Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leadersJudas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. This is the letter they took with them: This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell. The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith. They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace. Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there. After some time Paul said to Barnabas, Lets go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing. Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lords gracious care. Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭15‬:‭22‬-‭33‬, ‭35‬-‭41‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Conflict is going to happen. How will you deal with it?

lWhen a conflict arose over the Gentiles, the Church met, prayed, followed the Spirit, and made a resolution that cleared the matter up. When Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement over Mark, they tried to work things out. They could not see eye to eye, but they stayed friends and strategically split up the mission field covering more ground for Christ.People tend to avoid or attack when conflict comes. Neither works well, and gossip only makes matters worse. The best place to start is prayer it helps work out our thoughts, frustrations, and feelings with the Lord. Then we can go directly to the person and deal with the problem. Some things we will work out, others we will still disagree on, as Paul and Barnabas did. Even if the problem is not resolved, remember you follow the way of Jesus, and do your best to keep loving people even if they wont change. We need to follow Jesus teaching (Matt 18:15-20) and deal with conflict the right way. His way is harder, but it works way better!How do you handle conflict? Is there anyone that you need to ask for forgiveness, or anyone you need to forgi

While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved. Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told themmuch to everyones joythat the Gentiles, too, were being converted. When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them. But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses. So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. God knows peoples hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. When they had finished, James stood and said, Brothers, listen to me. Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written: Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord, including the Gentiles all those I have called to be mine. The Lord has spoken he who made these things known so long ago. And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There was a debate: should the Gentile Christians get circumcised and be required to follow the Jewish cultural food laws? There is a deeper question here: does a person have to be circumcisedculturally Jewishto be accepted by God? The Pharisees (who were Christians) said that circumcision was required to be accepted by God, along with the food laws and many other requirements. Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James disagreed this was not the way of Jesus, the leading of the Holy Spirit, or even the direction of the Old Testament.The Spirit had led Peter in a vision and showed, by filling the Gentiles, that He accepts uncircumcised people as they are. Paul and Barnabas told how the Gentiles came to Jesus, led by the Spirit and demonstrated by signs and wonders. James related how Scripture itself points to the day when God would come and call the Gentiles as He called Abraham. The Jewish law is important it sets cultural distinctions around the Jewish culture. However, it does not make someone accepted by God. Judaism at its heart taught grace a person was accepted because of Gods covenant (symbolized in circumcision), and a person was forgiven because of sacrifices. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice, the fulfillment of the law, and the end of the division between Jews and Gentiles. Culture would no longer be the dividing line.Christ calls His people to cross cultural lines to share His love. To live the gospel, these early Christians overcame faulty theology, painful history, and their own upbringing. They set an example for us to follow. Find ways to cross cultural lines without trying to erase the other persons culture.Can you distinguish between your culture and Christianity? How can you find ways this week to cross cultural lines with Gods love?

After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia. They preached the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia. Finally, they returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun. The believers there had entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work they had now completed. Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. And they stayed there with the believers for a long time.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭14‬:‭21‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul didnt just start churches, he replicated leaders. He and Barnabas knew their mission was not to pastor a single church but to start many churches. They made a point to appoint leaders, and they waited until their return journey to appoint them. This allowed them not to be hasty in leadership appointments, and it let them see who had stepped up in their absence. Paul and Barnabas also made leadership a matter of prayer. These leaders were called by God and affirmed by Paul and Barnabas. The leaders were called to take care of churches that were going to have hard times and face real opposition. Their leaders needed to be strong and hold fast to the Lord.

We are all leaders in areas of our lives. One of the biggest leadership challenges we will face is to replicate leaders not only to pass on the leadership lessons we have learned but to empower others to be even better leaders than we are. That is what Barnabas did in seeking out and empowering Paul. Leaders who follow Christ let Him influence and change peoples lives through them. The goal is to replicate Christian leaders who are committed to prayer, strong in faith, and live to make a difference in peoples lives with Jesus.Who are you investing in with your life and faith? Who are you allowing to invest in you? How can you do this more?

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned Gods message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaoniato the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News. While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, Stand up! And the man jumped to his feet and started walking. When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, These men are gods in human form! They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beingsjust like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts. But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them. Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Did Paul and Barnabas know it was going to be so dangerous to be missionaries? They were just trying to tell people the Good News. They probably did know; Christianity was persecuted from the very beginning, starting with Jesus, then Stephen, then James. Paulwho had been a persecutorwas beaten with stones, almost to death. Yet he did not quit he went back into the town and continued the mission. He had been told before he began that he would suffer for the name of Jesus (9:16). It is hard to proclaim the truth in a dark world.Persecution of Christians has not ended. There are Christians around the world who are dying for our faith. Even in countries where there is religious freedom, Christians often get scorned and ridiculed. Jesus is worth it all. He gives us a family of faith to support us. He gives us joy and freedom. He lives inside of us and gives us strength to overcome. We bless those who curse us. Our goal is to win over our enemies with love. This is the way of Jesus. It is hard, but with His power we can do it and change the world.How will you pray for persecuted Christians today? Can you make God a promise today: to follow Him no matter what?

The following week almost the entire city turned out to hear them preach the word of the Lord. But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. For the Lord gave us this command when he said, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth. When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. So the Lords message spread throughout that region. Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭13‬:‭44‬-‭52‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jealousy is powerful, and it can blind us to the good things God has given us. It is clear that the Jews of Pisidian Antioch were interested in the gospel. What they did not like was having the entire city, mainly made up of Gentiles, coming to hear about Jesus. Jews and Gentiles in the Roman world did business together, but they did not interact much beyond that. There were stories of dislike on both sides. Some of the Jews listening to Paul got mad not because of the message but because of the listeners. They were so upset that they had Paul and Barnabas run out of town.

We all deal with jealousy and insecurity to some extent. The key is to know where and when you struggle, so you can ask for help. Our ultimate security is in Christ. Paul and Barnabas were willing to leave their fellow Jews (that they cared about) and went to those who were willing to listen. Dont let your insecurities make you miss what God is trying to show you!Where is your jealousy? Where is your insecurity? What is God saying to you about these through His Word today?

Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath they went to the synagogue for the services. After the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it. So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. Men of Israel, he said, and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me. The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery. He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years. After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do. And it is one of King Davids descendants, Jesus, who is Gods promised Savior of Israel! Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized. As John was finishing his ministry he asked, Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soonand Im not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet. Brothersyou sons of Abraham, and also you God-fearing Gentilesthis message of salvation has been sent to us! The people in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about. Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets words that are read every Sabbath. They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway. When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead! And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel. And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David. Another psalm explains it more fully: You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. No, it was a reference to someone elsesomeone whom God raised and whose body did not decay. Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is made right in Gods sightsomething the law of Moses could never do. Be careful! Dont let the prophets words apply to you. For they said, Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldnt believe even if someone told you about it. As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next week. Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬-‭43‬ ‭NLT‬‬

People are ready to hear the good news. Dont assume people will reject the message of Jesus. Paul and Barnabas started by going to the synagogue and preaching about Jesus. The (mostly) Jewish crowds wanted to hear more about Jesus, Gods Messiah who died to fulfill the law and make people right with God. The crowd was interested in the message of Jesus and wanted to know more about the wonders God had done to fulfill Scripture.We often dont share the Good News because we are afraid of rejection or offending people. People want to hear the Good News it is good news! It is not about guilt but forgiveness, not about rules but true freedom and changed lives. Everyone wont accept it, but it is truly good news of great joy. Those who follow Jesus shine with His love. That is news we can share. Assume that people want to hear it.How can you explain the truth about Jesus in a way that is good news? Who can you share the Good News with today?

Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called the black man), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them. So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way. So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus. There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them as their assistant. Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing. Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. Then he said, You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time. Instantly mist and darkness came over the mans eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him. When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is strength in following the Holy Spirit with no reservation. The church in Antioch was willing to sacrifice and send out missionaries to plant churches, even though it meant they would lose Barnabas and Pauls preaching and leadership. Paul and Barnabas were willing to be sent out from their church to start new churches, even though nothing like this had totally been attempted before. And when the gospel was being challenged by Elymas, Paul had the strength to call the man out. Paul said some pretty harsh things, but Paul was an intense man, and he even called himself the worst of sinners. The punishment that Elymas received was actually very similar to what Paul himself received. Gods power moved the heart of the governor, and he became a disciple of Jesus.

When we are willing to follow the Holy Spirit without reservation, we have incredible strength and boldness. Boldness does not mean rudeness, but it does mean we speak the truth in love, with wisdom in our timing and delivery. Following the Holy Spirit means we live in a constant state of prayer and obedience God gives us the ability to adjust the sails, but He is providing the wind. That is a different way of living, and so much stronger than trying to row everywhere. Every follower of Christ can learn to be bold it begins by focusing more on the voice of Christ than your critics.What is holding you back from following Jesus without reservation? Today, how can you surrender to Jesus 100%?

About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (Johns brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, Quick! Get up! And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, Get dressed and put on your sandals. And he did. Now put on your coat and follow me, the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didnt realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. Its really true! he said. The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me! When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peters voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, Peter is standing at the door! Youre out of your mind! they said. When she insisted, they decided, It must be his angel. Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. Tell James and the other brothers what happened, he said. And then he went to another place. At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter. Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldnt be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while. Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herods country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herods personal assistant, and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them. The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, Its the voice of a god, not of a man! Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the peoples worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died. Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers. When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We do not know what God will do, but we must never stop praying. In these verses, Herod killed James the brother of John, one of the twelve apostles. Peter was then arrested and slated for execution. The Christians were praying fervently for his release. They did not just throw up their hands and say Whatever God wants will happen. They prayed for the release of Peter. They were grieved about the death of James a godly man murdered to win popularity points. It was selfishness and sin. But they knew that no human sin could thwart Gods ultimate Plan.

We do not know every detail of Gods Plan, but we can pray. We pray that we would know Gods Plan and follow it. We pray that we will trust God, even when we do not know His whole Plan. We pray for people not to choose sinful ways, including ourselves. Jesus prayed to be spared of the Cross; He did not want to die. But His death was a part of Gods Plan, and Jesus was willing to die, even at the hands of selfish leaders. We dont know why James was killed and Peter was released, but we know we can trust God even while sinful people continue to do wrong. We will not understand all of Gods Plan, but we follow Jesus, knowing He loves us and has suffered for us and is still working for this world to know Him more. Keep praying to Him and keep trusting in Him.Why is it important to trust God, even when you do not know His whole Plan? How can you keep praying, even when bad things happen?

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephens death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of Gods blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭11‬:‭19‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We learn here that there was not only one early church, but many early churches (and one Church, united in Christ). The Spirit was moving in the lives those who came to Jerusalem for Pentecost (Acts 2), and when they returned home, they started churches on their own. They didnt have any of the Twelve disciples as their leaders, but they followed the Spirit, obeyed Gods Word, and appointed their own leaders. They saw themselves as connected to Jerusalem receiving Barnabas and Saul and being willing to send money to the poor in Jerusalem. In chapters 10-11 we saw how hard it was for the church in Jerusalem to preach to Gentiles; the Spirit had to directly lead them and intervene. The Christians in Antioch just preached to the Gentiles naturally! Sharing Jesus was natural for these early disciples they followed Jesus so much that people called them Christians, meaning little christs.

The Holy Spirit is still leading us to share Jesus with those we know and interact with. We dont need an angelic visit, we just need to see how God is working and share Jesus naturally seeing openings in conversations, caring and praying for people, and giving gentle invitations. There are always reasons to resist that we can find, or we can make the choice to tell the world about the love of Jesus.What holds you back from sharing your faith with others? How can you be like the Christians in Antioch and naturally share Jesus with people today?

Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them! they said. Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. I was in the town of Joppa, he said, and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me. When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of tame and wild animals, reptiles, and birds. And I heard a voice say, Get up, Peter; kill and eat them. No, Lord, I replied. I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean. But the voice from heaven spoke again: Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean. This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven. Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us. He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved! As I began to speak, Peter continued, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lords words when he said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in Gods way? When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

These verses are a great reminder to stop and listen when we are hurt or confused at someone elses actions. The Jewish believers had a real concern. Peter was one of their leaders, and he had just broken a Jewish rule (Jews must not eat with Gentiles, who were unclean). But they obeyed Jesus (Matt 18) in dealing with conflict and came to Peter to share their concerns. Peter was also wise in taking six others with him, so the experience and story could be verified. They were willing to listen to Peter and hear how God worked. The Holy Spirit had made these Gentiles clean, and this fulfilled the very words of Jesus, and so these believing Gentiles were to be welcomed into full fellowship. The cross of Christ fulfills all requirements of purity for those who repent and follow Him. Peters fellow Jewish Christians accepted this and praised God!

Conflict is normal and natural in relationships. If done well, it can strengthen the relationship, grow understanding, and deepen the bond between people. If we are honest, we can admit that we were not trained how to deal with conflict well, using the principles of Jesus. Most of us avoid conflict or blow up when it comes. Conflict is a part of life, learn from the Bible how to do it well. Todays story shows that it is important to go directly to the person you are upset with, listen well, and to hold judgment until you have heard their story. As you follow the teaching of Jesus on conflict, you can deal with conflict in healthy ways.Are you willing to handle conflict well not avoiding it nor overreacting? What is a way you can handle conflict better?