Being Christlike In Conflict Series

Acts 15 - Godly Conflict - 6/11/18

Turn with me this morning to the book of Acts, chapter 15. We are going to look at a passage of scripture today that hits us all where we live. We looked in chapter 14 last week and saw Paul and Barnabas on on their first missionary trip - and some of you might say That’s nice, but I’m not a missionary. Now, I would beg to differ with you - even though you may not realize it, you ARE a missionary. Our response should always be that of Peter and John in Acts 4 - For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard. Each one of us SHOULD be looking to tell others about the wonderful things God has done in our life.

Then last Sunday night we looked at Acts 15 and Paul and Barnabas traveling down to the Jerusalem Council - and again, some of you may think, A boring church meeting, what does that have to do with me? But if you weren’t here last Sunday night, you missed a GREAT blessing, because this is a chapter that really hits us where we are, that really speaks to living by the Spirit of God and not being weighed down by all the expectations and demands of others. If you really want to find great freedom for living the Christian life, you NEED to study Acts 15 and the Jerusalem council.

But today we are going to look at just a few verses at the end of Acts 15, and we are going to deal with an issue so common and so simple that it affects EVERY single ONE of us in the sanctuary. Here it is: CONFLICT! We have been looking at Paul and Barnabas working together, but now they separate. They separate because they have conflict. We often read the story and say “isn’t that too bad!” but we often fail to stop and consider the lessons of conflict. And that’s what we want to do today.

First, take a moment to consider the question: Is conflict good or bad? The answer is NEITHER. Rather conflict is simply an opportunity for us to respond in good or bad ways. The Chinese have a visual form of writing called “ideograms” - and their symbol for conflict is a picture of two other symbols put together: Danger & Opportunity. So in other words, they see conflict as a “dangerous opportunity.” And it truly is! It is an opportunity for us to respond either in godly or ungodly ways.

A little boy got into an argument with some boys twice his size. He drew a line in the dirt and dared the bigger boys to cross the line. The bigger boys accepted the challenge and crossed the line. Immediately, the little boy smiled and announced, “Look, now we’re on the same side!” Don’t you wish conflict resolution was that easy? Let’s just be on the same side! Let’s just agree and work together! It sounds so simple! But it can happen - after all, remember in the sermon on the mount, Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers.” We can choose to make peace when conflict arises.

But sadly often our practice is just the opposite. A disagreement arose in a little country church over whether the congregation should stand or sit for the reading of the scriptures. Half of the worshippers insisted on standing and the other half just as adamantly remained seated during the reading. Those who were seated often told the others to sit down. The ones on their feet encouraged the pew-sitters to rise out of respect for the Word of God. Finally they decided to let the founding pastor decide. So they set out to the nursing home.

Quite sure that his position would be affirmed, the leader of the Standers asked the old man, “Is it the tradition to stand during the scripture reading?” “No,” the old man answered quietly, “that is not the tradition.” “So,” beamed the Sitters’ top man, “the tradition really is to sit during the reading!” “No,” the old man countered sadly, “that is not the tradition.”

The pastor then said with tears of frustration, “My congregation fights all the time about this. Every time we gather to worship, they begin yelling at each other to sit or to stand…” “Ah, yes,” the old man interrupted him, “THAT is the tradition!”

Sadly, in many churches, and in many Christians’ lives, we see a tradition of not handling conflict well. And we can see this going all the way back to the early church. Acts 15, starting in verse 36.

Read Acts 15:36-41 — Pray

So what do we see here? For the Apostle Paul, the church at Antioch was not a parking lot: it was a launching pad. Barnabas brought him to teach the church there, then he left for a year and returned for a time of refreshing. Then he travels to Jerusalem, and then back home again. Now some time passes, and the itch starts to hit him. He wants to hit the road again. And the truth is that he has good motives. What was the reason he wanted to leave? “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Paul had a sincere desire to make sure that these new believers and the churches that he had started in Turkey were still growing and thriving. And notice that Barnabas shared that desire. They BOTH want the same thing! Their concern is perfectly in agreement. Often conflict can arise out of good desires, even when both people agree on the ISSUE. But the conflict escalates over the DETAILS. We can agree on WHAT but disagree on HOW.