Podcasts about testing god

Title: In Essentials: Unity; In Non-Essentials: Liberty Part 2 Text: Acts 15:7-21 FCF: We often struggle being unified under truth in the bonds of love and peace. Prop: Because God has purified a people from many nations by faith, we must pursue unity, liberty, and peace. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 15. In a moment we'll read from the Legacy Standard Bible starting in verse 1 and going through verse 21. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. The tag line of this preaching series reveals the entire message of Acts. It is all about the church, empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit to be united and triumphant. Well here in Acts 15, that unity and triumph faces its greatest test yet. Last week was part 1 of this pivotal moment in church history. Around 15 years after the ascension of Christ the church finds itself debating two deceptively complex and challenging questions regarding the nature of the ceremonial law and its bearing on the church. We have only just set the stage for the council discussion to unfold. Today, we will see how the debate goes and by extension, what the future of the church will look like. Please stand with me out of respect for and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Our Father in heaven, what kind of love you have given to us, that we should be called children of God! And by this we know that you abide in us, by the Spirit whom you have given us. Father, we beg you, send your Holy Spirit to us; surround us with His presence as we worship. Unify us in Him. We ask this for Jesus' sake…Amen. Transition: Although this is a two part sermon, this part is easily the longer of the two. So let us get right into the debate today and see what God has for us. I.) God cleanses all His children by grace, through faith, in Christ, so we must pursue unity, liberty, and peace. (7-12) a. [Slide 2] 7 - 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 would hear the word of the gospel and believe. i. We commented last week how there were really two issues facing the church. ii. Both of them concern the nature of the ceremonial law of Moses as applied to the church for Jews and Gentiles. 1. The first reaction or expression of this conundrum comes from the Judaizers. a. They make the chronological assessment that since all the Jews had to be Jews before they came to Christ, so also the Gentiles must be Jews first and then they can come to Christ. b. We pointed out last week that their error is primarily anthropological or concerning man. c. They assumed that the Jews who came to Christ were keeping the law well and needed Christ to complete their Judaism. d. Therefore, their assessment of the nature of man is flawed, in that they thought man was essentially able to please God and just need a little bit of Christ's help to do the rest. e. This is a distortion of the gospel and a variation of several heresies down through the ages and some still exist today. f. This distortion disagrees with the Word of God and paints man's condition as good or barely sick and needing only a little bit of help from God to undo it. g. But the gospel tells us that salvation is 100% a gift of God that He gives to His people by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. h. Mankind is not good, they are wicked. Mankind is not barely sick, they are incurably sick. Their status before God is condemned and children of wrath and they can do nothing to change it… yes… even keeping the law cannot help them get closer to God. i. In fact, as Jesus' presented in His ministry, it is the sinners, those who know they are helpless, who are closest to forgiveness. Those who think they can see and are little sinners are actually farther away from salvation. 2. But the second reaction or expression of this issue comes from the Pharisee Party. a. Theirs was not a soteriological issue but was purely ecclesiological. b. They did not question whether or not the Gentiles were truly believers even though they had not been circumcised nor were they keeping the ceremonial laws. c. They simply believed, that after a gentile came to Christ, they must become like the Jews and submit to the law of Moses. Conversion to Christ meant conversion into Judaism. Or at least a Messianic Judaism. iii. Given the nature of these two issues it makes sense that there was a good deal of discussion and debate surrounding them. Luke does not tell us the specifics about what was discussed between the apostles and Elders but he does record three separate testimonies at the very end of the council. iv. Peter is the first of these. He stands to speak gaining the attention of everyone there. v. He addresses the gathering as brothers, knowing that they all confess the truth of the gospel. The Judaizers apparently being absent from these proceedings. vi. The first point Peter makes concerns the providential plan of God to have him bring the gospel to the Gentiles very early in the history of the church. vii. Although it is difficult to know for sure, Cornelius coming to Christ may have been as early as the late AD 30s. Meaning that only a few years after Pentecost the Gentile mission had begun. viii. Peter also relays how it happened. Cornelius heard the word of the gospel and believed. ix. Now Cornelius was a God-Fearer. Meaning He was morally upright and believed that there was 1 God and that God was Yahweh the God of Israel. x. But he was not circumcised nor did he follow the ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic law. Yet he still heard the gospel and believed. xi. But was that enough? b. [Slide 3] 8 - “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; i. God took the belief of this man and his household and counted it to them as righteousness. ii. He gave the Holy Spirit to them based on their faith and on nothing else. iii. And this, as Peter recounted in Acts 11, was the exact same experience the Jews had. iv. They saw the Holy Spirit indwell them too after repentance and faith. v. They saw the Holy Spirit fill them to produce signs and wonders to authenticate His work. vi. All this was the same with Cornelius. vii. In fact… c. [Slide 4] 9 - and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. i. God treated Cornelius in the exact same way He did the Jews. ii. He looked only at whether or not they received by true faith the person and work of Jesus as the Messiah of God who died for their sin and arose according to the scriptures. iii. God did not consider or inspect their bodies for a sign of a covenant, nor did God inspect their ceremonial upkeep for signs of ritual purity. iv. Instead, He inspected their heart and gave the Holy Spirit based on faith alone. v. And notice that the cleansing came by faith not before it. Faith was the instrument God used to cleanse them. To purify them. vi. Peter is making a case both for the ceremonial laws not being required before conversion and after conversion. Purity laws are unnecessary because God has purified us all by faith in Christ. vii. Because this is true, Peter concludes … d. [Slide 5] 10 - “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? i. Peter's charge is heavy. Testing God is a rather aggressive charge to lay at the feet of the Pharisee Party. ii. Since God cleansed both Jews and Gentiles through the commonly held instrument of faith and did not regard who we were before it as something worthy of distinction or consideration… iii. The conclusion is, that after we are saved, after we are converted, after we are cleansed, there should not be another weight of purification or ceremony placed on anyone. iv. Peter does not say Gentiles here. He says disciples. v. Peter is not just advocating for Gentiles to not have to keep the ceremonial law of Moses, he is also advocating for Jews too to not have to keep the ceremonial laws of Moses. vi. Why? vii. God has purified us by faith in Christ. viii. Is it a sin to continue to keep the law of Moses? Peter does not make that case. ix. But he does add that even the Jews, even the pious Jews, have not been able to keep the ceremonial laws of Moses. x. Some of the Jerusalem dwelling Pharisees may have been scrupulous enough to keep most of the laws, perhaps not considering them to be too weighty, but Jews from anywhere else would have had a whale of a time doing the same. Peter being from Galilee would know a little about that. xi. Peter's point is that if they cannot keep themselves ceremonially clean yet God cleansed them by the instrument of faith in Christ… xii. Then they should not treat these laws as a command of God for the church to keep after faith in Christ. For faith in Christ has accomplished this for them… forever. e. [Slide 6] 11 - “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” i. Peter puts a contrasting word at the beginning of this. In contrast to the idea that we should put this weight upon the necks of Christ's disciples. Instead of that… ii. We believe that our salvation is the affect of the Lord's Jesus' grace. iii. We began in this faith by recognizing that we cannot do as God has asked of us and we needed a Savior. We began by confessing that Christ is that Savior. iv. Shall we continue in human effort to keep His law? Or shall we continue the same way we began? In grace, depending on Christ's favor to change our hearts to not only be able to serve Him but to desire to do so also. v. And so, Peter makes the connection between the two issues. vi. He addresses both the Judaizers and the Pharisee party. Refuting both. vii. We began by grace through faith in Christ… therefore we must continue by grace through faith in Christ. f. [Slide 7] 12 - And all the multitude kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. i. The response to Peter is silence. ii. The Pharisee party and those that tended to agree with them could not refute Peter's words. iii. And so, they listen now to Barnabas and Paul as they convey the same kind of idea that Peter did. iv. Proving that Peter's experience with the Gentiles was not a one off. Instead, this was the predictable and even repeated experience throughout Cyprus and Southern Galatia. v. Gentiles were turning to God through faith in Christ without first becoming Jews. And God was verifying this was happening by signs and wonders produced in them by the power of the Holy Spirit. g. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Peter, Paul, and Barnabas' argument is that God did not do anything different to save the Gentiles than He did to save the Jews. Even though the Gentiles were not circumcised and were not following the ceremonial law of Moses, God still, by grace, through faith, in Christ, cleansed their hearts. And if the hearts of believers are truly cleansed, it means that we no longer must keep the ceremonial laws as a binding command. Because of this, we must pursue unity in the essentials of the gospel being by grace, through faith in Christ… but also liberty to keep or not keep the ceremonial law according to personal conviction and pursue peace and love with one another. Transition: [Slide 9 (blank)] Experience and logic are used as the basis for Peter, Barnabas, and Paul's conclusions concerning the matter. But that would probably not be enough to convince everyone. And certainly, that should not be enough to convince us either. James, the half brother of Jesus the Messiah, and the Elder of the church of Jerusalem will stand next. And he will present a biblical argument for all that has been said. II.) God is creating a new people for himself out of many nations, so we must pursue unity, liberty, and peace. (13-21) a. [Slide 10] 13 - Now after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brothers, listen to me. i. So right on the heels of Barnabas and Paul giving testimony to their experience in Southern Galatia, James stands to speak. ii. James' position as an Elder in Jerusalem is somewhat uncertain. iii. Scholars think he probably took over the leadership of the church in Jerusalem sometime after Peter defended his actions about preaching to Cornelius. iv. Scholars assume that James was a friendly ear to conservative Jewish Christians, perhaps even suggesting that he was a member of or the leader of the Pharisee party. v. Paul records in Galatians that the Judaizers were from James, and we see that if the Judaizers were a heretical offshoot of the Pharisee Party and James was a primary leader within the Pharisee Party how both those could be true without laying blame on James. vi. Scholars even suggest that one of the reasons that James became the leading elder in Jerusalem was because of his faithfulness to being a good Jew keeping the laws of Moses. vii. If all this is true, then James' words at this council would bear significant weight. viii. If he sees things differently than Peter, Barnabas and Paul, then this thing could get ugly really quickly. b. [Slide 11] 14 - “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. i. James goes out of his way to address Peter with his Hebrew name. Rather than Cephas, Peter, or Simon, he calls him Simeon. No doubt as a way of cementing the idea that everyone who have spoken thus far have been Jews. ii. James leaves no uncertainty as to where he is going to land on this matter. iii. He summarizes what Peter has said by making a completely new point altogether. iv. James points out that God intended to form a people for his name from among the Gentiles. v. This not so subtly tells us how James saw this. vi. God was not bringing people out from the Gentiles to be Jews. Instead, he is bringing people out from among the Gentiles to be His people. vii. A people for His name. viii. James is indicating that God's people, called by His name, will be comprised of both Jews and Gentiles. And their identity as Jew or Gentile will be secondary to this new identity God is giving them. ix. Then James sets out to prove this by the scriptures. c. [Slide 12] 15 - “And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 - ‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE FALLEN BOOTH OF DAVID, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, 17 - SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' 18 - SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. i. James quotes from Amos 9:11-12. He certainly quotes the Septuagint but with some variation. ii. James points out how God will rebuild the Jews primarily to draw the rest of mankind to seek the Lord and save all the Gentiles who are called by His name. iii. God is not raising Israel so that the Gentiles can join it. He is raising Israel so He can make a new people from both Jews and Gentiles. iv. Now James makes a conclusion based on this text. d. [Slide 13] 19 - “Therefore I judge that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, i. James' words are primarily concerned with the second matter presented by the Pharisee Party. ii. Perhaps the fact of the gospel being by grace, through faith in Christ had been established enough for James to continue down the conclusion that Peter had begun. iii. In any case, his conclusion is the same as Peter's iv. The gentiles should not be troubled or burdened by the ceremonial law and becoming Jews. v. If they are turning to God by grace, through faith, in Christ – then they do not need the rest of the ceremonial practices of the Jews. vi. But then James suggests a compromise. vii. You see, if this thing is going to work, if the Jews and Gentiles are going to come together in one entity called the church, yes the Gentiles should not be forced to live like Jews, but that doesn't mean that the Gentiles can keep living like they always have either. viii. We remember how difficult it was for Peter to consider eating unclean meat or going to an uncircumcised man's house to share a meal, even though it was God Himself who told him to do so. ix. So also, it would be very difficult for Jewish Christians to square with some Gentile practices within the church. x. And even for Jews not yet converted to Christ, it would make evangelism all the more difficult with some Gentile practices. xi. So, James suggests some concessions by the Gentiles, to accommodate their Jewish brothers. e. [Slide 14] 20 - but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from sexual immorality and from what is strangled and from blood. i. Scholars present to us no fewer than 6 different sources for this list of concessions. ii. The one thing that all 6 have in common is that none of them adequately explain these 4 concessions. iii. Some sources include all 4, but also many more. Leaving us to wonder why only these 4 are mentioned. iv. Some sources omit one or two of these. v. Some scholars suggest, and I tend to agree, that rather than looking for a single source for all of these concessions, it would be better for us to assume that these are pulled from the law of Moses, current cultural practices of the Gentiles, and that they all have something to do with a Jew being rendered ritually unclean by associating with Gentiles who practice such things. vi. So, what are these concessions James proposes? vii. The first is that they abstain from things contaminated by idols. 1. As monotheists in a world surrounded by pagans, one of the core scruples a Jew would hold would be against even the pollution of idolatry. 2. Several times in the writings of the New Testament we find this issue arise about meat offered to idols and meat contaminated by idols. 3. Although it does seem like this prohibition lessens over time, even leading some to say that the church flip flopped on this issue, there is a good explanation for why the church might apply this rule in various degrees and it is right here in Acts 15:21, so we'll get to that in a moment. 4. The heart of this concession aims at the complete separation of the Gentile from his former pagan deities. 5. A Gentile disciple would certainly not continue to worship idols, but he may participate in festivals and feasts which also honor and worship a false god. In so doing, he would pollute himself and would then break fellowship with those Jews who are continuing to keep the ceremonial laws. 6. In light of this, Gentile believers should abstain, even from things associated with these idols. viii. Second is sexual immorality. 1. This concession is always the one that throws people for a loop. Why? 2. Because we know that sexual immorality is a law taken primarily from the moral law of God and not primarily from the ceremonial law. 3. Because of this, there have been several attempts to explain what Luke means by this term. a. Some suggest he means ritual pagan sexual practices. But this actually doesn't fix the problem. For why would Gentile Christians engage in these? And how is it merely a concession for them to stop? Should they not be commanded to stop? b. Some suggest that this refers to marital situations that would not have been wrong for the Gentiles but would have been wrong for the Jews… like marrying your sister. However, generally speaking in Roman society, it was still taboo to marry a close blood relative. So why make a concession that no one is really doing anyway? 4. My explanation is that the Jews saw sexual practice not only as a moral issue but also as a purity issue. There were certain ceremonial aspects of sexuality that would have bearing on whether or not Jews could fellowship with Gentile Christians and remain ritually clean. 5. That being said, I think, meaning I am about 60% sure, that James is referring to the entire sexual ethic of the Jews. 6. If the Gentile Christians want to make sure that they don't unintentionally render Jews or Jewish Christians ceremonially unclean, they must not deviate from the Jewish sexual ethic outlined in the Torah. 7. Of course, this would rule out the moral aspects of sexual relationships including adultery, homosexuality, incest, bestiality and others – but may also include when a Gentile Christian would choose to be intimate with their spouse. 8. For instance, under the ceremonial law, a husband and wife would be ritually unclean after being intimate until evening. Also, being intimate while the wife is unclean from menstruation, intentional or unintentional, would have ceremonial consequences. 9. Gentiles should take this ethic into account when planning to fellowship with Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ. ix. The third concession is to abstain from things strangled. 1. Most likely this is referring to the method of food preparation where an animal is strangled to death and then consumed. 2. This is probably not referring to a worship practice so much as a way of preparing food that goes counter to Jewish sensibilities. 3. The Jews, and the sojourners who dwelled among them, were instructed to drain the blood from an animal before cooking and consuming it. The reasoning was that the life was in the blood. 4. This points us back to a cultural law at that time that forbid Jews from eating at Gentiles' homes. This wasn't part of the Mosaic law, but it was in place because it was assumed that Gentiles would prepare their food in ways that would be unclean for Jews to eat. And therefore, would make them ritually unclean. 5. This concession is aimed at Gentiles forgoing that dietary privilege when entertaining Jews or Jewish Christians in their homes. x. The fourth concession is to abstain from blood. 1. Now in one way this might be a redundant accommodation because eating strangled meat would include eating meat with the blood cooked in it. 2. However, this could be a separate prohibition because of the tendency for Gentiles to cook with blood or make dishes with the blood of animals. 3. We have the same kind of concession here on the sensibilities of food preparation and how that would relate to eating with Jewish brothers and sisters as a Gentile. xi. But why are all these concessions made? And for how long? f. [Slide 15] 21 - “For from ancient generations, Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” i. These concessions directly relate to Gentiles and Jews being unified together in one church. ii. In order for this to work the Gentiles need to be sensitive of the ritual purity laws of their Jewish brothers and sisters, and do what they can to not lead them into ritual impurity. iii. And here in verse 21 we have James' reasoning for making these concessions. iv. The Jewish people have been scattered into many cities across the Roman empire. And the law of Moses has been taught for thousands of years in these places. v. In order to dwell peaceably with Jewish Christians and to not be a hindrance to more coming to Christ, the Gentiles must keep themselves from being unnecessarily offensive to them. vi. But as the church expands and becomes more and more Gentile and less and less Jewish, we see the need for these concessions disappear. g. [Slide 16] Summary of the Point: James' primary point is taken from the prophets. That God's plan has always been to make a new people for Himself from many nations. His plan was not to join the nations to the Jews but that the whole world would be His. In this James points out that 1 cultural or ethical background will not permeate the Kingdom of God. Indeed, many cultures and ethical backgrounds will comprise the church. He concludes that liberty should characterize the church on this issue. First, that the Gentiles ought not to have the trouble of the ceremonial law placed upon them. No, Gentiles should not look like Jews. But also, that Gentiles should not look like Gentiles anymore either. Instead, for the sake of harmony and unity, liberty is compromise between both. The gentiles will not be forced to keep the ceremonial law, but the Gentiles will also, for the love of their Jewish brothers, not trouble THEM by engaging in practices that render them unclean. Conclusion: So what should we learn from this passage today my friends? How then shall we live? Doctrinal Takeaway: [Slide 17] Peter, Paul, Barnabas and James combine together to show to the council assembled in Jerusalem and through Luke to us as well, that God performs the same work of salvation to every man. No man comes better prepared than another. God saves by grace, through faith in Christ. And in that salvation, He purifies us by the instrument of faith. We are washed clean by the blood of the covenant. And what God has cleansed cannot be polluted. God has done this to make a people for Himself from every nation that the church may be made up of the whole world and not one cultural background. The application from all this is that the church must pursue uniformity in the gospel essentials but also liberty for the sake of gospel fellowship. Peter emphasized how the gospel must be uniformly received as a gift of God which He bestows on His people through grace by faith in Christ. And Peter and James emphasize that they should neither trouble the Gentiles with the ceremonial laws of Moses, nor should they trouble the Jews with carefree disregard for their desire for ritual purity. Each people group must not force the other to be like they are, but must instead be united together in the church and maintaining fellowship with one another in peace and love. But what does this mean for us? We are all Gentiles here. We have no Jews in our midst trying to keep the ceremonial law? Well, let me try to bring this to our everyday. 1.) [Slide 18] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must believe that God saves every single person the same way – by grace through faith in Christ. a. On the surface this seems like a fairly benign doctrine. b. Not too many people would say that God saves people differently based on who they are. c. But where this breaks down is in the specifics of doctrine. d. When we start to define grace, faith and how God uses these as instruments to bring His people to Christ. e. When we start to talk about the true nature of man and their absolute helplessness in approaching or seeking God. f. Some people believe that you must clean up your life and live righteously before you can be saved. g. Some Christians believe that God chooses to save people based on their own willingness to believe on Him. h. But the scriptures show us that no matter how close or far away, no matter how righteous, and no matter how fast you believe – God is the only actor in our salvation. i. He is the giver of grace, faith, and of His Messiah. j. Salvation from top to bottom is a pure and free gift that God freely gives. k. He does not show distinction based on who you were before. He still must give grace and faith to save you. l. And it is through grace and by faith that He cleanses the heart of man. These are instruments of His work in us. m. Certainly, our willingness to believe and our righteous living has a place in all that… but the place comes after He gives grace and faith in Christ to us. n. Every single person who is saved is saved in exactly the same way… and the only way that is true is if salvation is all of Him and none of us. And when it is all of Him and none of us – who then can boast? 2.) [Slide 19] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that God has a special nation or culture we all must join. a. If any nation or culture on earth had the right to think that the church should be like them, it was the Jews. b. Yet here we find definitive prove from the scriptures that God's desire was not to form a New Covenant where everyone became Jews. c. Instead, He formed a New Covenant where a new people is being gathered who are called by His name from every nation on earth. d. This New Nation is uniform and united in the majority of their beliefs and practices. e. But this does not mean that God has gathered His people to be identical. He has not made the church to be Jewish, or European, or Western, or middle eastern, or eastern, or American. The church is global. It is a nation without borders. f. We aren't going to all look alike. And that is ok. g. Those of you who have gone on missions trips where you have observed the church in a culture that is distinct from you own will know that the church functions very differently in various parts of the world. But the same core truths and the law of Christ is written on every heart of those who truly believe. h. So we must be careful we do not make the same mistake as the Pharisee Party insisting that every church and every believer be uniform in everything. i. There was an old believer visiting the United States from Japan. He had long served as a national pastor in his home land and wanted to come to America to give report with the missionary who had been supporting his work there. ii. In his best English he gave testimony to God's grace and work at a church in Alabama. Afterward the pastor of this church asked the man and the missionary to go out to eat. The meal went along splendidly, but when the bill came the Japanese man did not even try to give a tip to the waitress. So the pastor suggested that he cover the tip. With a kind smile the Japanese pastor gave a firm, no. iii. The Southern Pastor' hospitality was hurt over this. How could this sweet old Japanese man be so ungrateful and rude to the waitress that served him? He felt obligated to show his brother his sin. Before doing so his wife advised that he talk to the missionary first before going to the old Japanese pastor. iv. In doing so the missionary told him that in Japan it is a great insult to tip a waiter or waitress. It is a sign of pity and shame. To tip would be a very rude and unkind gesture. v. The pastor suddenly understood this teaching. Just because we may perceive something as rude or unkind or as good and profitable does not mean that all the church everywhere must see the same. i. Let us be uniform in the essentials and at peace in the rest. 3.) [Slide 20] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must sacrifice liberties for the sake of our brothers and sisters. a. One of the earliest changes we made to our constitution after I became the pastor here was to lay some language in the membership covenant regarding living in peace and in liberty with one another. b. In one of those statements, we challenge ourselves to consider others more highly “than ourselves by forgoing liberties when others will follow our example and sin against their own conscience.” c. Among other passages, Acts 15 is at the core of this statement in our membership covenant. d. James' concessions for the Gentiles are an expression of this very teaching. e. James does not want the liberties of the Gentiles, which he agrees they should have, to disrupt or even break the fellowship the church is sharing between Jewish and Gentile believers. f. One way that fellowship would be broken is if the Jews would violate their own consciences and also partake in these liberties. g. For a Jew who had determined to follow the purity laws to forgo them because his Gentile brothers were doing so – he would sin against his conscience. For he thought something was wrong and did it anyway. h. As a safeguard for this – we should be ready, willing, and quick to lay aside our liberties for the sake of our brothers and sisters. i. From consumption of alcohol to dress, to music preferences, to hairstyles, we must be ready to discard our liberties if it will lead others to sin. j. And even if they are not led to sin, it is a very unkind thing to flaunt our liberties before people who we know consider such a thing, sin for them. Such an attitude is at best thoughtless and at worst arrogant and uncaring. k. Instead, we must pursue peace with our brothers and sisters – in love and liberty. Being willing to cast it all aside so that they may live abundantly for the Lord. l. But… on the flip side… 4.) [Slide 21] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must not impose our personal convictions on others. a. Our constitution also says, that we must consider others better “than ourselves by loving and fellowshipping with those that do not share our personal convictions.” b. Though those with liberties should be willing to forgo those liberties for the sake of others… those with personal convictions, with particular standards on alcohol use, dress, music preferences, hairstyles and so forth… they must not insist or impose those convictions on others. c. This is the tyranny of the weaker brother. d. The church is not to fall to the lowest common denominator. Those with the highest scruples should not set the tone. How do we know that? e. “We should not lay this burden or trouble on the gentiles…” f. The entire ceremonial law of Moses did not apply for the Gentiles. Wow. g. The tyranny of the weaker brother is absolutely rejected. h. Now what we have said before holds true. If the whole church believes that drinking one drop of alcohol is sin, and there is uniformity in that, then it should be applied that way and lived that way. i. But if each person has come to a different conclusion, then we must pursue peace and even compromise. j. Even down to listing out some points that we can all agree to in order to live a peace with one another or even to prevent future problems. k. This was demonstrated for us in Acts 15… and it must be how we do it today. 5.) [Slide 22] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God is making a new people for Himself from the whole world. a. God didn't make us all Jews. b. He didn't make us all Gentiles. c. God is saving the world and making them… His. d. He is conforming them… not to Jews. Not to Gentiles. But to Christ. e. Praise the Lord for His love for us. He is good. Amen and Amen. [Slide 23 (end)] Let me close with a prayer from the Apostolic Confessions Almighty and everlasting God, just as grain was once scattered, but has now been gathered and baked into one loaf, so would you also gather your church from the ends of the earth and bring them into your kingdom? Our Father, we also thank you for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for us, and for his precious body, which we celebrate and portray here-just as he himself commanded, to "proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). For through him, glory is to be given to You forever, amen. Benediction: May the feeblest among you be like David, May the God who gives encouragement and endurance, Give you the Spirit of unity as you follow Christ, So that with one heart and one mouth we may together, Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Until we meet again… Go in Peace.

Nobody wants to be called GREEDY. BUT… what if this thing that we say we despise is actually something that's a part of each of us? And what if this characteristic we say we hate is actually within each of us??

Tea Time 23: Do you have a habit of playfully testing God?    I sometimes say what I can to get what I want out of my moments with God, and that really is not a good thing.  I believe He listens to what we want, but I also believe that we should get to know Him and not test the limits.

Testing God is demanding that He prove Himself. “Why?” is one of the common words we use when we are grading God's paper. We have forgotten our place. God will remind us. Whenever we publicly vent our anger against the leaders over us, we are publicly calling God out. We're accusing God of doing wrong to us.

A new MP3 sermon from Covenant Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Testing God?! Subtitle: EXODUS Speaker: Kenneth E Klett Broadcaster: Covenant Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday - AM Date: 5/26/2024 Bible: Exodus 7:1-7 Length: 24 min.

Sir Thomas More used to tell about a friend who was an addicted gambler.  Concerned for him and his family, More used to plead with him to stop his gambling and start supporting his family.

Thanks for joining us today as well continue in our series into the wilderness. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out at info@bedrockroanoke.com

Message preached Sunday March 3rd, 2024

Homilies from St. Anne's. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

The toll of stress on educators, on the School Me podcast Today's labor history: The Missouri Highway sit-down Today's labor quote: WWI Mediation Commission @NEAToday @wpfwdc @AFLCIO #1u #UnionStrong #LaborRadioPod Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

The toll of stress on educators, on the School Me podcast Today's labor history: The Missouri Highway sit-down Today's labor quote: WWI Mediation Commission @NEAToday @wpfwdc @AFLCIO #1u #UnionStrong #LaborRadioPod Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

What do we do with modern-day "prophets", or people claiming to see visions from God? Is it wrong to "test" God by being skeptical? Let's discuss that, and all the movements (Mormons, Islam, Pentecostals) who need to think about this! Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foundcausepodcast Podbean (download episodes): http://foundcause.podbean.com/ @ Us On Twitter: @found_cause

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent by Dr. John Bergsma. Advent Weekday (O Clavis David) First Reading: Isaiah 7: 10-14 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 24: 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent by Dr. John Bergsma. Advent Weekday (O Clavis David) First Reading: Isaiah 7: 10-14 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 24: 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Ever wondered if your faith might be unintentionally leading you towards financial irresponsibility? In this episode, we unravel a subtle but crucial pattern among Christian female entrepreneurs—confusing faith with irresponsibility in money matters.

A tested, hardened, straying, evil and unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. I. Be warned by Israel's unbelief, vv7-11. II. Examine your own heart, vv7-11. III. Don't fall away, v12.

Malachi 3:10 This passage has an important lesson about trusting and testing God. In this study, Evangelist Jacob Holman looks at the challenges God gives us and the commitment He makes if we accept the challenge.

MALACHI 3:7-12CHAPTER 37 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?' 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

In this Bible Story, Sarah passes away and God continues his promise through Isaac. He provides Isaac with a wife, Rebekah, and the two loved one another deeply. This story is inspired by Genesis 24. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year. Today's Bible verse is Genesis 24:26 from the King James Version. Episode 17: Abraham is dying, and it's time for his son to have a wife. So he sends his most loyal servant on a mission to go to his homeland to find a wife for his son. As Abraham's servant was at the well in that town, he prayed, and God delivered unto him the woman Rebekah, who would become the wife of Isaac. Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham. Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories. Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living. This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality. Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store. Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max Bard Producer: Ben Gammon Hosted by: Pastor Jack Graham Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith Bible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exodus 17:1-7

Reading and Lessons from History Psalms 78. Asaph retells the history of the Jewish nation from the time of slavery in Egypt to David's reign. It was told over and over to each generation so they would not forget God and make the same mistakes as their ancestors. God's patience and mercy are clearly revealed in this psalm. Over and over His people rebelled in unfaithfulness, yet God restrained His anger. Blessings Presiding Elder Barbara Hayes LAB

We want to give out of faith and trust in God, not out of duty! | Fall Heart for the House

We want to give out of faith and trust in God, not out of duty! | Fall Heart for the House

It seems that more and more these days, people are hyper-interested in politics. Often we hungrily gobble down all the political talk we hear, without stopping to ask, -Where is my heart in all of this-----Here in this passage, the Herodians and the Pharisees band together to try to trap Jesus in His words. They asked Him if Caesar had a right to impose taxes. Sadly, they call Him Teacher, but they don't want to be taught- they say that He is true, but they don't believe it. After making them admit that the denarius had a mark of Caesar's authority, Jesus made it clear that paying taxes was a necessary part of the civil government that they were living under. --But there was more in Jesus' answer than a political lesson. These men were not paying to God what rightfully belonged to Him. They were willing to pay taxes to the government, but they also owed obedience to Jesus - the icon or image of the Father. Yet they were rebels against Him and refused to love the Lord and their neighbor. --You can be obsessed with politics and your own power, but all you are doing is building your own kingdom instead of God's. He puts rulers in power, whether for our good or for our bad, but always for His glory. Does your obedience to God depend on your political party winning-- --Jesus Christ is still King, even today. He still sits on His throne. Kingdoms rise and fall, but His Kingdom is not of this world. Do not put your trust in any political leader, or you will be sadly disappointed. Give to the Lord what belongs to Him-

latestLatest episode of the podcast. Please consider sponsoring a class online in someones merit, memory or refuah shelemah. You can donate here in the app or send us an email at info@ejsny.org with the dedication you want to make. Thanks! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rabbifarhi/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rabbifarhi/support

Did the spies have to enter the Promised Land? Who gave them that assignment and did the punishment fit the 'crime'? Also: Is happiness or negativity a produce of nature or nurture? Sensitivity to others is a habit that, for many, requires vigilance and honing. Pull Up a Chair 08JUNE2023 - PODCAST

• TEACHING SLIDES • SERMON REFLECTIONS

By Pastor Dan NashTemptation BasicsJesus is the Truth and Faithful Son, Unlike IsraelJesus Resists Satan in Testing God's PromisesJesus does not Covet and Fall to IdolatrySatan Tempts us in the Same Ways: Follow Jesus to Overcome Sin and Grow in Faithful Maturity

Does God have to prove himself to us? Does God need to tell us why He does what He does? Have we ever been tempted to put God to the test? Deuteronomy 6:16 (Given:07/29/2007)Support the show

Everybody can't be the leader! The Lord's half-brother Jude saw threats to the early church, and noticed similarities to much older attacks on the people of God. We need to be on guard against these in our time. And that's why we've kept a bookmark in Jude, and turned back to the Book of Numbers for a look at Korah's rebellion. In Numbers 16 Korah challenges Moses, and it doesn't go well. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS09092022_0.mp3Scripture References: Jude 1:11; Numbers 16

Tyrants often claim to be champions of democracy. Jude was concerned about the church, her leadership and her doctrine. We've been giving careful consideration to his warnings over the past few days. We've looked into what made both Cain and Balaam tick. Now we turn to the story of Korah's Rebellion for insight into a crooked politician. Was Korah a "man of the people?" Or was he just another son of the first rebel? The sermon is called, Testing God's Truth. Here's Jim. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS09082022_0.mp3Scripture References: Jude 1:11; Numbers 16