Sometimes we’re called to defend the gospel. Sometimes we’re called to suffer for the gospel. In today’s episode though, we’ll see that it doesn’t always go in that order. Sometimes we suffer first.

Last week in episode 27 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we had a look at how Paul and Barnabas were both being led on different journeys by God, but they got a detail wrong and thought they needed to do that journey together. As a result, they had an argument, one so bad that they parted ways in anger.

Instead of taking a step back and praying together, seeking to work out what God was calling each to do individually, it appears they relied on their own understanding, and that didn’t go so well, because they were both right. Mostly.

I encouraged us that when we find ourselves in dispute with another Christian who also believes they’re right, rather than trying to argue our point, take the time instead to pray, pray for all to have wisdom and that God would reveal His will to each of us. Pray for humility.

This week, we’re looking at the incredible pain Paul and Silas suffered, all so God could bring the gospel to a hardened Roman jailer. Our passage today is Acts 16:16-40 (NIV):

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial,

Sometimes we disagree with people. Sometimes it’s because they’re wrong, sometimes it’s because we’re wrong. But sometimes… we’re both RIGHT. In today’s episode, Paul and Barnabas ran into this issue. We’ll see what we can learn from how they handled it.

Last week in episode 26 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we looked at how a rift was forming in the early church between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. The Jewish believers wanted the Gentiles to follow a long list of rules and abide by their culture and upbringing. The Gentile believers, however, had no such restraints, they had a great deal of freedom in how they lived because they didn’t have the same set of laws and regulations that the Jewish believers had.

And so there was tension, both were trying to force their ideals on the other.

But James, one of Jesus’s younger brothers, an elder in the Jerusalem church, steps up and says, “Hey, fellow Jews, let’s not make life any harder for our Gentile brothers and sisters. But, to our Gentile brothers and sisters in Christ, here are just a few things you can do to really help bring peace between our different cultures.”

What we can takeaway from James’ words is that yes, we do have a great deal of freedom as Christians, but our freedom to live certain ways comes second to loving our brothers and sisters in Christ as Jesus loves us.

And Jesus loved us to the point that he left heaven, came to earth, was tortured and eventually killed. For us. He died to pay the price for our mistakes and sins. Then God rose him on the third day, and Jesus defeated death. Because of that, we have the free gift of salvation. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, the risen Son of God, we can have salvation.

That’s how far Jesus went for everyone who puts their faith in him.

But how far do we go to show those around us love? Are we willing to give up things we enjoy in life because it makes our brothers and sisters in Christ uncomfortable? Or tempts them to do something they believe is a sin?

Because we should be willing to sacrifice our freedoms for the sake of others, Jesus certainly did for us. The apostles certainly did for us, they died so we could have the gospel.

What are you willing to do to love those around you? What are you willing to give up to love those around you?

This week, we’re continuing to look at how to handle tension between believers. Our passage today is Acts 15:38-16:15 (NIV):

36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.” – Jesus Christ, the Son of God. John 13:34 (WEB)

Last week in episode 25 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we took a look at what Paul and Barnabas went through to share the gospel of Jesus with people. Several times Jews tried to kill them, and once, they managed to capture Paul and stoned him to the point they thought he was dead. But as the disciples stand around looking at the body of Paul, pelted and bruised, he stands up, and goes back into the city.

Those two men very clearly showed by their actions that they weren’t seeking the approval of people, if they were, they wouldn’t have faced so much danger from the people they were seeking to help.

No, they sought only God’s approval.

So I challenged us, whose approval are we seeking? The approval of our friends, our coworkers, fellow students, family?

Or are we seeking the approval of God?

If we seek the approval of people, we seek the approval of those who at a moments notice will turn on us. If our happiness relies on others liking us, we will never truly be happy, because we’ll never get everyone to like us, especially if we also strive to be Christlike.

But God is different. If we seek God, He will never turn us away. Jesus will never forsake those who seek him. And that should bring us an amazing sense of peace and joy.

Today we’re looking at the importance of striving for peace between believers. Let’s pray and we’ll get started. Our passage today is Acts 15:1-35 (ESV):

1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 “‘After this I will return,

    and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;

I will rebuild its ruins,

    and I will restore it,

17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,

    and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,

    says the Lord,

It feels great to have people like us. But what about when they stop liking us? It hurts, right? Well, the good news is there is one whom we can please who will never turn on us. Jesus.

Last week in episode 24 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we looked at a dangerous sin, perhaps one of the most dangerous sins.

Pride.

When pride gets into our life, it tells us that we’re good enough, we don’t need to change, we don’t need to work on getting rid of sin. We can just keep living as we are, God won’t mind.

It leads us to believe we’re better than others.

But God hates pride, He actively opposes it.

Instead, God loves humility, and unless we serve Him with humility, we can be doing all the right things—going to church, giving to the poor, reading our Bibles—and still disgust God. Isaiah 66.

So instead, we should seek to be humble, to approach God’s word with fear and trembling and a desire to change our lives to suit His word, not change it to suit our lives.

This week we’re looking at the desire many of us have to be liked by others. Our passage today is Acts 14 (NIV):

1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.

In Lystra and Derbe

8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God...

Pride is insidious, attacking all, even the most humble of people. Attacking even you.

Welcome back. Last week in Episode 23 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we looked at Antioch as they made time to pray before they set about the big ministry endeavour of sending Barnabas and Paul on a missionary journey. They discovered in their time of faithful prayer, that God was calling the two for this journey, and even though the church would doubtless miss their teaching and leadership, God had another task planned.

How many things have we started in life just because they seemed like good ideas?

I know I’ve started dozens of things because it seemed good, or I felt like it.

Only to later realise I’ve started too many things, I’ve committed days, weeks, months, years, to something that I never even prayed about.

And it led me to the question: How much time have we wasted in my life because we didn’t stop and take the time to pray first? Pray until God gave us an answer before we started a new thing?

The sad reality is, I’ve probably wasted years of my life chasing the new and shiny things that excite me, but draw me away from my service to God.

So I challenged us to, before committing to things, take the time to pray. Take an hour. Take a day. Take a week. It’s not a waste of time, time spent with our Father in Heaven is never wasted time. Time in prayer is never wasted.

This week we’re looking at the perhaps one of the most dangerous sins of all. Pride. Our passage today is Acts 13:13-52 (WEB):

13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”

16 Paul stood up, and gesturing with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. 18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years. 20 After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise, 24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel. 25 As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

26 “Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those amongst you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,

Time in prayer with our Father in Heaven is never wasted time. Yet how many times in our life have we gotten busy and the first thing to drop off the list is prayer?

Last week in Episode 22 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we took a look at how when Peter was arrested and waiting to be sentenced to death, the church gathered together and prayed for him. And not just one prayer for a minute. They prayed constantly for potentially days.

And their faith began to waver, so much so that when their prayer was answered, they didn’t believe it at first.

But, despite their doubts, when their prayer was finally answered, their faith was strengthened, and Peter left them with the command to spread the news of his rescue by God.

That faithful prayer was a demonstration of their authentic faith. They didn’t just say they were Christian, they lived it. They had so much faith in God that they were willing to take days and nights off regular life to pray for Peter’s rescue.

We looked at that in relation to the Western church today. The sad statistics are that since the early 2000s, over 50% of young people who have grown up in the church have left and never come back.

And why should they? The picture of Christianity that the Western church by and large displays is that it’s something to fill 90 minutes on a Sunday. So many adults talk the talk on Sunday, and are someone completely different at home.

And when young people see that, it is incredibly damaging.

So I challenged us to have an authentic faith. If we want to raise a new generation that is even more passionate about Jesus than us, our lives need to reflect our faith every single day, no matter where we are. No matter who we’re around. Young people need to see our faith is real, and one way to show it’s real is to faithfully pray, and when God answers prayer, tell those stories! Don’t chalk it up to a coincidence or keep quiet about it! God doesn’t just answer our prayer for our benefit, He also answers it for the benefit of those who trust us, who know when we tell them the story that it’s true.

This week we’re looking at making time to pray over decisions. Our passage this week is Acts 13:1-12 (WEB):

1 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant. 6 When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!”

Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

So Barnabas and Paul are in Antioch, continue to teach alongside Simeon,

In the West, 60% of young people who grow up in the church leave by the time they get to college. Today we’ll look at why that is and what we can do to change that.

Last week in our journey through Acts, we had a look at how God uses all people to accomplish His purposes. He doesn’t just wait for people with seminary degrees and training to go plant churches and tell the world about Him, he uses all of us. We saw how last week Jesus picked a bunch of the most unqualified men on earth to be his disciples. He didn’t go to the synagogue and pick the best trained pharisees, he picked fishermen, a tax collector, rebels, and so on. Then almost immediately he had them start doing ministry. They didn’t wait for three years learning in a class room with one or two excursions to run a youth group for a night or preach at a church.

They were thrown headlong into ministry and sent out to heal the sick, cast out demons and spread the gospel within months of beginning with Jesus. They travelled with Jesus throughout Judea and got a lot of on the job experience.

It can be so easy for us to say, “I’m just an ordinary person. I’m not qualified to talk to others about Jesus, I’m not qualified to lead a church, or run a Bible study.”

But that’s pretty much what Moses said to God! “I’m not qualified, get my brother!”

God wasn’t happy with Moses constantly refusing. God had a job that He wanted Moses for.

And you know what? God has a job that He wants you for. And God doesn’t make wrong decisions.

So I challenged us last week to be willing, to be ready to follow Him on whatever task He has for us, not to fight Him and try talk ourselves out of following Him.

This week we’re talking about the importance of clinging to faith, even when it seems impossible, and when God answers prayer, telling others about it, especially our families! Our passage today is Acts 12 (WEB).

1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. 4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him. 6 The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands. 8 The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognised Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15 They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so.

It takes all sorts to build the Kingdom of Heaven. Not just the evangelists, the pastors, the theologians. It takes them. It takes you. It takes me.

Last week episode 20 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast we took a look at how important it is to not let our culture, or even church culture, add to the gospel. It’s all too easy if we’ve been in the church for a long time to expect Christians to look and act a certain way, and if they don’t, then we doubt their salvation.

In last week’s passage, some of the believers in Jerusalem were trying to add to the gospel by expecting all male believers to be circumcised before they were really accepted. But Peter showed how God had made everyone clean, and that circumcision had nothing to do with salvation.

Then those early believers did something we can really learn from. They saw the truth and praised God for the wonders He had done. We can all too easily fall into a trap of being so insistent that our way of seeing the world is right, that we ignore when God is clearly showing another way.

This week we’re looking at how God used ordinary people—not the apostles or other leaders in Jerusalem—to plant one of the strongest churches in the first century church. Our passage today is Acts 11:19-30 (WEB):

19 They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 22 The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, 23 who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

25 Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

27 Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius. 29 As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; 30 which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

So here in Chapter 11, we take a look back at events that started in Chapter 6 with the capture of Stephen. In chapter 8—which we looked at in Episode 12—a great persecution broke out and believers scattered. By and large we see that many only spread the good news of Jesus amongst the Jews. Some, however, went to Antioch and began to tell the Greeks there about Jesus.

And the Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Now, it’s easy to think that events are moving really quickly in Acts. It certainly feels like we’re just months after Jesus returned to heaven. But, in actual fact, the church in Antioch was founded 10-15 years after Jesus resurrection.

Everything we’ve been looking at over this series is spread over that period. We’re given a clue to how much time has passed because at the end of this chapter, Luke references a famine which happened during the reign of Claudius. Claudius began to reign in 41 AD—Jesus was crucified in about 30 AD—and Egyptian documents indicate a major famine through parts of the land in 46 AD.

So that gives us the ten to fifteen year range.

Culture drives everything we do in life. How we were raised impacts every decision and reaction, even the unconscious ones. But God’s Word supersedes culture, and we need to put God’s standards first.

Last week episode 19 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we spent time in Acts looking at the faith of a Roman centurion, Cornelius. What was so incredible about his faith was just how straight forward he was with it. He didn’t try to argue his way out of things, he took God at His Word, and immediately did what God commanded of him.

I challenged us to do the same when we sit down to read God’s word. I challenged us to read with humility and a willingness to learn, with the desire to change our lives to suit God’s word, instead of trying to change God’s Word to suit our lives.

This week we’re continuing the idea of not changing God’s word by looking at an event where some of the early believers let their culture change the gospel. They tried to add to salvation something that Jesus never taught. Our passage today is Acts 11:1-18 (WEB):

1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

4 But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. 6 When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ 9 But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’ 10 This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, who is called Peter, 14 who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 16 I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptised in water, but you will be baptised in the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave to them the same gift as us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?”

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”

So in chapter 10, we have the amazing event of God telling Peter that no one is unclean whom He has made clean, and He has declared the gentiles clean. Not only can Jews be saved, but also Gentiles.

But now Peter returns to Jerusalem.

He’s barely set foot in the city when a group of Christians found him and began to criticise him for spending time in the house of uncircumcised men and eating with them.

See, this group, while Christians, were trying to add to the gospel. They were bringing an aspect of Judaism—circumcision of males—and saying that to be a Christian, you not only had to accept Jesus Christ as Lord, you also had to be circumcised if you were a male.

Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus ever say that circumcision is a requirement for salvation.

And this is why we do need to carefully view the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament,

What kind of faith does Jesus commend in the gospels? Today we’ll take a look.

Last week in episode 18 of the God’s Word, Today’s World podcast, we looked at an amazing story of what the Holy Spirit did through Peter. He healed a paralysed man and raised a woman from the dead.

But so often when we read the Bible, we just read the words and the reality of what is happening doesn’t always sink in. I challenged us to really spend time on a passage this last week, to read and reread, to dwell on the amazing things that happen in scripture. To really consider God’s amazing power, and the fact that the Holy Spirit we see at work in the Bible is still just as powerful today, and still I believe just as active.

This week we’re looking at the incredible faith of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. This man can teach us a lot about the kind of faith that God loves. Our passage today is Acts 10 (WEB):

1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God. 3 At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

4 He, fastening his eyes on him and being frightened, said, “What is it, Lord?”

He said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is also called Peter. 6 He is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the seaside.

7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually. 8 Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. 10 He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, 12 in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!”

14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

15 A voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.” 16 This was done three times, and immediately the thing was received up into heaven.

17 Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made enquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate, 18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you. 20 But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

21 Peter went down to the men, and said, “Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?”

22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.” 23 So he called them in and provided a place to stay.

On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.” 27 As he talked with him,