Exploring God’s Word with Brad Thurston

Conflict resolution Part 1

Acts 15: 13-35

Initial conflicts:

            Personal conflicts: repent and forgiveness

Attacks from without:

            Spiritual weapons: Prayer and forgiveness

Internal conflicts:

            Appeal process to accepted leadership is there a political struggle for the leadership of this movement? Do the Pharisees want to take control of the movement. (Is that why are they testing God like Ananias and Sapphira? Are they harassing believers?) Notice that leaders (elders) were set in place in the churches in Turkey!

            Open debate – notice that the debate does not center around the great commission that Jesus gave his disciples!

            Appeal to God’s intervention –

1.He moves, and we accept his doing. (See the witness of Peter, Barnabas, and Paul)

2. Faith is the basis of salvation and inclusion in the family of God!

3. Continuity of the movement is not the replacement of Israel, but its expansion 

4. Not the elimination of the Torah, but it’s prophetic fulfillment

            The confirmation of Scripture (Amos 9:10,11; and 2 Samuel 6:17) a different interpretation!

            The submission to and confirmation by the church legitimizes the decision.

            James sums up the debate and makes the case stating that God was involved in the process by His Holy Spirit, but then submits the decision to all fellowships!

The clarity of the process leaves the leadership intact and becomes a focus among all the churches.

More at stake here than just a theological controversy, there is also a clarification concerning leadership (do not harass the Gentiles!), administration and growth within the movement – locally and among the apostles. 

In this case, this council gave direction to the whole movement, including a new definition of “the people of God!” The reaction is for the church not to dictate God’s actions, but to discern them! Nor is it to close the Scriptures to further interpretation, but to open them: all nations share as equals in the faith with out discrimination since God shows not partiality! For the people of faith, this issue has never again required resolution. 

Do we find resolutions that end our squabbles? Do we seek God’s intervention, and do we accept his ways by submitting to him?

Conflicts Galore Part 1.

Acts 15

Long Creek Baptist Church 

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Introduction

Apparently, believers in the first century had a lot of issues to overcome:

First there were their own personal hurdles to conquer: pride, jealousy, shame, guilt which lead to their own encounter with the risen Lord, ending in freedom from sin, confidence in eternal life, a new life with Jesus as the Lord. This new life was filled with exciting adventures and challenges.

In Chapter 14 we encounter a new hurdle to overcome: the enemy without. Those who harden their hearts against this new movement and act both violently and unjustly against it. The mob experiences we see here are only the tip of the iceberg. More will follow. Becoming a believer in the face of evil, injustice, and persecution requires a strength that only Jesus can provide. They quickly learned to respond with only the spiritual weapons of prayer and faith they had been granted. How amazing this is for new believers to stand up to such a challenge!  It says a lot about the power Jesus gives to those who follow him.

But now, the new church faces a newer challenge: conflict among believers!

Read Text

The first conflict is a theological conflict. 

Describe the events. Do we have to become Jews in order to be saved? (Culture, mind set, world view?)

Why is this so significant? Because we become what we believe. Either we are the recipients of God’s grace and mercy, or we are working to either prove our worth to God, ourselves and others (pride) or we are working to earn God’s favor – I’m good, so you did right by saving me, or I work to overcome my faults for that I am accepted by God and he will continue to love me.

But keeping laws is not the same as receiving a gift! Laws only show up my inability to keep them. Either I work at becoming perfect, and fail, give up or just see how far short I come to God’s perfection and run away from anything that causes me to have to pretend to be what I am not. A sense of failure can be devastating – am I still accepted, valuable, or loved by God if I don’t keep the standard of living that he demands by his rules?

Or, do I rejoice in the gift that I do not deserve? Does my relationship with Jesus focus on his unconditional love that makes me want to respond to him? Can I rely on him when I mess up? When I am in trouble? The changes I go through are because of the love he has for me, not because of the rules he sets in my life. Life is about doing it together, not proving I can do it on my own. Growing together gives me insight into the ways of God, and being mentored into how God determines life to be lived and shared.

“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Titus 3:3-7 

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,”

2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

Introduction

Paul’s response to being stoned: the different sides of walking with Jesus: Miracles and persecution, wisdom and misunderstanding or jealousy, grace and condemnation.

What happens when our expectations are not met, or we assume our prayers are not answered when they are not answered the way we want them to be? What is our reaction then? 

Here we see the impact that Jesus has had on Paul and his experience: He sees both the value and the importance of his mission over his personal comfort. Risking death is not a problem for him.

1. His faithfulness
2. His willingness to suffer for Jesus
3. His grace with those who stoned him
4. His faithfulness to continue with his mission

Read Text

Key events: continue to lead people to Christ and faith in Jesus

            Started church in Derbe

Returned to the places where his enemies lived to establish leadership in the new churches

Notice the change in his message:

            Strengthening the disciples in their multi cultured groups

            Encouraging them to continue in the faith with a new message   

Entering the Kingdom of God: the next step. Life in this new Kingdom

            Establishing leadership 

Moving on to two more cities in Turkey

Returning to give an account of the work among the Jews and Gentiles in Antioch.

How do we react to this:

1. Message for life in the church: Love with Grace
2. Caring for those in need
3. Servant leadership
4. Time together around both the Word, Prayer, and fellowship – the importance of growing together in the exchange.

The miracles follow the Gospel. In each instance when Jesus is preached, He grants faith to those who believe. There are many different instances where faith is exercised, but when faith is present, Jesus meets with individuals and does amazing things. How these events are interpreted is often not as they were intended as in this story.  I once asked if I could go to the hospital and pray with a dying patient, and the family absolutely refused! I didn’t understand why, until much later.  It had to do with their catholic upbringing.

What is astonishing is the fickle nature of people.  They go from wanting to worship Paul and Barnabas to stoning Paul and leaving him for dead. This is how people respond to Jesus as well.  We go from exalting him to leaving him when He doesn’t do what we want or expect. 

There are two sides to this experience: How do people, you and me, respond when we encounter Jesus? What happens when we know our sins are forgiven? What happens when we assume our prayers are not answered the way we want them to be? What is our reaction then? 

The other side of the this is Paul and his experience:

1. His faithfulness
2. His willingness to suffer for Jesus
3. His grace with those who stoned him
4. His faithfulness to continue.

Which one of these followed in the footsteps of Jesus?

Faith remains a mystery to me. God gives it. He does the work, and we walk with Him. He works through us, and we strive to understand him, but who can do so? Why take the mystery out of our relationship simply by trying to get it faith to operate like a machine? Walking with Jesus is a real and dynamic experience. His love is constant. It is not based on our works. So neither is anything else. It is based on relationship and trust. His timing is not ours, but that does not negate his promises.

Again, the key is walking with Jesus. Start your journey now.

The background to this event:  the team is in Antioch.  The message about the Messiah was received with enthusiasm. The message focused on God’s immeasurable grace by fulfilling his promises made long ago which includes the nations as well as Israel. The message also shows the power of God to do such wonderful feats because Jesus is alive from the dead! But the jealous ones insisted the civic leaders against them and drove them out of the city.  

Now they walk on to Iconium and have a similar experience with the Message shared!  Here, though there is opposition, it is not physically violent.  So they have peace (a manuscript dated later includes to show why the ‘therefore’ is included) and they stay on.  Verse 3 is central to this passage: Jesus testifies

            By confirming his word

            By working miracles using the hands of the disciples!

Vs 4 speaks of the division in the city and verse 5 shows their intent.

Vs.6&7 show their escape to continue preaching this message.

Notice that in none of these places were the disciples evicted! A community of those believing in Messiah Jesus remains and prospers even after the pioneers leave. 

What do we notice about these new communities of fellowship?

            They are centered around Jesus! Not on moral issues, political issues, not on anything other than Jesus! The new life life is that we become the bearers of the image of Jesus! Not comparing, judging, demanding, but allowing God’s Spirit to transform us.  It requires grace and forgiveness as the foundation of miracles done in our lives. That is the critical ingredient. That is the foundation that we build upon!  (Those who believe can disappoint as well, so that is a subject we will look at as we move forward.)

The communities of faith are gatherings of small house groups:

            They are focused on the foundations of relationship

            They imply new thinking and new activities not based on idol worship or legal control by the interpretation of others.  This is radically new because it focuses on how the life of Jesus flows through the believers!  Life, not perfection, not legalistic controls by a few elites who can read and write. 

The word of grace brings hope to troubled souls.

The key to this is believing that Jesus is able to forgive your sins and heal your wounds. Repentance is the result of believing in Jesus! Freedom from guilt and shame is the result of our confession as Jesus meets us with his power.

Unity with all those who have such an experience follows that as well! The journey of a new life in Christ begins. These are the steps of a good person!  

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.” Psalms 37:23-24

Introduction to the way services were performed in synagogues in the first century:  Luke shows us how it was with Jesus and now with Paul:  the reading from the law and prophets, and then the invitation to guests and others who are acknowledged as sage people to comment with a word of encouragement.  It was also adopted by Paul in the Corinthian church where he says ““What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” (Building up, encouragement)
1 Corinthians 14:26

We can practice that here: open encouragement

The message was preached to God-fearing people:
(Compare with Stephen who shared about Abraham and Moses)
A quick nod to the history until David – the messianic figure for the future king

            A man after God’s heart to do his will

Then directly to Jesus: the savior, with John the Baptist being the forerunner
His death, burial and focus on the resurrection and the scriptural support for that as being the sign of the Messiah!  
The focus on forgiveness of sins and a warning from Habakkuk 1:5
It ends with the yearning to know more!

Conclusion: do you yearn to experience what only God can give?

From Expectation to Realization

Moving out from Antioch, they started to experience many amazing things about God’s working beyond anything they had hitherto known.  But the encounter in Pisidian Antioch was greater than anticipated! An incredible event beyond the focus or expectations of any in the city! What a great means of going viral in the first century. (Chinese Whispers?) The news got around! God is moving!

There are two results that can occur when God shows up and people are convicted of sin:

1. Sin is defeated
   1. They confess and repent leading to forgiveness and salvation 
   2. The overwhelming release of freedom from sin is critical to a future life with Jesus
   3. The Joy that is unspeakable and full of Glory
   4. The transformation and wonderment of rebirth and the newness of life with Jesus
   5. The desire to serve and help others, moving towards a boldness in faith
   6. A desire to grow in faith
2. Sin is not defeated
   1. The heart hardens
   2. Sin rises to the surface and is visible in different ways: anger, hatred, fear, aggression, jealousy, control, power struggle, envy, greed etc.
3. There is joy! Regardless of the consequences, the overwhelming response is: God is greater and eternal!  
   1. In either case, God has shown up and those who encounter him are confronted with His Spirit 
   2. The victory is secure and cannot be overwhelmed by attacks
   3. The clarity of right and wrong becomes evident
   4. Our surrender to Jesus is to submit to the one who knows us and all things best leading to even greater things.
4. Who is the One you submit to? The author of sin or the author of life?

When God calls us, he has already taken our stupidity into consideration. When I first got saved, I experienced many healings. But since then there have been many different results. 

The Joys of Salvation!

1. The transition from death to life, darkness to light, renewing of the mind, 
2. forgiveness, cleansing, confidence of eternal life

The Excitement of Discovery

1. What it means to be filled with the Spirit of God
2. Greater works

The Surprise of Conflict

1. It ought to be no surprise at all – Jesus met with the devil after the Holy Sprit fell on him
2. His unusual promise: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”” John16:33NASB
3. Later Paul would write: “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans5:3-5NASB
4. The promises of God do not always present clear sailing, neither in the early church, in the history of the church, or even in our own lives.  The devil is real, sin is real, and as Billy Sunday said: “One reason sin flourishes is that it is treated like a cream puff rather than a rattlesnake

The Battle on THREE Fronts: three areas of conflict where Christians must overcome

1. The battle without: open attacks from non Christians, from intimidation, lies deceptions, aggressive behavior, attacks, and persecutions
2. The battle within: from brothers and sisters of the faith, jealousy, positions, authority, power struggles, personal desires, power plays, and control.
3. The battle of the mind: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” 2 Corinthians10:3-5
4. “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans8:5-11NASB

The Confidence of Victory

1. The confidence of victory is that Jesus has overcome!
2. He is the victor and gives us the victory! 

1. Leadership has to do with trust: who did the church in Jerusalem trust? Who can we trust with the money? Will it be used for its purpose? Who will represent our love for the church?
2. Return with John Mark (who later writes Mark) to disciple him
3. How did the church grow? From house to house, sharing communion, fellowship, teaching, and prayer. The organization of groups was not set up like today.  There were not a lot of denominations, but heresy and sin were dealt with as it arose.  Safeguards were put in place, which in time often became obsolete.  Means of worship were developed according to taste, culture and what was known in the part of the world where the Gospel was preached.  But the growth was based on personal discipleship, not theological education!
4. The beginning of the missionary movement beyond the Jewish focus, was also looking at culturally close und understandable means of communication.  At the same time the means of financial support for the mission was based on an itinerant understanding of Rabbis who traveled. It became a school for new leadership development as well as the traveling financial support of the team. Compare with our means of support for the missionary work we did. 
5. The result was not only the continuation of the ministries, but the development of reproduction and multiplication.
6. How does that translate into our situation here? How could we replicate the activity of the early church? 

The tension between grief for loss and joy over miracles is the stuff that makes for many discussions within the church.  That too can be a source of great struggle for those who try to understand the question “why”? Being dogmatic and immovable is often unhelpful for those desperate for answers, even to the point where it can cause them to retreat from fellowship, something the Bible encourages us not to do.  In our text today we have both ends of this spectrum reported.

There are 3 aspects of this report that are obvious issues that the early Messiah-ists were facing:

1. Persecution:  James the brother of John is beheaded, something reserved for those who are either murderers or who have left the Jewish faith and started to worship idols.  The thought is that they cannot enter the resurrection in this manner.  The 3rd Herod has him executed just before the Passover, the relation to Jesus is obvious.  The period of peace after the uprising against Stephen is over.  This leads to the arrest of Peter.
2. Ernest Prayer for Peter is critical amid this new wave of persecution by a tyrant.  Prayer is the only weapon the church has!  Is it powerful enough to hinder this force of evil?  The answer is yes.
3. The deliverance of Peter and the death of Herod are both amazing responses to prayer.
4. Notice that this time, Peter doesn’t go back to the temple, but into hiding and traveling.  The leadership of the church in Jerusalem is now centered on James, the brother of Jesus.

Luke 1:52:  He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.