Sharp Dispute

July 19

(Acts 15:1-2 NIV)  "Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." {2} This 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.”

(Acts 15:5 NIV) “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 obey the law of Moses."

Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel to the Gentiles, and many were saved. But then some Pharisees came from Jerusalem and told the new converts, “You must do more. If you want to really get right with God, you must obey all the Laws of Moses and be circumcised.” Paul and Barnabas disputed this claim, and a heated argument ensued. The debate was so significant that a council meeting with the apostles and elders of the Church was organized in Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas did not just go off and start a new group of their own. They knew that the Church belonged to Christ, not them. They preached accountability, and practiced accountability. Some of the greatest doctrines of the Church have evolved from great disputes. Disagreement is not a bad thing when it seeks truth, and leads to prayer and godly dialogue. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day    

Come Apart and Rest

July 18

(Acts 14:28 NIV) “And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”

(Mark 6:31 NIV) ““Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.””

After Paul and Barnabas reported on the churches they had planted, Scripture says they stayed in Antioch a long time. After an extended time in dangerous and high-pressure situations, they needed to rest and recharge, and that’s what they did. They would go out again, for that was their calling -- but for a time they had no qualms about taking it easy in order to regain their strength. Even apostles need rest. Jesus taught this concept to his disciples and we would do well to follow suit. In Mark 6:31, Jesus led His disciples to a quiet place where they could get some rest. Some older translations have Jesus saying, “Come apart with me for a while.” There is a Sabbath principle at work here, for even today, if we do not “come apart” for rest, we will eventually come apart. Constant work and stress with no relief, leads to breakdowns. Work hard for Jesus, but also take time to rest. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Maintaining Accountability

July 17

(Acts 14:24-27 NIV)  "After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, {25} and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. {26} From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. {27} On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”

(Luke 10:16-17 NIV) ““He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” {17} The seventy–two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.””

(Mark 6:30-31 NIV) “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. {31} Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

When Paul and Barnabas had finished their first missionary/church planting journey they returned to their home base in Antioch, and reported on what was accomplished. That’s accountability. They gave glory to God for what He had done, and it wasn’t for the purpose of raising funds. They were simply reporting -- being accountable to the brothers and sisters who had sent them out. Accountability is in short supply today. Be it individual Christians or large church bodies, we all covet “independence”. One of the first questions asked by many church-shoppers is, “Are you part of a denomination?” Being “independent” is now seen as a great spiritual virtue. But this is not what we see in the New Testament church. Accountability was highly valued… by Jesus, and by Paul the apostle. In light of the biblical record, perhaps we need to rethink our penchant for valuing “independence”. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Appointing Leaders

July 16

(Acts 14:23 NIV)  "Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.”

(Mark 3:13-15 NIV) “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. {14} He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach {15} and to have authority to drive out demons.

(Hebrews 5:1-4 NIV) “Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. {2} He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. {3} This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. {4} And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.”

Paul and Barnabas knew that the churches they planted would need godly leaders. So they fasted and prayed for wisdom, asking God to show them who He wanted to lead His churches. When they discerned those leaders, they appointed them to be elders. Notice that this wasn’t an election. It was an appointment to godly leadership by godly leaders. In doing this, Paul and Barnabas followed the ways of Jesus, who had also prayed and appointed disciples based on gifting and calling, rather than on popularity or education level. Too many times today, church leaders are chosen because of status, degrees, popularity, or how many books they have written. Paul and Barnabas looked more at whether or not a leader was gifted by God to teach the word, and whether or not that leader had a call to ministry. Churches would do well to follow that pattern today. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day