Acts 15:22-35 - Read & Rejoice
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[PRAYER]
[INTER] Why is Acts 15 important? Why does it matter?
[CONTEXT] Well, we’ve already seen that Acts 15 matters because truth matters.
We need to be saved because we’ve chosen death by rebelling against the Lord of life.
God created us, gave us life, and we rebelled against Him by choosing sin instead of faithfulness to Him.
But God, the Lord of life, is also the Lord of love, and because He loved us He sent Jesus, the Lord of lords, to die in our place and give us new life through His resurrection power.
Only Jesus lived the life of faithfulness we should have lived.
Only Jesus died our death in our place.
Only Jesus rose again securing eternal life for all who trust in Him.
That’s why we must trust in Jesus for salvation.
And that’s why the only thing required for salvation is trust in Him.
That’s the truth, and we’ve seen this truth throughout the book of Acts.
When the Jews were saved in Acts 2, Peter told them to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, but there is no genuine repentance and baptism without faith, without trust, without belief.
That’s why Acts 2:44 says of those first Jewish believers…
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
When the Samaritans (i.e., those who were half Jew and half Gentile)—when they were saved in Acts 8, Acts 8:12 says…
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.
When the Gentiles (i.e., the non-Jews) were saved in Acts 10, Peter told them about Jesus, saying…
43 “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
In every instance it was abundantly clear that these people were saved by believing the Gospel message of Jesus’s perfect life, sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection; it was abundantly clear because when the Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles believed on Jesus, the Holy Spirit on God fell on them all in the same way.
In Acts 2:4, it says concerning the Jewish believers in Jerusalem…
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
In Acts 8:17, it says that Peter and John came down from Jerusalem to verify that the Samaritans had truly believed…
17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 10:44, it says of the Gentile believers…
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
So, Acts shows us the truth—salvation is only through faith alone in Jesus Christ—and that truth is verified by the coming of the Holy Spirit.
But in Acts 15 that truth came under attack.
Some troublesome teachers came down from Jerusalem and said that salvation wasn’t by faith alone.
They said that anyone who would be saved by faith in Jesus must also be circumcised according to the custom of Moses (v. 1).
They said that anyone who would be saved by faith must observe the Law of Moses (v. 5).
Paul and Barnabas intensely disagreed, and soon it was decided that the elder and Apostles in Jersualem would have to make a decision.
At the Jerusalem Council, the troublesome teachers had their say.
Then Peter spoke up in favor of faith alone.
Then Paul and Barnabas told of all the folks saved by faith alone in Antioch and in all the places on their first missionary journey.
Then James gave his judgment, saying that those who believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ had encountered God, and God had taken them for His own name.
This had been promised by God in the Prophets and was now being fulfilled by God as the Gentiles trusted in Jesus, the Messiah, for salvation.
Then James said in Acts 15:19-20…
19 “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.
James didn’t want any obstacle in the way of Gentiles turning to God through faith alone in Christ, and he didn’t want any obstacle in the way of Jews turning to God through faith alone in Christ.
That’s why he suggested Gentile believers abstain from the things mentioned in v. 20—things that would’ve been highly offensive to Jews who might have also been turning to God through faith in Christ.
[CIT] In Acts 15:22ff, the letter that James recommended is written, sent, and received with joy by the church in Antioch.
[PROP] This all matters to us today because the truth matters and unity, mission, and trust matters.
[TS] We will see that those things matter as we look at Acts 15:22-35 in three PARTS…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
Part #1: Men Sent with a Message (vv. 22-29)
Part #1: Men Sent with a Message (vv. 22-29)
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, 23 and they sent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. 24 “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, 25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 “Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”
Exposition
a. v. 22 - The Men
a. v. 22 - The Men
Having decided that Paul and Barnabas had been teaching the truth in Antioch, that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, the apostles and elders sent Judas and Silas with Paul and Barnabas back to the church in Antioch.
Paul was of course the former persecutor of the church turned Apostle of Christ.
Barnabas was the Son of Encouragement, the one who recruited Paul to Antioch in order to disciple the believers there.
Paul and Barnabas were, of course, men who “risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 26) on their first missionary journey.
We don’t know anything else about Judas other than what is mentioned in this passage.
As it says in v. 22, he was also called Barsabbas, which has led some to speculate that he may have been related to the Joseph Barsabbas mentioned in Acts 1:23, but we don’t know that for sure.
Verse 32 tells us that Judas was also a prophet, one who announces God’s word or speaks on God’s behalf to God’s people.
And that’s it, that’s all that we know about Judas also called Barsabbas.
Obviously, he agreed with the Jerusalem council’s decision and was trusted along with Silas to deliver that decision to the church in Antioch.
Silas was also called Silvanus; He is mentioned in some of Paul’s other letters in the NT, and was Paul’s traveling companion on his second missionary journey. He may have also been Peter’s writing assistant in 1 Peter 5:12.
Together these four men brought the letter from the Jerusalem Council back to Antioch.
b. vv. 23 -29 - The Message
b. vv. 23 -29 - The Message
In the letter the council wanted to provide clarity, increase unity, and highlight a few necessities.
Concerning clarity, they wanted to be make it clear that the troublesome teachers who had shown up in Antioch disturbing believers and unsettling souls—those false teachers weren’t instructed by the church in Jerusalem to do that.
We see that in v. 24…
“We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them!
The word ‘troubling’ in v. 24 literally means ‘plundering’ or ‘tearing down;’ it was military metaphor used to describe plundering or looting a town.
The unauthorized, troublesome false teachers from Jerusalem had plundered the minds and hearts of believers in Antioch, robbing them of the assurance of salvation they had through faith alone in Christ.
This letter from the Jerusalem church, which was carried by these men sent from the Jerusalem church was meant to reassure the Gentile believers in Antioch once again.
Concerning unity the Jerusalem council wanted to make sure the church in Antioch understood that everyone—including God—was in agreement that salvation was by faith alone.
We see that in v. 25…
it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
We see that in v. 28…
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:
God the Holy Spirit and every true believer in Jerusalem agreed: salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, and nothing more should be required of Gentiles coming to God through faith in Christ other than a few essentials or necessities.
Concerning those necessities the Jerusalem church urged the Gentile believers in Antioch to abstain from things that would offend Jews and put up obstacles to their turning to God through faith in Christ.
We see that in v. 29…
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”
All of these things were associated with idolatry, so Gentile believers were urged to end any association with their idolatrous past so unbelieving Jews who needed to believe the truth about Jesus could see proof of that truth’s power in the changed lives of Gentile believers.
Illustration
Way back in the olden days of 1992, it was reported that Americans spent $50 million a year on subliminal message tapes that promised to help them do everything from improve their self-image to stop smoking.
Subliminal messages are designed to affect someone’s mind with their being aware of it.
The National Research Council reported, however, that subliminal message tapes (as you may have guessed) didn’t work. The Research Council said, “They don’t deliver the life-transforming power they promise.”
Application
The truth of the Gospel—the truth of faith alone in Jesus as the only way of salvation—always delivers the life-transforming power it promises, and you don’t have to pay anything for it!
Those who come to Christ are changed by Christ, and that change is a witness to the unbelieving world just as the change in the lives of the Gentile believers in Acts 15 was a witness to unbelieving Jews.
Transition
The truth of the Gospel always changes those who believe.
Part #2: Response by the Receivers (vv. 30-32)
Part #2: Response by the Receivers (vv. 30-32)
30 So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.
Exposition
a. vv. 30-31 - Receivers Rejoice
a. vv. 30-31 - Receivers Rejoice
The church in Antioch wasn’t small. Many people had been saved through faith alone in Christ; many of them had been disturbed by the false teachers who came claiming that they couldn’t be saved through faith alone in Christ, and many were waiting for word from Jerusalem.
Verse 30 says that the congregation was brought together. This was the assembly, the church in Antioch, and as the KJV/NKJV says, it was a multitude of believers.
They heard the message and rejoiced because of the encouragement it gave.
What encouragement did it give?
It encouraged them to trust Barnabas and Paul who had first taught them the Gospel truth of faith alone in Christ alone for forgiveness of sins.
It encouraged them to hold to the Gospel truth of faith alone in Christ alone for forgiveness of sins.
It encouraged them to put no obstacle between the Jews and faith alone in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Again, all the things the Jerusalem council recommended that the Gentiles abstain from were things connected to idolatry and things that Jewish people would have found highly offensive; these things would have been barriers to Christ for the Jews if Christians were connected to such things.
The bottom line of this encouragement was that their teachers had taught them correctly concerning salvation, the faith they had placed in Jesus was really mighty to save on its own, and the saving message of faith alone was the message for the Jews as well. Nothing should get in the way of that.
They had been encouraged, and then they were assured by Judas and Silas.
b. v. 32 - Receivers Reassured
b. v. 32 - Receivers Reassured
Judas and Silas were prophets, mouthpieces for the word of God, and the word of God they delivered in Antioch was the message of faith alone.
The spoke this message at length with many words. It was delivered with care and clarity. If necessary, it was repeated until the believers in Antioch came to a firm understanding that salvation for Jew and Gentile alike was only through faith alone in Christ.
As a result the church in Antioch was further encouraged and further strengthened in faith alone as the only means of salvation.
The church in Antioch was reassured.
Illustration
Imagine that you and I go out to eat. At the end of the meal the check comes, and I snatch it up and say, “I got it covered.” (That’s how you know this is an imaginary story.)
You ask, “Are you sure?” And I say, “Of course. My treat.” You say thanks, and I go to pay the bill up front.
But while I’m pay the bill, our waiter comes by one last time and asks if we’d like anything else. You say, “No thanks; he’s paying the bill now, so we’re good.”
The waiter jokes, “Got ‘em to pay for your meal, huh?” You laugh and say, “Yeah, he’ll probably pay for my sweet tea as well,” but then you begin to wonder if I will. You noticed that I just had water, and you begin to think it might be rude to have me pay for your meal and your sweet tea.
You come to the register and say, “Hey, I’d like to pay for my…,” but before you can even finish the sentence, I say, “Nope! I got it covered, brother, the tea and everything.”
You put up your hands and say, “Ok,” and go wait for me by the front door.
But while your waiting another customer comes by, and having overheard the conversation between us, she says to you, “It’s so nice that he’s paying for your meal,” and then she leans in and whispers, “but I bet you need to leave the tip.”
I see you walk back to the table pulling out cash as you go, and I holler to you, “Hey! I’m leaving the tip; I got it all covered!”
Application
In our imaginary lunch outing, our waiter and another customer troubled you even though I told you that I had it all covered.
When our waiter troubled you over the tea, I had to reassure you.
When the other customer troubled you over the trip, I had to reassure you again.
When we place our faith in Jesus, He’s got it all covered.
We believe that at first, but then someone may come along troubling us by asking, “Does He really have it call covered? Don’t you at least need to be circumcised or baptized or something-ized in order to be saved by Jesus from your sins?”
And the reassuring answer is no; He’s got it all covered. He’s paid it all.
Transition
That’s the truth of the Gospel we first believed, and that’s the truth that always reassures as we continue to believe.
Part #3: The Conclusion for the Church (vv. 33-35)
Part #3: The Conclusion for the Church (vv. 33-35)
33 After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out. 34 But it seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.
Exposition
a. v. 33 - Peace
a. v. 33 - Peace
The brethren sent back to Jerusalem were Judas and Silas, Jewish brothers in Christ, and they were sent back in peace. They had brought peace from Jerusalem through their message, and now they were returning in peace with peace from Antioch.
Despite all their difference, the Jewish believers in Jesus and the Gentile believers in Jewish were at peace with one another because of faith alone in Christ alone.
[v. 34 in brackets because missing from earliest mss]
[v. 34 in brackets because missing from earliest mss]
Verse 34 is problematic. Perhaps your English translation has it in brackets, as a footnote, or a note in the margin. It says that Silas decided to remain in Antioch when v. 33 plainly says that they, both Judas and Silas, went back to Jerusalem.
Apparently some copyist read v. 33 where Silas went back to Jerusalem and then read the next passage about Silas joining Paul on his second missionary journey, and thought, “Wait, how could Silas join Paul in Antioch if he went back to Jerusalem?” So the copyist added what’s called a gloss, an addition to the text that he thought added clarity when it only adds confusion.
Explaining when the second missionary journey took place, Acts 15:36 says, “After some days...” So, Silas went back to Jerusalem with Judas and after some days came back to Antioch from which he will join Paul on his second missionary journey.
When modern translations like NASB, ESV, CSB, etc. remove these glosses, readers of the KJV, NKJV, or English translations even older than those think that a part of Scripture has been removed.
But the only thing removed is what was never there in the first place and what never should’ve been added at all.
We have more ancient copies of the NT than any other ancient writing, and the oldest and best Greek manuscripts we have do not contain v. 34 at all.
There are other examples of glosses like this that we can see in older English translations, but we don’t need to add anything to God’s Word to make it all work together.
God’s Word works together perfectly on its own.
And that perfect word is the word of the Lord that Paul and Barnabas continued to teach and preach in Antioch.
b. v. 35 - Teaching and Preaching
b. v. 35 - Teaching and Preaching
Preaching is the Holy Spirit-empowered presentation of God’s gracious work of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Teaching is the Holy Spirit-empowered instruction from God’s perfect Word on sanctification, which is living a life of holiness in the way of Jesus Christ.
In every sermon there should be preaching (the presentation of Jesus crucified and resurrected) and teaching (instruction in the way of Jesus), and Paul and Barnabas continued to do both of those things in Antioch after Judas and Silas returned to Jerusalem.
The message they continued to preach and teach was faith alone in Christ alone.
Illustration
Sometime ago I was listening to an audiobook where the author, a Christian brother named Daniel Nayeri, described his faithful mother as unstoppable.
He said, “If there’s one thing to know about my mom, it’s that she doesn’t stop. And if you don’t stop, you’re unstoppable,” (Everything Sad Is Untrue, p. 200).
Application
Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the good news of faith alone in Christ alone never stops, and if it never stops, it’s unstoppable.
Transition
The troublesome teachers that we met at the beginning of Acts 15, the ones that troubled the church in Antioch tried to stop the Gospel of faith alone in Christ alone, but by the end of the chapter that Gospel is still going forward.
If it doesn’t stop, it’s unstoppable.
That truth is what made Paul and Barnabas unstoppable.
That truth is what made Daniel Nayeri’s mom unstoppable.
And it makes us unstoppable too if we believe it.
Cling to this truth, brothers and sisters: the only thing God requires of you to be saved is what He gives to you as a gift—the gift of faith alone in Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected.
If you truly believe that, you will endure to the end.
If you truly believe that, you will be unstoppable no matter who or what comes to trouble you.
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]