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As a result of the persecution caused by the Jews from Thessalonica, Paul went from Berea to Athens.  Upon arriving in Athens, Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (16, 17) Athens had a history of being a cultural town of art, and learning.  Therefore, people couldn’t accept Paul’s teaching easily.  Even under those conditions, Paul preached about Jesus and the resurrection.  Today let’s look at Paul’s evangelistic spirit and 3 things that we can learn from him through the Athens evangelism.

I. Holy distress (vs.16)
As a result of the persecution caused by the Jews from Thessalonica, Paul fled from Berea to Athens.  Athens was about 320km from Berea. However, it was the cultural center of world.  Philosophy, ideologies, art, everything was born and flowed out of Athens to even the present day world. The Parthenon as well as the many structures built on the acropolis, as well as the outdoor theaters, music halls, many other structures speak to the fact that Athens was a town or architecture and art. The Areopagus or Areios Pagos is the “Rock of Ares”, north-west of the Acropis, which in classical times functioned as the high Court of Appeal for criminal and civil cases in Athens.  They also investigated corruption there.  It was a free state and practiced democracy. Athens was a town where the people were intellectual and learned in the classical Greek great philosophies and ideologies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  When Paul came to Athens the time of her greatest glory was gone, but its influence was still there.  In classical Greece, Athens was representative of the beautiful towns of that period.  While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy who were in Berea, he probably thought he would look around this beautiful town.  He walked around the town.
As he walked around the town he noticed the many idols and “he was greatly distressed” (16) There was the Parthenon temples which was sculptured by Pheidas and Praxiteles. In the town square there were statues of famous Athenian citizens like Conon. To be sure these were made by human technique and planning and they are outstanding pieces of art.  However, they are nothing more than idols made for festivals of other gods.  They weren’t made by the real living God, but they are idols made by man’s hands.  This is the greatest insult to the real living God.  Therefore, Paul who saw this and “he was greatly distressed” (16) The word “distressed” is often translated as “burning with anger”.  It is used 2 times in the New Testament.  One is here and the other is I. Cor. 13:5.  Here it is translated “easily angered” and Paul is saying that one of the fruits of spirit is “not easily angered”.  Paul also tells us in other places that we should not be angered. (Ephesians 4:31, Gal. 5:20)  Even so Paul here in today’s passage is burning with anger.  Let me explain this paradox.  Christians as a rule are not to be angry.  When they feel anger coming on they should remember that love patient and kind and through the encouragement and help of the Holy Spirit have victory over the flesh, and strive to please the Holy Spirit. However, there are times when a Christian must get angry. We should be angry at times like what Paul is experiencing now when God’s righteousness is being insulted. When God’s name is not praised but insulted.  At those times Christians shouldn’t be quiet about it.  In cases like that Christians should be angry. In other words, Paul’s anger was a holy anger coming from the righteousness of God.
How about us?  Are there not times when we take the position of “See no evil. Speak no evil”?  Are there times when we are quiet and do not stand up for what we believe in, and are just conformed to the world?  In Matt 5:13 Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth.  When salt looses its saltiness it is of no use.  Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13)  He didn’t say “Try to become the salt of the earth.” Or “You will become the salt of the earth.”  He said, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13)  Salt gives flavor and preserves.  We are salt.  Therefore, we need to allow God just to work through us to give flavor and preserve our society.  When God’s name is being insulted, we shouldn’t be still, but like Paul, we need to be distressed.
Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” (16)  For hundreds of years people had been coming to Athens and probably very few people looked at the idols and were distressed.  Let’s think about what is the difference between those people and Paul.
The biggest difference was the way they looked at things was different.  Most people thought that they had come to a great cultural city and they looked at the magnificent buildings, architecture, and sculptures and were amazed and thought “wonderful!” “wonderful!”.  Paul was different.  He came to this cultural city and looked at many art objects, but he looked at them through God’s eyes.  He looked at them thinking about how God thought about them.  Therefore, no matter how great a piece of art, they were only idols.  Also no matter how great a philosopher was speaking, it was only a discussion void of God.
How about you?  What type of eyes are you looking with? By looking at things through the eyes of God, we are able to have holy anger like Paul.  In Japan too we can see many historical buildings connected with Buddhism.  These idols too are great Buddhist art, but if we look at them in the same way as other people do then we won’t have the holy anger like Paul did here.  Only by seeing things as God sees them can be able to not be conformed to this word and walk in life as salty Christians giving flavor and preserving the world.

II. Preaching Jesus’ resurrection  (vs.17-18)
Verse 17 starts with “So he…”  This means that Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” (16) and therefore, he … The rest of the verse tells us what he did.  “He reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (17)  In other words, Paul’s holy anger led him to preach the Word of God..  When he saw that the city was full of idols he felt he had to do something about it, so he preached the Word of God.
When we realize how wonderful the salvation is that God’s Word teaches us about, and we want many people to know about this great grace, then we want to share God’s Word.  Here is another way we are motivated. We are motivated when we see people living so far from God that we feel we have to do something about it, and thus feel motivated to preach the Word of God.  Therefore, Paul “reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (17)
Then “A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him.  Some of them asked, ‘What is this babbler trying to say?’ Others remarked, ’He seems to be advocating foreign gods.’” (18) The Epicureans were started about 300 B.C by the philosopher, Epicuris. This school of philosophy, called Epicureansim, denied a future life entirely and taught that the purpose of life was to attain the happy tranquil life, characterized by peace and freedom from fear and the absence of pain, and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. Their motto was, “enjoy life”.
The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were representatives of two of the three major philosophical schools of thought in Paul’s day. The Stoics also began about 300 B.C. and was started by a man named Zuno from the island of Cyprus. Zuno taught that a man’s happiness consisted in bringing himself in harmony with the course of the universe.  His disciples were taught to bear evils with indifference and to be independent of externals.  Materialism, pantheism、and fatalism were the leading features of this philosophy. Their motto was, “endure life”. Zeno taught in the Stoa (Porch) so his teaching came to be known as Stoicism.
Some of the philosophers called Paul a “babbler” (18)  The word babbler originally meant “gathering seeds”.  It was used for birds picking up seeds.  It came to be applied in Athenian slang to one who gains a hand to mouth living in the markets by picking up anything that fell off the loads of merchandise that was carried about.  Thus it began to mean someone who picks up bits of information and repeats without really knowing what it means.  A babbler is someone who talks idly with no purpose.  In verse 28 Paul is preaching to the Greecian philosophers.  Possibly they saw Paul’s wisdom as lacking in comparison with themselves and saw Paul as a babbler quoting others like the poets in verse 28.
Then others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” (18)  The reason they were saying this is given at the end of verse 18. “They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Paul was originally a Jew so he believed in only one God.  However, when the Greeks heard Paul teaching that Jews was God and the Father who was God raised Jesus, they understood this to mean that Paul was preaching about a new God.  They themselves believed in many different gods so they thought that he was preaching about a new religion that was just one of many.
The Greeks were so full of wisdom, but they couldn’t understand the simple message that God sent his world and died on the cross for our sins, and 3 days later rose again and anyone who believes in this will be forgiven of all their sins and will receive eternal life. Later Paul wrote I Cor. 1:20-24 to another Greek church in a different town, Corinth.
We can’t know God through the wisdom of man.  God uses the preaching of the Word of God to save those who believe. For people who rely on the wisdom of this world, Christ on the cross seems stupid.  However, for those believe Christ is the wisdom of God, the power of God. Thus the message that we need to share is words of the cross.
Therefore, Paul in Athens where the air breathes of wisdom spoke to the top intellectuals and philosophers about the same way thing that he always talks about, the words of the cross.  He shared about Christ and the resurrection.  We will look at that message next week, but if we look at verse 28 we can see that Paul shared about Jesus with the philosophers in a way that they could understand by using quotations made by poets and philosophers of that time.  However, the center of his message was Jesus, the cross and the resurrection.  He spoke the Gospel straight even though the philosophers had complained that his level was low. Sometimes we try molding our message to meet the thinking and values of the person that we are sharing with and make it so that it is easy for the other person to accept. As a result the message sometimes becomes lopsided, missing important points like sin.  However, we need to be like Paul and preach the Gospel straight forward.
Sometimes we worry that it is difficult for people to be interested in the Bible so we fail to share about the Gospel, but talk about what people want to hear.  More than sharing the Gospel, we think up events and programs to try to get people to come.  However, when do things to just get people to come and it lacks the Gospel, then it lacks taste. The Gospel is different that joke shows or something that you hang out to talk about.  The Gospel message is life. It is by the Gospel that we are saved.  We need to think in our hearts that now we are sharing the Gospel and share the Gospel straight forward.

III. The new teaching (vs.19-21)
After the philosophers complained that Paul was a babbler and that he was advocating foreign gods, next “they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?” (19) They said this not because they wanted to believe in Christ or were interested in Christ, it was because they are always wanting to hear new ideas and they wondered what was so unusual about Paul’s teaching. This was because “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)” (21)  They would here a new ideology or religion, accept it and then some new one would come around and they would give up their last one and accept the new one.  They were always giving up old ideas for new ones.  Actually there are a lot of people like this.  They think that new is best.  They are interested in the fads.  The Athenians were like this.  Therefore, no matter how much Paul told them about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they weren’t able to understand the meaning of what he was saying. They were only interested because it was new.  Therefore, they were not able to comprehend the grace of salvation of God nor were they able to experience the wonderfulness of God’s kingdom.  The important thing is listening to and accepting God’s Word which never changes, and living by it.  If we do that we will be able to experience the love of God which never changes and we will be thankful and praise God daily.
The words that Paul spoke about the Jesus’ resurrection were for the Athenians new.  However this was not the new teaching that they were searching for.  They were looking for new news new news like the journalist puts out.  When a magazine comes out it is really news, but after sometime it becomes old news. However, the newness of the Gospel is not like this.  The gospel is really a new teaching.  It is not by the wisdom of God, but is by the revelation of God that it is a new teaching. It is a teaching of eternal life.  God’s Word never changes.  It never ends.
What are you living for? Are you living for this new teaching, the real word of God?
II Tim. 2:13
Let’s trust in this trustworthy Christ, and live a new life.

No matter what, let’s trust in God.
Duet. 33:27
Let’s believe in the real teaching of the Gospel and we will live the blessed life.

When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, the Jews out of jealousy persecuted Paul and Silas and shortly after they left Thessalonica and went to Berea.  Today’s passage tells us the results of Paul preaching the Gospel there.  The Bereans “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (11)  Also many people were saved.
To listen to the Word of God eagerly and to examine the Scriptures every day is the base of our Christian life.  It is the most important thing for having a blessed Christian life.  With a little help of dictionaries, commentaries, etc. any one can understand the Bible.  Through the Bible we will be blessed abundantly.  Therefore, today let’s look at 3 aspects of examining the Bible.

I. From Thessalonica to Berea (vs.10)
After Paul and Silas were persecuted in Thessalonica, the Christians there secretly snuck Paul and Silas out of Thessalonica and sent them away to Berea. Berea was a prominent city at the foot of the mountains which would make it a good place to flee too.  Berea was about 80 kilometers east of Thessalonica. It would have taken Paul and Silas 2 or 3 days to get there.  As soon as they arrived in Berea they went to the Jewish synagogue.  They didn’t even rest.  More important to them than keeping themselves safe or taking a rest was to preach the Gospel.  Therefore, they went directly to the synagogue.  Paul went there to do as he did in Thessalonica, to dispute the Scriptures.  There was a great possibility that by doing so they would again be arrested and sent out.  Even though Paul had experienced this many times, he didn’t stop preaching the Gospel.   The reason is given in 20:32.
Paul said these words when he met with the Ephesian elders at the port of Miletus and was preaching his farewell address to them.  He is saying that he is committing the important Ephesians and all the people that were saved on his missionary trip “to God and the word of his grace”.  This is because God and the word of God can build them up and give them an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Therefore, Paul did not stop preaching the Gospel.
In fact, after this in verse 15 Paul and Silas are persecuted here too and end up going to Antioch.  The second missionary trip started from Philippi with Paul and Silas.  At Lystra Timothy joined the group and at Troas Luke joined the group making it a 4 member group.  However, in 17:1 Luke changes from “we” to “they” meaning that Luke stayed in Philippi and didn’t go to Thessalonica.  Paul, Silas and Timothy were sent away to Berea.  Paul was thrown out of Berea too. From there he went to Antioch by himself.  In other words, Luke was in Philippi, Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea, and Paul only went on to Antioch.  That means there was no one in Thessalonica.  There must have been great concern about the new Christians there. However, Paul’s attitude was, “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (20:32)
We never know when the pastors, evangelists, and teachers are going to be taken from us so we need to always study the Bible.  We have to read the Word of God by ourselves. We don’t know when a persecution like that of Berea or Thessalonica will occur.  It’s difficult to imagine that the pastors and evangelists will be thrown out of the church.  However, there is a huge possibility of the opposite happening.  In other words, laymen are pulled away from the church.  An example of this is a person being pulled away from Sunday worship by their boss at work.  We are sometimes not given a choice and sent away to another town by being transferred in our jobs. In such cases we keep our faith by the word of God.  We need to read the Bible individually every day and find the will of God.  If we fail in doing this, then we will fail in our Christian life.
Jesus said that he was the shepherd and we are the sheep in John 10:2-4.  Our shepherd, Jesus, knows the names of his sheep, us. The sheep (us) need to know the voice of their shepherd, Jesus.  If you don’t know the voice of your shepherd, you follow the wrong shepherd.  Therefore, the sheep have to be able to distinguish their shepherd’s voice.  Therefore, through the Bible we need to listen to our Shepherd’s voice and learn His will.  The Holy Spirit will through the Bible give us the ability to hear our Shepherd’s voice.

ＩＩ． Eagerness for the Word of God (vs.11)
Verse 11 tells us how the Bereans examined the Word of God.  This is a short statement, but one that leaves a strong impression in our hearts.  This passage gives us 3 characteristics of the Bereans.
1. “The Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians.” (11)  The original meaning of noble was “gentle, docile”. In other words their minds were free. They weren’t like the Jews who wouldn’t accept any other ways of thinking.  They were open to the truth. To have such a soft, gentle heart is difficult especially for elders who have their experience to base things upon. We may think we are not like the Jews, but in reality we close our hearts to others that think differently than we do. Of course it is important to have confidence in what we believe in.  We shouldn’t waiver from the basics.  However, it is dangerous to insist that your ideas are the only ideas and not accept anything else on the perimeters.  In the case of the Berean Jews, they had confidence that the creator of this world, and the one and only God who controls all things would send the Savior to this world. However, they didn’t know who this Savior was.  When they heard about the Savior from Paul, they weren’t like the Thessalonians who said, “That can’t be!”  Instead they questioned if that could be or not, and examined the Bible to see.  Because they had an open heart they “were of more noble character than the Thessalonians.” (11)
2. “They received the message with great eagerness.” (11)  “Great eagerness” means “take an interest in”.  They didn’t just listen to the message, but they listened deeply with eagerness, and with interest.  This resulted in the third characteristic.
3. They “examined the Scriptures every day.” (11) When we think of “examining the Scriptures”, we usually think of something that specialists like Pastors or seminary students do.  However the Bereans heard Paul’s preaching and then once more “they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (11)  In an age where people didn’t individually own a Bible, this was quite a feat. This shows their endurance and eagerness to know the truth.
It is important that each person in the church reads the Bible, examines it, and be built up by the Word of God. The Bible is called Spiritual milk.  Just as babies grow by drinking milk, Christians grow by reading the Bible.  As we grow, we need solids too.  Therefore, we need to study the Bible more deeply so that we will be able to grow and share the Word with others.  Those who eagerly accept and examine the Word of God are blessed.  Next let’s look at the blessings they receive.

III. Many people entered the faith. (vs. 12-15)
Many of the Berean Jews who eagerly listened to the Word of God and “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”, (11) entered the faith.  Not only that, but “When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.”, but the Berean Jewish Christians were able to immediately send Paul on to Antioch.  Paul who was putting his life on the line to preach was taken care of by the Berean Jewish Christians who put their lives on the line to help him.  It was probably very difficult for them, but they took care of Paul and thus shared in the work of God.  Their faith was at work within them.  By faith they became one and they prayed for each other and supported each other.  That type of faith was born in their hearts because they were eager for the Word of God and “examined the Scriptures every day.” (11)  They lived that much by the Word of God.  The foundation of their faith was also laid by the leadership of Silas and Timothy who remained there.  In Acts 20:4 the name Sopater appears.  Sopater is thought to have become a leader in the Berean church.  He went with Paul on his third missionary trip and helped support the work. That was because even after Paul left, he continued to accept the word of God and everyday examine it, and followed the Word of God.  Therefore, no matter what persecutions came his way, no matter what troubles he was in, he was able to continue, he was able to stay rooted in the Word of God and could be built up firmly.  It all came from the Bereans eagerness for the Word of God.
An abundant staff, plenty of money, lots of good plans will not bring church growth.  Neither will a grand church building or having a pastor who is at the church all day create church growth.  The key is each individual being tied to the Word of God and growing by it.  It is by listening to the Word of God, and distinguishing the only true Shepherd’s voice and following the Shepherd, our Lord.  Then the Lord will leave us to an abundant place to graze.  This Shepherd was so faithful that he gave His life for the sheep. We will not be mistaken by following Him.
II Tim. 2:13
Therefore we need to read the Bible daily.  The Word of God is called a sword, but a sword is no good unless we hold it up with our hands  Therefore, we need to pick up the Bible, read it, use it and follow the real Shepherd, Jesus Christ’s voice, In this way we will continue to be on fire and have an zealous spirit.

              After leaving Philippi, Paul went to Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia. There was a synagogue in Thessalonica.  He was there preaching the gospel for about 3 weeks.  Some people at last accepted the Gospel and repented and entered the faith.  Some did not. Verse 5 tells us that the Jews did not accept the Gospel.  “The Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.” (5) Then “They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas” (6), but they weren’t able to find Paul and Silas.  Therefore, “they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: ‘These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house.  They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.’” (6, 7)  Here there are 3 charges.

1.               They have “caused trouble all over the world” (6)

2.               They are “saying that there is another king.” (7)

3.               “They are all defying Caesar’s decrees” (7)

Christians are in some respects cause trouble all over the world, say that Jesus is another king, and follow something different that this world. In what way do Christians cause trouble all over the world? In what way do they follow another king, Jesus? Today let’s look at this  

I.            Reasoning from the Bible (vs.1-4)

In 16:10 Luke all at once starts using “We”, but here again Luke returns to “they”.  “We” ends in 16:17 so it is thought that Luke remained in Philippi.  Possibly Paul got better so Luke was not needed or possibly Luke was needed in Philippi to teach the new Christians. We don’t know the reason, but probably Paul left Luke in Philippi and Paul left and went to Thessalonica on his mission trip.

Thessalonica was about 160 km. Southeast of Philippi.  Since it was the capital of Macedonia, it was full of Jews.  Paul, as he always does, went to the synagogue and for 3 Sabbaths, he reasoned with the Jews from the Bible. The word “reason” means to arrange, display, or enumerate.  In other words, they arranged the teachings of the Bible and displayed them and used that as proof that Jesus was the Savior. This is what evangelism and preaching should do.  

After Jesus rose, two disciples were on their way to Emmas and Jesus joined them asking what it was that they were discussing.  They answered that they were talking about Jesus of Nazareth that had been crucified and that there were rumors that he had resurrected.  Then Jesus explained that all these things were taught in the Old Testament that Jesus must die on the cross and then 3 days later rise again.  Then he explained to them all the Old Testament teachings about Christ.  Jesus showed them through the Bible that Jesus was the Savior.  This is what it means to reason from the Bible.

Let’s look at how Paul reasoned from the Bible.  Here Paul is explaining simply from 3 points that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior.

1.               According to the Bible the characteristics of the (Messiah) Christ are that he “had to suffer and rise from the dead.” (3)

2.               Jesus modeled these characteristics in his death and resurrection.

3.               The conclusion is “This Jesus…is the Christ.” (3)

It was a very simple message.  This is the nature of argumentation that Paul used when he evangelized the Jews. Japanese have no background in the Old Testament so it may require more explanation, but evangelism in Japan is basically the same.  Explain, prove, and then conclude.  When we follow these 3 steps, then people will be saved.   Verse 4 testifies to this.

Paul’s message was very simple, but even so it reached people’s hearts and some of the Jews believed and followed Paul and Silas.  Especially notice that “a large number of God-fearing Greeks” also believed.  These were not Jews, but Gentiles that worshipped the God of the Old Testament and came to the Synagogue every Sabbath.   When they heard Paul’s message, they were saved and were the first people to start the Thessalonica church.  When the cross is preached, there are always people who are saved.

I Cor. 1:18, 21-24 

God decided to use the preaching of the Word of God to bring people to salvation.

When we evangelize some times we use wisdom or intelligence, and fervently

debate, trying to persuade the other person.  However the important thing is upon what we base our debate.  It must not be upon wisdom, intelligence, or zeal.  It must be based upon the Bible.  That is because “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Cor. 1:18)

If we reason from the Bible, then the Holy Spirit will work, and through the Word will lead that person to salvation.   

II.              People who have “caused trouble all over the world” (vs. 5,6)

When the Jews brought Jason and some of the other brothers before the city officials, they shouted that these men “have caused trouble all over the world.” (6)  The literal meaning is “they upset everything under the heavens.”  In other words, “they turned the world upside down.”  This is an over exaggeration, but Christians in all ages are turning the world upside down.  The dynamite of the Gospel changes families and societies and causes revolutions.  It is actually strange for the Gospel to be preached and for no change to take place. 

When we believe in Christ we are able to experience a peace that we had never experienced before.  That is the deep peace of God we receive as a result of our sins being save. It is the peace of having Jesus living in our hearts. Not only do we experience this peace in our lives, but it has the power to turn our families, county and the world upside down.  By believing in Christ a revolution takes place in our lives.  It’s a revolution of love. Let’s take the Gospel of Jesus who causes revolutions and preach it everywhere.  Just as they were called, people who have “caused trouble all over the world”, may we live up to the same title.

III.            Jesus is another king (vs.7-9)

Another reason that the Jews gave for bringing Jason and some other brothers to the city officials is given in verse 7. They are “saying that there is another king.” (7)

Yes, Christians have another king and we are the citizens of his kingdom so we want to follow his leadership and obey Him.  We want to obey him because he is the ultimate authority.  He is what we base our life and action upon. However, Jesus is not in this world so he has given us people in authority over us and so we are to follow them.

I Peter 2:13-15

These authorities are ordained by God “to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” (I Peter 2:14)  It is the will of God what we follow these authorities.  The problem is when these worldly authorities request us to do something that goes against what God would want. In that case we must say like it is written in this passage, “There is another king, one called Jesus,” (7) and stand up for what we believe.

Before we saw in Acts that one day when Peter and John were going to the temple for prayer at 3:00 pm, there was a lame man begging.  They healed the man who became so excited that he leaped up and danced praising God.  He went with Peter and John into the temple.  Therefore, when Peter preached many people believed in Christ.  The Jewish leaders didn’t know what to do so they arrested Peter and John.  They asked Peter and John by what authority and by whose name they had healed the man.  Then they boldly proclaimed that it was by the authority and name of Jesus Christ and there was no other name by which man can be saved.  The Jewish leaders were left wordless, but they didn’t want the Christian faith spreading so they said to Peter and John that they were not to speak in the name of Jesus Christ.  Peter and John’s answer is recorded in Acts 4:19, 20

This principle applies to present day Christians too.  Usually we must follow the authorities. However, if they require that we go against our King, Jesus Christ then we need to choose to follow the other king, Jesus Christ.  This is because all authorities are ordained by God.  If however, an authority requires us to do something that goes against God it means that the authority has overstepped the authority that God has given him and is making himself god.  In that case the Christian must decide that the authority is under the power of Satan and choose to follow Christ.

This is a clear principle, but the way we put it into practice is very difficult.  In present day Japan it’s difficult to know how far we should obey the people above us.  Therefore, one more thing we need to think about is why Christians would go that far to follow the other king, Jesus Christ.

The answer is clear.  That is because Jesus is our Savior.  His name is the only name by which we can be saved.  As we saw earlier, according to the Bible the characteristics of the (Messiah) Christ are that he “had to suffer and rise from the dead.” (3) In our long human history no one except Jesus has done this.  Jesus suffered and died.  However that suffering was for us.  He died on the cross in exchange for our sin.  He also rose for us.  That is why He is another King.

Is there any other king that has suffered for us?  Is there another government that showed its love by suffering and being shamed to the point of death? What cabinet died on the cross for us? There isn’t anyone.  Only Jesus Christ died on the cross and 3 days later rose.  Therefore, we want to give our final vote to Jesus Christ. 

In Japan’s history there were many Christians who were martyred.  The reason they refused to follow any other god and they gladly gave their life was because  they knew the love of Christ.  They knew that Jesus had died for their sins and then rose again.  When we know the love and grace of God then we can choose to die for this King

Romans 5:6-8

When we are touched by the love of Christ on the cross, then we are able to sacrifice our lives.  Please open your hearts up to him.  May the love of Christ fill your hearts. Then no matter what we will be able to follow the other king, Jesus Christ.

             Paul in the name of Jesus Christ cast the spirit out of the slave girl who was a fortune teller.  She was helped, but her owners were not happy.  They had Paul and Silas put into prison.  However, when Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs in the middle of the night, all at once there was a huge earthquake.  The doors of the prison opened and the prisoner’s chains all fell off.  The conversation between Paul and the guards is very interesting because in the conversation the way to be saved is asked and the answer is given.  Today let’s look at their conversation and what is necessary for salvation.

I.                Singing and praying in the middle of the night (vs.19-26)

After Paul cast out the evil spirit from the girl slave fortune teller, “the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone”. (19) Therefore, “they seized Paul and Silas” (19) and “brought them before the magistrates.” (20)  When we share the Gospel, the way it is done maybe different, but we always face such opposition.  The natural man thinks of only himself.  He wants to gain profit for himself only.  It is the gospel that can change a person from a self centered person to someone who can love others as they love themselves.  In reality the more self centered a person is the less he is open to the Gospel.  This is true of the girl slave fortune teller’s owners too.  When Paul cast out the evil spirit from the girl slave fortune teller, the owners of the slave girl realized that she could no longer tell the future and “that their hope of making money was gone”. (19) Therefore they began to see Paul as an enemy.  A girl was set free from an evil spirit, but they didn’t rejoice, but complained to Paul.  For them the casting out of the evil spirit was ruining their business. “Was gone” means “left”.  Therefore, when the evil spirit left the girl their hope of making money also left.  Therefore the owners brought Paul and Silas “before the magistrates and said, ‘These Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.  The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten.” (20-22)

To be treated that way Paul and Silas must have felt terrible.  They must have felt uncertain about their future.  However, they didn’t complain.  They also didn’t give excuses for themselves.  In the midst of these painful and inconvenient circumstances “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God”. (25)  Suddenly there was a huge earthquake.  Miraculously “all the prison doors flew open.” (26)  More miraculous was that Paul and Silas could pray and sing in the midst of these circumstances.  They came to Macedonia by the leading of the Holy Spirit so they probably anticipated that God was going to do a great work there.   Therefore when in reality it wasn’t so you would expect them to have uncertainties and to complain. However, they didn’t complain, but sang and praised the Lord with thankfulness.  They were able to do this because they trusted in God.  No matter what circumstances they found themselves. They believed that God would work for their good.

Their prayer must have been a prayer of trust and obedience.  If not, their prayer would not have naturally led to singing. Hymns can be sung no matter what circumstances we are in.  No matter if we are in the pits of life we can sing hymns to God.  Gospel, the Christian songs of the blacks are an example of this.  When the blacks were struggling in slavery they sang Gospel songs. The Gospel songs were songs of the soul so the songs were able to lift up the depths of their hearts. Even in the depths of struggles their slave owners were not able to put chains on their souls. Through Gospel songs they were able to praise God and have freedom in their souls.  Paul and Silas who were in chains in prison were the same.  No matter how strong a prison, they weren’t able to shut out the joy of Christ in Paul and Silas’ life.  Even if not a ray of light entered the prison cell, there was no way they could make Paul and Silas’ heart dark.  By their prayer and singing they made the prison a heavenly place of worship.  The light that filled their hearts shone in the “midnight” darkness of the prison. The prison full of curses and uneasiness rang with joyful voices of praises to God and the other prisoners listened quietly to them.  A special characteristic of Christians is that they are not controlled by circumstances, but control the circumstances and have the power to change things.  Christians can experience that much joy. 

Romans 8:35-39

There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God.  There is nothing that can take away our hope.  We are victorious no matter what circumstances we are in. Even if we are in the darkness of a prison, those who believe in and live in Christ always have the love of God flowing in their hearts.  We have the power to change the pain and struggles in the deep parts of our soul to prayer and hymns. Let’s remember this and at all times look to heaven and pray and sing.

II.              Believe in the Lord Jesus (vs.27-32)

Next let’s look at what we must do to be saved.  While Paul and Silas were praying and singing to God, “suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.” (26)  The jailer who saw this thought that all the prisoners had escaped and drew his sword to commit suicide.  According to Roman law, if a prisoner escaped the jailor was given the same sentence as the escapee had.  Therefore if he was going to be sentenced to death, he thought it was better to commit suicide.  Therefore, “he drew his sword and was about to kill himself”. (27) But Paul shouted to him, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” (28) 

It is amazing that even though the prison doors opened and the chains fell off the prisoners, not one prisoner escaped.  Probably the other prisoners looked at Paul and Silas’ attitude and realized there was some king of amazing power at work.  The jailor shone his light on the prisoners and all their chains were off and they could easily escape, but not one prisoner had run away.  He was so shocked that he “rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.” (29) Then the jailer brought Paul and Silas out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (30)

Paul and Silas answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31)

The jailer addresses Paul and Silas, “Sirs”, a very respectable title and one definitely not used towards prisoners.  Through these 2 evangelists the jailor felt God and was amazed that they could stop the prisoner’s desire to escape.  For most people the desire to be saved comes from the respect and trust the person has towards the person who is sharing the Gospel.  

Then the jailer asks Paul and Silas, “what must I do to be saved? (30)  By this question we don’t know how much the jailer wanted to be saved spiritually and how much he wanted to be saved from the situation that he was in.  However, Paul and Silas answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31)

Paul and Silas’ answer was something that they had real confidence in daily.  That is that by believing in Jesus Christ that you will be saved.  Even if the jailor wanted to be saved from the present situation, Paul and Silas are answering about what he needed to do to be saved spiritually.  By believing in Christ you are saved spiritually and set free from all sin which is the root of all problems that we face in life. The way to salvation is through believing in Jesus Christ.  The problems that the jailor was facing were very difficult ones that seemed like there was no answer for them.  However, by believing in Jesus Christ not only would the jailor receive spiritual salvation, but believing in Jesus Christ is also the basic solution for solving the problems that we face in daily life.  If we believe in Jesus Christ then we are saved. This is salvation from sin, the salvation of our soul, but also is the solution for each individual problem that we face in life. 

To “Believe in the Lord Jesus” means to leave everything in His hands.  The words “Believe in the Lord Jesus” actually mean “Believe on the Lord Jesus”.  In other words, we are to put ourselves on top of our Lord Jesus and let Him carry us through life.  We leave everything up to the Lord. 

If we make a decision to believe in Christ, but we can’t leave everything up to Jesus, then we won’t really be able to experience salvation.  To be really saved we need to believe “on” the Lord Jesus, ride on His shoulders, and leave everything in His hands. If we believe in Christ, we are saved spiritually and we are given strength to be victorious in all areas of our lives.  No matter what comes our way unexpectantly we are able to stand firmly without being shaken.  That is because we have been saved spiritually and because of our faith.

III.            The happiness and joy of believing in God as result of the whole family believing in God  (vs.33-34)

Finally let’s look at the result of the jailor’s conversation with Paul and Silas over what he needed to do in order to be saved.  Paul and Silas told the jailor, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31) Then Paul and Silas “spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.  At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.” (32, 33) Then the jailer brought Paul and Silas to his home and fed them. The jailor “was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God-he and his whole family.” (34) It happened as Paul said it would.  If you “Believe in the Lord Jesus,” then “you will be saved-you and your household.” (31)

Just as Paul said, when the jailor believed in Jesus, both the jailor and his family were saved.  From this we get the idea that if one person in the family is saved then automatically everyone in the family will be saved.  However, that isn’t what this passage is teaching.  It is said that this passage’s translation is not clear. The NIV translation of verse 31 is “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31) A literal translation of this verse is, “Believe in the Lord, Jesus. Then you will be saved. You also. Your family also.”  Any one who believes will be saved.  However, if you don’t believe then you won’t be saved. If someone in your family is saved and you do nothing else, then everyone will not be automatically saved.  In verse 32 we can see that the jailor’s family as well as the jailor listened to the Word of God.  Then both the jailor and his household were baptized. Then the jailor was filled with joy because his family as well has himself had believed and were saved.  However, when one person in the family is saved, that salvation influences the whole family.

This should challenge the way we live out our faith.  In other words, our faith shouldn’t be one fishing pole, but a net in which the whole family should be saved.  We should pray that not only we will be saved, but that our whole family will be saved.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” (31) To be saved the only thing we need to do is believe in our Lord Jesus. We don’t have to study anything.  Of course studying the Bible is important, but the most important thing is believing。God’s son who became man, Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive us of our sins. Three days later he rose and completed the way to salvation.  What is important is whether we have accepted this salvation or not.

John 6:47

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?  If there is anyone here who doesn’t believe, this morning please believe in Jesus Christ.  Is there any one here that has family members who have not saved?  Let’s pray for their salvation.  And then like the jailor let’s have joy because our whole family is saved.

              Timothy joined Paul and Silas in Lystra and then Luke joined the group in Troas. The group realized that God was calling them to Macedonia so immediately they set sail from Troas for Samothrace.  The next day they went on to Neapolis. From there they traveled on to Philippi.  There they met 2 women.  One “was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira”. (14)  The other was “a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.” (16)  Both of these women teach us the importance of having our hearts opened by the Lord.  The Lord opened Lydia’s “heart to respond to Paul’s message” and she believed in the Lord and was baptized. (14)  She was so overwhelmed with joy that she invited them to her house and showed hospitality to the group. On the other hand, the fortune teller seemed to recognize the evangelism of Paul, but in reality she didn’t. That was because she didn’t have a relationship with Christ nor was she saved. Therefore, having our hearts opened is so important so today let’s look at 3 aspects of the Lord opening our hearts.

I.                Lydia who had her heart opened by the Lord

First let’s look at Lydia who had her heart opened by the Lord.  Paul who had been led by the Holy Spirit to go to Macedonia first went to Philippi, which was the major city in Macedonia.  This was the way Paul always evangelized.  He always went to a major city and then from there went to large cities, then smaller cities, and then towns, and then villages. The capital of Macedonia was Thessalonica.  Paul probably chose Philippi because it was only around 10 Km. from Neapolis where the ship had landed.  Not only was it near Neapolis, but it was a major city and it was a “miniature Rome,” under the municipal law of Rome and governed by two military officers, the duumviri, who were appointed directly from Rome. Philippi was established by the King of Macedon, Philip II so the city was called Philippi. In 41B.C. Mark Antony and Octavian were victorious in the final battle.  They released some of their veteran soldiers, and colonized them in the city. In 30 B.C. Octavian became Roman emperor, reorganized the colony, and established more settlers there gradually making it into a “miniature Rome”.  For Paul who was striving to evangelize in Europe, this “miniature Rome” was a town that he really wanted to evangelize in.

After staying their several days, on the Sabbath they went outside the city gate to the river where there was a place of prayer, “sat down, and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” (13)  At this time, there was barely a Jewish community and there was no synagogue.  Those Jews present met by the river, a common meeting place in the absence of a synagogue.  If there are 10 Jewish men, they could build a Jewish synagogue, but the Jewish population was so small that there was no synagogue.  In verse 13 men are not even mentioned.  Paul spoke to the Jewish women.  This shows us how strong the Roman influence was in Philippi and how small the Jewish population was. 

Therefore, the meager Jewish population met at a place of prayer down at the river every Sabbath.  It was to this group of women that Paul spoke.  In the group of women there was a woman named Lydia “who was a worshiper of God.” (14)  To be called a “worshipper of God” meant that she was not Jewish, but she believed in the one and only God which the Jews believed in, and she worshipped God every Sabbath.  She probably entered the Jewish faith while she was in Thyatira.  Even though she was probably extremely busy as a business woman, she made the worship of God the center of her life.  This day too was the Sabbath so she took the day off and went to the place of prayer and worshipped God.  She desired to worship God and that is why she went to the place of prayer.  It was this desire to worship God that led her to Paul.

Paul “sat down, and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” (13) This “worshipper of God” Lydia listened intently to what Paul was saying and “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” (14)  This is a really important thing.  There were other women there.  Everyone there probably believed in the God of the Old Testament.  They all prayed.  They all heard the message.  However, the person who was saved by the message was only the person whose heart was opened by the Lord and responded to the message.  Even though all heard the same message, not all believed.  Only those who had their hearts opened by the Lord were saved.

This “opened heart” (14) is the same as “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” in Luke 24:31 and “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” in Luke 24:45.  In other words, for a person to really understand the Word of God, our hearts need to be opened when we read the Bible and listen to the sermon.  The Bible was written by God’s Spirit in order to tell us about God. Therefore, to understand it we must ourselves read it and listen to messages and at the same time have God open our hearts to it.  Those who have their hearts opened to God, receive new grace daily from God as they read the Word of God.     

We often say that we meet the Lord in worship.  By this we mean that we understood the message of the Word of God that was being preached.  Our eyes are opened and we realize that the passage is about Jesus Christ.  For example it is the experience like Joseph who slept using a stone for a pillow.  When he woke up, he proclaimed, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it. How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:16, 17)  It is to know that God is here. It is like the experience of the 2 disciples on the way to Emmas when they recognized Jesus.  We too when we hear the sermon or read the Bible we come to the realization that this is Christ or Christ is our savior.  It is times like this that our hearts have been opened by the Holy Spirit. We need to seek to meet the Lord and be touched by the Lord’s hand as we read the Bible and listen to the message.

Jesus told the parable about the sowing of the seeds to teach about this type of heart.  In this parable Jesus is teaching us that sometimes the Word of God is snatched right out of our hearts.  In other cases the Word of God never takes root so that person is o.k. for a short time, but when problems or persecution comes, that person falls away.  For others their hearts are hard and the things of this world keep the Word of God from taking root and bearing fruit.  The word of God which is planted in good soil grows up and bears much fruit, 10 times, 30 times and 100 times over.  (Matt. 13:19-23)  In other words, the way we listen is of very big importance. 

When the word of God is spoken through the message and there is “response” in our hearts, the Lord will always work and will open our hearts. In other words, a person that hears a message and is not moved at all has a heart that is closed hard. That type of person needs to pray for the Lord to break up their heart until the soil is soft. Our hearts need to be soft when we hear the Word of God.  Then God will work and save our souls.

II.              “A believer in the Lord” (vs. 15)

When the Lord opened Lydia’s “heart to respond to Paul’s message”, Lydia “and the members of her household were baptized.” (14, 15)  For Lydia who worshipped the one and true Jewish God, and who had entered the Jewish faith to be baptized meant she believed that Jesus was the Savior that they had been waiting and waiting for. Even if a person believes in the all powerful God of the Old Testament, if he doesn’t believe that the Messiah is Christ, then that means that he really doesn’t believe in the God of the Bible.

John 10:30

John 12:44

We must believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved.  To believe in Christ means to believe that Jesus is Messiah.  Lydia accepted Christ as the Messiah, her Savior.  Not only that, but she led her whole family and those who worked in her home to Christ, and they were all baptized.

After the baptism she said to Paul, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord…come and stay at my house.” (15)  She said “If you consider me a believer”  because it means that Lydia too would be taking part in the ministry of sharing the Gospel and that she too like Paul would be making many sacrifices and facing many troubles.

Paul did not from the beginning make plans for going to Europe.  Therefore, he probably didn’t have all the money he needed for the trip. When he went to Corinth he made tents to support himself.  Lydia realized the greatness of the Gospel and therefore, she too wanted to live for the Gospel.  She wanted to be a part of the ministry of sharing the Gospel and help Paul who led her to a wonderful salvation. She did this by being hospitable to Paul and the missionary team.

This wasn’t just an emotional commitment for a moment.  We can see that Lydia’s commitment continued by Paul’s words in Philip. 1:5. Lydia’s service came from love and dedication that sprang up from belief in Christ.  “From the first day until now” (Philip. 1:5) Lydia continually shared in the ministry of the Gospel. It wasn’t just a one time commitment.  She must have been overflowing in joy as a result of being saved.  This was the root of the Philippian evangelism and as a result a great Church was built up.

Today we often hear people complain that the church is full of women only and there are few men.  However, women have always been a huge strength in the Christian church. Women have supported and help up the church.  For example, Romans 16:2, 4, 13.  Probably Lydia too helped Paul but understanding him, co-operating with him, by being like a mother and friend to him.  She was someone who lived a life of a beautiful faith.

However, in the Church being a man or a woman makes no difference.  Both men and women can be considered as believers and help and minister.  They both can dedicate themselves and help set the foundation of the church and help build up the church.

III.            Being touched by God’s love (vs. 16-18)

Paul evangelized in Philippi for some time after Lydia was saved. During that time another amazing episode occurred. Another time when Paul and the team were going to the place of prayer they met “a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.” (16)  This girl followed Paul and team, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17)  This happened not just one day, but “She kept this up for many days.” (18)  Finally Paul got so frustrated with her that he cast the spirit out of her.  The question is why Paul cast out the spirit.  It doesn’t seem like what she was doing was bad.  She was shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17) That’s the purpose that Paul and the team came to Philippi to do.  Especially when you consider that Philippi was a “miniature Rome” so probably no one was really interested in what Paul was saying.  Therefore, it would seem to be to Paul’s benefit that a good fortune teller would be shouting to everyone, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17) More people would be apt to listen to Paul.  Therefore, you would think that Paul would be happy for her help.  However, Paul cast the spirit out.  Why did he do that?

1.                                  “Paul became so troubled” (18) The girl who had a spirit was so loud and disturbing.  What she was saying was not wrong, but why she was saying it was wrong.  Satan wasn’t concerned with the contents.  He just wanted to disturb and disrupt Paul. If what she was doing was right, then she herself should have believed in and followed Christ.  However, in her heart she had no intention of doing so.  This proves that her words were not from the Holy Spirit, but from Satan.  In this age, this is one thing that we must be careful about is the thinking that if the contents are good, then no matter who says it or for what purpose they say it, it is good.  Doctrine needs not only to be correct, but the motive of the person who is speaking it is also important.  If the person is not following his own doctrine, then it can’t be doctrine at all.

2.                                  As long as a heretical fortune teller is spreading, “the way of the Most High God”, those who hear her would assume that “the Most High God” was a god, not the God of the Bible. In fact, the name “the Most High God” was used for Roman and Greek gods.  “Salvation” was also talked about in Greek and Roman religions.  Therefore, the fact that this girl followed Paul and team, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (17) could have been a source on confusion making people think that Paul was preaching about other gods.

Therefore, what the slave girl who had a spirit was saying was not wrong, but it was a big problem.  It was because what she was saying had no content to it.  She had no salvation.  She did not open her heart to the Lord. When she said, “the Most High God” (17) her meaning was much different than Paul’s meaning of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Lydia was the same.  Before she was a “worshipper of God”.  Before she met Paul she believed in the God of the Old Testament, the creator of heaven and earth.  However, just knowing about God wasn’t enough.  There was no salvation.  In order to be saved, she had to have her heart opened by Jesus Christ. She had to believe in Jesus Christ.  We receive the Christian faith by meeting Christ and being touched by him.  There are a lot of people who say that they believe in god.  The difference in believing in god and having faith in Jesus Christ is when we have a relationship with Christ believing that Jesus died for me on the cross, paying the price for my sin. Jesus rose for me.  That’s how much Jesus loves me. When Lydia entered the faith, the reason she dedicated herself and wanted to minister so much came for the realization that Jesus loved her so much and died for her.  Therefore, she was overflowing with thankfulness and was willing to give herself and her home to the Lord.

Romans 5:7, 8

God loves us so much that he was willing to die for us sinners.  Therefore, we should be willing to give ourselves and our home to the Lord who loved us so much that he died for us on the cross and touched our hearts.

Lydia was touched by the love of Christ.  We have been touched too.  We are really changed when we realize how much Christ has done for us. When we realize that Jesus died on the cross for us and loves us then we will be changed and be willing to give are all to Christ.  May the Lord open our hearts. May the grace of salvation from the love of the Lord’s cross be abundantly upon each person here today. Then our lives will be completely new.

         After the disagreement over whether to take Mark or not arose, Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus and Paul took Silas and left for Cilicia to Derbe.　This was the beginning of Paul’s second missionary trip.  From here on Paul is the central figure in the book Acts.  From Derbe Paul went to Lystra, then Inconium, and then Antioch.  From there he planned to go to Asia and preach the Gospel there, but the Holy Spirit would not allow them to.  Paul had gone to Phrygia and Galatia and when they came to the border of Mysia and were going to enter Bithynia, the Holy Spirit would not allow them to enter Bithynia.  “So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.” (8)  There he has a vision.  In the vision a Macedonian begged Paul, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (9)  Therefore Paul went to Macedonia. As a result the Gospel went from Asia across the sea to Europe.  When we consider that in the present day Europe is the center of Christianity, this was a huge historical event.  This all took place by the amazing leading of the Lord. Today let’s look at 3 aspects of this amazing leading.

I.                God has a plan for our lives. (vs.6-9)

Paul took Silias and went to Derbe, then Lystra.  From there on he took Timothy and went to Inconium.  Then he probably went to Antioch.  From there “as they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.” (4) These towns are the towns that they had evangelized in on their first missionary trip.  They went there to see how they were doing and to encourage them. These were the towns in Galatia which were under the Roman rule.  If they would have continued west they would have come to the province of Asia. In the province of Asia besides the towns of Colossia and Laodea, there was the capital city, Ephesus, which was quite large.  Ephesus was a lot like Antioch in that there were a lot of Jews living there, and it was a large Grecian style city.  Therefore, Paul probably wanted to go there and evangelize.  However, the Holy Spirit did not allow him to go there.  Therefore, “Paul and is companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia.” Then they came to the border of Mysia. This means from Antioch they had traveled north to Mysia.  They planned to travel even further North to Bithynia, “but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”  (7)  In verse 6 Luke says that the “Holy Spirit” would not allow them to go west to Asia and in verse 7 he says that the “Spirit of Jesus” would not allow them to go north to Bithynia. The “Holy Spirit” is the “Spirit of Jesus”. We can see this in I Cor. 15:45

Luke may have changed and said the “Spirit of Jesus” because Jesus’ Spirit spoke face to face with Paul.  However, in this passage there is no record of that happening and there are no direct words of Jesus’ recorded.  It doesn’t say that the Holy Spirit told him not to go.  It says “kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.” (6) and “the Sprit of Jesus would not allow them to” (7) Therefore, it seems more likely that rather than the Holy Spirit saying face to face not to go, that the Holy Spirit closed the doors to their going. The Holy Spirit showed them that going there was not the Lord’s will. 

We don’t know what the circumstances were that the Holy Spirit used to show them that going to Asia or Bithynia were not the Lord’s will.  A clue maybe found in verse 10 where the subject becomes “we”.  In other words, from this point on Luke, a doctor, joins the team.  Possibly Paul or someone was sick.  In Galatians 4:13-14 Paul tells the Galatians, “It was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.” (13)  We don’t know whether Paul is writing about his first missionary trip or this missionary trip.  However, it is a possibility that because of Paul’s health he was not able to go on to the places that he wanted to go to and instead went to Europe.  However, when Paul thought about it he realized that because the Lord closed the door  to the places that he wanted to go to through his sickness, the result was the Gospel was spread to Europe.  He realized that the Holy Spirit really led them down a wonderful new road. 

This same thing happens in our own lives often.  The door that we wanted to go through shuts. We wonder why this happened to us.  The Bible’s answer is we were “kept by the Holy Spirit from”… (6) or “the Spirit of Jesus would not allow“…(7)  This happens because God has a plan for our lives.  Therefore, we shouldn’t worry about why these things happened to us but leave everything in the hands of the Lord and walk down the road that He is leading us on.

Later on in Acts, when Paul is in Philippi, Paul throws out an evil spirit from a woman fortuneteller.  When her master realized that he could no longer make money from her fortunetelling, he became furious and had Paul put in prison.  For Paul who helped the woman by throwing out the demon and who had been preaching salvation, he probably couldn’t understand why this was happening to him. When Paul was in the prison singing and praying, a huge earthquake occurred.  The doors to all the prison cells opened.   The guard thought that all the prisoners had escaped so he was going to commit suicide.  However, Paul called out to the guard telling him that they were all there and not to commit suicide.  As a result the guard wanted to know how to be saved and Paul preached to him and his family.  They all believed and were baptized. For Paul, being imprisoned probably made him question, “Why?”, but as a result a Roman guard, who was very closed to the Gospel, became a Christian.  The Lord performed a mighty work.  This was the plan of God.

There are a lot of things that happen in our life that we wonder, “Why?”  However, for those who love God and follow His plan those things are not disasters. God works all things for the good of those who believe in him.  God has a plan for each of our lives. Let’s live by that plan.

II.              We will understand later (vs. 9,10)

Paul wanted to go to Asia, but was stopped and then he thought that he would go to Bithynia, but that plan was stopped too. Therefore, he went to Troas probably more out lack of other options rather than from really wanting to go there.  He was probably discouraged.  When he was in Troas, he had a vision. In the vision a Macedonian begged Paul, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (9)  Through this vision Paul understood why all other doors had been shut. We can see this in verse 10 “After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” 

The word “concluding” means “to tie everything together”. In other words, they “tied all the evidence together” and realized the Lord’s leading.  The reason they weren’t able to go to Asia, the reason they weren’t able to go to Bithynia, the vision of the Macedonian calling Paul to Macedonia, these things all tied together into one leading that God had called them to preach the gospel in Macedonia.  Therefore, they “got ready at once to leave for Macedonia”. (10)  As a result the Gospel was spread to Europe.  The reason doors were closed was for this purpose.  Paul understood this clearly.

The things that happen in our lives are part of God’s plan for the all of God’s kingdom. Each little event has a big meaning.  Each event is one little piece in a huge puzzle. At first we don’t know what the picture is, but as we put the pieces together all at once we know.

Esther was the same.  She was chosen to be the queen of a foreign King.  She didn’t know why she had to do that.  However, when the Jews were about to be killed she realized that she was in that position so she would be able to save the Jews from being killed.  Therefore, she was able to take action.

Ruth was the same.  She faced famine, became a widow, and followed her mother-in-law to Jerusalem which was for her a foreign place.  They had no money so she worked in the fields collecting the grain that the workers had dropped.  However, she meets Boaz and marries and has a child that later becomes an ancestor of Jesus.  Ruth’s name is recorded in the ancestry of Jesus in Matt. 1. When she married Boaz she probably realized that everything that happened up until then led up to her marriage to Boaz.  However, it probably wasn’t until she went to heaven that she really realized the greatness of her life.

God doesn’t see things up close like we do.  He sees the total picture.  He sees the entire kingdom of God.  We don’t understand what is happening to us right not, but some day we will understand.  Therefore, we need to believe that God will lead us in the best way and move forward down the road that God is leading us on.

III.            Being led by the Holy Spirit (vs. 10)

Last let’s look at how we should respond to being led by the Holy Spirit.  When Paul realized what the Lord’s will was, he got ready at once and left for Macedonia. Paul did the Lord’s will.  Not only when he felt the call to Macedonia did Paul follow the Lord, but also when he wanted to go to Asia or Bithynia and when he realized that wasn’t the Lord’s will he didn’t go. If he would have insisted on going where he wanted to go, then the Gospel would not have spread to Europe.  Even if it did, it would have been by a different way.  However, it was the Lord’s will that Paul take the Gospel to Europe.  Paul didn’t respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading by his own thinking or emotions. Instead he listened to the Holy Spirit and followed Him.  As a result the Gospel spread to the entire world.

Jeremiah29:11

God has a plan for our lives and that plan is not to harm us, but for our prosperity, to give us hope and a future. We need to believe that and following the leading of the Holy Spirit, walk forward one step at a time down the road God shows us.

From today’s passage and on in the book of Acts Barnabas does not appear and Paul’s ministry becomes the central focus of the book.  This is because Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, was a disciple of Paul and he went with Paul on his missionary trips.  It was not because Barnabas had done something wrong. If Luke had gone with Barnabas, he probably would have written about Barnabas. However, he went with Paul so Paul’s ministry is recorded.  In today’s passage Paul “came to Derbe and then to Lystra” (1) where he met Timothy.  Paul wanted to take him along on the missionary trip, “so he circumcised him”. (3)  This seems strange because in Acts 15 we saw how strong Paul stood up for his belief that circumcision was not necessary for salvation.  Today let’s look at three aspects of this passage and at the same time understand why Paul circumcised Timothy when Paul believed so strongly that circumcision was not needed for salvation.

I.                A person well spoken of (vs. 1,2)

Paul left on his second missionary trip to encourage and give strength to the churches that he had evangelized and started on his first missionary trip.  First he went to the area of Cilicia and then went over the mountain ranges of Tarsus to Derbe.  From there he went to Lystra, the place that he had been stoned and almost died at on his first missionary trip.  There he met a disciple, Timothy.  Timothy had believed in Christ and become a Christian along with his mother and grandmother on his first missionary trip.  When Paul returned on his second missionary trip Timothy had grown into a wonderful young man.

Here Timothy is introduced as having a mother who “was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek”. (1)  At that time it was almost unheard of for a Jewish girl to marry a Greek.  For the Jews purity of blood was very important.  In Palestine such a mixed marriage was unthinkable, but in this area a little far from  Palestine there were a few such marriages.  We don’t know how Timothy’s mother happened to marry a Greek, but the fact that she did shows that she didn’t have a pure faith.  Even so, later through Paul’s evangelism she believed in Jesus Christ and became a Christian.

              One reason that “Paul wanted to take him along on the journey” was probably that Timothy was from this type of mixed marriage so he had been influenced by and knew both cultures.  Paul thought that Timothy would be a great asset on his missionary trip.  However, that is not the only reason Paul wanted to take Timothy.  In verse 2 a deeper reason is given.  That is “The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.”  “To be spoken well of” is a very important thing for Christians.  In the Jerusalem church, the criteria for the first deacons were that they were “known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.” (6:3) Also they “must also have a good reputation with outsiders”. (I Timothy 3:7)  In other words, they must be well spoken of.  This is the result of being a good Christian testimony. 

              We don’t know what kind of life Timothy led, but his lifestyle was spoken well of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.  However, we can get a hint of why he was spoken so well of in the letter that Paul wrote to him.

II Timothy 1:5

              His pure faith was passed down from his mother and grandmother.  Education based upon the Bible has such a great influence upon on the person and their life.  Even if we know nothing else if we know through the Bible the way of God, that’s enough.   That type of person receives God’s wisdom through the Bible, his personality is formed, and he is well spoken of. Just as Timothy was used on Paul’s missionary trip, that type is person is used for God’s work.

II.              Everything is for the Gospel (vs. 3,4)

This seems really strange, but Paul wanted to take Timothy on the missionary journey, “so he circumcised him” (3) This is difficult to understand why Paul would do such a thing considering the fact that he had stood up so strongly insisting that you do not have to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul definitely believed very strongly that neither circumcision nor following the law were needed for salvation.  He believed that faith in Jesus Christ was the only requirement for salvation.  This can be seen in verse 4. “As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.”  If Paul believed so strongly that circumcision was not necessary for salvation, then why did he circumcise Timothy?  The reason is given in verse 3. “because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”  If Timothy was not circumcised, the Jews would not accept him because they knew that he was the son of a Greek.  Therefore, evangelism would be very difficult.  Uncircumcised people can not speak in the Jewish temple.  No matter how much Timothy wanted to evangelize there, he would not be able to speak there because he was not circumcised.  For Paul the fact that Timothy had not been circumcised was no problem. (Galatians 5:6)  However, Paul circumcised Timothy because he felt that that was better for evangelizing the Jews. This was because Paul realized that to evangelize the Jews he needed to honor their culture and feelings. This was his basic philosophy: in order to reach the Jews become like the Jews; to reach the Gentiles, become like the Gentiles.

I Cor. 9:13-23

Paul was free from all, but he was willing to become a slave so that others would be saved. He became as a Jew to the Jews and a Greek to the Greeks.  He became weak that he might reach the weak. He was willing to give up anything that people might be saved.  He did everything for the sake of the Gospel.  That was the reason too why he circumcised Timothy.  He didn’t need to be circumcised or follow any part of the law, but so that the Jews could be saved he was circumcised.

This is an important principle for us Christians too.  We who are saved by the cross of Jesus Christ should live by this principle too. We should be willing to give up our freedom to win others to Christ.

III.         So the churches were…(vs. 5)

Up until now in Acts whenever the Holy Spirit performs some great work, after that we are told about the church’s progress and growth. (2:47; 6:7; 9:37)  Here as a result of Paul’s lifestyle, “the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” (5)  It will be the same for us.  When we live for the Gospel, we will receive the grace of the Gospel.

Paul was willing to give up everything in order for a person to be saved. This is what God wants us to do too.  We are free, but in order that many people will be saved, we need to become like others. Then we will see the great works of God.

Last week we looked at the Jerusalem counsel.  The decision of the counsel is verse 28.  In today’s passage we see what happened when the decision is shared with the Antioch church, the center of the Gentile churches. When the Antioch church heard the decision of the Jerusalem counsel they were encouraged, rejoiced greatly, and spread the Gospel even more.  We can realize how great a result encouragement produced.  Therefore let’s look at 3 aspects of this passage and encouragement.

I.                The word of encouragement (vs. 22)

After the Jerusalem counsel made their decision, they chose Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, to go with Paul and Barnabas to go to the Antioch church. Barsabbas and Silas were leaders in the church.  Also according to verse 32, they were  prophets.  They could have just sent a letter, but they chose to send 2 leaders to the Antioch church so that they could encourage the Christians in Antioch.  By sending the leaders, they could face to face share the results of the Jerusalem counsel.  Not only that, but more importantly they could encourage and strengthen the Christians in Antioch.  According to verse 32, Barsabbas and Silas were prophets so they were able to encourage and strengthen the Antioch Christians with many words. They were many things that they weren’t able to include in the letter that Barsabbas and Silas were able to share with the Antioch Christians.  By such fellowship, the people felt loved, that they are important, that they are remembered, and they are encouraged. The church by such fellowship and encouragement becomes fruitful.

I.    Thess. 5:11

The Thessalonian church lacked proper knowledge about the people who have died.  Therefore, they were very depressed.  They thought death was the end and so they had lost all hope for living.  Paul encouraged and taught them by telling them about the hope of the resurrection.  He told them that when Jesus comes again that first those who have died along with all those Christians who are living will be lifted up and meet the Lord in the air.  This was a huge comfort for them.  Therefore we don’t need to be afraid of death.  There is hope for living.  By these words they were encouraged and joyfully could live their faith.

A characteristic of encouragement is that both parties are encouraged and built up. You don’t pull each other down, but build each other up.  This is the purpose of prophets.  They use the Word of God to exhort, encourage and build others up. Barsabbas and Silas were this kind of prophets who encouraged and strengthened the  Christians through the Word of God.

There are times that events cause us to be moved, and our hearts become mixed up, but we need to encourage each other with the Word of God so that our hearts will be protected and we will be built up in our faith.

II.               A letter of encouragement  (vs. 23-31)

We can see that the Jewish Christians were very considerate of the Gentile Christians in Antioch.  One place we can see this is in verse 23 where they call themselves, “The apostles and the elder brothers”. They call the recipients of the letter, “brothers throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are of the Gentiles.” The reason that they called themselves “The apostles and the elder brothers” was to show that they are on the same level as the Gentiles of Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, and that in Christ they are one. This is because they had heard that some Jewish Christians had troubled them with words, and unsettled their souls.  These are the Jewish Christians that appear in 15:1 and told the Gentiles that they needed to be circumcised if they wanted to be saved.  This “unsettled their souls”. The word used for “unsettled” is the word used when a house falls down. It is opposite of the word used in 9:31 for “built up”.  In other words they were trouble makers for the Antioch church that had been built up.  Therefore, the Jerusalem counsel met and made three decisions.

              l.            Not to lay upon the Gentiles any greater burden. (28)               2.           To ask the Gentiles “To abstain from things that have been sacrificed to idols and blood and things strangled and fornication” (29)

              3.           To send Barsabbas and Silas whom they chose to go back with Barnabas and Paul to share what they had decided on with the Gentile Christians.  Through their words they hoped to build the Gentile Christians up again.  The purpose of the letter wasn’t just to tell what the Jerusalem counsel had decided, but to build them up and encourage them.

              The results of the letter are given in verse 31. “And when they read it, they rejoiced at the encouragement.”  One letter gave great encouragement and brought joy.  This is like when we read the Word of God today and are encouraged and receive joy. The Bible is the Word of God, a letter of love.  In the Bible are many letters and by those letters we are fed, led, and built up.  Therefore, we need to read God’s letter more and more and received God’s encouragement, be fed and built up.

III.         Encourage each other (vs.33-35)

            The encouragement that Barsabbas and Silas gave the Gentile Christians and encouragement from the letter from the Jerusalem church gave the Antioch Christians assurance in the Gospel that they believed in.  Not only that but it gave them assurance in the proclamation and the spread of the Gospel.  From verse 36 on Paul and Barnabas’ second missionary trip is reported.  This type of encouragement was also the source of power in their missionary work.  That is because in verse 35 they taught and preached in Antioch. 

              In the Bible when the word “encourage” is used it means to “call someone to your side”.  It doesn’t mean sitting face to face and saying words of encouragement.  It means to call the other person to your side and walk together to God who is the source of all encouragement. Barsabbas and Silas, also Paul and Barnabas did this type of encouragement.  They stood along side the Antioch Christians and taught them and together they walked before the Lord as brothers.

II.Cor. 1:4-6

Our God is the God of encouragement.  Today there maybe some people that are suffering or having a bad time.  God wants to encourage you.  By receiving God’s encouragement, we are able to encourage others.  By encouraging each other, we are able to stand up through anything that comes our way.

              Today let’s look at the first church meeting called the Jerusalem council.  When Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, there arose among the Jewish Christians centered in Jerusalem different opinions, arguments and oppositions. These problems were related to what the Gospel is, the basic characteristic of the Christian faith so it was a very important problem. This was the problem that the Jerusalem council discussed. Through this council the church came to an understanding of what the Gospel is and was able to move forward in evangelism.  Today let’s look at three things we can learn from the Jerusalem council.

1. I.             Don’t get stuck on your own ideas (vs.1-5)

The Jews who came to Antioch claimed that Christians in Antioch must be circumcised. Circumcision was a sign of being a chosen people. In other words, they didn’t think that just believing in Christ was enough for salvation.  They thought that Gentile Christians should be circumcised like they had been.

However, Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel that no matter who you were, if you repented and believed in Christ, you were saved.  You didn’t have to follow the Jewish rules in order to be saved.  If anything is added to the Gospel, then it is not the Gospel anymore.  This was a very important problem because the Gospel was the central theme of Christianity.  Also it was a problem that could tear away the unity of the Gentile and Jewish Christians. Therefore, Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem to talk to the Apostles and elders.  This is recorded in verses 3-5.

When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Jerusalem, they reported to the apostles and the elders all that God who had been with them had done.  This is the same as the report that they had made after their first evangelistic trip to the Antioch church.  (14:27) However, “some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees” could not accept what Paul and Barnabas were saying.  They thought that everyone must be circumcised and follow the law.  This was because they were stuck on their own way of thinking and missed what God was doing. In order to be aware of God’s work, it is important that we not be stuck in our own ways of thinking.

1. II.           Only by faith (vs.6-19)

When there became disagreement between Paul and Barnabas and the Jewish Christians, the apostles and elders met together to discuss the problem.  This was the first time for the church to have such a meeting.  It was called the Jerusalem council. Throughout church history such meetings have been held to determine important things.  The purpose of them is not to just sit around and discuss things, but to seek the will of Jesus Christ who is the head of the church, accept it, and follow it. When disagreements arise, it is an important time to determine what we actually believe in.  Therefore, we need to make the Word of God the center of our discussion and prayfully  under the leading of the Holy Spirit discuss things.  Having problems in the church is not the problem. It is how we handle the problem that is the problem. This is how the early church discussed the problem.  The discussion is recorded in verses 7-19.

Here Peter is pointing out 2 things.  First he talks about Cornelius’ conversion that took place in Acts 10. He was not saved by being circumcised or by following the law.  He was saved by hearing Peter preach the Gospel and believing in it. Just like them, when Cornelius accepted the Gospel, he received the Holy Spirit.  In other words, God showed no partiality, and cleansed his heart just like the Jewish Christians by just his faith.

The second thing that Peter points out is that they are trying to put “on the necks of the disciples a yoke that” they have not even been able to bear. (10)  This “yoke” is the law.  This is a yoke that the Jews and their ancestors had never been able to bear.  They tried to follow the law, but they didn’t have the power to do so it became heavy baggage.  There is no one who can follow the law completely.  Therefore, we can’t be saved by the law.  We are saved only by grace. The Gentiles were saved only by the grace of our Lord Jesus.  Therefore, they are not to put a yoke on their necks.

Next Paul and Barnabas share “about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.” (12)  Paul and Barnabas also shared how the Gentiles were saved by faith alone too.

Then James, Jesus’ brother who wrote the book of James and who was probably a pastor in the church gives his teaching on the subject in verses 13-19.  His teaching was very important for the counsel.  He calls Peter by his Hebrew name, Simeon, and then not only agrees with what he said, but teaches from the Old Testament that salvation is promised to the Gentiles.  He quotes from Amos 9:11-12. He is prophesying about the destruction of Israel and how David’s kingdom will come in the last days and the vision of the kingdom of God.  “that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name.” (17)  In other words, the salvation of the Gentiles along with the rebuilding of Israel will bring in the blessings of the Royal kingdom.

Of course, Amos was not the first person to prophesy of the salvation of the Gentiles. In Genesis too God spoke to Abraham about this. (Genesis 17:4,5) The salvation of the Gentiles is recorded throughout the Old Testament and is the will of God. Therefore, James makes his summary in verse 19.

“make it difficult” (19) refers to what Peter said in verse 10.  We shouldn’t put a yoke that we ourselves couldn’t bear on the Gentiles.  In other words, they shouldn’t expect the Gentiles to be circumcised or to follow the Jewish law.  Anyone who believes in Christ and returns to him will be saved.  There are no conditions.  This is the Gospel.  This is what was decided at the Jerusalem counsel.  Therefore, we need to live by grace. We shouldn’t put a yoke on anyone.

What is wonderful about this Jerusalem counsel is that they looked to the Word of God to find the Lord’s will.  It wasn’t just an exchange of opinions.  James explained that Old Testament teaches about the salvation of the Gentiles and it is God’s will so no one should burden the Gentiles with circumcision or the law.  Therefore, they were able to write in the letter to the Gentile believers, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything.” (28)  This is because we are saved by grace.

1. III.         Don’t cause others to stumble (vs. 20,21)

James doesn’t end his summary here.  He adds verses 20 and 21 which begins with “instead”. They are not to put the burden of the law on the Gentiles, but instead they are to ask the Gentiles to abstain from 4 things. This sounds like they are still burdening the Gentiles by requesting them to follow these 4 things, but the reason for making this request is given in verse 21.  “For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” In other words, the Gentile Christians are living among the Jewish Christians who have heard the law read over and over every week and these 4 things would cause the Jewish Christians to stumble.  These 4 things would especially stand out.  They did not have to do these things to be saved. They were saved by believing in Jesus’ cross and resurrection alone. Following the law had nothing to do with salvation.  However, when you think of the effect of doing things like that, it would cause many Jewish Christians to stumble in their walk with Christ. Therefore, they asked the Gentiles to refrain from doing such things.

I Cor. 9:19-22

Here Paul is saying that he is completely free. However I order that he can reach as many people as possible to the faith, he becomes a save to al.  He becomes like a Jew to reach the Jews.  He’s not under the law, but he becomes like someone under the law in order to win the Jews to Christ.  To those outside of the law, he became like someone outside of the law.  To those who were weak, he became weak so he could win those who were weak.  That’s because he wanted all men to be saved.  For example, idols are not really gods so there’s really no reason why you can’t eat meat that has been offered to gods.  However, there are some Christians that didn’t eat meat because they felt the meat was unclean and they felt that Satan may enter them.  Therefore, Paul did not eat the meat out of consideration of them.  Paul’s actions were always determined by                                   the fact that he was living for the gospel. 

Jesus modeled this too.  He humbled himself and became like man.  He also became like sinful man and died on the cross.  This was all for us so that he could save us.

If we really want to do the Lord’s will, we would not put a yoke upon anyone. We would also not do anything that will cause others to stumble. We would become like the  people around us are like so that we can win them to Christ.  If we judge others, become mad, cause others to stumble, it means that we don’t understand the Gospel correctly. 

Let’s understand the Gospel correctly, and realize that we are living by the grace of God. May the life of the Gospel be flowing throughout the church.  This is the secret of the Gospel that through the Jerusalem council became clear.