“The Truth In Scripture”
Acts 15:13-21
We are in the place where Paul, Barnabas and others went to Jerusalem in order to confront a problem that they experienced in Antioch; manly that in order to be saved one must become obedient to the Jewish laws and traditions.
There was a discussion and the church in Antioch sent a delegation to Jerusalem to discover why such teaching was accepted.
Last week we heard from Simeon (Peter) where he reminded them that the Gentiles were welcomed into the family of God and it was not because of Jewish laws but the GRACE of God.
Let’s join the conversation that is underway and discover truth.
Truth never changes, if it is truth today it was true 2000 years ago and it will be true 2000 years from now.
Truth does not need to be rewritten but rather we need to discover truth from the source of truth, the Bible.
I. The Truth Answered
Acts 15:13-14 “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Paul and Barnabas finished their speaking and I could imagine that they sat down.
1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”
When there is a disagreement it is understood that civility is still right.
1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
Oh how we need to practice this today in our churches and in our community.
There is no need to start a riot in order to make your point known.
James answered; or rose up, he stood up and began to speak. This was James the son of Alphaeus, one of the twelve apostles, sometimes called the brother of the Lord; for the other James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, was dead, being killed by Herod.
Hearken - to give ear to a teaching or a teacher, to comprehend, to understand
Simeon - also spelt Simon It is the Hebrew name for and since they are in the Jewish setting it would be common to hear that name instead of Peter, which is the same person.
to take out of them a people for his name; - in other words; for himself, for his own glory, to call upon his name, and to be called by his name, to bear his name.
God decides who will be saved not man!
II. The Truth Advanced
Acts 15:15-17 “And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 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: 17 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.”
As we approach these next verses we see the Word of God being used.
We are seeing the Old Testament quoted and used and we too should not fear using the whole Bible as truth.
It is written - 80 times this phrase is used 17 time on the O/T and 63 times in the N/T.
A good practice when you see this phrase is to find out where it is written.
It this case it is Amos 9:11-12
Amos 9:11-12 “In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.”
Residue of men – is written in Amos “the remnant of Edom”
Edomites are descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, and are mentioned in biblical history. They inhabited a territory southeast of Israel, extending from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba, with their capital at Bozrah.
This was a group of people who would’ve lived in modern-day Palestine. They worshipped a deity known as Qos (or Quas).
It seems they also worshipped gods such as Baal and Asherah, popularized by the Babylonians.
During the Silent Years, when God did not dictate any Scripture to be included in the canon, a Jewish leader named Hyrcanus (during the Maccabean revolt) made the Edomites convert to Judaism.
This led to a line of descendants that eventually created Herod the Great.
Herod not only helped the Israelites in the construction of the Second Temple and tried to kill Jesus Christ as an infant.
Their rule ended in 70 AD with the destruction of the Temple and the dispersing of the Jews from Israel.
So we see that there is a gathering of “the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles.”
Even in the O/T we see that salvation was never left for one nation, but that “whosoever” could be saved.
Saith the Lord, that doeth this: - whose word is true, whose power is great, whose grace is sufficient to accomplish all that is promised and foretold.
III. The Truth Acknowledged
Acts 15:18 “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”
Known unto God - Omniscient: "omni-" (meaning "all") and "scientia" (meaning "knowledge"),
Omniscient refers to God who possesses infinite knowledge and awareness of all things, including the thoughts and intentions of individual.
God knows before we speak what will be said
He knows the future before it becomes the present.
He knows who is saved and who is not! God KNOWS!
All his works from the beginning of the world. - Someone once said, “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has occurred to God?”
We find it difficult to believe that God knows everything before it even takes place, but He does.
I may not fully understand that, but I accept it.
That is “Truth Acknowledged.”
IV. The Truth Abridged (explained)
Acts 15:19-20 “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”
James summarizes his words = Leave them alone, because God is dealing with them.
BUT = nevertheless, forms a transition to the cardinal matter.
Words of advice to keep them growing in Christ – “abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”
Each one of these bits of advice is to help them NOT fall into temptation or compromise.
Pollutions of idols - any kind of “defilement.” partaking in idolatry.
Fornication - he word used here is applicable to “all illicit acts while un-married,” and may refer to adultery, in any form.
This may not be popular today but it is still BIBLE!
Things strangled - such as they die of themselves, or are torn with beasts, or are not killed in a proper way.
WHY? When you end the life of an animal for the purpose of food, you want to drain the blood.
The practicable thought is the blood spoils the meat.
Blood - a picture of consuming an animal without proper preparation.
Before the written Law was given there was instructions to not
Eat a living animal. Genesis 9:4 “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.”
V. The Truth Administered
Acts 15:21 “For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.”
This verse has been taken to mean that there was no need for the Christian church to legislate about the observance of the Mosaic Law other than in these few points, because there was public teaching on the subject everywhere in the Jewish synagogues.
Jewish Christians were therefore supplied with guidance.
Did you realize that God did not make LAWS to make man miserable, but rather to protect them?
Conclusion:
How we respond to the Word of God is important.
Some will hear this message and say, “Nice message.”
Some will hear this message and say, “I learned something.”
Some will hear this message and say, “The preacher is just stirring up trouble.”
Some will hear this message and say, “I get nothing.”
How one responds is not my goal, but to preach the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to direct.
The outcome is really dependent on the relationship we have.
Do you know Jesus?
Is He your Saviour?
Is He your LORD?
