Sermon Bible And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Acts 15:9 The three great outbreakings of selfishness in our unrenewed nature are: (1) Pride—the inordinate valuing of ourselves; (2) Covetousness—the inordinate valuing of created objects; (3) Self-indulgence—the inordinate valuing of that which created objects can bring us. From each of these justifying faith in Christ purifies our hearts. Take I. Pride. This is setting up the honour of self above the, honour of God. It is self-worship, and refuses to recognise any righteousness but self-righteousness. Now watch the effect of justifying faith on this sin. What is the very prime object of faith? What do I receive into my heart if I realise Christ's work for me? Is it not this, that the mighty God, He who is higher than the highest, laid aside all His glory and came down into the depth of humiliation for me? If I love Christ, if I am changed into Christ, how can I be proud? how can I honour self, worship self? And accordingly we see that pride is the very first obstacle that must be cleared away before a man can believe on Christ. The life of faith is the death of pride. II. Covetousness. The opposite of covetousness is the love which imparts to others. The very highest example of this love is He on whom justifying faith is fixed. If my inner regards are really fixed on Him who gave all He had, yea Himself, for me; if this blessed self-devotion of Christ be really apprehended in my heart; if I be really fused into and united with such a course as this, where is there room in me for covetous desires? III. Self-indulgence. Has faith a charm to draw the eye from its desire—a gem before which the jewels of this earth are dull? Yes, for who is its object? Is it not He who has solemnly told us that none can be His disciple without daily self-denial? The Christian who lives by faith in Christ can and does enjoy in the best and highest sense the true delight of social intercourse, the true kindnesses of companionship; but the Christian who lives by faith in Christ cannot be a seeker of pleasure, cannot surrender his noble privilege of self-denial, in the bondage in which he sees the children of the world fettered. Faith is an enemy to self-indulgence no less than to pride and covetousness. H. Alford, Quebec Chapel Sermons, vol. iv., p. 206. References: Acts 15:9.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiii., No. 1350. Acts 15:11.—Ibid., vol. xiii., No. 765; Preacher's Monthly, vol. iv., p. 36. Acts 15:28.—J. J. S. Perowne, Sermons, p. 134. Acts 15:30, Acts 15:31.—R. D. B. Rawnsley, Village Sermons, 4th series, p. 31. Acts 15:36.—Homilist, vol. iv., p. 51; W. Adamson, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxxii., p. 163. Acts 16:1.—Preacher's Monthly, vol. viii., p. 309. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. William Robertson Nicoll's Sermon Bible Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub |
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