Read: Acts 15:22-17:15
Every time there is a new move of God there is friction and a transition phase that is sometimes messy. They didn’t know what to do with all these Gentile believers. Some thought they should be circumcised and others thought they shouldn’t. Finally they decided that they should just not eat food offered to idols and to not eat the blood or meat from animals that had been strangled. This all seems foreign to us…we have our own set of rules we want people to follow that come to our churches.
Paul and Barnabas went back to visit the churches they had started and there was some contention in the leadership. We are human beings so there is always going to be troubles and challenges in relationships. We have to make our decisions based on what is best for the kingdom and do it with love. Paul ended up leaving by himself. Paul mentored a young man named Timothy. He encouraged Timothy to be circumcised to honor the Jews he was ministering to. Sometimes we should choose to lay down our freedom to honor someone else’s lack of maturity. Jesus did that many times in his life.
Paul saw many people come to faith in Christ. One of them was a wealthy lady named Lydia who brought the disciples into her home and met their needs. They cast out a spirit of divination from a young girl who brought her master much money. Her master became so mad that Paul had destroyed his dream of wealth that he slandered Paul and Silas and had them beat and thrown into prison. God had a plan for them there. They ended up winning the jail keeper and his whole family to the Lord. The next day they were set free.
They left for Thessalonia where there was so much dissension and spiritual warfare that they were dragged before the city council. They posted bond and escaped to Berea where the people were much more receptive to the gospel.
Lord, may this remind us that we are in a battle and many are apposed to our message but it is the truth.
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