ACTS 15

Acts 15

Presented by; Batte Ronald Ssesanga

A simple brief of Acts 15

Acts 15 recounts a pivotal moment in the early Christian church where a controversy arose regarding the role of

circumcision in salvation.
The chapter provides the following key insights:

❑ The importance of community and leadership: The controversy was brought before the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, who

ultimately made a decision based on their collective discernment.

❑ The tension between tradition and innovation: Some members of the church believed that circumcision was necessary for

salvation, while others believed that faith in Jesus was sufficient. The leaders had to navigate this tension and discern the
appropriate response.

❑ The role of the Holy Spirit in guiding decisions: The leaders ultimately concluded that the Holy Spirit had not required

circumcision for salvation, and thus, it should not be imposed on new converts.

❑ The need for unity and respect for diversity: Despite their differences, the leaders and members of the early church were able to

come to a consensus and maintain unity, recognizing that diversity within the church was acceptable.

❑ The importance of communication and collaboration: The leaders communicated their decision to the rest of the church and sent

representatives to deliver the message to other churches. This collaboration helped to maintain unity and prevent further
divisions within the church.

Acts 15:1-6

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.”2This brought

Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were

appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and

elders about this question.

QNs. Part 1

❖ Who were these people?

❖ Why did circumcision become a controversial issue in the church of Antioch?

●In the Old Testament, God established circumcision as a physical sign of the covenant between Himself and
Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 17:10-14). God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many
nations and that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan. Circumcision was a way for the Israelites to
identify themselves as God's chosen people and to distinguish themselves from other nations.

●Circumcision was also seen as a symbol of spiritual purification and obedience to God. In Deuteronomy 10:16,
Moses tells the Israelites to "circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer." This verse
emphasizes the importance of inward obedience to God, not just outward religious practices.

●In the New Testament, circumcision became a controversial issue because some Jewish Christians believed that
Gentile believers needed to be circumcised in order to fully embrace the Jewish faith

Cont’n

Leviticus

12:3

states

that

amale

child

should

be

circumcised

on

the

eighth

day

after

his

birth.

This

commandment is seen as a continuation of the covenant
between God and Abraham, and it is considered an
important rite of passage for Jewish males.
In addition to the commandment to circumcise male
infants, Leviticus also discusses the ritual purification that
must take place after childbirth. In verse 2, it states that a
woman who gives birth to a male child is considered
unclean for seven days, and then she must undergo an
additional 33 days of purification. If she gives birth to a
female child, the time of uncleanness and purification is
doubled.

Acts 15:3-6

3 The church sent them on their way, and as they

traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told

how the Gentiles had been converted. This news

made all the believers very glad.4When they came to

Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and

the apostles and elders, to whom they reported

everything God had done through them.

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.”

Acts 15:6-11

6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you

know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the

word of the gospel and believe.8So God, who knows the heart,[a]acknowledged them by giving

them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,

9 and made no distinction between us and

them, purifying their hearts by faith.10Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on

the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?11But we believe

that through the grace of the Lord Jesus[a]Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Acts 15:12-17

12Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God

had worked through them among the Gentiles.13And after they had[a]become silent, James answered, saying,

“Men and brethren, listen to me:14Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a

people for His name.15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

16‘After this I will return

And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;

I will rebuild its ruins,

And I will set it up;

17So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD,

Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,

Says the[b]LORD who does all these things.’

Acts 15:18-21

18 [a]“Known to God from eternity are all His works. 19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the

Gentiles who are turning to God,20but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from[b]sexual

immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.21For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach

him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

QNs. Part 2

❖ What kind of doctrine has ever been challenged you in the SDA Church? Feel free to

share your experience

❖ From the experience of the Jerusalem council, how can we confront some of the

cultural beliefs in the church?

"The council at Jerusalem, which decided that circumcision was not obligatory upon the Gentiles, was

composed of apostles and teachers, men of deep piety and wisdom. They were guided by the Holy Spirit

in their decision. Christ was not in their midst in person, but He was there by His Spirit, to teach and

guide them. The church that had grown up at Antioch was a true church, and it had not been

established by the apostles. Yet in this crisis its members did not take an independent position. They felt

their dependence upon God, and upon the advice of the leaders of the church at Jerusalem they

conformed their practice to the decision of the council"(Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 195).

Acts 15:22-29

●22Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to
Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barnabas,[a]and Silas, leading men among the
brethren.

●23They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles

in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.24Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you
with words, unsettling your souls,[a]saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave
no such commandment—25it seemed good to us, being assembled with one[a]accord, to send chosen men to you

with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.27We

have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.28For it seemed good to
the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:29that you abstain from
things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual[a]immorality. If you keep yourselves from
these, you will do well.

●Farewell.

Acts 15:30-35

30So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered

the letter31When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement

32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves

being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. encouragement.33And after they had

stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to[a]the apostles.34 [a]However, it seemed

good to Silas to remain there.35Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the

Lord, with many others also.

Some lessons learned from the church of Antioch

1.Good communication is essential in building unity and resolving disputes. After much discussion and debate about
whether Gentile believers needed to follow Jewish customs, the apostles and elders sent a letter to the Gentile
believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, explaining their decision and offering guidance on how to live as followers of
Jesus.

2.It's important to show respect and consideration for others, even when we disagree with them. In the letter sent to
the Gentile believers, the apostles and elders acknowledged that some of their fellow believers had caused them
trouble and were teaching false doctrine. However, they didn't single out these individuals or condemn them
outright; instead, they urged all believers to stay away from idolatry, sexual immorality, and eating meat that had
been sacrificed to idols.

3.We need to be diligent in following through on our commitments. After delivering the letter to Antioch, Judas and
Silas stayed for a time to encourage and strengthen the believers there. This showed that the apostles and elders
were serious about their decision and were willing to put in the effort to support the Gentile believers in their new
faith.

4.Finally, we see the importance of rejoicing and encouraging one another. When Judas and Silas returned to
Jerusalem, they reported back to the believers there about the great things that God was doing among the Gentile
believers. This reminded everyone that they were part of a larger, global community of faith, and that they could
take joy in each other's successes and be inspired to continue working together for God's kingdom.

Acts 15:36-41(Division over John Mark)

36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us
now go back and visit our brethren in every city where
we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how

they are doing.”

37 Now Barnabas [a]was determined to

take with them John called Mark.38But Paul insisted that
they should not take with them the one who had
departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with

them to the work.

39 Then the contention became so

sharp that they parted from one another. And so

Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;

40 but Paul

chose Silas and departed, being[a]commended by the

brethren to the grace of God.

41 And he went through

Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

How does these verses challenge you?

➢Acts 15:36-41 tells the story of a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over whether to take John Mark on
their missionary journey. Paul did not want to take John Mark because he had deserted them on a previous
journey, while Barnabas was willing to give him another chance. The disagreement was so strong that Paul and
Barnabas went their separate ways, with Paul choosing Silas as his new companion.

➢Ellen G. White often emphasized the importance of unity among Christians and the need to resolve disagreements
in a spirit of love and humility. She also believed that God could use even our failures and weaknesses for his
purposes. In this case, John Mark's previous failure could have been seen as an opportunity for growth and
redemption. White wrote, "God does not always choose for his work men of the greatest talents, but he selects
those whom he can best use" (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 443).

➢White also believed that God's plans are not always clear to us and that we must be willing to follow his leading,
even when it goes against our own preferences or expectations. In this case, Paul and Barnabas had different ideas
about what was best for their mission, but ultimately God used their disagreement to expand their efforts and
spread the gospel to new areas.

Multiple Choice

1. What was the issue being discussed at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15?

• whether or not Gentile converts to Christianity needed to be circumcised and follow Jewish customs in order to be saved.

• Jews wanted Gentiles to follow there tradition first

• Am no sure

• I don't know

Multiple Choice

2.Who were the key figures involved in the council, and what were their positions

• James the just,Peter,Paul,Banabas and Judaizers

• mes,Peter,Paul,Banabas and Judaizers

• ames the just,Peter,Paul,Banabas

• Paul,Banabas and Judaizers

Multiple Choice

3. How was the issue resolved at the council, and what were the implications of the decision?

• circumcision was a must

• Failed to Agree

• Christianity should not be required to follow Jewish customs. However, they were asked to abstain from certain practices that were considered to be particularly offensive to Jews, such as eating meat sacrificed to idols and consuming blood. This resolution was accepted by the council and a letter was drafted and sent to the Gentile churches

• I don't know

Multiple Choice

4. How did Paul and Barnabas react to the decision of the council, and what did they do afterward?

• Paul and Barnabas were excited

• The decision made them more confused

• Am not sure

• After the decision was reached at the Council of Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas accepted the outcome and returned to Antioch, where they shared the decision with the Gentile believers. They rejoiced and were encouraged by the news that they would not be required to follow Jewish customs such as circumcision.

Multiple Choice

6. How did the decision of the council affect the spread of Christianity among the Gentiles?

• It divided the church

• The decision of the Council of Jerusalem was a turning point in the history of Christianity, and it helped to establish a more inclusive and diverse community of believers. It also paved the way for the spread of Christianity among Gentiles, which helped to shape the religion into the global faith that it is today.

• Am not sure

• i don't know

Fill in the Blank

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Thank you(Mwebale nnyo)