Sabbath: The Jerusalem Council
Jerusalem Council
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 15; Gal. 2:11-13; Exod. 12:43-49; Rom. 3:30; Lev. 18:30; Rev. 2:14, Rev. 2:20.
Memory Text: “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are“ (Acts 15:11, NIV).
After more than two years, Paul and Barnabas returned to Syrian Antioch. Because the whole church there had been involved in sending them out as missionaries, it was natural that they would give a report to the church. The report’s emphasis, however, was not what they had accomplished but on what God Himself had done through them.
The object of the report, of course, was the success of the mission among the Gentiles, though many Jews had also come to faith. Since the episode of Cornelius, however, the conversion of uncircumcised Gentiles had become an issue (Acts 11:1-18), but now that large numbers of them were being admitted to church membership, things became particularly complicated. Many believers in Jerusalem were not happy. For them, Gentiles would need first to be circumcised, that is, to become Jewish proselytes in order to become part of God’s people and have fellowship with them.
Acts Chapter 15 is all about the Gentile problem’s reaching a critical level and about the church’s working together to find a solution. The Jerusalem Council was a turning point in the history of the apostolic church in relation to its worldwide mission.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 25.
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The Big Picture
Resolving issues in the early church required considerable patience. Communication took time. Imagine that you were in one of the churches in Asia Minor and the church decided to seek an apostolic opinion from Jerusalem. It would involve either a boat trip of a longer overland trip; both with their attendant dangers. The round trip could take several months.
The issue of what should be required of gentiles joining the church was a fundamental one and I have no doubt that the Jerusalem council was quite vigorous. While the Council resolved the issue, the Judaizers did not accept the decision and Paul spent some considerable effort counteracting their influence in his epistles.
It is worth keeping this picture in our minds as we study this weeks lesson and learn lessons that apply to a 21st-century worldwide church that grapples with issues of unity.
At his conversion shortly after returning from the Arabian desert before beginning his mission work Paul came to Jerusalem and met with the apostles in Jerusalem.
Now with the sharp dispute, It would have been much easier to avoid Jerusalem; however, it was important for Paul to have no displeasure among the leaders of the church.
In a world of sin, success, failure and being indifferent all have their own challenges.
Earlier lesson study: conflict with distributing food among the needy widows
Lesson this week: conflict with conversion of gentile believers
Paul reported, everything God had done through them.
Then some of the believers were quick to point out how Paul's message was not complete.
The twelve spies went to the promised land.
Two of the spies gave the report we should be more than able to conquer it.
The other ten reported and the whole camp of Israel was discouraged.
It has been that way through out the history.
Some will see reason to break away from the church, break people from the mission.
Great leaders will always work hard to unite the church.