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Hello and welcome to the show today. In our study of Acts chapter 16 we have been taking a look at Paul’s setting out from Antioch on a second missionary journey; one that was aimed at strengthening all the churches that had been founded on his first missionary journey. And so naturally he wants to take Barnabas with him, as Barnabas had been with him on that first missionary journey and was such an encouragement to him; that’s what his name means, “son of encouragement”, which was given to him by the apostles. But Barnabas insists that John Mark also come. Paul doesn’t think that is a good idea because of how John Mark had abandoned them on their first missionary journey; and so they have a sharp disagreement about this and end up splitting up. Barnabas and John Mark go to Cyprus (which is where Paul and Barnabas had entered Asia Minor on their first trip, but with Barnabas and John Mark going, Paul chooses instead to enter Galatia from the opposite direction, traveling through Syria and Cilicia. And that may seem like an arbitrary decision (and may have been to Paul); but we will see in a few moments how God was at work in that in a huge way. Now [Syria was the region around Antioch, and the neighboring region of Cilicia contained Paul’s home city of Tarsus. {And so} Many of its churches had no doubt been founded by Paul himself. {And} As Paul and Silas traveled through those areas, they were busy with their priority, strengthening the churches.] Now as they [crossed the rugged Taurus Mountains through the Cilician Gates north of Tarsus, the missionaries came to Derbe and to Lystra. Paul and Barnabas had visited these cities on their first missionary journey (Acts 14:6ff.), and Lystra had been the scene of some remarkable events. It was there that Paul had healed a lame man (14:8–10). In response, the astonished crowd proclaimed the two missionaries gods (14:11–18). Following that, Paul had been stoned nearly to death by jealous Jews from Antioch and Iconium (14:19).] Now if it were me, I’d be a little nervous coming back to Lystra. But as for Paul, the mission of reaching people always trumped concerns for his own personal safety. Like we talked about recently, he always felt that weight of glory; that burden for people who were lost or who needed Jesus. And so unless God said otherwise, he was going to go.
Timothy-- Now it is sometimes when we choose to show courage to obey God even in the midst of fear or danger that God often rewards us. And we definitely see that here; because while they are [At Lystra, the missionaries were joined by a certain disciple named Timothy.] And this young man Timothy (who was probably in his late teens or early twenties at this time) would come [to play a key role in Paul’s life, eventually becoming his right-hand man (1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Thess. 3:2; Phil. 2:19).] He would also be Paul’s “true child in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2; cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 2 Tim. 1:2)]. And this was primarily because [he had been led to Christ by Paul when the apostle visited Lystra on the first missionary journey.] But it was also because of how Paul continued to pour into his life during the many years that followed. And for Timothy this was such a blessing because the way the his father is described in the imperfect tense (“was”) rather than the present suggests that he had already passed on. And so Timothy (a young man still in great need of a father figure) was blessed to find one in Paul. Now Timothy’s father had been a Greek, while his mother (Eunice) was Jewish. And so [Timothy had access to both cultures—an important qualification for missionary service at that time.] Lois & Eunice-- But another thing I don’t want to overlook is the fact that his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois were also both believers (2 Timothy 1:5). And that just reminds me that behind most successful men are righteous mothers and grandmother’s who have equipped, trained and prayed their men into they eventually end up in. And I can attest to that personally. My mom has been and still is a constant source of encouragement to me. And my grandmothers (both of whom are still living) are constantly praying for me; and only eternity will show how many pitfalls I have avoided; how many physical and spiritual attacks have been driven back; and even how much of my ministry itself I owe to all three of these mighty women of God ministering to me. Now we don’t know Eunice’s story or Lois’ story. But what we do know is that they no doubt were in Lystra during the time of (and may have even witnessed) Paul and Barnabas’ persecution and Paul’s near death by stoning. And yet here they seem willing, amazingly, to allow Timothy to join with Paul in his ministry. And so if we knew nothing else about them, that alone would tell us that here were women of faith and obedience; women who also felt that “weight of glory”; and the reason we know their names today is because of their faithfulness to release this young man Timothy into the dangerous calling of following God. Paul Chooses Timothy-- Now because Timothy had been mentored and discipled by Lois and Eunice, he no doubt carried over into his own life their righteous character. Because we read in verse 2 that: He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. And Paul sees great potential in him and therefore chooses him as a disciple. And so [After being commissioned by the elders of the local assembly of believers (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6), he joined Paul and Silas, and the course of his life was set.] A Providential Blessing-- Now remember earlier I talked about how it is significant that Paul and Silas entered Asia Minor from the opposite direction; because if they had followed the same route as they did on the first missionary journey, they would not have come to Lystra until the very end of their trip. But God’s providence was at work in an amazing way as Timothy (because they came to Lystra first) now can be of help to them for their entire trip. And so God is showing that even when he calls us into difficult circumstances, we often find His greatest blessings in and during those situations. Stepping Out To WBS-- You know, in looking back at when God called me to go to seminary, I remember I wanted to wait, partially because the idea of seminary seemed way too daunting to me. I imagined myself surrounded by scholarly geniuses who would leave me in the dust. But my grandparents (because my family was in China during that time) were staying in my parents’ home, which was near Asbury College where I had been attending. And I visited them and told them of my intention to wait awhile. But (just like Eunice and Lois did with Timothy) they encouraged me not to wait. They even drove me down from Kentucky to Jackson, Mississippi to visit Wesley Biblical Seminary to kind of warm me up to the idea of starting seminary right away. And after receiving assurance that this was God’s will for my life and that it wasn’t totally beyond me and I could do this, I enrolled for that fall. And that was a big step of faith for me. And reflecting back, I think about how I never would have met and married Tanya had I chosen to wait. And so I would have missed out on who was without doubt God’s greatest blessing in my life. I don’t know who is Paul and who is Timothy in her and my relationship, but what I do know is that my life suddenly got a whole lot better after I met her. Even my grades made a marked improvement after she came into my life; because of both her belief in me and also her constant stream of encouragement, which has never stopped. Well, Timothy was kind of like that for Paul; and Paul was that for Timothy. God knew the right time and place to bring them together. Timothy’s Circumcision-- Now immediately following Timothy’s appointment to this ministry, Paul has Timothy circumcised. And some have criticized Paul for this, saying that he ended up falling into the same heresy he had fought against at the Jerusalem Council; that circumcision was necessary for salvation. However, nowhere does it say or imply that he did this in order that Timothy might be saved. Rather, it says in verse 3 that he did this because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. You see, circumcision was the number one condition that was seen as absolutely necessary for every Jew. And if Timothy did not become circumcised, all the Jews that they would meet on their missionary endeavors would assume that Timothy was renouncing his Jewish heritage; and that would place a stumbling block in the way of reaching those Jews with the message of Christianity, which remember is a fulfillment of Judaism. Also keep in mind that Paul always started his ministry in the local synagogues; and if Timothy wanted full access to those synagogues, he needed to be circumcised. And so it had nothing to do with salvation, but rather doing what is necessary in order to reach people for Jesus. Listen to the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, because it really encapsulates Paul’s thinking on this… 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 (ESV)-- 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. The Meaning Behind The Action-- Now having said this, I want to point out that later Paul did refuse to circumcise Titus (Gal. 2:3). And why was that? Because [Titus, unlike Timothy, was a full-blooded Gentile. {And} To have circumcised him would have been to capitulate to legalism. And what this reveals to us is that something might be okay to do in one culture and wrong in another; or right in one situation and wrong in another. It’s not always the action itself, but what the meaning is behind that action. Kind of like kicking a door down. That is wrong to do if you are trying to break into somebody’s house to rob them. But it is a good thing to do if their house is on fire and you are trying to save them. And so with Timothy, Paul saw circumcision as a means of avoiding unnecessary offense; but in refusing to circumcise Titus, Paul was showing that we cannot and must not compromise on any of the essential doctrines and teachings of scripture. In one circumstance circumcision is a means of helping to save people; in the other it is a practice that will rob people of the essential teaching of the Gospel, which is that salvation is by grace through faith alone. And that message (along with the council’s admonition that the gentiles live by love in being sensitive to the Jews and their ways) they are communicating to all these cities, which we see in that it says in… Acts 16:4-5 (ESV)-- 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. Sold Out-- Now what we can’t miss in our study today is this passage’s emphasis on what these early Christians were willing to lay on the altar for the sake of the Gospel. Timothy was willing to leave his entire old life to embrace a ministry that was permeated with danger and uncertainty. And (perhaps even more amazingly) Timothy’s mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois were willing to release him into that ministry. They were like military moms and wives, releasing their men into danger for the sake of a greater cause. But that is what it means to be a Christian; to lay it all down for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. I hope that you and I will be just as faithful. Let’s remember that we are called to be 100% sold out to Jesus. Let’s do so. Amen.
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Anchors-- You know, in reflecting back on my life, there have been quite a number of people who have been anchors for me in my Christian faith; men and women who took time to invest in my life so that I could be thoroughly equipped both to know Jesus Christ in intimate and personal relationship, but also so that I could be thoroughly equipped to carry His Gospel into the world. And one of those people was one of my seminary professors, Dr. Matt Friedeman. Few people have helped shape my thinking about ministry as much as he did. He was not only my professor, but also the leader of a discipleship group I was blessed to be a part of; and it was a discipleship group that was very different from your typical one nowadays, with everyone sitting and talking about the Bible. No, not with Matt. His philosophy of discipleship (which is most akin to what we find here in the book of Acts, and which he would state often) was this: “If you make disciples by sitting around and talking, don’t be surprised if all your disciples do is sit around and talk.” “If you make disciples by sitting around and talking, don’t be surprised if all your disciples do is sit around and talk.” And so yes, we would do Bible study and prayer (and even sing hymns) together, but it wasn’t in the comfort of a home, but in a van on the way to the local prison. He would (like Jesus did) split the group into pairs and send each into a different prison block to preach. Now let me tell you, for a young man who had never preached a sermon before in his life, that was baptism under fire. And furthermore, he wouldn’t tell you when you were going to preach. He would just point at you before boarding the van and say, “Cameron (or whoever it was), you’re preaching tonight.” And (if you weren’t already prepared) you had the van ride over to prepare. Let me tell you, there were few things that I faced that were more intimidating. But looking back, there are few things I am more thankful for; because it taught me that though Jesus had called me to learn, it wasn’t so I could sit in a group of my peers and exchange meaningful ideas; it was so I could go into the darkest of places and bring into the places (and the people there) the transforming power of the Gospel.
Timothy Follows-- Now the reason I say all of this is because here in Acts chapter 16 we see that Paul takes under his wing a young man by the name of Timothy, who joins Paul in ministry; and so Timothy becomes his disciple in the “following” sense of the word because he follows Paul into the spiritually darkest places in the world and joins in his ministry. It is discipleship by hands on training in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people. And today we will begin to see how all that came about. It says in… Acts 16:1-5 (ESV)— 1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. Paul’s Living Fruit-- Now this young man Timothy that joins Paul and Silas in their ministry was actually the living fruit of Paul’s ministry; because remember that on Paul’s first missionary journey into Asia Minor, Paul and Barnabas visited the city of Lystra, where it says in… Acts 14:1b (NKJV)-- …that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. A Constant Companion— Well Timothy was likely one of that multitude. And he was a young man who already had solid Jewish training in the Scriptures from his mother and grandmother. And so when Paul and Silas return to Lystra here on their 2nd missionary journey, they find him, are impressed by his dedication to Christ and willingness to serve, and so Paul takes Timothy under his wing and begins to disciple him. And Timothy [would ultimately become Paul’s constant companion, traveling with him throughout Asia, Macedonia, and Greece. He was also in Rome for part or all of the apostle’s two-year house arrest—and is named as one of the senders in the letters Paul wrote from Rome to the Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon (as well as 2 Corinthians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians).] And we see his dedication even here as (as an adult) he allows himself to be circumcised in order to not create an obstacle for the Jews they would be witnessing to who might know of his mixed Greek/Jewish background and be offended because of their concern to keep the covenant of circumcision. So he is very dedicated. Now not only that, but (as we will see later) Timothy is one of the most self-less Christians in scripture. Paul writes to the Philippians in… Philippians 2:19-22 (ESV)-- 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's[a] proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. {And so we see modeled in Timothy’s life the selflessness of Jesus Christ, which is the supreme mark of the true believer.} Not Making Disciples-- Now at this point I would like to return to something I said last week; and that has to do with what we were talking about in regards to discipleship, because I think that there are many churches that know how to make converts. But there are very few churches that know how to make disciples; who know how to establish new converts firmly in their faith; who know how to teach them the Word and ground them in sound doctrine; who know how to make disciples who will also be thoroughly equipped to make disciples of their own. That is the supreme weakness of the Church today, making disciples who can make disciples. Well, what is a disciple? Wiersbe on Discipleship-- Warren Wiersbe once said: [A disciple, then, is one who has believed on Jesus Christ and expressed this faith by being baptized. He remains in the fellowship of the believers that he might be taught the truths of the faith (Acts 2: 41– 47). He is then able to go out and win others and teach them. This was the pattern of the New Testament church (2 Tim. 2:1-2). In many respects, we have departed from this pattern. In most churches, the congregation pays the pastor to preach, win the lost, and build up the saved— while the church members function as cheerleaders (if they are enthusiastic) or spectators. The “converts” are won, baptized, and given the right hand of fellowship, then they join the other spectators. How much faster our churches would grow, and how much stronger and happier our church members would be, if each one were discipling another believer. The only way a local church can “be fruitful and multiply” (instead of growing by “additions”) is with a systematic discipleship program. This is the responsibility of every believer, and not just a small group that has been “called to go.” Jesus had opened the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24: 44– 45). They knew what He wanted them to teach to their own converts. It is not enough to win people to the Savior; we must also teach them the Word of God. This is also a part of the Great Commission.] Jesus’ Pattern for Discipleship— And you know, he’s absolutely right. That was the pattern for discipleship modeled to us by Jesus. He chose a handful of guys and poured everything He had into those few men. He then showed them how to do ministry; he gave them His authority. Then at Pentecost He gave them His Spirit. And it was that handful of men who ended up changing the world. He trained disciples who could make disciples. Paul was himself discipled under the teachings of the other apostles. Then he takes a disciple of his own; Timothy; and pours everything he has into him. And he trains Timothy until he is ready for service. And Paul’s letters to Timothy contain much of that training. [Paul tells Timothy how to confront false teachers, how to order the church’s worship, how to select church leaders, and how to conduct himself as a young leader in a difficult situation. {And} Speaking as a father to a son, the apostle urges Timothy not only to stand up for the truth in public but also to guard his own soul from the errors all around him (1 Tim. 6:20, 21)]. Timothy’s Ordination-- And when Timothy is ready for service, [In a ceremony that serves as the basis for modern-day ordination of ministers of the gospel, Paul and an “eldership” (group of church elders, or leaders) … laid hands on Timothy to set him apart for God’s service (1:18; 4:14). And we see that he becomes Paul’s handpicked choice to oversee the troubled Church in Ephesus; somebody that he himself had discipled. And Paul calls Timothy by a very personal title in his greeting to Timothy. He says… 1 Timothy 1:2a (NKJV) Greeting-- 2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Son Language-- You know, that is pretty close and personal language. You can hardly get more personal than a relationship between a father and a son; a parent and a child. That is one of the closest, most intimate bonds there is. A child is dependent on you utterly and completely for sustenance. A child absorbs so much what you teach them. You bear them and then you lead them to maturity until they one day leave your home and go off to start families of their own. Our Fruit— And the question I want to leave you with is, what children are you bearing for the kingdom of God? Who is the Timothy in your life? What young or new Christian are you pouring yourself into? Who are you carrying in prayer? To whom are you writing letters of discipleship and encouragement? If we want our nation to experience true freedom in Christ, then we have to start making disciples. It’s in our obedience to make disciples that we can help bring our nation back into right relationship with God. And so let us commit to do that. Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. Thank you for tuning in today as we continue on our journey through the book of Acts.
The 2nd Missionary Journey— Today’s passage is an important one, as it marks the beginning of Paul’s second missionary journey. After this interlude with the Jerusalem Council, Paul is eager to get back to the work of the ministry, which had been interrupted by this debate with the legalists. Now this wasn’t because Paul was bored with the ministry in Antioch. There are many things pastors are. Bored is rarely one of them. In full-time ministry there is always something to do. And helping to pastor the church in Antioch, where (think about it) there were so many new believers was no doubt a great challenge. But something happens when you truly encounter Jesus and allow His mindset to shape yours; and that is that you begin to think eternally. And that is a good thing. But with that will also come a burden. You will no longer be able to ignore the needy and the lost. You will (like God does) feel the weight of eternity on your shoulders as you become awakened to people’s spiritual conditions. The Big Heat Wave-- This past summer (which if you live around here you will know was unusually hot) I read of a man who drove all the way to Arizona during the heat wave in order to buy air conditioners for his friends and neighbors back home, which he then brought back and gave to them. It was apparently a big enough story to make the news. And this man no doubt did it because he knew the dangers of the coming heat. Well, how much more ought we as Christians who (seeing the heat wave of Judgment Day and Hell coming) do what we can to prepare people for it. You see, with an eternal mindset comes what Paul calls in 2 Corinthians 4:17 “The Weight of Glory”; recognizing that every person we meet is going to live forever in one of two places; and God has called us to share His burden in helping to lead people into the life that is found only in His Son Jesus Christ. Paul On The Move-- Well Paul is one of those who always felt that weight of glory, which is why when we look at the broad spectrum of his life, we see that he was never content to remain in one place for very long. No, he was always on the move. Anywhere he went was a step to somewhere else. Even Rome, which you would think would be a place he would be content to remain in (seeing as it was the capital of the greatest empire the world had ever known and therefore probably the best place to remain strategically); it was not his ultimate destination. He longed to visit there (which we read about in Romans 15:22-23); but even in his letter to them he writes “whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while…I will go on by way of you to Spain” (Romans 15:24,28). And the reason he was always on the move was because of how keenly aware he was that there were always other people in other places who had not yet been told about the way of salvation. And he always felt compelled to reach those people. Listen to his own words in 1 Corinthians 9:16: “I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel”. Hudson Taylor’s Burden-- [Paul’s passionate concern for those without Christ found an echo in the heart of J. Hudson Taylor, the nineteenth-century English missionary to China. He wrote: I have a stronger desire than ever to go to China. That land is ever in my thoughts. Think of it—360 million souls, without God or hope in the world! Think of more than twelve millions of our fellow creatures dying every year without any of the consolations of the Gospel. Barnsley including the Common has only 15,000 inhabitants. Imagine what it would be if all these were to die in twelve months! Yet in China year by year, hundreds are dying, for every man, woman and child in Barnsley. Poor, neglected China! Scarcely anyone cares about it.] A Needed Burden-- Now we can read every ministry strategy book out there (and let me tell you, there are tons of them), but none of them will ever replace that internal concern for lost souls that motivates us (or as Paul says “compels us”) to witness. That burden (as hard as it is to bear or even to think about at times) is what every Church needs more than anything else; the burden for the lost that only comes from being close enough to Jesus to have His mindset become our own. And so, feeling that burden, it says in… Acts 15:36 (ESV)-- 36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Make Disciples, Not Merely Converts-- Now even though some have called Paul the greatest human evangelist the world has ever known, we see that he is markedly differently from the modern, 20th & 21st-century stereotypical evangelist, who travels from city to city to win converts, but then leaves them to either grow on their own or be discipled by others. No, Paul didn’t believe in making converts; he believed in making disciples. Well, what is a disciple? Well, a disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ who is rooted in and growing in faith and is becoming fruitful, leading others into faith in Christ and able to disciple them. Now how do you make a disciple? By taking a new believer under your wing (becoming a friend and mentor to them) and giving of your time to help them to become established in their faith. Now we’ll come back to this theme, because it is very important. But I want you to see how ingrained this concept was in the mind of Paul right from the outset, as he wants to return to all the places where he won converts to Christ in order to make sure that they are rooted and growing in Christ. Now Barnabas no doubt thought this second missionary trip was a great idea. But it says in… Acts 15:37-38 (ESV)— 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. {The actual language in the Greek carries a tone of being adamant. Barnabas is determined to take him.} 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. John Mark Leaves— Now the reason that Mark had not gone with them was probably because, after he had arrived with Paul and Barnabas to Perga in Pamphylia and got a glimpse into the interior of Asia Minor and sees all the paganism and danger that lay before them, he gets scared (Acts 13:13). And so he decides to turn and go back to Jerusalem and (more specifically) to his mother, who was a prominent member of the Church there. Now here in this passage we get a glimpse into how Paul felt about that. He sees John Mark as lacking courage and commitment and therefore doesn’t want to take him. He sees Mark as more of a hindrance and a burden than an asset. And so he refuses to take him. Now Barnabas (whose name means “son of encouragement”) wants to give his cousin (Col 4:10) Mark another chance and to allow Mark to show courage where he had shown fear before. And this is typical of Barnabas. In fact years earlier it was he who recognized Paul’s calling (11:25-26). But remember that the other believers were afraid of Paul because of what he had done to the Church. And so Barnabas took him to the apostles (Acts 9:27) and insisted that he be given a chance to prove himself. And he is given that chance. But interestingly, here Paul doesn’t back down in his dispute with Barnabas. He is thoroughly convinced that Mark is not the right person to come along with them at this time. Now we don’t know all the reasons why. But Paul may have had in mind [the immediate needs and demands of such a rigorous journey. Undoubtedly, Mark’s earlier departure {had} placed increased demands on Paul and Barnabas, and he was unwilling to risk that again.] And so, sadly, immediately following the Jerusalem Council, where we see the Church coming together and becoming absolutely unified in their decision, we find in the very next section the opposite. Between Paul and Barnabas it says… Acts 15:39-41 (ESV)— 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus {(which, by the way, was Barnabas’ home (Acts 4:36))}, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Was Paul or Barnabas Right?-- Now I don’t know how you feel about this story; who was right and who was wrong. Scripture doesn’t explicitly say, though the weight of the evidence seems to actually favor Paul; because (think about it) Paul was an apostle, whereas Barnabas was not. That alone is enough reason for Barnabas to submit to Paul’s authority. But even if it wasn’t, Barnabas probably should have recognized that it would be unwise and difficult to take along someone Paul didn’t trust. And last but not least, it is important to note that it was Paul and Silas (not Barnabas and Mark) who are commended by the church in verse 40. Now does that mean Paul was completely in the right? Not necessarily. Maybe he should have shown more mercy. We don’t know enough concerning the circumstances involved to make a decision one way or the other. But what we do know is that [Although they apparently never again ministered together (this is the last mention of Barnabas in Acts), we know Paul and Barnabas eventually reconciled their differences, because Paul later wrote approvingly of Barnabas’s ministry (1 Cor. 9:6). Even John Mark, the cause of all the trouble, later became one of Paul’s valued co-laborers (Col. 4:10; Philem. 24; 2 Tim. 4:11). He also became a close associate of the apostle Peter (1 Pet. 5:13) and was privileged to write one of the four gospels. {And so} Barnabas did a remarkable job in helping to turn around the life and ministry career of his young cousin.] God Used It-- But at this point there is a very painful split. Yet even though it was painful, we see that God was able to use it for good in that because of the split, there are now two missionary endeavors instead of just one. And what that shows us is that God can use even the rough patches to further expand His Kingdom work. Our Burden-- And you know, it is a comfort to me to see that the early Church struggled with many of things that you and I face today. But they were always able to push through their differences and find healing and reconciliation. Why? Because the mission mattered more than their differences; that weight of glory was heavier than any individual’s own personal opinion regarding the way things ought to be done. And the same is true today. The Churches that are the strongest and the most unified are Churches who are living under that weight of glory and keep Christ’s Great Commission central. And so that is the challenge I want to leave you with today. Let us seek to live (like Paul did) under that weight of glory. Let’s do so. Amen. Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim! In our study of Acts 15 we have been talking about the events set in motion by this group of Judaizers (or Jew-makers) who came to the new Gentile Christians in Antioch and tried to impose upon them all of the ceremonial Law of Moses; specifically the right of circumcision. This caused quite an uproar, so that Paul and Barnabas traveled to Jerusalem to have the council give an official answer to this issue. And, after some debate, a decision is reached. And the council concludes that all the evidence shows that the Gentiles have already been fully accepted by God (having the Holy Spirit and the transformation of heart and life that goes along with Him); and so they prescribe only a few rules for the Gentiles to obey not in order to live lives of legalism, but to protect them from immorality and help preserve their relationships with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ. And we expounded each of those last week. But now the time has come for the decision to be brought to the church in Antioch. And so it says in…
Acts 15:22-23 (NKJV)-- 22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. 23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. Now notice the loving language of this letter. They call them “the brethren who are of the Gentiles”. So right from the outset they are communicating that the gentile Christians ARE indeed one of them. Acts 15:24 (NKJV)-- 24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words {[The word translated “troubling” (from anaskeuazo) is “a military metaphor for plundering a town.”]}, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment-- And so the council is reiterating that these Judaizers who had come to them had no authority or sanction from the Jerusalem Council and therefore what they said could be disregarded. And in a similar way with us, if anyone tries to place us under the law, we can know that they are not speaking with God’s (or the true Church’s) authority and can therefore (standing on the authority of the Word of God) reject what they are saying and cling to salvation by grace through faith alone. Now next they write… Acts 15:25-26 (NKJV)-- 25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so the council sends to them men who have been tested; men who have risked life and limb for the sake of the Gospel. Acts 15:27 (NKJV)-- 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. Judas & Silas-- Now the reason they did this was because if only Barnabas and Paul were sent, the people might say, “Well, of course these two men would give us this kind of report.” So they send along Judas and Silas as well in order to confirm to the gentiles that this was indeed the decision of the council. Now the rest of the letter once again ties all this back to the moving hand of God and how He Himself was leading. It says… Acts 15:28-29 (NKJV)-- 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. And that is all. No in-depth theological treatise. Just a loving letter releasing them from all obligation to live under the law. Now after the men receive this letter from the council, it says… Acts 15:30-31 (NKJV)-- 30 So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. Comfort & Liberation-- And that is what always happen wherever the TRUE Gospel is proclaimed. The Gospel of Christ is always one of consolation, comfort, and liberation. The Law (in the end) brings condemnation because it is a mirror that shows us how ugly our spiritual condition really is. But the Gospel brings hope that in Jesus we have received forgiveness from sin and the power to live a life that the Law had no power to help me live. Now after this it says… Acts 15:32-34 (NKJV)-- 32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. 33 And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles. 34 However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. Silas Stays-- Now Silas and Paul obviously got along really well together. Silas must have really like Paul, enjoyed working with him, and probably learned a lot from him. And so he stays in Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to help grow the church there. It says… Acts 15:35 (NKJV)-- 35 Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And Paul and Barnabas were actually the pastors of the church there in Antioch. The First Diversity— Now the challenge that the Church will continue to face after this council is not just the salvation by grace alone issue. Rather, it is how to bring together people from all different races and people groups; people who often had very little in common except their faith in the Lord Jesus. They had their own cultures and subcultures; different histories; different traditions and practices; they had different customs and even languages. And so to try to imagine how you can bring unity and oneness to such a diverse group would be difficult. One solution is simply to decide that it is impossible and not do it. Instead, [segregate, isolate, and study each other with suspicion.] But that approach [profoundly affects Christianity’s effective and attractiveness]. It leads to snobbery and a generally judgmental atmosphere, which would betray the teachings of Jesus and His desire to see His followers be one as He and the Father are one (John 17); and Christianity would lose it’s appeal. Now the other solution is to lay down our presuppositions at the feet of Christ and choose to imitate Him (as Ephesians 5:1 tells us to do) and [become tolerant, understanding, and accepting.] Now that of course doesn’t meant we are to tolerate sin or sinful lifestyles. [James mentioned a few laws the the Gentile believers should see, with an understanding that basic morality and living for God would cover the rest.] But nothing brings greater joy and glory to God than believers of all different racial and ethnic backgrounds and all different social strata coming together in worship of Christ and around the fulfillment of His mission. These 5 Fingers-- [In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus. "These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold." "Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?”] The Three Results-- Now this decision by the council accomplished three practical things. First, it preserved and strengthened the unity of the Church, keeping it from splitting into two extreme “law” and “grace” groups. Rather, they demonstrated the right kind of compromise. They didn’t compromise on doctrine (which is always wrong, as Jude 3 warns us about), but were willing to give and take in the practical arrangements of life so that the various members could work and live together in love and unbroken harmonious fellowship. Secondly, this united decision allowed the Church to present a united witness to lost Jews (Acts 15:21). And the compromise of the gentiles allowed Jews to be drawn to the Christian faith without being repelled by unneeded offense. Third, this letter brought blessing to all who heard it. Not only was this letter read to the gentile believers in Antioch, but Paul (on his second missionary journey) also shared this letter with all the churches he had founded on his first missionary journey. The result was that those churches grew in their faith and also in their numbers (Acts 16:5). Christ of The Andes-- This week I read an interesting story of how [Years ago, a large statue of Christ was erected high in the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile. Called "Christ of the Andes," the statue symbolizes a pledge between the two countries that as long as the statue stands, there will be peace between Chile and Argentina. Shortly after the statue was erected, the Chileans began to protest that they had been slighted -- the statue had its back turned to Chile. Just when tempers were at their highest in Chile, a Chilean newspaperman saved the day. In an editorial that not only satisfied the people but made them laugh, he simply said, "The people of Argentina need more watching over than the Chileans.] Share The Grace— You know, it’s amazing what impact one person can have in bringing unity in a situation. And the way you and I can help do that is by being careful not to put stumbling blocks in front of people by forcing them to conform to what might not be a theological belief, but more of a traditional practice. We can easily fall into the trap of thinking that we are honoring and obeying God with our traditionalism, structure, and legalistic requirements when in fact we may be creating distance between God and others. Freedom and life are what we give others when we share with them the true message of the Gospel, not rules and ceremonies. And so let us share that life; that freedom in Christ Jesus with those to whom we witness. Amen. |
Rev. Cameron Ury graduated from Asbury University in 2007 with a B.A. in Bible and Theology. From there he continued his studies at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, MS. It was there that he met his wife Tanya, who graduated from WBS with her M.A. and M.Div. degrees. Cameron and Tanya got married in 2009. Cameron then graduated with his M.Div. degree with a pastoral concentration in 2011.
After shepherding churches in both Mississippi and Ohio, they joined the ministry team at Renton Park Chapel in January of 2018, where Cameron serves as Senior Pastor and Teacher. Cameron is also the founder and host of Lechem Panim, a weekly radio show that airs on KGNW 820AM "The Word Seattle". The ministry of Lechem Panim is centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through Bible study, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Archives
January 2022
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