Acts 15:23-29 And they wrote letters by them after this manner… I. THE SPIRIT WHICH IS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT. Several particulars are included here. 1. Their ardent love for Christ Jesus. It was not always thus with these men. Paul's object was to root out the name of the Saviour. What occasioned then this marvellous change? In his case they were very extraordinary means. In other cases, the means are ordinary. The Spirit of God convinces them of sin, shows them that they have no help in themselves; but must accept Christ and His cross. And then they love Christ. They love Him(1) For dignity of His person. (2) For the perfection of His atonement. They "love Him because He first loved them."(3) Because He has taken their nature and their cause to heaven. When they see this, it is impossible but their hearts should glow with love to such a Saviour. The life He so dearly bought becomes His, and they "hazard it" willingly in His service. 2. Their high estimation of the gospel. Man is a depraved creature. This depravity exhibits itself in different forms; in one country in idolatry, in another in blasphemy, etc. Philosophers have bent over the scene and wept, and politicians have devised innumerable schemes to recover fallen creatures. But they have failed. Now God sent the gospel to redeem and sanctify man. Now the men, that "hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus," believed that there was "no other name whereby men might be saved"; and therefore they published it. They had the conviction of an enlightened understanding, and an experimental enjoyment of the truth. 3. Their tender compassion for lost souls. Christ's value met their enlightened judgment. "What shall it profit a man," etc. They saw millions of immortal spirits, hurrying on to irremediable woe. Now when the men had this remedy, and saw souls in this condition, and had their hearts lighted with the heavenly fire, you do not wonder that they went forth and "hazarded their lives" to communicate it to lost souls. 4. The aggressive spirit in which they attempted to set up Christ's kingdom. They did not wait till a petition came from these miserable souls, requesting them to send the gospel; or till a door was opened by some special act of the government of the country, or a change of opinion took place among the people; but wherever they could open their lips for Jesus Christ, there they went, though edicts were issued against them, and they were imprisoned and reviled and threatened with death. 5. Their exalted character in the opinion of the Church. They selected them to go on an important embassy, as men who copied most of their Master's spirit. It appeared to them, that the chief excellency was in "hazarding their lives for Him." Doubtless many in their day considered them very visionary men, and thought they had better not plunge rashly into things; but "the apostles and elders," those who had love to Christ, thought their zeal their glory, and held it up to the imitation and approbation of the Church. II. LESSONS. 1. We see in the text a picture of fallen and of regenerated humanity; and among which class are you? Here is one class of men, opposing those who come to them with the gospel; here is another, ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. "He that is not with Me is against Me." 2. A suitable apology for all those who exhibit the same conduct. By many it has been upbraided as zeal without knowledge. But here is the answer; it is done "for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." A soldier "hazards his life," it may be, for fortune, for fame, for honour. But here are men who "hazard their lives," without honour, fame or fortune, "for the name of Jesus Christ." 3. One of the modes by which God augments the number of His servants and the efficiency of their service. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." It is not the cold, calculating, cautious men, who carry measures either in Church or in state; but the men who "hazard their lives" for the cause which they undertake. 4. The honour which God puts upon us by permitting us to send out such men to evangelise the world. 5. A spirit worthy of imitation. Who is willing to "hazard his life for the name of our Lord Jesus?" (J. Sherman.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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: |
    |