And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”  (2) Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. (22) Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.  (23) They wrote this, letter by them:  The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:  Greetings.  (24) Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the Law” – to whom we gave no such commandment – (25) it seems good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, (26) men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (27) We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.  (28) For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:  (29) that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.  If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.  Farewell.

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke; physician, historian and frequent companion of the apostle Paul.  Paul and Barnabas were sent by the church on their first missionary journey to preach the gospel in Asia Minor – Paul’s strategy was to first preach at the synagogue until they were rejected by the Jews and then they turned to the Gentiles.  When they departed a city after planting a church, false teachers would follow them and inform the Christian Gentiles that Christ was not enough; the Gentiles were told by these judaizers that they must also be circumcised and follow the law of Moses to be saved. The foundational doctrine Paul preached was that salvation is by Gods undeserved grace alone through faith in Christ alone and the contrary message of the false teachers undermined the gospel itself.

The Gentiles are included in God’s plan of salvation. Man doesn’t earn salvation; we are all sinners and we all need to be justified in Christ through faith alone; not faith plus good works.  Our verses tell us that Paul and Barnabas had “no small dissension and dispute with them”  and there was no room for compromise over how man is saved. This issue was the occasion for Paul and Barnabas to be sent to the elders and apostles of the church in Jerusalem for resolution. James, the half brother of Jesus was the presiding elder of the church there and James along with the council agreed with Paul and Barnabas that Gentiles need not be circumcised – faith alone in Christ alone is the only way of salvation for both Jew and Gentiles.   Led by the Spirit – supported by scripture and St, Peter – the decision preserved the essential truth of the gospel.

The council made some concession where the issues were non doctrinal and relating to Jewish ceremonial law and cultural moral issues.  Our lives should reflect this kind of compromise BUT NEVER in biblically essential matters. We should beware of legalism and unbiblical standards and seek to live in good conscience before God.  We should never do things forbidden by God’s Word but culturally permissible.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, (22) strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”  (23) So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.  (24) And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.  (25) Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.  (26) From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. (27) Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke who was often a first hand witness to the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul. In our verses today Luke gives us a sense of the astounding – and clearly divine – growth of the early church.  The gospel Paul and Barnabas preached to the gentiles upended conventional thinking and cultural values.  Paul’s practice was to go to a strategically placed city and preach the gospel first in the synagogue, using the Old Testament to teach Christ Jesus as Savior.  Most usually the Jews would throw them out of the synagogue and often out of the city as jewish influence eroded. The Jews stirred up the people against Paul and Barnabas and on this first missionary journey Paul was even stoned and left for dead.  Those two men traveled the ancient world and God was with them. The sense that God is sovereign, understated but crystal clear, comes through in every verse we study today.

Paul acted boldly in the face of threats and bodily harm  – he counted all danger as nothing and preached with God’s full and perfect authority as God’s grace in the form of signs and miracles accompanied them.  The word of grace is that salvation is offered to the world through Christ Jesus.  The first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas was at first evangelizing and then pastoral as they returned to the cities where the church had taken hold.  There  they confirmed the beliefs of the disciples and warned of certain inevitable tribulation  – BUT  to mitigate suffering we are led to the kingdom of God.

Acts tells us that the early church was being organized under leadership of elders who were appointed in conjunction with local members of the church and Paul and Barnabas.  Then they returned to the mother organization in Antioch where they gave an accounting of the first missionary journey.  This was really accountability to God. Paul and Barnabas didn’t report what they had done but what God did through them.

So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.  (43) Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. (44) On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. (45) But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.  (46) Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. (47)  For so the Lord has commanded us:  ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”  (48) Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.  And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. (49) And the word of the Lord spread throughout all the region.  (50) But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution  against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.  (51) But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.  (52) And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 

The Acts of the Apostles is a history of the early church, written by Luke; physician, historian and dear companion of the apostle Paul. Our verses today chronicle the beginning of the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas – their strategy for preaching the gospel was to go to the local synagogue and Paul, a visiting rabbi, would be invited to speak; he would preach the gospel beginning with the prophecy and history of the Old Testament.  Remember that everyone in that synagogue believed in God  and most were very familiar with the Old Testament.  There was abundant evidence that Christ Jesus was the Messiah but the Jews  rejected it

The Jews were the chosen people of God and Christ came to them so it was necessary that they be first to hear the good news. The Jewish leaders were looking for a political Messiah – an earthly king – and did not understand the prophets.  They condemned Jesus and fulfilled all that was written about the Messiah.   They cast aside this great grace and their denial of Jesus  was a denial of the righteousness of God.  When out of envy the Jews rose up and opposed and blasphemed Paul’s words, Paul spoke boldly in the Spirit and told the Jews they condemned themselves and from then on Paul would preach to the Gentiles – this was also prophesied.

Right standing with God could never come from the Law – no one can keep it perfectly and man’s efforts are never enough to earn salvation. The Gentiles embraced the gospel that we are justified – brought into a right standing before God – only through the work and merit of Jesus Christ. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us through faith and salvation is always of the Lord. It is never of man.

(8) And when they had brought them, they set them before the council.  And the high priest asked them, (28) saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?  And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”  (29) But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.  (30) The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.  (31) Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  (32) And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”  (33) When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.  (34) Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.  (35) And he said to them:  “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.  (36) For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody.  A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.  (37) After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.  (38) And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; (39) but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it – lest you even be found to fight against God.”  (40) And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  (41) So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.  (42) And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. 

Luke, historian and physician – and gospel writer of the New Testament – wrote Acts. In our verses today we see how God has separated the church from the synagogue and the leaders of the synagogue have descended into a condition of severe reproach.  The crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord has been witnessed to by the apostles and disciples of Christ Jesus and with the seal of the Spirit, many miracles were being worked.  To a man – even unto death –  the apostles were now committed to the gospel. The Sanhedrin was fully aware of what was going on in Jerusalem with the growth of the church but chose to look the other way until they finally arranged to have the apostles thrown into prison.  Miraculously, the apostles were freed by an angel and went directly to the temple to preach Christ crucified and risen.  The temple guards were sent to bring them to the Sanhedrin to answer why they disobeyed the gag order of the council.

It seems probable  the council of Jewish elders feared revenge or punishment for the murder of Christ Jesus but the arresting charge was that the apostles had not obeyed the chief priest to cease preaching the gospel. Peter’s response that men should obey God, not men, filled them with rage. After removing the apostles from the court many of the council urged death but Gamaliel, who was also the rabbinical teacher of St. Paul, argued for caution. Gamaliel warned that if the gospel was from God, not man, it would be impossible to overthrow it. His point was that NOTHING could hinder the hand of God.

Christ came to save the people – to reconcile man to God through remission of sin. This was not in man’s power.  The apostles declared the doctrine they preached is from God and they spoke by God’s command with the seal and ability of the Spirit. They suffered being beaten for their words but nothing was to stop these now committed men. The priests should have been moved and/or frightened but instead reacted in fury.  The Acts of the Apostles is a record not of the apostles but actually the acts of Christ Jesus through the instrument of faithful men and women.

And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.  (13) Yet none of the rest dared join them but the people esteemed them highly. (14) And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, (15) so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.  (16) Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. 

The Book of Acts was written by the gospel writer Luke; physician, historian and beloved companion of the apostle Paul.  Acts is a history of the miraculous growth of the early church – an eyewitness account in many parts. Our verses follow an account of bad faith of Ananias and his wife Sapphira.  They had allegedly sold all their land and were claiming to give all the proceeds to God and the new community of Christ.  This was a lie as they were holding back.  When called on this, first Ananias and then in a separate moment his wife Sapphira, fell down and died.  Needless to say, this caused great fear of joining the church lightly and our verses today say “none of the rest dared join them but the people esteemed them highly.”

The apostles and disciples gathered for doctrine and prayers daily on Solomon’s Porch in the Temple in Jerusalem – no one stopped them – and there was an explosion of increase in that early church. Because of what happened to Ananias and Sapphira people feared God  and kept their motivation pure for joining the church.  Remember that Christ Jesus had only recently been crucified because the Jewish leaders had felt threatened and now – even with remarkable daily growth – there was no interference by them.  Yet

God’s plan – especially at the beginning – was to set forth the gospel shown by a multitude of miracles. We are told that even the shadow of the apostle Peter passing by was thought to be enough to heal the sick. The Holy Spirit had entered the apostles Pentecost Sunday and sick people and tormented people were brought to them in Jerusalem – “and they were all healed”. All of them.