A Harmony Of The Life Of Paul - Conference In Jerusalem, And Return To Antioch (50 A.D.)

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                    "A HARMONY OF THE LIFE OF PAUL"

       Conference In Jerusalem, And Return To Antioch (50 A.D.)

INTRODUCTION

1. During his first missionary journey, Paul saw that God "opened a
   door of faith to the Gentiles" - Ac 14:27
   a. The conversion of Sergius Paulus - Ac 13:6-12
   b. The conversion of many Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia 
      - Ac 13:42-49
   c. The conversion of Greeks in Iconium - Ac 14:1

2. It wasn't long before the question of Gentiles in the church became
   an issue...
   a. Should the Gentiles be accepted without first converting to
      Judaism?
   b. Should they be required to be circumcised, and keep the Law of
      Moses?

[At the end of a two year residence in Antioch of Syria, Paul and the
church were faced with a crisis regarding the issue of the Gentiles...]

I. THE PROBLEM IN ANTIOCH OF SYRIA

   A. SOME CAME FROM JUDEA...
      1. Teaching that Gentiles could not be saved without circumcision
         - Ac 15:1
      2. With whom Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed - Ac 15:2a

   B. PAUL AND BARNABAS SENT TO JERUSALEM...
      1. Accompanied by "certain others" (such as Titus) - Ac 15:2a; 
         Ga 2:1
      2. To talk to the apostles and elders, which Paul did "by 
         revelation" - Ac 15:2a; Ga 2:2
      3. On the way, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria - Ac 
         15:3
         a. Describing the conversion of the Gentiles
         b. Causing great joy among the brethren

[Since the men causing disturbance came from Judea, Paul and his
companions went to the source, to locate the actual origin of this
problem.  This led to...]

II. THE CONFERENCE IN JERUSALEM

   A. PRELIMINARY MEETINGS...
      1. A formal reception by the church
         a. Paul's party was received by the church, the apostles, and 
            the elders - Ac 15:4
         b. To whom Paul reported all that God had done with them - Ac 
            15:4; cf. 14:27
      2. A private meeting with some who were "of reputation"
         a. In which Paul explained the gospel which he preached - Ga 
            2:1-2
         b. Some false brethren tried to compel Titus (a Gentile) to be
            circumcised, which Paul refused - Ga 2:3-6; cf. Ac 15:5
         c. James, Peter, and John commended Paul for his work among 
            the Gentiles - Ga 2:7-10
            1) Extending to him the right hand of fellowship
            2) Asking only that he remember the poor (something he was 
               careful do on his remaining missionary journeys)

   B. THE PUBLIC MEETING...
      1. The speech of Peter - Ac 15:6-11
         a. How God selected him to be the first to preach to the 
            Gentiles - cf. Ac 10:1-43
         b. How God bore witness to their acceptability by giving them 
            the Spirit - cf. Ac 10:44-48; 11:15-18
         c. That God purified them through faith, just as He did the 
            Jews
         d. That they should not test God, by placing a burden on the
            Gentiles which they themselves could not bear
         e. That God will save the Jews in the same way, through the 
            grace of the Lord Jesus
      2. The testimony of Paul and Barnabas - Ac 15:12 
         a. How God did many miracles and wonders through them among 
            the Gentiles
         b. Which the multitude listened to quietly
      3. The counsel of James - Ac 15:13-21
         a. Reminding them of what Simon (Peter) had just said
         b. Reminding them of the Old Testament prophecy of Amos - Amos 
            9:11-12
         c. Offering his judgment:
            1) Not to trouble the Gentiles who were turning to God
            2) But asking them to abstain from:
               a) Things polluted by idols (i.e., meats offered to 
                  idols)
               b) Sexual immorality
               c) Things strangled
               d) Blood 
               -- This would go a long way in keeping peace between 
                  Jewish and Gentile converts

   C. THE LETTER TO BE SENT...
      1. The idea pleased the apostles, elders, and the whole church 
         - Ac 15:22a
      2. Selected to accompany Paul and Barnabas along with the letter 
         to Antioch were Judas and Silas - Ac 15:22b
      3. A copy of this letter is preserved by Luke - Ac 15:23-29
      4. In which those who caused the trouble are identified as doing 
         so without any authority from those in Jerusalem - Ac 15:24

[So the conference in Jerusalem ends on a very positive note.  But while
the issue of Gentiles was solved doctrinally, in practice it would not
be as easily resolved.  This becomes evident from what happens after...]

III. THE RETURN TO ANTIOCH OF SYRIA

   A. A HAPPY RETURN...
      1. Paul and his companions return to Antioch, and deliver the 
         letter - Ac 15:30
      2. The multitude rejoice over its encouragement - Ac 15:31
      3. Judas and Silas exhort the brethren with many words - Ac 15:
         32-34
         a. Judas eventually returned to the apostles in Jerusalem
         b. Silas stayed in Antioch, later to join Paul on his travels 
            - cf. Ac 15:40
      4. Paul and Barnabas remain in Antioch, teaching and preaching 
         - Ac 15:35

   B. AN UNHAPPY VISIT...
      1. Peter comes to Antioch - Ga 2:11a
      2. Paul had to withstand Peter - Ga 2:11b-21
         a. For at first Peter would eat with the Gentiles
         b. But when some came from James, Peter separated himself, 
            fearing those who were of the circumcision (i.e., Jewish 
            brethren)
         c. Even Barnabas was carried away by this hypocrisy
         d. Requiring Paul to rebuke Peter before them all
      3. Peter would not hold this against Paul, later referring to him 
         as "our beloved brother Paul" - 2Pe 3:15

CONCLUSION

1. The unpleasant visit and necessary rebuke of Peter simply
   illustrates the great challenge faced  by the church in its 
   infancy...
   a. The challenge of transition from the Old Covenant to the New
      Covenant
   b. The challenge of accepting into the church those who were
      considered "unclean" for over a thousand years

2. But it was a challenge that was overcome, in large part due to the
   apostle Paul...
   a. A Hebrew of the Hebrews, but also an apostle to the Gentiles
   b. Whom God used to help bridge Jew and Gentile together
      1) To fulfill what Jesus died to accomplish on the cross
      2) To bring peace between Jew and Gentile, making one new body 
         - cf. Ep 2:11-16

After some time in Antioch, Paul began to wonder about the brethren who
were converted on the first missionary journey (Ac 15:36).  In our next
study, we shall survey the second missionary of Paul.

In the meantime, I hope this study reminds those who are Gentiles how
blessed we are to be able to come into the fellowship with God and His
people.  Have we let Jesus add us to His one new body, the church? 
- cf. Ac 2:41,47
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