November 15
Acts 15:22-17:15
In today's readings a number of areas might not seem to make sense at face value. After a serious debate among the leaders of Jerusalem, the list of requirements might seem a bit odd, as we read in Acts 15:28-29, "“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 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.”" When Paul debated with the Jewish people they were slaves to the law. They were under the burden of trying to be good enough. Paul argued to them that they must release themselves from the weight of the law and accept the grace that is only possible by being washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. But now Paul was not debating the Jewish people, but Gentiles. They didn't know nor did they care about the law. They were pagans through and through. Their worship was done at temples of various pagan gods. The list of things mentioned in the letter: the food to idols, drinking blood, and sexual immorality were all common aspects of pagan temple worship. So, the message was simple. Like to the Jews, you cannot add Jesus into the old. You must get rid of the old before you accept salvation under Jesus Christ. As Jesus said in Matthew 9:17, "“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”"
We read in Acts 16:2-3, "Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek." At face value, this might seem to be a contradiction of what transpired in 15:1-2, "While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently...". The men from Judea were arguing that circumcision and becoming Jewish was necessary for the Gentiles before salvation would be possible under Jesus Christ. When we read what transpires in Lystra, Timothy was already a disciple of Jesus Christ, and circumcision had nothing to do with his decision. Paul approached Timothy's circumcision from a point of strength. In Romans 14, Paul, on a number of occasions talks of not doing anything which might stumble one of weaker faith. In this case, Timothy would be seen as Jewish, since his mother was Jewish. His lack of circumcision in the eyes of non-believing Jews would be an unnecessary stumbling block for their salvation. Paul says later in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, "Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some."
We read another portion which at first might not seem to make sense in Acts 16:16-18, "One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her." Why would Paul stop this girl who was non-stop talking about salvation through Jesus Christ? Because this woman was moving forward through the power of a demonic spirit. Satan often attacks from the outside. But when that fails, his next tactic is to hinder God's work by joining them from the inside. We read in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?" Many churches have fallen prey to siding with unbelievers who join them on an issue or two. The church must stay true to the word of God. We cannot compromise on the pure teaching of Scripture. Even one small concession over time will take you so far in the wrong direction you won't even remember how the trajectory began. When we read Scripture, may we remember there are no contradictions. Seeming contradictions come from our not understanding either the context, the culture, the language, etc. The Bible is truth, pure and simple.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: