FIGHT FOR UNITY
Opening Prayer
Thank you, Lord God, for my brothers and sisters in Christ, for the ways they encourage me in my walk of faith, for the ways they help me experience your love and faithfulness.
Read ACTS 15:12–21
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 “‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b]—
18 things known from long ago.[c]
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
Footnotes
- Acts 15:14 Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
- Acts 15:17 Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)
- Acts 15:18 Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard.’1
It is both sobering and somehow reassuring to recognize that even in the earliest days of the Christian movement there was conflict, debate, and contention. The church has rarely managed to avoid such divisions since then, and the current radical splintering and disunity of the church is perhaps modern Christianity’s greatest tragedy. Acts is honest about division in the earliest church, but also presents models for how to resolve such conflicts,2 which could prove helpful today.
The Jerusalem council provides a number of important steps that early believers took to resolve the painful conflict between the Antioch and Jerusalem churches: (1) the Antioch church proactively sends a delegation to pursue a resolution to the pressing problem (vv. 1–3); (2) these delegates meet face to face with the Jerusalem leaders to give their report and set another time to continue the discussion (vv. 4–6); (3) both sides are given time to present their views, with a focus on the testimonies of what God has recently done through Paul and Barnabas, prompting the current crisis (vv. 5–12); (4) James, the primary Jerusalem leader, summarizes the reports and presents a compromise solution, thoroughly based on Scripture (vv. 13–21); (5) this placates both sides, and everyone agrees to abide by the decision (vv. 22, 28); (6) the council sends a delegation of members of both parties to Antioch to report the decision (vv. 22–30); and (7) the fruit of this new-found unity is encouragement, peace, and further ministry (vv. 31–35).
Problems in the church must be confronted. All sides of the argument must be given a fair hearing. Leaders who are spiritually mature and trustworthy can then make wise decisions that lead to life and growth.
Apply
The church should follow this example and preserve relational unity. As far as it depends on you, commit to following God’s leadership in conflict resolution.
Closing prayer
Father, thank you for the gift of my church. I ask that your Spirit would reign and that each person who attends would experience true koinonia (sharing in the grace of God). As we grow together, use us to serve you.
1 Ps 133:1, 2 2 e.g., Acts 6:1–7
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