Acts 15: 1-21 The Council At Jerusalem
This chapter embraces the reality of what we struggle with
on a regular basis. Do we follow broad spectrum rules set forth by men, or do
we follow Christ? The Jews were God’s chosen people, yet they were the ones who
condemned and crucified Jesus saying He was making false claims and blaspheming
God. Their savior was in their midst and they didn’t even realize it. “You
don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”
Today, we have many religions contradicting each other, one
making claims against another. In Jesus’ days, it seems there were two groups;
the Jews and the Gentiles. Either you were a Jew or you were not, and the Jews
were the chosen ones. We find that many Jews were not worthy of realizing God’s
promises, but multitudes of Gentiles attempted to seek Jesus, learn his ways,
and live accordingly. The Gentiles were looked down upon by the Jews but were
truly alike in the eyes of the Lord. Paul said in Roman 3:9-10, “What shall we
conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge
that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: There is no
one righteous, not even one.”
Many Jews made life miserable for the Gentiles. That
certainly is not a Godly way to live, any more than it is for us to make life
miserable or uncomfortable for others, or to judge those who do not appear to
have faith in the Lord. Acts 15:19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we
should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are returning to God.”
We are His hands and feet. We are the body of Christ, and
regardless of race, religion, societal status or any other difference, we are
called to help our brothers and sisters; to be there for each other, and to
welcome everyone into God’s kingdom. In my bible, one of the central ideas
noted for the book of Mark is “Jesus is not just the Jewish Messiah-He came to
be the Savior of the whole world. That means each and every one of us. We are to forget
the petty rules and regulations established by man, and get busy doing God’s work.
Read and Listen to Acts 15: 1-21
Listen to "If We Are The Body" by Casting Crowns
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