Have you sat on a committee where decisions were made, with the full agreement of the whole body, only to be implemented differently to what was decided and written into the minutes? That is frustrating, causes anger and unhappiness. There are times when people, knowing what was decided upon, go and do what they want in defiance to the committee’s decision.
From today we shall see how the apostles and elders of the early Church made decisions and carried them out without change or compromise. Further, to prevent any possible distortion or bias, they sent their own men as witnesses with Paul and Barnabas, together with a letter drafted in their name. Please read one verse from yesterday and then the following passage containing their letter.
Ac 15:20 Instead 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.
Ac 15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. 23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
1) The Court of apostles and elders respond. James, the chairman of the court spoke after Peter (v13) and gave his “judgment” in verse 19. This judgment was based upon hearing what the Party of the Pharisees and Barnabas and Paul had said, plus the discussion of the apostles and elders. The General Assembly agreed with the decision, which was against the Judaizers. This was now formalized in a letter to be sent to the Church at Syria Antioch. To authenticate the letter and its content, they sent witnesses of their own choosing, to accompany the delegation from Antioch, because those from the Party of the Pharisees went to the Church in Antioch without permission from the leaders of the early Church. They are the ones who rocked the boat, seeking to bring division with their Old Covenant’s requirements that became obsolete through Jesus’ New Covenant, written in His Blood.
Here we see a sterling illustration of how doctrinal (or any other) problems need to be sorted out. The Church at Antioch did their evangelism where Gentiles came to faith. The Judaizers (they were part of the early Church) arrived from Jerusalem insisting converts needed to be circumcised to become Christian. Paul and Barnabas objected because salvation in Jesus is by grace through faith. Eventually the disturbance caused the Church to send the missionaries and some of their own men to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles and elders. The Judaizers also presented their case. Then the apostles and elders left the General Assembly and met as a Court to deliberate. The result was favorable for the Gentiles. In turn they sent the delegation from Antioch back, accompanied by selected witnesses and a letter of response.
This, beloved, is the Biblical way to resolve issues in the Church. Mostly we do not follow these procedures. Mostly we try to keep problems under wrap. Mostly we try to smooth out problems without dealing with it decisively. In the long run, this is to the Church’s detriment because those sowing seeds of error have achieved their desire. They have already caused destabilization. Damage has been done. To smooth out the matter without dealing with it at its root is nothing more than covering a stained, scratched table with a beautifully embroidered white tablecloth. Every time you remove the tablecloth, the damage is visible. When matters, however painful, are dealt with Biblically, lasting solutions are found.
Take this matter of circumcision. Because the General Assembly and Court of Apostles and Elders tackled the matter correctly, opening up the wound, discussing it fully, they could come up with a godly, lasting solution. This is not just how we need to deal with matters that are divisive … we need to learn that doing God’s work right, we protect the Church against problems that would follow in the future. Always remember that the spiritual leaders of the Church are appointed to protect the Church from dangerous teaching, leading her to maturity in Christ, for service and for heaven. I’ll suggest that the reason many Churches struggle with long lasting illness is because the spiritual cancer is never treated at its roots.
2) The witnesses sent with the missionaries.
(1) Judas. He has the same surname as Joseph:
Ac 1:23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
We do not know whether Judas was a brother, son, nephew, uncle or father. This is the only time he is mentioned.
(2) Silas. He becomes a companion to Paul in missionaries work amongst the Gentiles. Commentators believe he is the Silas mentioned in Paul’s and Peter’s writings.
(i)
12 Cor 1:9 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy.
(ii)
1Th 1:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
(iii)
1Pe 5:12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.
From Acts 15, Silas is mentioned 17 times in the Book of Acts.
(3) Leaders. These two men were … leaders among the brothers. They were qualified, respected men of integrity. When a Church needs to choose men to fulfil duties outside of the Church, suitably qualified men of personal integrity, Biblical knowledge and spiritual wisdom need to be used.
Never forget that the Church is always on a public platform. We don’t just defend Truth amongst the Body of Christ, we defend Truth in the public arena too. Those who represent the Church reveal the Church (local as in visible and invisible) to the world. I need to reiterate the great need for Church Boards to listen carefully to complaints and make Biblical decisions. As members of a Church, we need to be in much prayer for our spiritual leaders because they are the ones who need to keep us in the Truth to serve the Truth.
Our God and Father, we ask this day that You guide congregations to choose godly men who are qualified to lead so that the Church of God is protected, cared for and a safe place for Your people. Amen.