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.