Justify

Paul has just described his confrontation with Peter in Antioch (Gal 2:11-14).  The man from Tarsus got in Pete’s grill when false teachers duped into buying a snake oil gospel of “do better.”  

This led to a hypocrisy that split the church down ethnic lines.  Paul warned the leader of the apostles that he wasn’t walking straight in terms of the Gospel.  These false teachers peddled a counterfeit message that said non-Jews had to first follow Jewish law in order to become true followers of Jesus.

Peter clearly repented of his sin after the “Antioch Incident.”  This only made his relationship with Paul stronger.  In 2Peter 3:15-17, Pete boldly proclaims his love for his “brother Paul” as well as his authority as an apostle.  In his own letter to believers, he warns us not to be suckered by false teachers as he was.  He cautions us not to allow “the ignorant and unstable to twist” God’s Word.

In verse 16, Paul drops a nuke on the idea of self-salvation through our own good works.  Three times he detonates the “J Bomb” of justification by faith in Jesus.  He begins by saying “a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”  

This is a powerful statement that applies to any person.  The apostle takes it a step further and makes it personal.  “So we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law.”  He finishes his triple play by concluding with the absolute that “by works of the law no one will be justified.”

Let’s review...

• Not justified by works.
• Justified through faith in Jesus.
• Justified by faith in Christ.
• Not justified by works of the law
• By works of the law no one will be justified.

Get it?  Got it?  Good.

Three times Paul uses the Greek verb δικαιοω/dikaioo.  This is a legal term that describes how a judge declares the defendant not guilty and innocent of any charges.  When Jesus saves us, God rules that we are fully and immediately innocent of our sin and rebellion against Him.  Despite our sinful flesh that He must still sanctify, He pounds the cosmic gavel in our favor.  Not guilty!

Three times Paul uses this word.  Notice a couple of things.  First of all, each time it is passive.  In other words, we have nothing to do with the declaration.  This is God’s ruling from the bench.  We have provided no defense worthy of His verdict.  

Second, each time the apostle uses the verb, he uses a different tense.  The first time its in the past (the Greek aorist tense), “justified...through faith in Jesus Christ.”  The second time its in the present tense, “we believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith.”  Finally, he uses the future tense in warning that “by works of the law no one will be justified.”

• Past.
• Present.
• Future.

Get it?  Got it?  Good.

While Paul uses the legal language, a medical image helps me understand what's going on here.  Think of the law as CT scan, an MRI or an X-ray.  These are tools that doctors use to diagnose illness and disease.  These do nothing to treat us.  They simply tell physicians what's wrong with us.  That's exactly what the law does.  God provides it to us as a diagnostic tool.  But it doesn't heal.

When we put our faith in what Jesus has done for us, that's the cure.  Trusting in the truth that Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn't live.  Trusting that Jesus died the perfect death we should have died.  Trusting that Jesus rose to a heaven we don't deserve.  It's not about what we do.  It's not about obeying the law.  

Just like getting more and more CT scans won't cure us without treatment, trying to obey the law won't save us.  That's exactly what Paul means when he writes to his Roman buddies.  "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin" (Rom 3:20).

The law is the diagnostic. Faith in Jesus is the cure.  Only putting our faith in the Great Physician provides ultimate healing.

Some of the great minds of our faith call this imputation.  That's a fancy way of saying we get Jesus' perfect righteousness and obedience while He takes our sin and disobedience.  

Not exactly a fair trade, is it?  Luther calls it the Great Exchange.  Paul describes it in one of his letters to the Corinthian crew.  "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2Cor 5:21).

That's the same message Paul also preached at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch.  "By Him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39).  Instead of using legal or medical images, the apostle uses prison language.  Only Jesus can bust us out of the joint.

The apostle grabs Peter, the Galatians and us by the shoulders and gives us a hard shake.  He wants us to remember the amazing truth of our justification in Jesus.  

©2012

Jay Jennings

Jesus to the Rescue

“my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me” (2Tim 3:11)

The hero to the rescue. You see it everywhere. In the movies. On TV. In literature. The Calvary thunders over the hill at the very last moment. Just when the evil genius is about to destroy the planet, (insert your favorite superhero here) swoops in out of nowhere. Just as Darth Vader is about to zap Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon save the day.

Just like the Bonnie Tyler song of the ‘80s, every one of us is holding out for a hero. Ever wonder where we get this standard storytelling cliche? I have a sneaking suspicion it’s because God has written this plot line on our very souls. Long before Marvel Cinematic Universe was a gleam in Stan Lee’s eye, we’ve longed for the Lord to save our bacon.

Jesus to the rescue!

It’s not just a mega-theme in God’s ultimate story, it’s one of the top two. Wonder what sits at number one? God getting the glory only He deserves. But a close second is Jesus to the rescue. It starts in the opening pages of Genesis when God announces to the satanic snake that a Hero is on the way to ultimately smash his sinful skull (Gen 3:15).

You know this Hero by several different names. Christ. Lord. Son of God. Son of Man. The Word. The Way. The Truth. The Life. Immanuel. The Lion of Judah. The Alpha and Omega. But these three handles best describe One coming to our rescue. Deliverer. Messiah. Savior.

The Old Testament is an endless series of announcements of Messiah’s eventual arrival. The NT reveals our Savior’s secret identity as Jesus, the humble Carpenter/Rabbi from the boondocks of Galilee. Before Christ Jesus returns to heaven, He promises to return one last time to save the day one last time.

Jesus to the rescue!

Which brings us to Paul’s second letter to his spiritual son Timothy. Talk about someone in need of rescue! The apostle is behind bars and facing capital punishment (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). While he certainly hopes Jesus will bust him out of the joint before it’s too late, he’s desperate for one last visit before execution (2Tim 4:9, 21).

They always say your life flashes before you just before you die. Maybe that’s why the apostle flips through the scrapbook of his relationship with the young pastor from Lystra who has been a huge part of his life over the past few years. Timothy’s been his apprentice during both the good times and bad. Tim knows all about Paul’s “persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from the all the Lord rescued me” (v11). Time and time again, Paul can personally testify about Jesus to the rescue.

Our Bible begins this verse with “my persecutions and sufferings” (v11). But these two are actually the last things in a list Paul started in verse 10. He encourages Tim for being such a great student and putting into practice all he’s learned from the apostle. “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (2Tim 3:10).

Thanks to those handy dandy verse numbers, many of us may have stopped before reading on and finishing the list. Don’t forget to add Paul’s “persecutions and sufferings” as God’s spokesman to most of the known world.

Did you know the authors of Scripture didn’t include these chapter and verse numbers? Scholars added those numbers so we could find specific passages more quickly. Chapters started showing up in the 5th Century. Verse numbers hit the pages more than one hundred years later in the 1500s. Think of them like street addresses that help you find your way around. Sort of a biblical Google Maps. For those of you lucky enough to grow up in a Baptist church, imagine doing Bible drills without them! Yikes!!

Most of the time, these chapter and verse numbers are a huge help to us as we find our way around God’s Word. Occasionally, they create artificial or awkward breaks in passages. This would be one of those. The apostle included his “persecutions and sufferings” (v11) in Tim’s apprenticeship checklist. We should too. Being a good follower of Jesus means following Him through the hard times.

When you first read the combo of “persecutions and sufferings” (v11), you might think it’s really two words for the same thing. Not so much. The first term in the original language (Gr. διογμος/diogmos) describes a chase, intense harassment, or an organized and planned oppression. In this situation, you’re the hunted and the hunter is in hot pursuit. It’s something that happens TO you.

This is a case of “it takes one to know one.” Paul knows what it’s like because he’s been the hunter. The apostle formerly known as Saul was on a mistaken one-man mission from God to wipe Jesus’ followers from the face of the earth (Acts 8:1). After Jesus set him straight, the tables were turned. The former Pharisee often found himself square in the sites of those who wanted to do the same to him. There was the time Jewish leaders in Pisidian Antioch “stirred up persecution (Gr. διογμος/diogmos) against Paul and Barnabas” and chased them out of town (Acts 13:50).

If “persecutions” are what happens TO you, “sufferings” (v11) are what happen IN you. The word in the original Greek (Gr. παθημα/pathema) focuses on strong inward emotions or what’s going on inside you. It’s all about pain, affliction, calamity, affliction, or something that must be endured. At dinner on the night before His execution, Jesus tells His team, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer (Gr. παθημα/pathema)” (Lk 22:15). And this passage from Luke is the source for our word describing the internal suffering or the passion of Christ. It’s something that happens IN you.

Why are “persecutions and sufferings” important when it comes to following Jesus? I don’t know about you, but it would be my personal preference to avoid these two things like a nasty combination of an IRS audit and colonoscopy! But then again, that’s why God didn’t leave me in charge.

First of all, don’t make the mistake of thinking that hard times mean Christ has turned His back on you. The apostle tells the Romans that there’s no way “tribulation, or distress, or persecution (Gr. διογμος/diogmos), or nakedness, or danger, or sword” will ever separate us from Jesus’ love (Rom 8:35). And, as they say in those Ginsu knife commercials, “But wait, there’s more!” Because God’s grace and power shines brightest in our weakness, Paul actually finds contentment “with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions (Gr. διογμος/diogmos), and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor 12:10).

Meanwhile back in 2 Timothy, the apostle takes a little stroll down memory lane and recalls all “that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured” (v11). If you’re familiar with Paul’s travel history, you probably recognize these places. They were all tour stops on his original Gospel expedition with his buddy Barnabas.

Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra are cities in the southern central part of what we know today as Turkey. So Paul’s descriptions of what went down there aren’t some generic, hard-to-pin-down generality of harassment. He is incredibly specific. In other words, these are real events involving real people at real places in real points in history. If you’re still not buying what he’s selling, Dr. Luke carefully has researched these events in one handy dandy little book known as Acts.

The apostle’s first stop in this terrible triple-header is “at Antioch” (v11). This is not to be confused with another Antioch we see in the NT, which was the capital of Syria. Syrian Antioch is the location of the multicultural megachurch that sent Paul and Barnabas on their original mission trip in the first place (Acts 11:19-27; 13:1-3). Here in 2 Timothy, he refers to another city by the same name in the region of Pisidia over in Asia Minor.

After Paul announces that Jesus is the long promised Messiah in a synagogue in Antioch (Acts 13:14-41), Jewish leaders in the city lose their ever-loving minds (Acts 13:45). As a result, the apostle and his boy Barney take the message of Christ to the non-Jewish people of the city and they go absolutely gaga over it (Acts 13:46-59). That leads to Jewish leaders inciting a riot and running the two evangelists out of the city (Acts 13:50).

The second stop is “at Iconium” (v11). As a result of the persecution in Antioch, Paul and Barney hit the road and head east about 85 miles away to what we today call Konya (Acts 13:51). Once again, they head straight to the synagogue and break the news that Jesus is the Hero whom Jews have been expecting for several thousand years (Acts 14:1).

When a cross cultural stew of people place their trust in Christ, Jewish leaders begin a campaign against the Gospel and poison the minds of a many Gentiles in the city against  the message (Acts 14:2). Jesus uses the dynamic duo to save even more folks. But Iconium remains a city divided (Acts 14:3-4). When Paul and Barney get wind of plot to rock them to sleep with real rocks, they beat feet out of town (Acts 14:5-6).

From Iconium, they head south 30 miles to Lystra to the third stop in the terrible triple-header. This is where God uses Paul to heal a disabled man who had never walked in his entire life (Acts 14:8-10). Citizens are so blown away by this that they are convinced two of their gods named Zeus and Hermes have rolled into town (Acts 14:11-13). Paul does his best to let them know they’re not gods but they do know the One who is (Acts 14:14-18).

That’s when a posse of Jewish leaders from Antioch and Iconium roll into town, looking to for the two troublemakers. They fire up the crowds who hunt down Paul, stone him until they think he’s dead, and drag his unconscious body outside the city limits (Acts 14:19). Somehow, someway, the apostle survives and hooks up with Barnabas to take the Good News down the road to Derbe (Acts 14:20).

I don’t know about you, but I would totally eliminate Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra from any of my future travel plans. I certainly wouldn’t be giving them good reviews on Tripadvisor. You can take that to the bank! We’re not talking about a bad service at a restaurant or a dirty hotel bathroom. These are big time “persecutions and sufferings” (v11) that would lead most of us to put these places in our rearview mirror once and for all.

Oh, but not Paul and Barnabas! On their return trip to Syria, they hit these three cities a second time, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22). The Gospel is too important to let a little persecution stop them!

It’s likely that during those crazy days in Lystra that a young man named Timothy hears about Jesus as Messiah for the first time. A couple of years later on Paul’s second tour, he actually swings by Lystra a THIRD time! That’s when makes Tim part of his team (Acts 16:1-3). Young Tim was probably an eyewitness to the attempt to murder the apostle the first time he was in town. And you can bet he’s heard all the stories of the persecution that happened up the road in Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium.

You may be wondering how the world Paul survived three terrible tour stops where he was bullied, chased, harassed, assaulted, and left for dead. Well, he lets us know right here. “Yet from them all the Lord rescued me” (v11). While we don’t get details, the apostle gives all the credit for each one of his escapes to the one and only Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus to the rescue!

The apostle carefully selects a word here that the ESV translates as “rescued” (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai). It’s means to bring someone out of severe and extreme danger to safety. It describes deliverance…and I DON’T mean the kind with banjos. When someone comes to your rescue, there’s no doubt of the imminent danger. It’s what Michael Scott on “The Office” would call Threat Level Midnight. It’s not a matter of IF you’re in trouble but WHEN it will happen.

Check out a couple of other times NT writers use this term. The apostle and his team thought they were going to die when rioting broke out in Ephesus. Are you seeing a pattern here? But Paul writes to the Corinthians that’s exactly when God came to their rescue. “He delivered (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us again” (2Cor 1:10).

Jesus to the Rescue!

When Jesus teaches His boys to pray, He wraps up the model prayer by asking His Dad to “deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from evil” (Mt 6:13; Lk 11:4). While Christ hangs on the cross, the crowd trash talks Him, “He trusts in God; let God deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) Him now” (Mt 27:43). Pretty sure they’d be eating those words a few days later when He came strolling out of cemetery!

As important as it is for Jesus coming to our rescue when we’re stuck between the proverbial rock and the hard place, it pales in comparison to desperate need for Him as our spiritual Savior. After we completely trash God’s perfect creation through our own sin and rebellion, Christ executes the most spectacular search-and-rescue operation the universe has ever seen. The Lord left the pleasures of the heavenly palace to dive into the dumpster of the mess we’ve made.

Jesus rescues us by doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. He lives the perfect life of obedience to God’s commands that we’ve failed to live. He dies the brutal death on the cross for our sin that we should have died. He rises to the spectacular new life that we in no way deserve. Paul says it this way in a little ditty to the Colossians. God has rescued us and “He has delivered (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13).

Jesus to the rescue!

So what do we do with all this? First of all, Timothy has learned a lot from following Paul while he follows the Lord. As an apprentice to the apostle, he’s seen first hand that the abundant life isn’t an endless supply of rainbows, unicorns, and Skittles. As a matter of fact, his mentor makes that plain in the very next verse. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12). Remember, life is messy. Even for the the followers of Jesus. ESPECIALLY for the followers of Jesus!

Our Savior warns His team before His crucifixion that we can be certain everything will go completely off the rails. “In this world you will have tribulation” (Jn 16:33). Of all the promises in the Bible, you never see anybody claiming this one. You don’t see a whole lot of “in this world you will have tribulation” bumper stickers or coffee mugs at the Christian bookstore, do you?

But if we keeping reading Jesus’ words at that Passover party, He gives us a sneak preview of it all ends. “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). Spoiler alert! Christ wins. And when we trust in Him, we win too. The apostle desperately wants the folks in Colossae to never forget the end of the story (Col 3:1-2).

We need to know that Jesus always walks with us through the trouble. That’s why the prophets like to call Him Immanuel which means God is with us (Mt 1:23). He’s not just with us in the past tense. He’s STILL with us in the present tense. Our Savior is right by your side. Right here. Right now.

Jesus to the rescue!

Sometimes He plucks us out of the storm. Many times He walks with us right through the eye. Hang onto Jesus when the hurricanes of life make landfall. And no matter bad it gets, you can be sure that He’ll never let go of you. King David sings all about that. “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” (Ps 27:14). Or as my old buddy Ross Turner always said, “Wait IN the Lord while you wait ON the Lord.”

Jesus to the rescue!

Let’s not sugarcoat things. The commercial is right. Life does come at you fast. Don’t fall for the lie that following Jesus suddenly transforms life into an all-inclusive resort on this side of eternity. Not so much. When it comes to “persecutions and sufferings” (v11), it’s not “if” but “when.” Job loss. Betrayal by a friend. Bankruptcy. Something “suspicious” on an x-ray. Death of a loved one. We can guarantee that bad stuff will happen TO us. But remember Who is IN us (Gal 2:20; Col 1:17).

Paul wants Timothy and the rest of us to know that this isn’t just any random hero coming to save the day. Yeah, He has an “S” on His chest alright. But this time it stands for Savior.

Jesus to the rescue!

Gospel Centered Community

The church in Antioch waits on pins and needles for a ruling from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.  They need to know if they must first become Jews before they can officially be followers of Jesus.  Some Jews have been telling these Gentiles that they need to pump their spiritual brakes (Acts 15:1, 5).  In other words, non-Jewish men would have to be circumcised. 

The church has sent Paul and Barnabas to find out (Acts 15:2).  They know nothing yet of the decision of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.  Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, these leaders decide they "should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God" (Acts 15:19).  They ask that they avoid four things: (1) food sacrificed to idols, (2) blood, (3) food that has been strangled, and (4) sexual immorality.  These were four detestable practices in pagan idolatry.  In other words, these non-Jews didn't have to become Jews in order to follow Jesus.  They had to repent of their own idolatry.

They had sent two men to Jerusalem.  But four men return.  Judas Barsabbas and Silas arrive with with Paul and Barney.  They immediately get the church together and deliver the letter.  Notice that it wasn't first read to a committee.  They simply gathered the church to hear what had been written.  This is the practice we see in many of the NT letters.  The church is gathered and the letter is read OUT LOUD to the entire body.  There were no chapters or verses.  The read the entire letter, except maybe for some special instructions to the leaders.  This is a great reminder that these were real letters to real people in real churches in real cities dealing with real problems.

"And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement" (v31).  The people of the church in Antioch explode in celebration over what they hear.  The leaders in Jerusalem accept them as brothers and sisters in Christ AS GENTILES!!  It's hard to imagine just how radical and revolutionary this must have been.  To this point, The Way was seen by many as simply a sect of Judaism.  And historically, the relationship between Jew and Gentile could best be described as frosty.  The First Church of Antioch may well have expected the news that they would need to become Jews.  But no!  They could follow their Savior as Gentiles.  The people of the church were encouraged beyond belief.

Just as God had accepted them just as they are, so would the followers of Jesus.

This is a huge reminder that there are no God ordained divisions among followers of Jesus.  No races.  No denominations.  No cultural or economic barriers.  No staff or lay people.  We are all one.  We are all His!  Like the church in Antioch, we should rejoice because of this encouragement.

Judas and Silas hung with the folks in Antioch for a while (v32-33).  Luke tells us that these two men are actually prophets.  This is a gift of the Holy Spirit by which God enables someone the privilege of insight into His divine will and the responsibility to share it with His people.  Judas and Silas properly used their spiritual gifts to encourage and strengthen the local church.  This is exactly how we are to employ these God-given abilities (1Cor 14:12, 26).

It's hard to imagine the extent of the encouragement in Antioch by the extended presence of Judas and Silas.  These two Jews apparently had no problem hanging out with their Gentile brothers and sisters.  What a breath of fresh air.  They proved that the acceptance of the non-Jews by Paul and Barnabas was no fluke.  In Christ, they were truly one family and one body.

Judas and Silas spent a great deal of time in Antioch, encouraging and strengthening these new Christ followers.  I love the original Greek that we often translate encourage: parakaleo.  It is literally "to call (kaleo) alongside (para)."  Think of walking side by side with someone else, encouraging them.  You can do it!  We can do it together!

The word "strengthen" is the Greek episterizo.  It's the same verb found in Acts 14:22.  It means not only to strengthen, but more specifically, to make to lean upon.  In other words, Judas and Silas helped these Antiochan believers understand that their strength was in Jesus.  They taught them that apart from Christ they can do nothing (Jn 15:5) but in Him they can do anything (Phil 4:13).

At some point, Judas and Silas headed back to Jerusalem after an extended stay (v33).  Most of the oldest manuscripts don't contain v34.  This may well have been inserted to explain how quickly Paul chose Silas for his return trip to Asia (Acts 15:40-41). 

Luke goes on to tell us that "Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also" (v35).  The two men clearly saw these believers as their responsibility.  They had invested a great deal of time and energy in these folks (Acts 11:23-26; 14:28).  Paul and Barney also traveled as missionaries on behalf of the church in Antioch (Acts 13:2-27).

This dynamic duo continue to teach and preach to this largely non-Jewish congregation.  The door would have been wide open to teach them the OT Scriptures.  They would have had very little working knowledge of the Hebrew Bible, the ONLY Bible they would have had at the time. 

Dr. Luke tells us specifically that they were preaching.  This is the Greek verb euangelizo.  It means to proclaim or bring about the good news.  It's where we get our words evangelism and evangelize.  While it certainly means to preach, I think it's a much more robust word than just that.  These two men continually reminded the Christ followers of Antioch that it is all about Jesus.  He lived the perfect life that we were supposed to live.  He died the awful death that we were supposed to die.  He is raised to an eternal life we don't deserve.  It's only IN CHRIST that we have anything. 

To "preach" or euangelizo is to remind us of who we are IN JESUS.  This is NOT a "do better" gospel.  I mean, what's the good news in that gospel?  We continually need to know that He did it for us, in our place.  And we are IN HIM.  He has also given us His Holy Spirit to enable us to live the life He's set before us

These four men proclaimed to the people of Antioch that apart from Jesus it was impossible.  But IN CHRIST it was all possible.  

Take a Letter

Church leaders gather in Jerusalem to decide what to do with Gentiles that come to Christ.  There is a strong move among them that these non-Jews must first convert to Judaism before becoming Christians.  Specifically, they need to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law.  In other words, they hold that for Gentiles, it is a two-step process.

But thanks to impassioned speeches by the apostle Peter (Acts 15:7-11), Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:12) as well as James (Acts 15:13-21), these leaders decide that there is no reason to add such a yoke to these non-Jewish believers.  If God has given them His Holy Spirit marking them as followers of Jesus, how could they ask more of them? 

At this point, the leaders of the early church decide to send a delegation to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas (v22).  The two men are "Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers."  There is little known about Judas Barsabbas from Scripture except that he was a prophet (Acts 15:32).  There is speculation that he is the brother of Joseph called Barsabbas, one of the two candidates put forth to replace Judas Iscariot as apostle (Acts 1:23).  Their nickname Barsabbas probably indicates they were the sons of Sabba.  There is probably some connection between these two men, but nothing conclusive can be gained through Acts.

The other man is Silas.  He will be a key figure in Paul's second missionary journey (Acts 15:50-18:5).  He is also called Silvanus.  He acted as Peter's amanuensis (scribe) for his first epistle.  Silas is most likely Jewish as well as a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37).

The leaders of the Jerusalem church selected Judas and Silas because they were among the best and brightest.  The various translations describe them as "leading men," "chief men" or "leaders."  These two had stepped up into positions of authority and responsibility.  This is a great reminder of the continual need to identify and train new leaders in the local church.

The leaders in Jerusalem send these four men with a letter to not only the church in Antioch, but "to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia" (v23).  Clearly non-Jews made up much of these churches.  Chances are that Paul planted these churches.  His hometown of Tarsus is in the region of Cilicia.  In his letter to the Galatians, he describes how he returned "to the regions of Syria and Cilicia" after visiting Jerusalem (Gal 1:21).

The Jerusalem leaders go out of their way to include these Gentile believers as brothers and sisters in Christ.  This is VERY important.  If Jewish Christians from Jerusalem welcome their Gentile brethren into the family of faith, who could exclude them? 

The letter goes on to say, "Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions" (v24).  In other words, those folks may have come from Jerusalem but they didn't have permission to speak on behalf of our church. 

The verbs "troubled" and "unsettling" deserve a closer look.  "Trouble" is the Greek tarasso.  It means to trouble the mind, to shake up or stir up (like water), to terrify.  "Unsettle" is the Greek anaskeuazo.  The basic term carries the idea of packing up baggage or breaking camp.  Used in this context, it means to dismantle or destroy something.  In extrabiblical literature, writers used the term to describe someone in financial bankruptcy.  The terms used in this letter let us know the spiritual damage these men had done in the Gentile churches. 

The letter goes on to say that the apostles and elders have come to agreement on the issue, "having come to one accord" (v25).  They are in consensus regarding what is required of any non-Jews who follow Messiah Jesus.  They have chosen these two men, Judas and Silas, to accompany Barnabas and Paul to bring their decision to Antioch. 

The church leaders describe how Barnabas and Paul "have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v26).  Remember how Jews in Iconium put a hit on these two (Acts 14:5), eventually stoning Paul to the point that they thought he was dead (Acts 14:19).  Christ had given these men a message that was too important to let the threat of death stop them. 

What the Jerusalem church leadership wrote in the letter will be reinforced by Judas and Silas (v27).  These two men will answer any questions the churches might have about the ruling.

The Holy Spirit has guided these leaders in their decision.  They didn't simply come up with what they thought was the best idea.  God inspired their decision.  "It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us" (v28).  Peter, James and the others sought the Lord's guidance in what to do. 

The leaders decision is in agreement with James' proposition in Acts 15:20.  Gentile Christians should avoid anything sacrificed to an idol, blood, anything strangled and sexual immorality.  These things were important because each of them were central to pagan idolatry.  Non-Jewish Christians were to completely turn their backs on the activities of the pagan temples.

Such letters would be key to early believers, explaining doctrine and helping people understand what it meant to be a follower of Jesus.  This letter to the churches of Antioch, Syria and Cilicia came about the same time as James' epistle and Paul's letter of instruction to Galatia. 

Safe Place for a Dangerous Message

Let's set the scene.  Church leaders have gathered in Jerusalem to decide how to handle the "Gentile problem."  God has used men like Peter, Paul and Barnabas to reach out to non-Jews (Acts 10, 13, 14).  There are many who believe very strongly that these Gentiles must become Jewish in order to follow Jesus.  They need to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law (Acts 15:1, 5).

Peter has just delivered a powerful speech encouraging the inclusion of Gentiles AS GENTILES (Acts 15:7-11).  Why should the church raise the standard of salvation higher than God's?  God has given these non-Jews His Holy Spirit without them first becoming Jewish.  Pete tells the leaders that the people God saves "will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus," whether they are Jew or Gentile.

When Pete finishes his speech, "the assembly fell silent" (v12).  At this point, Paul and Barnabas describe the miraculous "signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles."  These men understand completely WHO really deserves the credit and glory for what they had been a part of.  God.  And God alone.  This was a move of Yahweh among the various non-Jewish people they had visited.  They were simply tools in the hand of the Master.  The phrase "signs and wonders" reminds us of how God has partially fulfilled His words through Joel here in the pages of Acts (Joel 2:28-32).  God used these miracles as a means of giving His divine stamp of approval on the Gospel these men proclaimed.

When Paul and Barney wrap up their report, James takes the mic.  This is Jesus' half brother who has risen to a major position of responsibility in the early church.  This can't be James the apostle.  King Herod Agrippa I martyred John's brother (Acts 12:2).  This James had originally mocked his half brother (Jn 7:5) but later repented and accept Him as his risen Savior (1Cor 15:7).  He is not only a key leader but goes on to write what is probably the first book of the NT, the letter that bears his name.

James reminds the gathering that this is God's move, not theirs.  "God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for His name" (v14).  Once again, this wasn't something cooked up by Pete, Paul or Barney.  This is God.  Who are they to question a move of Almighty God?

He goes on to say that this is perfectly in line with what God has declared through His prophets for centuries (v15).  Over and over again, God guided these men to describe how He will use His chosen people as a light to the world.  God has chosen them to declare His goodness to people from every tribe, tongue and nation.

Using the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the OT), James goes on to quote from the prophet Amos (Am 9:11-12).  Amos describes how God has called a number of Gentiles "by My name."  Nowhere does Amos ever say that these called non-Jews must become Jewish converts.  Amos is talking about God's move of salvation during His millennial kingdom.  If the Scriptures never insist on Gentiles becoming Jews, why should the church make such a demand?

James comes to his recommendation.  "Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God" (v19).  The word "trouble" is the Greek verb parenoxleo.  It means to add extra difficulties, to trouble greatly, to annoy.  According to MacArthur, it describes how one "throws something in the path of someone to annoy them."

In other words, James insists that they not make the Gospel any more difficult than it is.  We need to remember that Jesus' message is challenging enough.  He is asking us to turn our backs on everything in order to follow Him.  His message is a dangerous message.  There is absolutely no reason to demand Gentiles to jump through extra Jewish hoops in order to come to Christ.

We must make our churches a safe place to hear a dangerous message.  The call to follow Jesus alone will rock their world.  Don't burden people with a lot of unnecessary mumbo jumbo.  The Savior's call to repentance is radical enough.

James goes on to make his recommendation on how to handle these Gentile Christians.  He would like for these leaders to write to them that they should do four things.  "Abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood" (v20).  All of these were key things involved in pagan idol worship at the time.  And each of these activities were highly offensive to Jews.

James makes the point that these new Gentile Christians need to understand the danger of pagan idolatry.  God alone is to be worshiped (Ex 20:3).  And from the earliest days, He commanded that His people not eat or drink blood (Gen 9:4).  These are key teachings in the synagogues that are taught every Sabbath (v21).

Let's not add anything to Christ's call of repentance.  It's dangerous enough.  It's challenging enough.  There's no reason to raise God's bar any higher

Our churches should be a safe place to hear a dangerous message. 

No Yoking Matter

The "Gentile Problem" has come to a head.  Paul and Barnabas have reported to the church in Antioch how God had used them to save not only Jews but Gentiles in Asia (Acts 13-14).  A group from Judea argued that there is no way these non-Jews could be saved unless they became Jews through circumcision and following the Mosaic Law (Acts 15:1, 5).

As a result, they sought a decision from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem (Acts 15:2).  Their ruling on this vital issue of the early church makes such decisions like Roe v Wade or Brown v Board of Education pale in comparison.

Luke tells us that "The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter" (v6).  The author doesn't name names except Peter, the leader of the apostles, and James, the half brother of Jesus.  This is one of the two times in the Bible where we see Peter and Paul, the two key missionaries of Acts, in the same room together (the other mention is in Gal 2:11-14).

The two sides present their cases before the leaders of the church.  "There had been much debate" (v7).  The Greek describes it as zetesis.  This means an investigation or inquiry.  Lots of questions were asked of both positions.  This was no quick decision.  These leaders made a careful examination of the issue.  They clearly understood that whatever they decided would impact the the future of the Gospel.

After both the legalistic Jews as well as Paul and Barnabas presented their cases, Peter stands up (v7).  And when the leader of the apostles has something to say, you listen.

He tells the people in the room, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel and believe."  Pete reminds everyone there of God had done through him.  Almighty God chose him personally to take the salvation offered through the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to unclean Gentiles.  That was the whole purpose of Pete's rooftop vision of a zoo on a blanket in Joppa (Acts 10).  That immediately led Pete to travel to Caesarea and tell the non-Jewish Cornelius and his family about Messiah Jesus.

God made it clear to Peter that He was not limiting salvation to a particular ethnic group.  "What God has made clean, do not call common" (Acts 10:15).  "God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean" (Acts 10:28).  "God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him" (Acts 10:34-35).  "Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name" (Acts 10:43).  And don't forget Peter's jaw-dropping report to the home office about this incredible move of God among non-Jewish people (Acts 11:1-18).

Peter goes on to tell his audience that no one but God knows the human heart (v8).  He alone is able to judge who is has truly repented and come to Jesus for salvation.  That's His job, not ours.  He's the One who decides who receives the Good News.  We must not limit those we tell.  When in doubt, tell people about Jesus.

Pete makes the point that God's salvation of non-Jews is 100% genuine because of one critical factor: He game them His Holy Spirit!  God gave these born-again Gentiles His Spirit just as He did to those Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2:4).  God saved them without circumcision, without obedience to the Mosaic Law, without sacrificial ritual.  All they had done was repent and followed Jesus.  How can anyone doubt the salvation of these Gentiles since God gave them the Holy Spirit?

The leader of the apostles goes on to say, "He made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith" (v9).  Pete tells that God saw no difference between Jews and Gentiles.  And it was God Himself that scrubbed their sinful hearts clean.  This was David's prayer (Ps 24:4; 51:10).  This sounds a lot like New Covenant language (Ezek 36:24-29).  Through Ezekiel, God promises to pull together a new people "from the nations."  They will be cleansed, given a new heart and a new Spirit.  It certainly sounds a lot like what is happening in the book of Acts.

If there's no doubt about Pete's position in the debate at this point.  He turns to the legalistic Jews and let's them have it with both barrels.  "Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers or we have been able to bear?" (v10).  Come on, guys!  There was no way anyone has ever earned any kind of salvation through law-keeping.  Rather than put the same burden on non-Jews that no Jew could ever keep, Pete says we should celebrate what God is doing among them!

This is no yoking matter.

Whenever we ask others to prove their salvation by jumping through manmade hoops, we're on a very slippery slope.  When we do that, Peter tells us that we're "putting God to the test" (Dt 6:16; Mt 4:7; Lk 4:12).  And, I'm not sure if you've heard, this is not a good idea.

Let's be clear on this.  VERY clear.  We must not make our requirements for salvation tougher than God's!  This doesn't mean that there shouldn't be expectations of discipleship and service in the local church.  But this doesn't mean that we can make a call on someone's salvation through some well-intentioned but misguided manmade rules.

This is no yoking matter.

Pete certainly remembers Jesus' own words.  "For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Mt 11:43).  Christ busted the Pharisees' chops for doing exactly what these Jews were attempting here.  "They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger" (Mt 23:4).  You have to wonder if Peter's words influenced Paul's letter to Galatia.  "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Gal 5:1).

Let's be clear.  This is no yoking matter.

Pete brings his speech home with one of the most powerful statements on salvation by grace through faith found in the Bible.  "But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will" (v11).  In other words, God saves everybody through the grace of Christ.  Jews.  Non-Jews.  Everyone comes to faith the same way.  Through trusting in the free gift offered only through the radical and risen Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth.

There are many modern scholars that try to drive a wedge between Peter and Paul.  They try to make a distinction between the Gospel preached by each man.  They hold that Peter professed a very Jewish message while Paul was the one who opened the doors of faith to the Gentiles.  Did the two men have their differences?  Absolutely.  Paul's confrontation of Peter in Galatians tells us they had their moments (Gal 2:11-14).

But Pete's impassioned plea here in Acts 15 makes it clear that these two men were singing from the same page of the hymnal when it comes to God's gracious invitation of non-Jews.  "We will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."  Paul will echo this same idea of justification by grace through faith over and over again (Eph 2:5-10; Rom 10:9-13).

Most of you reading this are non-Jews.  Think how different your relationship with Jesus would be if God did not make such a gracious move to us Gentiles.  We can come simply by faith through His grace.  No circumcision.  No Mosaic Law.  No ritual

This is no yoking matter.      

Jesus+Nothing=Everything

After Paul and Barnabas return from their amazing trip to Cyprus and Asia, they share what God has done through them (Acts 14:27).  The BIG story is how Jesus "had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles."

Twenty-one centuries later, it's almost impossible for us to understand what a mind-blowing reality this was for Jews.  They were in the midst of an exploding new paradigm of faith.  God was throwing the doors wide open on His revelation regarding the salvation of non-Jews.  Things were happening fast and furiously.

To get a better grasp on just how rapidly things were changing, let's do a comparison with modern technology.  Think about the technological advances in our society since 1960.  It's hard to keep up with all that has happened.  That's sort of what is happening for first century Jews in regards to faith in Jesus.  That's the context for what Luke describes in Acts 15.

At some point after Paul and Barney have returned from their trip (probably about one year), the good doctor tells us that some Jews roll into Antioch from Judea (v1).  They teach that "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Paul and Barnabas consistently faced Jewish opposition on the road (Acts 13:44, 50; 14:2, 5, 19).  Now they faced it at home in Antioch.  Jews couldn't believe how this Gospel of Jesus was "polluting" their faith with these unclean Gentiles.  Understand that this new movement was still VERY Jewish.  In many ways, it's best understood that the followers of Jesus were Christian Jews rather than Jewish Christians.  They were still part of Jewish society.  They had simply come to understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.

These Jews from Judea demanded that these Gentile converts be circumcised.  In many ways, this made perfect sense to them.  If these non-Jews were coming to faith in Jesus Messiah, certainly they would need to do what others had been doing for centuries.  To become a proselyte, Gentiles would be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law.  It was a sign of God's covenant promise to Abraham (Gen 17:10-14).  Why should it be any different in the first century?

But circumcision was not a part of Paul and Barney's trip to Cyprus and Asia.  Non-Jews simply believed in the risen Jesus and were saved.  No circumcision.  No Mosaic Law.  Now that they were back home, things had come to (ahem) a head.

Circumcision was a HUGE issue in these important early years of the church.  It was central point of Paul's teaching and letters.  It's the entire focus of his epistle to the church at Galatia (not coincidentally, the apostle wrote that letter in this same time frame).  The apostle wrote to the Philippians, "Look out for the dogs, look out for evil doers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh" (Phil 3:2).  He wrote to the Colossians that the followers of Jesus have indeed been circumcised, but it is a VERY different circumcision.  "In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" (Col 2:11).

As a result of the debate over the "Gentile Problem" in Antioch, the church decides to send Paul, Barnabas and representatives of the circumcision crowd to Jerusalem (v2).  They need to get a ruling from the home office.  They will present their case and hear it straight from the mouths of the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem

There is an enormous reminder here against adding anything to salvation in Jesus.  He has invited us to come to Him and to follow Him.  As Tullian Tchividjian says, "Jesus plus anything is nothing.  Jesus plus nothing is everything."  It's the NEW math of the Gospel.  There is nothing required to be saved except Jesus.  No circumcision.  No works.  Jesus.  That's it.

Are We There Yet?

“And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him” (v15).

“Are we there yet?” The most dreaded four words on any family vacation. Whether it was packing into the Model T, piling in the station wagon, or loading up the minivan, kids have asked this age old question from the backseat. Long before the days of backseat DVD players, this question has plagued parents. As followers of Jesus, we do the same thing. Come on, you know it’s true. When life gets tough, when the world’s falling apart, we wonder when Jesus is coming back. How much worse can it get before He makes His encore? “Are we there yet?”

The Apostle Peter wants us to know that while we might be very close to Christ’s big comeback, but we’re not quite there. Before He returns, Jesus is leaving the door open. He’s leaving it open for those who don’t know Him yet. He’s leaving it open for His followers to tell the world about Him. In the process of telling us about the Lord’s patience, Pete also fondly remembers his old buddy Paul. These two men certainly had there moments. But Rocky reminds his readers of what the former Pharisee wrote to them back in the day. Paul also had plenty to say about Jesus’ patience. Instead of asking when we’re gonna get there, we should see this as an act of divine love. He’s gently but firmly asking us, “Are you there yet?”

Pete says we shouldn’t look at the clock and wonder what’s taking the Lord so long. He said it just back up the page. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (3:9). In both verses, he talks about Jesus’ patience. The Greek word here is makrothumia. It’s a compound term that literally means “long burning.” Various smart folks translate it as long suffering, long waiting, endurance, or perseverance. Jesus’ fuse is long. VERY long. But He will eventually reach a point when it is time to return. A time when He will punish evil once and for all. A time when He will reward those who have place their trust in Him for all He is and all He’s done. Jesus has a very long fuse. But it will eventually burn out. 

The apostle tells us in his prequel that God has demonstrated His incredible patience with us as far back as anyone can remember. Back before the flood, “God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared” (1Pet 3:20). Throughout the Bible, God makes it clear that He’s patient. He’s waiting on us. As a matter of fact, David wrote a song about it. “But You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ps 86:15). He waits. Patiently. Faithfully. Mercifully. Graciously. Lovingly. Faithfully. As God waits, He keeps the door open so that so many more people can come to Him. He patiently asking, “Are you there yet?”

At this point, Pete looks back fondly on his old buddy Paul. “Our beloved brother Paul” (v15). Pete loves him. And so do his readers. But like any two close friends, these two men had their moments. Pete wrote this letter well after Paul got in his face in Antioch. Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians almost 20 years before. In Galatians, the man from Tarsus tells the story of his awkward but necessary confrontation of Peter in Syria (Gal 2:11-14). Pete and some other Jewish followers with Jesus treated non-Jewish believers like second-class citizens. Paul wasn’t going to let the former fisherman get away with being a hypocrite, so he got all up in his grill (would you believe me if I told you that’s EXACTLY what the original language tells us?). 

Paul had GREAT love and respect for Peter. In many ways, Paul saw Peter as his pastor. After Jesus mugged him and saved him on the expressway outside of Damascus, the man from Tarsus made a point of meeting the former fisherman back at the home office (Acts 9:27; Gal 1:18). After that first amazing mission trip into Asia Minor, Paul and his partner Barney headed back for another meeting with Pete and the other leaders of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15).

Because of the Incident in Antioch, there are plenty of folks who try to drum up some sort of long-running war between these two men. But Pete and Paul were friends, not enemies. They were brothers, not rivals. As a matter of fact, Paul confronted Peter BECAUSE he loved him. It was out of his great affection. That’s what friends do. If these two men had such a long-running feud, why in the world would Rocky make a point of speaking so lovingly about his fellow apostle? Don’t miss the patience of Jesus at work in their relationship. 

So just what did Paul write about God’s patience? He wrote to his friends in Rome that its’ the perfect example of just how good our God is. “Do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Rom 2:4). You see, God doesn’t use punishment as His motivation for our obedience. Is the threat there? Yes. Is the threat real? You betcha. But what really and truly melts the rock-hard human heart is His goodness. His kindness. His patience. His grace. God keeps showering us with His patience and grace. All the time, He keeps asking, “Are you there yet?”