The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. (Acts 15:6-7 ESV)
Some church meetings are over the color of the carpet, the budget or officers. Those are the ones that tend to get a lot of the bad press, especially when things go bad. We all know about ‘that church’ that split over the color of the carpet. However, some church meetings are vitally important and come with long lasting consequences. Acts 15 describes such a gathering.
Last week we laid out the nature of the conflict. This week we want to lay out how it was resolved. The breach between the Jews and Gentiles would define the ongoing course of the church. It would solidify the understanding of the gospel. This week we lay out the witnesses, reasons, and conclusions reached in that counsel. If you have ever wondered how we went from Judaism, the temple, and sacrifices to Christianity, churches, and communion, this is a sermon for you.
