Acts 15 - 12.19.25

Scripture

Acts 15:1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Acts 15:5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

Observation

The early church has the same problems some of our current churches do. You are saved with conditions. The estimated amount of laws that Moses gave out, beside the Ten Commandments, were around 613 laws. The men in that early church were told to be circumcised and follow the laws of Moses or they were not saved. That is so burdensome and can cause discouragement. Think about today’s believers or people we are talking to about Jesus. If we said you are saved if you follow a bunch of rules they would be discouraged and maybe check out mentally.

We were saved by grace and not by works Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:8 - For it by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so that no one can boast

Application     

The burden of following lots of rules can be heavy for us. If it is heavy for us, think about a new believer?  As leaders, we should not put a heavy yoke on a new believer. Jesus did not put that kind of yoke on us. We need to mentor others with mercy and grace just as Jesus does for us. Jesus also broke these commandments and rules down to two commandments.

Mark 12:29-31 As we look at the Greatest Commandments Jesus answers, “the most important one is this: hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love you neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

If we follow these commandments, the others will take care of themselves because our love for Jesus.

The book of Titus is just three chapters and is a great guide on how, as men and women of the Lord, we are to mentor others.  

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for your grace and mercy on us. In Matthew 11:28-30 you said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  As a leader, let me lead by your example, Jesus. Let your Holy Spirit guide me. Let me be humble and gentle with my words and may my words glorify you always, Jesus. In Jesus name amen.

- Robert Oberg