2014.11.16 Acts 15:
11- 22
Salvation is by Grace alone
Part 2
We’re continuing our study this morning in the fifteenth chapter of
Acts……
In this chapter, we come to the concept of grace……. As I said last
week….. Understanding the grace of God is essential to genuine Christianity…… It is what sets Christianity apart from all other
religions….. Because All other religious systems in the world are based upon
the deeds and works of men……. The Good News of the Gospel is that although we
are sinners and very wicked…….. There is hope for us! His name is Jesus! He
took our sins and died in our place! The Good News is that the Grace of God has
appeared…… He is ready to forgive and save all who cry out to him for
mercy!.....
As we come to this 15th chapter….. The early church has
exploded with growth….. Many Jews have repented and believed the good news…. through
the ministry of first Peter and then later…. The ministry of Paul and
Barnabas….. Many Gentiles have also believed the Good News of the Gospel… As we
pickup our text in Acts…. Paul and Barnabas have returned from the first
missionary journey to the church in Antioch….. These Jewish Christians are often called
"Judaizers" They taught that Gentiles may become Christians, but only
after first becoming Jews….. and submitting to all Jewish rituals, including
circumcision…….
These Christians were Pharisees from Judea…..
Paul proclaimed the Good News that salvation is by grace through
faith alone.... When he did he was quoting the OT Hab 2:4....
Paul said the same thing over and over.... I think he said it to
believers in every church everywhere he went….. It is the good news…They needed
to hear it…… We need to hear it too....
because we feel that we need to do something to earn God´s love and
blessing in our lives…… It is very hard for us to accept God´s unconditional
love…. We don´t understand that kind of love…… But there are pictures of unconditional
love around us every day….. For instance in the love of mothers for their
children…… This morning we dedicated baby Soley to the Lord…. There is not
anything that would make Melissa stop loving her….…. I often talk about God´s
Chesed….. Unfailing unconditional love….. That is love so strong and eternal……
that we can rest in it…. We can trust the LORD with our lives….. Just like
Soley trusts her mom for everything….
These certain men that we read about here in this text were
themselves Pharisees who had gotten saved…… They had come to Antioch from Judea…..
they objected to the idea that anyone could be saved without first coming under
the law….. That means being circumcised and following the law….. When young men
are about 13…. They are Bar-mitzvahed…. They become sons of the law….. Then they
are considered adults….. and can read aloud in the synagogue from the Torah… So
these very religious and legalistic believers objected to the evangelism of the
Gentiles einfach so.... saying yes it is Jesus
who saves us, but only after we have done all we can do to keep the Law of
Moses."
Of course, Paul himself was a former Pharisee (Philippians 3:5) who became a Christian….. But he
understood grace… Paul knew that Jesus was his salvation….. not
the way to his salvation….. Paul clearly taught salvation by grace through
faith….. Faith and trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the
cross…. Look at what Paul wrote to the Galatians…ch….2…..v.16…
Galatians
2: 16
NLT Neues Leben
16 Yet
we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by
obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made
right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the
law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
16 Und doch wissen wir, dass der Mensch vor Gott nicht
durch das Halten des Gesetzes gerecht gesprochen wird, sondern durch den
Glauben an Jesus Christus. Wir sind zum Glauben an ihn gekommen, damit wir
durch diesen Glauben von Gott angenommen werden, und nicht etwa, weil wir dem
Gesetz gehorcht haben. Denn durch das Befolgen des Gesetzes wird niemand vor
Gott gerecht.«
Here, we see Paul echoing the words of Peter and the apostles in
Jerusalem….
Peter´s argument is clear…..
Since
God had accepted these Gentiles….. He gave them the Holy Spirit…. Just like us….
V8
He
cleansed their hearts by faith…. Just like us…. V9…
Peter shows how the heart is purified…. by faith, not by keeping of
the law…... Since they were purified by faith….. then there was no need to be
purified by submitted to ceremonies found in the Law of Moses……
Jewish Christians were not saved, even in part, by their
law-keeping….. they were saved the same way Gentiles were….. Through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ…..
This is a very important point for us to consider…. Even today…. We
as believers have a tendency to believe that God is especially pleased with us when
we do our own list of Godly Things…. Prayer times …. Quiet times…. Reading our
bibles….. helping the poor…..
We have a long list of things that we should do…. We also have a
long list of things that we should not do….
The problem is not the list…… The problem is in our hearts….. We
tend to think that the things we do or don´t do make us righteous…. We become
like the Pharisees…. Proud and stubborn…. We are Godly… we say….. But the Lord
says…. Your hearts are black and full of sin….
The things that we do need to flow out of a grateful and humble
heart…. A heart that has already been
transformed by the Lord Jesus….. We cannot add to that miraculous work… Let´s continue
now in the 15th ch… verse 12…
Acts 15:
12
NLT Neues Leben
12
Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs
and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
12 Danach verstummten alle. Sie hörten aufmerksam zu, wie
Barnabas und Paulus von den Zeichen und Wundern berichteten, die Gott durch sie
unter den Nichtjuden gewirkt hatte.
V12… Paul and Barnabas tell of their work among
the Gentiles…. supporting Peter's claim that God is doing a great work among
them….. This shows that even though there had been much dispute….. these men
were all of an honorable heart….. They were willing to listen, and to be
persuaded if they were wrong…… Barnabas and Paul confirmed Peter's point…… They
said the Lord has poured out his Holy Spirit on them with signs and wonders
done at our hands….. Essentially, they
are also saying "God has accepted the Gentiles, should not we as
well?" let´s continue….v13….
Acts 15:
13-21
NLT
13 When
they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter has
told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a
people for himself. 15 And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the
prophets predicted. As it is written:
16
‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild
its ruins and restore it,
17 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—
18 he
who made these things known so long ago.’
19 “And
so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are
turning to God. 20 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. 21 For these laws of Moses have
been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many
generations.”
Acts 15: 13-21 Neues Leben
13 Als sie geendet hatten, stand Jakobus auf und sagte:
»Brüder, hört mich an.
14 Petrus hat euch erzählt, wie Gott zum ersten Mal die
Nichtjuden aufsuchte, um sich aus ihnen ein Volk zu wählen, das seinen Namen
trägt.
15 Diese Bekehrung der Nichtjuden stimmt mit den
Voraussagen der Propheten überein. So steht geschrieben:
16 `Danach werde ich zurückkommen und das gefallene
Königreich Davids wiederherstellen. Aus den Trümmern werde ich es wieder
aufbauen, und ich werde es wiederherstellen,
17 damit die Übriggebliebenen den Herrn suchen, die
Nichtjuden eingeschlossen - alle, die ich zu mir gerufen habe. So spricht der
Herr,
18 der dies alles schon vor langer Zeit bekannt gemacht
hat.´
19 Deshalb bin ich der Überzeugung, dass wir den
Nichtjuden, die sich zu Gott bekehren, das Leben nicht unnötig erschweren
sollten.
20 Allerdings sollten wir ihnen schreiben und ihnen
auftragen, kein Fleisch zu essen, das den Götzen geopfert wurde, alle Unzucht
zu meiden und weder Blut noch das Fleisch nicht ausgebluteter Tiere zu essen.
21 Denn seit vielen Generationen wurden diese
Vorschriften aus dem Gesetz des Mose Sabbat für Sabbat überall in den jüdischen
Synagogen gepredigt.«
V13-22….
James speaks…. This
James is not the apostle James, whose martyrdom is recorded in Acts 12:2. This
is the one traditionally known as James the Just - the half-brother of Jesus
(Matthew 13:155), brother of Jude (Jude 1), and author of the book of James
(James 1:1).
James begins by insisting God had a people among the Gentiles…..
This would astound a religious Jew in that day!
The Greek word for Gentiles
(it could also be translated nations) is ethne….. The Greek word for people in this passage is laos….. The Jews
considered themselves a laos of God….. and never among the ethne….. For
them ethne and laos were contrasting words…... So, it would be difficult for them
to hear that God at the first visited the Gentiles (ethne) to take out of them
a people (laos)…… That was hard for them….. they were the laos of God…… Now out
of the genitles comes a laos of God…..
James said…. Listen…. This was all prophesied…… It has happened
just like God said it would.... In this
passage James quotes (Amos 9:11-12),
it actually says that salvation will come to the Gentiles….. This demonstrates
that what God is doing among the Gentiles has a Biblical foundation….. When James quotes the prophecy in Amos 9:11-12
about rebuilding the fallen tabernacle of David…. he remembers that the
Judaism of his day had fallen down in the sense that it had rejected its
Messiah….. Now God begins to rebuild…. He is focusing on a church made up of
both Jews and Gentiles……
All the Gentiles who are called by My name….. When God says there
are Gentiles who are called by His name…. He is saying they stay Gentiles…..
They are not Gentiles who have been made Jews….. Therefore, Gentiles do not
need to become Jews and under the law to be saved!
Therefore I judge implies that James had a position of high
authority in the church….. He was Jesus´half brother and was probably respected
as the "senior pastor" of the church at Jerusalem…..
The Greek presents His statement even more strongly…. It could be
translated as as "I determine"
or "I resolve" (Expositor's)…. In addition, when the decision of
James was published, it was presented as the mutual decision of all present…. Acts 15:25: It seemed good to us……
James' leadership was supported by all present……
What did James decide?
V19… We should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are
turning to God…… James essentially says,
"Leave them alone…… They are turning to God….. and we should not trouble
them….. James decided that Peter,
Barnabas, and Paul were correct….. and that those of the sect of the Pharisees
who believed in Jesus….. were wrong to insist on the law and circumcision as
means of salvation…. We are saved by grace through faith in the finished work
of the Lord Jesus Christ…. Remember the Things we do…. Do not make us righteous
in God´s eyes…. It´s only Jesus who can do that for us….
But
James and the Apostles give them some rules…..
What is
the point of these things? Look at verse 20…
V20… James' decision that Gentile believers should not be under the
Mosaic Law is also tempered by practical instruction….. The idea was that it
was important that Gentile believers not act in a way that would offend the
Jewish believers…..
These three commands have to do with the eating habits of Gentile
Christians….. Though they were not bound under the Law of Moses….. they were
bound under the Law of Love….. The Law of Love tells them, "don't
unnecessarily anger and upset your Jewish neighbors…..
James went on to tell them to stay away from from … sexual
immorality: When James declares that they forbid the Gentile Christians to
abstain from … sexual immorality, we shouldn't think that it means common sex
outside of marriage….. which all Christians (Jew or Gentile) recognized as
wrong….. Instead, James is directing these Gentiles living in such close
fellowship with the Jewish believers to observe the specific marriage
regulations required by Leviticus 18……. which prohibited marriages between most
family relations….. This was something that Jews would abhor…. but most
Gentiles would think little of……
THE LAW
OF LOVE
Do you remember what Jesus said when he was asked …. What is the
greatest commandment?.... They had 613….
He
said…. You shall Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and the second
is like it….. You shall love your neighbor as yourself…. That is the fulfilling
of the Law…. Mark 12:29-34
Gentile Christians had the "right" to eat meat sacrificed
to idols….. to continue their marriage practices…. and to eat meat without a
kosher bleeding….. However, they are
encouraged to lay down their "rights" in these matters as a display
of love to their Jewish brethren…
Let´s read what Paul said about these things to the church IN
Galatia…. Gal 2:16…
Galatians
2: 16
NLT Neues Leben
16 Yet
we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by
obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made
right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the
law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
16 Und doch wissen wir, dass der Mensch vor Gott nicht
durch das Halten des Gesetzes gerecht gesprochen wird, sondern durch den
Glauben an Jesus Christus. Wir sind zum Glauben an ihn gekommen, damit wir
durch diesen Glauben von Gott angenommen werden, und nicht etwa, weil wir dem
Gesetz gehorcht haben. Denn durch das Befolgen des Gesetzes wird niemand vor
Gott gerecht.«
no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law….. Later
Paul wrote very practical advice to the church….. Let´s read what Paul said about
these things to the church at Corinth….
1 Cor
10: 23-33
NKJV
23 All
things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful
for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the
other’s well-being.
25 Eat
whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake;
26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
27 If
any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go,
eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But
if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake
of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s,
and all its fullness.” 29 “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the
other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 But if I
partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give
thanks?
31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church
of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own
profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1 Cor 10: 23-31 sch2000
23 Es ist mir alles erlaubt — aber es ist nicht alles
nützlich! Es ist mir alles erlaubt — aber es erbaut nicht alles!
24 Niemand suche das Seine, sondern jeder das des
anderen.
25 Alles, was auf dem Fleischmarkt angeboten wird, das
eßt, ohne um des Gewissens willen nachzuforschen;
26 denn »dem Herrn gehört die Erde und was sie erfüllt«.6
27 Und wenn jemand von den Ungläubigen euch einlädt und
ihr hingehen wollt, so eßt alles, was euch vorgesetzt wird, und forscht nicht
nach um des Gewissens willen.
28 Wenn aber jemand zu euch sagt: Das ist
Götzenopferfleisch! — so eßt es nicht, um dessen willen, der den Hinweis gab,
und um des Gewissens willen, denn »dem Herrn gehört die Erde und was sie erfüllt«.
29 Ich rede aber nicht von deinem eigenen Gewissen,
sondern von dem des anderen; denn warum sollte meine Freiheit von dem Gewissen
eines anderen gerichtet werden?
30 Und wenn ich es dankbar genieße, warum sollte ich
gelästert werden über dem, wofür ich danke?
31 Ob ihr nun eßt oder trinkt oder sonst etwas tut — tut
alles zur Ehre Gottes!
32 Gebt weder den Juden noch den Griechen noch der
Gemeinde Gottes einen Anstoß,
33 so wie auch ich in allen Stücken allen zu Gefallen
lebe und nicht meinen Nutzen suche, sondern den der vielen, damit sie gerettet
werden. In our Christian life we are free from the very severe and
legalistic requirements of the law….. We can live the law of love… We can now
as genuine believers serve and Love the Lord from a thankful and grateful
heart…. we can…. With the Lord´s help…. Love our neighbors as much as we love
ourselves…. When we do we are fulfilling all the law….. we are demonstrating
that we belong to Jesus…. that he has
transformed and saved us…. It´s good News…. He is at work in us and he is
working through us …. So that we can love and serve our families and care for
all of the people that the Lord puts in our lives….. We can even love our
enemies…. Luke 6: 35…
Back to
Acts 15…v 22
Acts15:22 NKJV sch 2000
22 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 leaders—Judas
(also called Barsabbas) and Silas.
22 Daraufhin bestimmten die Apostel und Ältesten und die
ganze Gemeinde in Jerusalem einige Männer, die sie mit Paulus und Barnabas nach
Antiochia in Syrien schickten, um über diese Entscheidung zu berichten. Die
Männer, die gewählt wurden, waren zwei der Leiter der Gemeinde - Judas (auch
Barsabbas genannt) und Silas.
V22….. The decision is unanimous…. They wisely send two brothers from
Jerusalem….. They go with Paul and
Barnabas back to Antioch….. To stop the dispute and help all of the believers….
Jew and Gentile to understand the Grace of God better….. Paul gives us a
wonderful zusammenfasung in Ephesians…. Read it in your own queit times when
you get a chance….
Close
Grace
Ephesians
2: 1-10 NLT Neues Leben
1 Once
you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to
live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander
of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of
those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the
passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we
were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But
God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were
dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.
(It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from
the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms
because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future
ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us,
as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God
saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this;
it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have
done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has
created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us
long ago.
Ephesians 2: 1-10 NLT Neues Leben
1 Auch ihr wart früher tot aufgrund eurer Sünden.
2 Ihr habt genauso in der Sünde gelebt wie der Rest der
Welt, beherrscht von Satan, der im Machtbereich der Luft regiert. Er ist der
Geist, der in den Herzen derer wirkt, die Gott nicht gehorchen wollen.
3 Wir alle haben früher so gelebt und uns von den
Leidenschaften und Begierden unserer alten Natur beherrschen lassen. Wir wurden
mit dieser Natur geboren und waren Gottes Zorn ausgeliefert wie alle anderen
Menschen auch.
4 Doch Gott ist so barmherzig und liebte uns so sehr,
5 dass er uns, die wir durch unsere Sünden tot waren, mit
Christus neues Leben schenkte, als er ihn von den Toten auferweckte. Nur durch
die Gnade Gottes seid ihr gerettet worden!
6 Denn er hat uns zusammen mit Christus von den Toten
auferweckt und wir gehören nun mit Jesus zu seinem himmlischen Reich.
7 So wird er für alle Zeiten an uns seine Güte und den
Reichtum seiner Gnade sichtbar machen, die sich in allem zeigt, was er durch
Christus Jesus für uns getan hat.
8 Weil Gott so gnädig ist, hat er euch durch den Glauben
gerettet. Und das ist nicht euer eigenes Verdienst; es ist ein Geschenk Gottes.
9 Ihr werdet also nicht aufgrund eurer guten Taten
gerettet, damit sich niemand etwas darauf einbilden kann.
10 Denn wir sind Gottes Schöpfung. Er hat uns in Christus
Jesus neu geschaffen, damit wir zu guten Taten fähig sind, wie er es für unser
Leben schon immer vorgesehen hat.
Let´s pray
No comments:
Post a Comment