change is never easy. And when God is moving there is going to be change. And it's not going to be easy. Change, when it involves changing long-held traditions, is especially tough. It was that way during Paul's time and it is that way during our time. When we feel God trying to build up the Body, we know some will not react positively towards this movement. Some will not welcome new folks easily into the Body. Others will not want to lose whatever influence or power they have now. And others will be just like us, hey, how are we? How are you in the midst of change? Are you an agent for change or against change?
PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit, in an awesome moving way to touch our hearts and our needs. Speak to us about where we are and where we need to be. Let me be open and willing to follow where Your Spirit leads and guides. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
