WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.359 I wonder if you think that we live in a united country, despite the name of our country. 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:15.439 Are we faced day by day with a sense of togetherness and cohesion? 00:00:16.460 --> 00:00:18.460 Perhaps when you put the news on, for example. 00:00:18.460 --> 00:00:24.359 Or rather, confronted by a sense of discord and friction. 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:30.280 Louis Theroux, the documentary maker, made the following comment. 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:35.820 He said, we're at a moment in time where culturally we're at odds with one another. 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:45.320 There's a lot of rage, a lot of disagreement about a certain sort of wedge cultural issues. 00:00:46.460 --> 00:00:53.260 And he's really referring here to the so-called culture wars, which I'm not really going to comment on particularly, 00:00:53.259 --> 00:00:58.079 but just simply acknowledge that that is part of our sort of social context at the moment. 00:00:58.839 --> 00:01:08.219 If you're not sure what the culture wars are, another journalist has informally described them as those things we shout at each other about on Twitter. 00:01:09.659 --> 00:01:13.079 And so it might not be a good idea to spend too much time on Twitter. 00:01:14.359 --> 00:01:19.519 But this is a reference to some of the fractions in society that we see around us. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.219 And that is to say nothing of the political disagreements that divide us. 00:01:23.719 --> 00:01:25.719 Or geographical ones. 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:27.479 Are you from the east or the west? 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:30.259 Are you from the north or the south? 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:34.699 And of course, the age-old class divisions that also exist. 00:01:35.479 --> 00:01:43.759 Well, when it comes to the ancient world, and when I say the ancient world, I'm referring to the days of the New Testament. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:55.280 One New Testament scholar has said that the great divisions in society were those between male and female, slave and free, and Jew and Gentile. 00:01:56.060 --> 00:02:00.920 And from the Jews' point of view, the greatest of these three was the division between Jew and Gentile. 00:02:01.460 --> 00:02:03.260 Or between Jew and non-Jew. 00:02:03.260 --> 00:02:13.939 And so to explain the point a little bit further, John Stott has said that Israel forgot her vocation and twisted her privilege into a sense of favoritism. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:21.599 So that even though Israel was intended to be a light to the nations, that gradually over time it actually became a sense of superiority. 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:26.420 However, the Gentiles were no better because they looked down on the Jew. 00:02:26.420 --> 00:02:32.580 And so, for example, they may have regarded the Jews' Sabbath as their lazy day. 00:02:33.259 --> 00:02:49.060 And so to disregard one group as the circumcised or the uncircumcised is not really a reference to somebody's medical history, but rather a dismissive term of sneering, perhaps. 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:56.000 And so for a Jew to regard a Gentile as the uncircumcised is really to say the unclean. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:08.500 And it's against this sort of grand historical background of division that the great move of God we see in the book of Acts takes place, 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:12.659 which is intended to open the door of salvation to the Gentiles. 00:03:12.659 --> 00:03:26.960 And the point of this is not to say that the Jew cannot be saved, but rather that the Gentile can now be saved together with the Jew and out of the two to make one new man, as Ephesians chapter 2 puts it. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:37.319 But as this was happening, there was, ironically, a certain amount of conflict happening through this movement towards unity. 00:03:37.860 --> 00:03:42.580 Because a Jewish person might naturally ask, well, what are we to do with our festivals? 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:46.400 And what about our clothing requirements? 00:03:47.180 --> 00:03:50.159 And what about our food regulations? 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:59.819 And the most sort of symbolic of all of these distinctions, circumcision, what is to be done with that? 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:06.400 Well, that's all by way of background to sort of set us up for what unfolds in this chapter. 00:04:07.579 --> 00:04:10.439 We're considering Acts 15, a watershed moment. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:17.259 And we're going to consider, firstly, conflict in Antioch. 00:04:17.259 --> 00:04:20.199 Secondly, debate in Jerusalem. 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:24.779 And then finally, we'll come to our watershed moment. 00:04:25.599 --> 00:04:27.599 So conflict in Antioch, then. 00:04:27.659 --> 00:04:33.980 We've had read to us these Pharisees have come down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 00:04:34.719 --> 00:04:38.920 And we remember that Antioch is the place where there are many Gentile believers. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:45.980 And we don't need to rummage around inside this passage and look hard to find where the conflict is or where the problem is. 00:04:45.980 --> 00:04:49.700 It's stated for us nice and clearly in verse 1. 00:04:50.520 --> 00:04:57.500 Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, say the party of the Pharisees, you cannot be saved. 00:04:58.780 --> 00:05:01.400 Now, why is this a controversial thing to say? 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:04.000 It's controversial for two reasons. 00:05:04.540 --> 00:05:07.300 Firstly, because it concerns salvation. 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:11.040 And secondly, because it concerns authority. 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:20.360 So in terms of salvation, the question is, do we obey the requirements of the law and are thereby saved? 00:05:20.740 --> 00:05:26.420 Or are we saved by trusting in Jesus alone without the works of the law? 00:05:27.300 --> 00:05:28.100 It's quite simple. 00:05:28.100 --> 00:05:32.260 But this isn't just a technical theological question. 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:35.960 This is a question with implications for our lives. 00:05:36.500 --> 00:05:43.960 Because if we think that our works contribute to or lead towards our salvation, then there are two likelihoods. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:52.100 The first one is we'll think that we have fulfilled all of these requirements and will therefore become self-righteous. 00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:56.500 And Jesus met many self-righteous people in his ministry. 00:05:56.500 --> 00:06:02.120 The other possibility is actually you feel overburdened by all of these requirements. 00:06:02.579 --> 00:06:03.459 It's too much. 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:04.720 I can't do it all. 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:07.740 And a crushing sense of guilt and inadequacy. 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:13.720 However, if you believe that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone, 00:06:14.220 --> 00:06:22.639 all of this potential self-righteousness or a feeling of being burdened is replaced with freedom and confidence. 00:06:23.060 --> 00:06:26.160 Because it depends on Jesus Christ and what he has done. 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:30.300 So this is why the issue of salvation is very important. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:32.060 It's about salvation. 00:06:32.060 --> 00:06:36.019 And it's also about how that in turn affects our lives. 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:40.759 The second reason it's controversial is it relates to authority. 00:06:41.500 --> 00:06:44.540 This party of the Pharisees have come down from Jerusalem. 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:46.699 Jerusalem is where the apostles were. 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:50.379 And these people have spent time walking and talking with Jesus. 00:06:50.379 --> 00:06:55.420 And they could compare everything that was done and said with all that Jesus had done and said. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:59.159 And so there's a particular authority with the apostles. 00:07:00.019 --> 00:07:04.399 And so if these men have come from Jerusalem, the question is, is this what the apostles think? 00:07:05.659 --> 00:07:07.120 What's going on in Jerusalem? 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:07.259 Jerusalem. 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:12.019 So we've got this problem here of salvation and authority. 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:19.019 Now last week you considered Galatia, I think, chapter 14 of the book of Acts. 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:24.000 And there we see that Paul and Barnabas go through Iconium and Lystra and Derbe. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:35.040 And it looks very much like that after Paul and Barnabas have retraced their steps and come back to Antioch where they started off, that actually somebody has come along behind them. 00:07:35.579 --> 00:07:38.920 And they've come along to all these different little churches that they've established. 00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:42.420 And they've said, well, everything that Paul said is all well and good. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.779 But you need to be circumcised as well. 00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:48.979 And that's why Paul then writes his letter. 00:07:49.179 --> 00:07:50.899 And we can read about that in Galatians. 00:07:51.599 --> 00:07:53.079 And Galatians is such a big book. 00:07:53.139 --> 00:07:54.319 How can we comment on all of it? 00:07:54.359 --> 00:08:06.179 But I want to edit out, as it were, five words from verse 21 of chapter 2 where Paul says, if you go back to the law, Christ died for no purpose. 00:08:08.019 --> 00:08:09.959 Which seems pretty striking. 00:08:11.359 --> 00:08:14.619 So let's remind ourselves for a moment why did Jesus die? 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:18.920 Jesus died as an atonement for our sin. 00:08:19.939 --> 00:08:26.500 And what this atonement accomplishes is our cleansing and the removal of our sin from us. 00:08:26.819 --> 00:08:30.019 And this means that we can then be reconciled to God. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:35.960 We can be restored to fellowship with God by the removal of our sin. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:38.179 And this is done through the death of Jesus. 00:08:40.899 --> 00:08:44.180 God cleans us up and brings us into his presence. 00:08:44.620 --> 00:08:47.480 And it's not something I do, nor can I do. 00:08:48.179 --> 00:08:56.759 But these Pharisees think that this is a means to introduce the Gentiles into the same covenant relationship that they have. 00:08:56.759 --> 00:09:02.460 And so they think that Jesus is a doorway, a gateway into Judaism. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:06.980 So as far as they're concerned, it's believe in Jesus and obey the law. 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:09.659 Believe in Jesus and adopt the festivals. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:12.639 Believe in Jesus and make our sacrifices. 00:09:13.580 --> 00:09:16.179 Believe in Jesus and follow our eating customs. 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:20.179 Believe in Jesus and believe in Jesus and be circumcised. 00:09:21.739 --> 00:09:29.120 Now perhaps on some basic level, this faith in Jesus is about making us, if not an ethnic Jew, as far as they're concerned. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:34.360 But rather, because no one can change their ethnicity, but rather a cultural Jew. 00:09:34.779 --> 00:09:35.919 And then be saved. 00:09:37.740 --> 00:09:45.480 And so we see in verse 2, and the English Standard Version puts it, that there was no small dissension and debate. 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:48.679 It's kind of an understated way of putting it. 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:52.799 The NIV puts it, there was a sharp debate. 00:09:53.359 --> 00:09:57.439 And the New Living Translation says that there was a vehement argument. 00:09:58.439 --> 00:10:02.139 You know, we get a sense that voices were raised. 00:10:02.759 --> 00:10:06.679 We get a sense that the atmosphere turned ugly. 00:10:08.419 --> 00:10:13.879 So that really brings us on to the debate in Jerusalem. 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:21.799 Before we get to that, let's just notice some of the details on the way. 00:10:22.299 --> 00:10:24.980 We read that Paul and Barnabas go up to Jerusalem. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:27.559 Jerusalem is in the hills. 00:10:28.500 --> 00:10:31.000 They're going to see the apostles, as we talked about before. 00:10:31.340 --> 00:10:33.200 The men with a unique authority. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:37.439 They make about a 360-mile journey. 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:42.480 And they stop off at various churches along the way, in Phoenicia and Samaria. 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:48.259 So this is probably no less than a three- or four-week journey. 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:53.559 As we often find in the Book of Acts, chunky periods of time elapse. 00:10:53.700 --> 00:10:56.519 And we don't get a sense of that unless we pay close attention. 00:10:58.059 --> 00:10:59.299 Now they come to Jerusalem. 00:10:59.720 --> 00:11:03.639 And then there's a long debate, verse 6. 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:11.360 And the basic topic for discussion is whether the Gentiles must submit to the Old Testament law. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:17.960 And there are two basic features of this debate and discussion. 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:20.800 And they really are testimony and scripture. 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:22.919 So we're going to consider these two points. 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:27.980 And the first testimony that is offered comes from Peter. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:34.200 And this happens between verses 7 and verses 11. 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:40.200 And at this point, Peter reflects on his experience when he visited Cornelius' house. 00:11:40.680 --> 00:11:44.920 And you may remember that Cornelius, this little episode, happens in chapter 10. 00:11:45.400 --> 00:11:51.780 So if you weren't here for chapter 10, I'm just going to give the quickest of reviews of that. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:55.200 There's a lot of material, so it's probably worthwhile anyway. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:58.200 So you may remember that there was Cornelius. 00:11:59.020 --> 00:12:00.200 He's an Italian centurion. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:08.280 And he's in Caesarea, which is sort of on the seaboard there on the west coast of Israel. 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:12.400 Not too clear, perhaps, but that's roughly where it is. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:15.360 And he is told to summon Peter. 00:12:15.820 --> 00:12:19.280 Now, Peter is nearby in another town called Joppa. 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:22.240 And he's preparing his lunch. 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:27.839 And he gets a pretty ugly surprise, because whilst he's preparing his lunch, he sees a vision. 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:30.399 And in the vision, there is a sheet. 00:12:30.659 --> 00:12:35.939 And in the sheet, there are some unclean animals, unclean by the standards of the Old Testament law. 00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:40.319 And this comes down, and a voice says to him, rise, kill, and eat. 00:12:40.379 --> 00:12:44.139 And Peter objects to this, because he's never eaten anything unclean in his life before. 00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:50.399 But the voice replies, what God has made clean, do not call common. 00:12:50.899 --> 00:12:52.539 And this happens three times. 00:12:52.860 --> 00:12:58.340 And just when he's trying to figure out what this means, the men from Cornelius' house turn up and say, 00:12:58.439 --> 00:13:02.699 can you come to Cornelius' house and speak to the people there? 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:06.879 So Peter, because of the vision, decides to go. 00:13:07.539 --> 00:13:13.519 And even though Cornelius is a Gentile, because of the vision again, he thinks it's okay to go into the house of a Gentile. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:19.620 The kind of slight wrestling in his mind there, reminding us of the cultural background we've just been thinking, 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:22.399 and whether a Jew would go into a Gentile's house. 00:13:23.079 --> 00:13:25.000 There's a crowd gathered, and he preaches. 00:13:25.699 --> 00:13:28.039 And he preaches the message he's been preaching everywhere. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:31.159 Jesus went about doing good and healing people. 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:34.579 He was crucified, and then he was resurrected to life. 00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:38.720 And now he stands as the judge of the living and the dead. 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:41.500 And then he comes to these words. 00:13:41.500 --> 00:13:47.200 Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins. 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:54.000 And it is just at this point in his address that belief in Jesus Christ brings the forgiveness of sins, 00:13:54.059 --> 00:13:55.779 that the Holy Spirit falls upon them. 00:13:55.779 --> 00:14:00.519 And I'm assuming that there are tongues that take place at this part, 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:04.419 because when Peter is relaying this episode later in chapter 11, 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:10.459 we read that Peter said that what happened to the Gentiles is exactly what happened to us at the beginning. 00:14:10.939 --> 00:14:12.879 This is the Gentile Pentecost. 00:14:13.779 --> 00:14:15.299 And so Peter goes on to say, 00:14:15.299 --> 00:14:20.879 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus, 00:14:21.439 --> 00:14:24.120 who was I to stand in God's way? 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.099 And so we notice that Peter preaches to the Gentiles. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:32.159 They believe, and that is evident by what he sees. 00:14:32.699 --> 00:14:39.079 And therefore we can conclude that God has accepted the Gentiles on account of faith in Jesus Christ. 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:43.340 So this is Peter's testimony. 00:14:44.280 --> 00:14:48.340 The second testimony comes from Paul and Barnabas. 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:51.840 And it's quite nice to notice some of the details here. 00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:53.960 Take a look at verse 12. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:58.520 We notice that when Paul and Barnabas come to speak, 00:14:59.660 --> 00:15:02.400 it says that the assembly fell silent. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:12.019 And they describe in detail, verse 3, what happened. 00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:15.059 So they go to Phoenicia and Samaria, 00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:19.699 and they've described in detail what has happened amongst the Gentiles. 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:23.699 We must imagine that they described in detail in Jerusalem as well. 00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:29.079 And the assembly falls silent to listen to the first and greatest missionary report. 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:33.920 This isn't the sort of missionary report which you might regard as an optional extra. 00:15:34.300 --> 00:15:36.020 Well, it's just the missionary report tonight. 00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:37.139 Perhaps we won't go. 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:39.580 This one's got everything. 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:43.400 Paul and Barnabas turn up in Cyprus. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:47.620 And there there's the Roman leader of the entire island hears about them 00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:49.480 and wants to hear this gospel message. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:55.080 But this Roman leader has got a false prophet as a sidekick. 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:58.240 So whilst Paul's trying to explain the gospel to him, 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:03.399 this guy's trying to stop Sergius Paulus, his name, from hearing. 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:05.539 Now, Paul ultimately becomes frustrated. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.360 And he rebukes this false prophet, and he goes temporarily blind. 00:16:12.580 --> 00:16:14.759 And on account of this miracle and the word of God, 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:16.740 Sergius Paulus believes. 00:16:17.580 --> 00:16:22.639 Well, you're telling me that the Roman leader of the entire island of Cyprus 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:25.419 believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, a Gentile? 00:16:25.419 --> 00:16:27.879 Well, yeah, that's what happened. 00:16:28.779 --> 00:16:30.819 No wonder they all fell silent. 00:16:31.479 --> 00:16:33.319 And then they go on to Iconium. 00:16:34.419 --> 00:16:39.360 I met with Graham Shanks, your pastor here, about 10 days ago to talk about Acts. 00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:43.099 And we talked a little bit about the role of miracles in the book of Acts. 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:47.899 And Graham used the alliteration of miracle and message, you know, going together. 00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:52.659 And it's certainly true in chapter 14 and verse 3 in Iconium. 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:55.459 We've got a different alliteration, but it's the same meaning. 00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:57.759 There's witness and there's word. 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:00.299 The people preach the word of God, 00:17:00.459 --> 00:17:05.720 and God witnesses to the truthfulness and the authenticity of that word through the miracles. 00:17:06.639 --> 00:17:11.379 And so the miracles serve to illuminate the person of Jesus Christ 00:17:11.379 --> 00:17:13.799 and to grant authenticity to this message. 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:16.119 So what's the point here? 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:19.180 What is the point we're trying to make? 00:17:19.879 --> 00:17:26.759 Firstly, when it comes to Peter, God coordinated this meeting between Peter and Cornelius. 00:17:27.740 --> 00:17:29.339 Peter wouldn't have gone otherwise. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:34.879 And the Holy Spirit turns up to demonstrate God's acceptance of the Gentiles. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:40.720 In terms of Paul and Barnabas, there's miracles to authenticate the gospel. 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:44.220 And this demonstrates, again, that God is at work amongst the Gentiles. 00:17:44.660 --> 00:17:49.420 So whether it's Peter and the Holy Spirit or whether it's Paul and the miracles, 00:17:49.820 --> 00:17:53.740 what we notice is that God is at work amongst the Gentiles. 00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:58.540 And he is accepting people on account of their faith, their trust in him. 00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:03.319 So Peter says in verse 8, 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:08.759 God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, 00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:10.359 just as he did to us. 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:16.619 And then concerning Paul, they related what signs and wonders God had done. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:22.000 The point is rightly made, I think, that the act is indeed the act of the Holy Spirit, 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:23.220 not the act of the apostles. 00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:26.659 Because the text actually says this is what God has done. 00:18:26.660 --> 00:18:31.519 And so in terms of applying this, and to be specific, 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:35.580 God has opened the door, and it is on account of faith in Jesus Christ, 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:38.420 and not by the works of the law. 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:40.340 And that is the point that they're making. 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:43.779 Now, as a quick point of application here, 00:18:43.840 --> 00:18:47.440 I wonder if any of you are interested in apologetics. 00:18:48.340 --> 00:18:51.820 I wonder whether you quite like to debate questions, 00:18:52.540 --> 00:18:56.040 and maybe even like to be given a reason to believe, you know, 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:58.759 rather than just being told to believe. 00:18:59.659 --> 00:19:03.639 There's something pretty interesting happening through these chapters here. 00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:05.759 Consider Peter for a moment. 00:19:06.420 --> 00:19:09.039 He had to be told to go to the Gentiles, 00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:12.579 and he was surprised when God accepted them. 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.599 And then take Paul. 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:17.019 Paul used to persecute the Christians. 00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:19.839 He used to throw them in prison. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:24.039 And yet he becomes the person who takes the gospel to the nations. 00:19:25.459 --> 00:19:27.839 How was the gospel going to go global 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:30.519 when those who were responsible for preaching it 00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:32.659 didn't even have a vision for the idea? 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:36.379 How do we explain the growth of the church? 00:19:37.619 --> 00:19:41.099 How do we explain the fact that we're sat here 2,000 years later? 00:19:42.439 --> 00:19:43.980 There's only one explanation, 00:19:44.439 --> 00:19:45.639 and the scripture is clear. 00:19:46.159 --> 00:19:47.179 God is in this. 00:19:47.180 --> 00:19:49.700 This is something that God has done. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:52.460 And I find that very compelling. 00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:58.460 The second point is that we notice that 00:19:58.460 --> 00:20:00.140 neither Peter nor Paul 00:20:00.140 --> 00:20:04.660 launch a kind of a discipleship explored course. 00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:06.440 Nothing wrong with discipleship explored. 00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:09.539 What I mean by that is a Jewish equivalent. 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:11.299 You know, they didn't say, 00:20:11.420 --> 00:20:13.600 right guys, here we are at Iconium. 00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:15.340 We've got a limited amount of time. 00:20:15.339 --> 00:20:18.079 We're going to do a crash course 10 nights a week. 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:21.759 And we're going to go through 10 really important points here. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:23.740 Number one, circumcision. 00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:25.419 Okay, now you've believed in Jesus. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:27.579 Okay, get out your Torah. 00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:28.759 Flick through. 00:20:29.579 --> 00:20:32.619 Chapter 17, Abraham, circumcision. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:34.539 Turn to Exodus. 00:20:35.379 --> 00:20:35.720 Moses. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:37.599 No, no, there's none of that. 00:20:37.779 --> 00:20:39.339 That is not what is happening. 00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:44.720 And so Peter says in verse 9, 00:20:44.819 --> 00:20:47.480 He made no distinction between us and them, 00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:50.759 having cleansed their hearts by faith. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:51.480 How reassuring. 00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:55.500 He made no distinction between them, 00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:56.939 between us and them, 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.299 but by faith. 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:00.059 And then verse 11, 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.439 But we believe that we will be saved 00:21:02.439 --> 00:21:05.220 through the grace of the Lord Jesus, 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:08.019 just as they will. 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:13.360 You don't need to become a cultural Jew to be saved. 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:16.180 And this is the effect of the gospel. 00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:24.620 Now this has implications for us today too. 00:21:25.560 --> 00:21:27.880 In the area of mission, certainly. 00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:32.140 But also our church, our Christian fellowship. 00:21:33.340 --> 00:21:36.320 I once had the opportunity to worship together 00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:40.720 with some Bangladeshi Christians in Bangladesh. 00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:45.140 And they were there to worship the Lord. 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:48.240 And they did worship the Lord with sincerity. 00:21:49.100 --> 00:21:50.960 But there were certain features of their worship 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:51.880 which were different. 00:21:52.780 --> 00:21:54.680 And so the shoes were taken off at the door, 00:21:54.800 --> 00:21:56.640 perhaps like you might have seen at the mosque, 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:58.140 although I think that's normal 00:21:58.140 --> 00:21:59.880 in that part of the world anyway. 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:04.460 The women sat on one side of the church 00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:06.220 and the men sat on the other. 00:22:06.660 --> 00:22:08.020 And the women had their head covered. 00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:10.600 It was quite New Testament in a certain way. 00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:13.840 The instruments that were used to worship 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:15.859 were traditional Bangladeshi instruments. 00:22:16.179 --> 00:22:18.439 And the songs were unfamiliar to me. 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:21.859 They were in a kind of a local tune. 00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:25.879 And of course, we don't need to become culturally British 00:22:25.879 --> 00:22:27.579 to be a Christian. 00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:30.659 There are certain cultural trappings 00:22:30.659 --> 00:22:33.099 in terms of how we do things, 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:35.500 which kind of demonstrates that the gospel 00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:37.039 has found a home in the UK, 00:22:37.299 --> 00:22:38.639 having been here so long. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:41.500 But fundamentally, we don't need to change 00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:44.320 our cultural identity to become a Christian. 00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:47.500 An Indonesian, for example, 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:49.720 imagine a scenario where some Chinese 00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:53.280 turned up in Indonesia to spread the gospel. 00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:56.259 And those Indonesians believe 00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:58.160 they wouldn't need to become culturally Chinese 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:00.120 in order to become Christians. 00:23:01.060 --> 00:23:03.160 An Australian doesn't need to become American. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:05.880 A Brazilian doesn't need to become European. 00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:09.380 And the reason that the gospel has gone global 00:23:09.380 --> 00:23:12.920 is because it doesn't belong to any one culture. 00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:15.080 There is no distinction. 00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:18.340 Only faith in Jesus Christ. 00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:25.500 Now, the second part of the debate in Jerusalem 00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:27.460 concerns scripture. 00:23:29.080 --> 00:23:33.340 And we notice this in verse 16 and verse 17. 00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:37.000 And we notice that scripture is used 00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:38.459 to measure these experiences. 00:23:38.639 --> 00:23:40.359 So it's not just a case of Peter and Paul 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:41.099 turning up and saying, 00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:42.039 this is what's happened. 00:23:42.459 --> 00:23:45.299 They actually use what God has revealed in his word 00:23:45.299 --> 00:23:47.799 to measure it against these things 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:49.179 and to see if they are legitimate. 00:23:50.199 --> 00:23:52.899 And verse 16 and 17 are a mixture, really, 00:23:52.959 --> 00:23:54.199 of Old Testament verses, 00:23:54.839 --> 00:23:56.000 which gives us the impression 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:57.459 that they were probably quoting 00:23:57.459 --> 00:23:59.779 all kinds of Old Testament scriptures 00:23:59.779 --> 00:24:01.279 to see what God had to say 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:02.980 about accepting the Gentiles. 00:24:03.339 --> 00:24:06.500 And what we notice is that there's a relationship 00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:09.720 between scripture and between their experience, 00:24:10.139 --> 00:24:11.519 the witness of the prophets 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:14.000 and the witness of the apostles. 00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:17.679 And this mixture of Old Testament quotes 00:24:17.679 --> 00:24:19.639 makes the point that the Gentiles 00:24:19.639 --> 00:24:22.839 will be built into God's restoration project 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:24.199 for humanity 00:24:24.199 --> 00:24:27.899 so that all ethnicities might belong to him. 00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:30.740 And indeed, this has always been God's plan. 00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:38.580 So let's turn finally to this watershed moment. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:43.080 And we notice this here in verse 19 00:24:43.080 --> 00:24:45.519 where James comes out with a judgment. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:47.220 Therefore, my judgment is that. 00:24:47.300 --> 00:24:47.960 And he carries on. 00:24:48.019 --> 00:24:49.700 This is James' conviction, 00:24:50.360 --> 00:24:52.320 his decision based upon everything 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:53.399 that has been shared 00:24:53.399 --> 00:24:55.259 in terms of experiences 00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:57.139 and God's word. 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:00.460 And we're faced with quite a curious 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:02.480 turn of events here. 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:04.919 Because after having spent so much time 00:25:04.919 --> 00:25:06.559 thinking about whether circumcision 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:07.659 and the works of the law 00:25:07.659 --> 00:25:09.439 should be required of Gentiles, 00:25:09.659 --> 00:25:11.299 all of a sudden we discover 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:13.980 that the Gentiles who have turned to God 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:16.319 should abstain from eating blood, 00:25:16.899 --> 00:25:18.339 things polluted by idols, 00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:20.279 and sexual immorality. 00:25:21.419 --> 00:25:23.919 Hasn't the debate in Jerusalem so far 00:25:23.919 --> 00:25:25.519 been about getting rid, 00:25:26.419 --> 00:25:27.919 about ridding the Gentiles 00:25:27.919 --> 00:25:30.139 of the need to adopt Jewish customs? 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:32.720 Well, yes, it seems that way. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:34.539 So what's the difference 00:25:34.539 --> 00:25:36.079 between the previous discussion 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:38.240 and what James suddenly announces here? 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:41.519 The difference is that in the first case, 00:25:42.099 --> 00:25:44.639 the assertion that you must be circumcised 00:25:44.639 --> 00:25:45.559 to be saved 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:48.019 puts salvation as the central issue. 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:50.559 What they're saying is you must do this 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:52.259 in order to be saved. 00:25:53.179 --> 00:25:55.439 But when it comes to this decision 00:25:55.439 --> 00:25:57.119 that follows by James here, 00:25:57.779 --> 00:26:00.339 no one is saying if you believe in Jesus, 00:26:00.699 --> 00:26:02.679 you should abide by our food customs 00:26:02.679 --> 00:26:04.079 to be saved. 00:26:04.439 --> 00:26:05.720 It's not about salvation. 00:26:06.679 --> 00:26:07.980 Rather, the issue now 00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:09.699 is that Jew and Gentile 00:26:09.699 --> 00:26:11.519 are sharing fellowship together. 00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:14.059 Why not make it easier for the Jews, 00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:16.319 these Jewish brothers and sisters, 00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:18.980 who, as verse 21 says, 00:26:19.779 --> 00:26:21.720 have had Moses read to them 00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:23.839 for ancient generations? 00:26:24.899 --> 00:26:27.000 These traditions and customs 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:29.619 have become so normal for them, 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:31.539 it's actually quite difficult for them 00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:32.919 to break away from them. 00:26:33.679 --> 00:26:35.619 And so this isn't an issue of salvation. 00:26:36.099 --> 00:26:38.319 This is an issue of being considerate 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:40.700 towards this group of people. 00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:44.580 So what makes this a watershed moment 00:26:44.580 --> 00:26:48.660 is firstly that salvation by faith in Christ alone 00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:51.279 is nailed down, as it were, 00:26:51.799 --> 00:26:53.319 what makes you a Christian. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:56.559 But the second significant point 00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:58.700 is that the ethos of this Christian community 00:26:59.259 --> 00:27:02.960 is to be one of love and thoughtfulness 00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:04.880 for the different groupings 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:08.319 within this international gathering of Christians. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.579 And this sense of thoughtfulness 00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:12.539 and consideration 00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:15.500 is in order that we might come together 00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:17.039 and have this fellowship. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:21.379 Now, I mentioned a moment ago 00:27:21.379 --> 00:27:24.259 that the power of the gospel to go global 00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:27.240 was that faith in Jesus 00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:30.740 belongs to no one cultural tradition. 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:33.779 In fact, if you do a Google search 00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:35.839 and look at the different faiths, 00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:37.619 the different churches in Edinburgh, 00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:39.199 you'll find a Chinese church 00:27:39.199 --> 00:27:40.939 and you'll find a Japanese church 00:27:40.939 --> 00:27:42.959 and you'll find a Korean church. 00:27:43.379 --> 00:27:43.939 And of no doubt, 00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:46.079 there are some fellowship groupings 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:47.559 of other nationalities as well. 00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:50.099 And of course, this is an encouragement, isn't it? 00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:52.399 This reminds us that the gospel 00:27:52.399 --> 00:27:53.459 has found a home 00:27:53.459 --> 00:27:55.259 within these different cultures. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:58.179 But it also reveals 00:27:58.179 --> 00:27:59.779 that there continues to be 00:27:59.779 --> 00:28:02.500 division along ethnic lines. 00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:05.259 And I wonder if we might consider 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:06.460 how to make Christians 00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:08.559 culturally different to ourselves 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:11.980 more comfortable in our company. 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:14.359 I think that is one of the points 00:28:14.359 --> 00:28:15.980 of application that comes out 00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:17.339 of this passage. 00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:19.579 Now that the Christian church 00:28:19.579 --> 00:28:20.740 and the Gentiles 00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:22.920 and the whole variety of nationalities, 00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:25.460 it's not just about how we're saved, 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:28.220 but how we can incorporate one another 00:28:28.220 --> 00:28:30.500 and reflect that breadth. 00:28:32.860 --> 00:28:35.019 So this is a watershed moment. 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:36.400 We don't hear about Peter 00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:38.600 from this point onwards. 00:28:39.180 --> 00:28:40.720 Paul takes center stage. 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:43.500 Jerusalem becomes less important 00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:46.299 and Antioch comes into focus. 00:28:47.299 --> 00:28:48.079 And not only that, 00:28:48.140 --> 00:28:49.759 but we see Barnabas and Paul 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:52.600 split and separate as well. 00:28:53.579 --> 00:28:55.299 This is quite jarring, actually, 00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:57.599 when you read chapter 15 00:28:57.599 --> 00:28:59.119 and you see this effort 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:00.659 to come together in unity. 00:29:01.139 --> 00:29:02.019 And then all of a sudden, 00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:03.200 after verse 35, 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.779 Paul and Barnabas are off 00:29:04.779 --> 00:29:05.819 in different directions. 00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:07.200 What's going on? 00:29:08.119 --> 00:29:09.180 What we notice is that 00:29:09.180 --> 00:29:12.000 they're not split by a conflict 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.299 about the gospel 00:29:13.299 --> 00:29:14.500 or defining the gospel. 00:29:14.639 --> 00:29:16.680 They're united in preaching this gospel. 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:19.019 But they seem to have 00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:20.559 a different ethos of ministry. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:21.980 The way they want to go 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:23.740 about things is different. 00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:25.680 But the result of that, 00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:26.059 in fact, 00:29:26.099 --> 00:29:26.920 is a multiplication 00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:29.440 of the proclamation of the gospel. 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:31.059 So the outcome is actually 00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:32.279 a good thing, 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.519 even though the narrative 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.720 follows with Paul 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:36.220 in the book of Acts. 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:40.700 So what is the gospel then? 00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:45.680 A bit of a spoiler alert here. 00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:47.279 If we go on to chapter 16, 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:49.620 don't want to take next guy's sermon, 00:29:49.619 --> 00:29:52.179 but Paul goes to Philippi, 00:29:52.859 --> 00:29:55.039 and the Philippian jailer 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:56.779 comes to Paul, 00:29:57.159 --> 00:29:57.859 and he says, 00:29:57.939 --> 00:29:59.639 what must I do to be saved? 00:29:59.939 --> 00:30:01.059 And Paul replies 00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:03.719 with crystal clear clarity. 00:30:04.479 --> 00:30:05.399 And it is on account 00:30:05.399 --> 00:30:06.739 of what has happened 00:30:06.739 --> 00:30:07.799 in chapter 15, 00:30:08.219 --> 00:30:09.779 this resolution of these issues, 00:30:09.859 --> 00:30:11.299 that Paul is able to reply 00:30:11.299 --> 00:30:12.479 in the simplest 00:30:12.479 --> 00:30:14.619 and most straightforward terms possible. 00:30:14.619 --> 00:30:16.799 And it's the same message 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:17.559 for us today. 00:30:18.259 --> 00:30:20.019 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:22.119 and you will be saved. 00:30:22.939 --> 00:30:23.379 Amen.