Sermon010503pm

Jim Huskey, Walking Through Acts # 21

Most good things, most great things are not accomplished and achieved

without difficulty. When we last finished our study, we were looking

at some things in Acts 13, where, being in Anticoh of Pisidia, they

had preached and the greeks had desired that they, too, could hear the

gospel. We find that "And the next sabbath day came almost the whole

city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the

multitude, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things

which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul

and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of

God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from

you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to

the Gentiles." Acts 13:44-46. Now look at verse 50 of chapter 13.

"But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, (if you want

to get trouble stirred up, get them stirred up) and the chief men of

the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled

them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet

against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with

joy and with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in Iconium, that they

went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a

great multitude both of the Jews and the Greeks believed. But the

unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil

affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking

boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace,

and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the

multitude of the city was divided; and part held with the Jews, and

part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of

the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them

despitefully, and to stone them, they were ware of it, and fled unto

Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth

round about; and there they preached the gospel." Acts 13:50-Acts 14:7.

Then an impotent man is healed at Lystra and those idolatrous people

are prepared to worship God in their manner of speaking; they're going

to worship Paul and Barnabas; they called Barnabas, Jupiter and the

called Paul, Mercurius because he was the cheif speak. Paul restrained

them from doing so, however. Then in Acts 14:19 we pick up, "And there

came thither, certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the

people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing

he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he

rose up, and came into the city; and the next day he departed with

Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel in that city,

and had taught many, the returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and

Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to

continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter

into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in

every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the

Lord, on whom they believed. And after they had passed through

Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in

Perga, they went down into Attalia, and then sailed to Antioch from

whence they had been reommended to the grace of God for the work which

they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church

together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had

opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles; and there they abode long

time with the disciples." Acts 14:19-28. It seem almost now at every

turn there's going to be one problem or another. We've already

encountered several as we have taken our walk through the book of Acts.

There was that problem of the neglect of the Grecians widows that arose.

There was the problem of Ananias and Sapphira and those like them.

There was the problem, always, of oppression from the Jews; and now

the Jews have aligned themselves in many cases with the Gentiles whom

they didn't even like in the first place, in order to prevent the

successful preaching and teaching of the word. Everywhere they go,

disciples are made. Now that's going to happen when the word of God is

preached plainly enough, long enough. Eventually there are those honest

souls who are going to hear it, believe it and obey it. But that wasn't

the only problem that would arise.

You see, this transition from the Jews being God's chosen people to

the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, in the mind of many of

the Jews, still created a problem. So there were many who contended

and did so very vehemently for a long time, that unless the Gentiles

were circumcised, they could not be saved. Acts 15:1 says, "And

certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said,

Except ye be circumcised, after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be

saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and

disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and

certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and

elders about this question." Acts 15:1,2. You see, they failed to take

into consideration a few basic principles.

The first basic principles was that the promise God mad to Abraham at

the very outset included ALL nations. 'In thee and thy seed', Paul

said, he said as of one, "to thy seed", which is Christ, 'shall ALL

nations of the earth be blessed.' It never was intended to be

exclusively for the Jews. Many of the Jews, however, were not content

to turn lose of all the tenents of the law; and the practice of

circumcison was one of the tenents of the law they decided would be a

test of faith, particularly for the Gentiles. You see, it wouldn't be

a test of faith for the Jews because they had already been circumcised.

This caused a lot of trouble. Therefore there were certain who came

from Judaea into the area of Antioch bringing that doctrine. Paul and

Barnabas contended with them and evidently it created enough of a

problem that the brethren decided that Paul, Barnabas and others should

go to Jerusalem and assemble with the other apostles and the elders who

were there in Jerusalem to consider this matter. So they did. Beginning

in Acts 15:4 we read, "And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were

received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they

declared all things that God had done with them. "But there rose up

certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that is was

needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of

Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of

this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up,

and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago

God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the

word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts,

bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by

faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of

the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall

be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave

audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders

God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had held

their peace, James answered saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me;

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to

take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the

words of the prophets, as it is written, After this I will return and

will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I

will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up. That the

residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon

whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among

the Gentiles are turned to God; but that we write unto them, that they

abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things

strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city

them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send

chosen men of their own company to Antioch wich Paul and Barnabas;

namely Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the

brethren." Acts 15:5-22. Then they wrote a letter that these men

carried with them when they went back to Antioch. In it were the

recommendations that both Peter and James had made. I mentioned the

names of those being sent for a purpose.

One of those sent is going to again appear for some time. You see, he

was with the brethren at Jerusalem and now he is sent to Antioch.

Remember Barnabas was sent down their first, and now, among others,

Silas is sent down there. Acts 15:30 begins, "So when they were

dismissed, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the

multitude together, they delivered the epistle; which when they had

read, they rejoiced for the consolation. And Judas and Silas, being

prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and

confirmed them. And after they had tarried there a space, they were

let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. Notwithstanding

it pleased Silas to abide there still." Acts 15:30-35.

So as stated earlier, problems are going to come. We've seen that.

It's not will they come, it's when will they come and in what shape

will they come, and what will we do with them when they do come.

They didn't let this thing get out of hand. This could have broken

down all the good that had been done; but they were determined that

that would not happen. They did not allow it to do so. Now we have

a significant individual in the right place. Remember, this morning

when we were going through these events, walking through Acts, and we

found that when Paul and Barnabas left Antioch, John Mark was with them,

but he did not continue to the completion of their journey. Look in

verse 36 of this 15th chapter. "And some days after Paul said unto

Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we

have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas

determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul

thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from

Pamphilia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention as

so sharpe between them, that they departed asunder one from the other;

and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus; and Paul chose Silas,

and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches."

Acts 15:36-41.

Problems. You know that could have been a major problem right there.

A major problem!!!! After all, it was Barnabas who received Saul when

he first came to Jerusalem, and no one else would. It was Barnabas

whom the apostles sent to Antioch when they heard the Gentiles had

received the word of God. It was Barnabas who went to Tarsus and got

Saul and brought him to Antioch. Now a rift has occurred. It has

occurred over an individual by the name of John Mark. They decided

that the best thing to do would be for them to part company and both

of them do what they had intended to do. Instead of one missionary

journey being made, there are two going to be made this time.

Barnabas and John Mark making one and Paul and Silas making one. Much

later we will read, as Paul is writing to Timothy, "...Take Mark, and

bringhim with thee; for he is profitable to me for the ministry."

II Tim. 4:11. Now wait a minute, Paul. This is the fellow you would

not take on the second missionary journey. That's right. You see,

this was a judgment call. I'm assuming and I think rightly so, that

several things have occurred in the meantime. One - John Mark has come

under the same influence of the same man of whom Paul had been, namely

Barnabas. Two, Paul himself has grown. Also, John Mark has grown.

So, 'take Mark and bring him with you.' He's telling Timothy that

'because he is profitable to me in the ministry.' A lot of folks would

have never forgiven John Mark for not going ahead and finishing what

he started. A lot of folks, had they been John Mark, would never have

forgiven Paul for not taking him when

they made that second journey. Sometimes I think we fail to realize

that that is in part a lot of what christian living is about; it's

about growing - growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and

Saviour, Jesus Christ. There you have an illustration of it, as we've

just sort of been walking our way through the book of Acts. There are

so many lessons, not always necessarily about what was preached at

this particular point or place, but things that take place in the

background, from which some very powerful lessons can be learned.

These can help us to learn that even among the apostles there was room

for growth. I heard a preacher one time say, and he was an older man,

"I've never changed my mind on anything." Well, I feel sorry for him.

Even the apostle Paul changed his mind and I dare say he wasn't any

smarter than Paul, not even as smart as Paul. That's a part of what

learning and growing is all about, taking it one step at a time. You

see, that's basically what created the problem with the Jews. They

were trying to bind the law on the Gentiles. Peter and James had to

remind them, 'we couldn't keep that law, our forefathers couldn't keep

that law, now why do you want to bind it on them, when God didn't.'

So the Jews had to do some growing, as did the Gentiles. The apostles

had to do some growing, the teachers had to grow. When they did, it

all worked out to the glory of God and the salvation of others.