Acts - Week 50

Week 50 Acts 15 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 15:23-27 

23 This is the letter they took with them: “This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! 24 “We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! 25 So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question. 

A letter has been prepared for Antioch from the church in Jerusalem. The church in Jerusalem had come to “complete agreement.” Notice how the apostles and elders in Jerusalem described Paul and Barnabas—“who have risked their lives” for the Lord Jesus. The letter also mentions the official representatives sent from the church in Jerusalem—Judas and Silas. This letter was intended to say that circumcision, or anything else, should not be added to the gospel message.  

REFLECT 

Realize that the early church had issues they needed to resolve just as churches do today. The early church model is helpful in knowing how to handle problems. 

RESPOND 

With your disciple read Romans 4:10-12 to see that even for Abraham circumcision was not part of salvation.  

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 15:28-29 

28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” 

The letter from the church in Jerusalem continues its explanation. As decided, they urged the Gentile believers not to practice a lifestyle that would be objectionable to the Jewish people. This was not to be a part of the salvation message but how the Gentiles should live afterwards. This reveals wise people giving counsel to others young in the faith.  

REFLECT 

Have you been blessed to have some believers older in the faith providing counsel about wise living as a believer so as not to offend others? Have you provided counsel to others? 

RESPOND 

You and your disciple need to read Ephesians 5:15-16 where Paul gives counsel to the Ephesian believers.  

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 15:30-31 

30 The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. 31 And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. 

This letter was not presented to leaders only in the church in Antioch; it was read to a “general meeting of believers.” These believers expressed “great joy” when they heard the news that circumcision did not have to be added to the message of believing in Jesus alone for salvation. This now revealed that Gentiles were fully accepted into the Christian faith. Both Jew and Gentiles came by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone. 

REFLECT 

Rejoice in that salvation is not just for the rich and talented but for all who come to Jesus by faith. Do you remember when you made this decision? Have you shared it with others? 

RESPOND 

Read Psalm 5:11-12 to see that the psalmist urged others to rejoice in what God does for others. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 15:32-35 

32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith. 33 They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace. 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there. 

Judas and Silas were the official representatives of the church in Jerusalem. They remained in Antioch for a time to encourage and strengthen the believers there. Then they were sent back to Jerusalem. Some manuscripts add that Silas stayed in Antioch, but perhaps this was added by a copyist to explain what follows in the text about Silas.  

REFLECT 

During the first century there was no distinction between clergy and laity. Judas and Silas were fellow believers, representatives of the Jerusalem church, who remained in Antioch for some time to encourage other believers. It is wonderful to observe older ones in the faith encouraging younger ones in the faith. 

RESPOND 

With your disciple read Romans 12:7-9 that lists some of the gifts believers have and how they should be used. Talk together how each of you may fit into this passage of Scripture. 

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 15:36-38 

36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. 38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. 

Some wonder if there must be a “special call” to be a missionary. In this instance the main desire was to visit those seen on the first missionary journey to see how the new believers were doing. This passage also reveals something else: two mature believers could not agree on whether to take John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, along with them. Mature believers do not always agree. Paul had written, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). But he had reached his limit here.  

REFLECT 

Try to live in peace with everyone, but sometimes realize that is not possible. Be sure, however, you are separating over an important issue. 

RESPOND 

Even though Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with Mark at this time, read 2 Timothy 4:11. This was Paul’s last letter in the Scriptures and his fellowship with Mark had been restored.