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.