September 24, 2001

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October 14 Lesson

God's grace is salvation's great equalizer ___Acts 15:1-21 ___1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. ___5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." ___6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." ___12The 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. 13When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16"'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' 18that have been known for ages. ___19"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

___By David Hardage
___Several months ago, at our Rehoboth Baptist Association evangelism rally, those of us in attendance were greatly touched and blessed by the prison choir from the Clyde M. Johnston Correctional Facility under the leadership and direction of Chaplain Beech. The chaplain is currently in the process of raising the necessary funds for the construction of a chapel on the prison grounds. It is a worthy cause.
___As these young men shared their testimonies between songs, I distinctly remember hearing many of them say how fortunate they were to be in prison, because otherwise they might have never come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. I thought, as I listened to them speak, "These young men really do understand what salvation by grace is all about, because they certainly haven't done anything to deserve it."
___It's a fit
___Following Jesus' ascension, which we read about in Acts 1:9-11, our Lord continued his ministry through the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit, giving power to the lives of believers. These early believers made up the early first century church, and our Lord continued to speak and act through these followers who formed his church.
___What we read in Acts is very consistent with the rest of the New Testament. Christ is at work through his people, and we see in this particular passage that it is a work in progress. That progress continues today.
___As a matter of fact, there probably has never been a time when God's people had a greater opportunity to demonstrate effective Christlikeness than Christians do today. In addition, there perhaps has never been a day when the unchurched were more interested and open to a gospel message than today. This new level of interest and openness is seen in people of all people groups, including those here in the United States.
___In the last lesson, we were able to see how Peter expanded his thinking and how the gospel was told to and received by the Gentiles. This week other Jews, primarily James, our Lord's brother and the leader of the church at Jerusalem, and others in the Jerusalem church, reached similar conclusions. God worked to show them his truth in a different manner than with Peter, but the results were the same.
___The church at Antioch
___We are introduced to the church at Antioch in Syria in Acts 11:19. Because of the persecution of Christians following the martyrdom of Stephen, many believers scattered throughout all of the region, including Antioch.
___It was there that some men shared the "good news about the Lord," and "a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord." News of this preaching and these conversions reached the church at Jerusalem, and Barnabas was sent to investigate.
___It is essential that we note Barnabas concluded, based upon what he had seen, heard and experienced, that God's grace was clearly evident in the lives of these people. Barnabas had already developed a trustworthy reputation. Read Acts 4:36 and note that he had distinguished himself as an encouraging and generous man. In addition, he possessed the necessary Jewish credentials ("a Levite from Cyrus") to be capable of carrying out a respected investigation.
___This same group of believers in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13). While on this journey, Paul takes the opportunity in Antioch of Pisidia, a hub of good roads, trade and a large Jewish population, to share the gospel in the synagogue on the Sabbath.
___In Acts 13:44-52, it becomes quite clear that the Gentiles are continuing to respond favorably to Paul's message, while the Jews responded with jealousy and verbal abuse.
___Jerusalem, we have a problem
___It didn't take long for a serious problem to arise in the early church. How they dealt with this problem greatly determined the church's future.
___This, the way a church handles problematic issues, could probably be said about the future of most churches. The spiritual sensitivity of the leaders of the Jerusalem church was a difference maker.
___In the Antioch of Syria church, some men came from Judea and began to teach that the Gentiles in the Antioch church could not be saved unless they were circumcised. Acts 15:2 says a "sharp dispute" erupted. The matter in dispute was, essentially, "How can a person be saved?" Paul's letter to the church in Galatia deals with this matter as well.
___A church conference is called and convened in Jerusalem. As you might expect, there was much discussion regarding this issue. Finally there were three testimonies that put the matter in perspective--Peter, Paul and Barnabas. (When those three spoke ... people listened!) Each shared about what God had revealed to them and how they had seen God at work among the Gentiles, bestowing his grace apart from circumcision.
___Now hear this
___The room got quiet, and James stood to speak. Can you imagine the atmosphere in that room on that day? Emotions ran high, and anticipation ran higher! What is he going to say? What are we going to do?
___James may have been the chosen, formal leader of the Jerusalem church, or his leadership may have been simply a natural step. Perhaps, at best, his natural leadership abilities, highlighted by moral conviction and spiritual insight, led to a formal acknowledgment. James was a leader. What he said and how he would say it would determine, to a large degree, the future relationship between the Jewish Christians and their Gentile brothers.
___James reaches a break-through decision. Read verse 19 again: "... We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God ..." James, Peter, Paul, Barnabas and many others concluded that salvation is by faith through grace!
___James does request four practices be abstained from by the Gentiles, but this is to allow them all to get along better and for the Gentiles to make a more positive difference in their communities. These final agreements enabled the church to grow, unhindered by the cultural differences between the Jews and the Gentiles.
___Cause for celebration
___When word reached the church at Antioch, the people's hearts there were made glad. Two wonderful events had just happened. First, the church was faithful to the gospel. Second, they were respectful of each other.
___They had correctly determined that salvation was grace-driven and not works-driven. They had rightly concluded that faith in Jesus, regardless of race or social standing, was the only way to salvation. This message of salvation they shared clearly, and their other religious concerns they communicated kindly.
___Unfortunately, you and I live in a day when many churches fail to be both of these--faithful and respectful. However, we have a biblical example to follow and should not take it lightly.
___Glad is the heart of a Christian man or woman who is part of a church that is faithful in preaching that salvation is by faith through grace and then strives to be respectful to other believers. There is a big difference between speaking the truth and speaking the truth in love. When we speak the truth and do so lovingly we add, with our loving touch, an element of helping and healing that would otherwise be left out of the relationship.
___The same boat
___In October, the choir from the Winnsboro Correctional Facility will be singing in one of our evening worship services. At that time, our church will be presenting to the chaplain a financial contribution that will go toward the construction of a chapel on the prison grounds.
___As I think of their coming and anticipate their sharing, I'm mindful of the fact that just as they have done nothing to deserve God's grace, neither have I. I, like them, can only sit in awe and gratitude for what God has done through his Son.
___When these men finally do get out of prison, it is our prayer they will become faithful in a local church. It is our prayer that local Texas Baptist churches will receive them well. Their salvation may have come under unusual, even unfortunate, circumstances, but their salvation came in the same way and through the same Jesus as all of us.

For thought and discussion
___ Think or read through the words to the hymn "Amazing Grace." Are you familiar with the testimony of the hymn's writer, John Newton?
___ In what ways is your church similar to the church in Antioch of Syria? Enthusiastic? Missions minded? Evangelistic?
___ Do you believe the church in Jerusalem was able to maintain its spiritual integrity and hold firm to its convictions through the compromise proposed by James? If so, are there ways your church could enhance its spirit of harmony through compromise and still hold to its convictions?
___ What do you suppose goes through the mind of others when you stand up to share your thoughts?
___ List several actions that can be taken to demonstrate a respectful spirit toward other brothers and sisters of faith with whom you may disagree.
___ How long has it been since you thanked God for his grace?

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