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“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” It always seems that just when you begin to make some headway in resolving an issue in your life, another obstacle gets in your path. One step forward and two steps back. I’m sure you’ve experienced this process in your own life, I know I have. You fix one item just to discover two more that need your attention. You resolve one issue just to turn around and be confronted by two or three more that need to be resolved. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. That’s life, right? It happens at home, it happens at work, and it also happens at church. Paul and Barnabas had received support and confirmation by the Jerusalem church regarding their teachings and vindication from the attacks upon them by the Judaizers who had come from Jerusalem to Antioch. Their work among the Gentiles and their insistence on salvation by grace through faith in Jesus was acknowledged and affirmed by the Apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church. The challenging and uphill work of evangelism among the Gentiles seemed to be leveling out and the door of opportunity seemed to be swinging back open. Let’s look first at the encouragement and affirmation, then we will deal with the new and dangerous roadblock that suddenly sprang up… First, I doubt that most of us really comprehend the level of discomfort and the change that must have taken place in the hearts and minds of these Jewish Christians in the Jerusalem church during this period. The Jews had long taken pride and found deep affirmation in the knowledge that THEY alone were the people of God. While I have spent quite a bit of time on this topic lately trying to show that the promises of God in scripture have always included a time when the Gentiles would be brought into the fulfillment of these promises, historically this was not the case and is still not the case among ethnic Jews. They were and are God’s people and to come to God you must embrace Judaism and become a Jewish proselyte. That’s the mindset and worldview these first century Jewish Christians knew and in which they lived. Yet, I want you to notice the outcome of the Jerusalem Council and the letter issued by that church to the Antioch church and the churches that Paul and Barnabas had established during their journey. Did they issue an edict against certain Gentile religious rites and practices? Yes, but it dealt primarily with dietary issues that would cause division between the Jewish and Gentile believers and with two core moral issues prevalent in their culture, idolatry and sexual immorality. It was a letter designed to bring about unity and fellowship among two very culturally diverse populations. In fact, this becomes very obvious in their choice of wording in the letter’s greeting: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.” A letter from brothers, to brothers. I’ve mentioned before that I am one of four boys, four brothers. We’ve had our differences, our disagreements and, yes, even our fights (most of those fights were when we were kids, honestly) but in the end we are brothers and we stick together. We might pick on one another, but you had better not pick on one of us or you’ll rouse the others to his defense. Brother to brother, we’ve got each other’s back. While my brothers and I live very far from one another (one in Italy, one in California, and two in Oklahoma), if one of them needed my help I would do everything I could to be there as quickly as possible. I know you’d likely do the same for your brothers or sisters, right? The church is a family of brothers and sisters, united in the love of our Lord. Let me state some things that should be obvious, but are often overlooked. We are brothers and sisters (family) regardless of our ethnic background or racial differences. We are family regardless of our political affiliations or disagreements. We are family regardless of our cultural or social structure differences. When we sit together at the table of our Lord, all of those differences are stripped away by His atoning grace and our need for mercy and forgiveness. Next, notice that their letter comes not just from the Apostles but also from the church elders (pastors/teachers/shepherds) and it comes from them united together “in one accord.” This wasn’t some power move by the Apostles to exercise their authority and control over the new Gentile churches, this was from one group of concerned and loving churches to another. When one group of believers sees another heading off into heresy or loss of faith then we are obligated to speak up in love and offer instruction and guidance. The Judaizers had “unsettled” and “troubled’ the Antioch church. The Jerusalem church offers instruction and guidance and the Antioch church received it and it brought them encouragement, peace and strength through the teaching and preaching of Judas and Silas. Whenever the church begins to grow stronger and closer then the enemy is not far away trying to bring strife and discord. As the Antioch church grows numerically, spiritually and in fellowship the enemy tries to thwart and stop their growth. Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch teaching and preaching after the Jerusalem delegation returned home. “After some days,” Paul suggests to Barnabas that they go and visit the churches they had previously established in Antioch of Pisidia and the surrounding region. I’m certain that he wanted to check on them, encourage and teach them and share the letter from the Jerusalem church with them. As you may remember, Barnabas and Paul had taken John Mark with them on the previous trip. However, Mark turned back and abandoned the work when they arrived in the port town of Perga in Pamphylia (see Acts 13:13). While we aren’t told why Mark turned back, it seems apparent that Paul still harbored some lingering animosity towards Mark regarding the situation. However, Barnabas wants to bring him along and give him a chance to redeem himself. Both men are incredible spiritual leaders and had just been teaching the Antioch church about God’s grace, love and the fellowship they enjoy with the other brothers through the unifying work of God’s Spirit. Now, they are so angry with one another that they split up and go different directions. Barnabas takes Mark and sails to Cyprus while Paul takes Silas and heads back to Perga, Lystra, Derbe and Pisidian Antioch. One step forward, two steps back. We often place our spiritual mentors and leaders on a pedestal. While it is certainly appropriate to place Christ there, it is inappropriate and dangerous to place others there. No matter how hard they work, how godly they are, how diligent they work at guarding their hearts, they will always fail to live up to the standard of perfection we expect from them and they will, at some point, fall from that pedestal of perfection. After all, they are frail and sinful men just as we are. While I am not trying to make excuses for personal failure, I am trying to remind you that we all do fail. Excuses? Forgiveness and grace? Absolutely. In the past, I’ve attempted to determine who was right and who was wrong in this situation. We often try and place blame. However, when we try and place blame on someone in a situation like this, we may be simply trying to justify our own sinful actions or decisions. No doubt, as Paul and Barnabas separated and went in different directions, one was blaming the other for their anger in this situation. “If he would have just listened to reason…” “If he wasn’t so stubborn and hard headed…” I’ve now come to the realization that Paul and Barnabas were both wrong. How can I be so sure? Easy. Listen to Luke’s description, “there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.” Two incredible leaders who had just been teaching the church about unity despite differences are now in “sharp disagreement” and “separated from each other.” Let me end with an observation and lesson regarding Paul and Barnabas’ disagreement and separation. As I mentioned above, I believe they were both at fault in this situation. Some like to point out that this disagreement between Paul and Barnabas resulted in two missionary teams going to different areas. Some have even suggested that this was God’s design and purpose. Let me state emphatically, God can redeem these circumstances and bring good out of the bad but He did NOT intend for Paul and Barnabas to contradict the very things they had just taught and part ways in anger. “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace…” (1 Corinthians 14:33a ESV) “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV) What does this mean for you and me? Two Lessons: 1) We should avoid spiritual hypocrisy by living and acting in a manner consistent with what we say we believe; 2) God is even able to redeem our failures for His glory when we fail in keeping #1. While I don’t believe it was God’s will that Paul and Barnabas separate over this sharp disagreement regarding John Mark, I know God was able to redeem the situation and use both teams. He was even able to redeem John Mark and reunite him with Paul. While we do not have any evidence that Paul and Barnabas participated in another trip together, we do have evidence that Paul discovered the value in John Mark. Listen to Paul’s admonition to Timothy late in his life: “Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:11 ESV) So, let me encourage you to see the potential in others even when they may have failed at some point. God’s grace is powerful, effective and quite capable of redeeming those of us who have failed Him miserably. And if you find yourself in Mark’s shoes, repent, seek restoration and remember that God is able to redeem even the worst of us. Just ask Paul… “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15 ESV) Lesson Note: Some of you may have noticed that verse 24 is missing in the passage above. The missing verse is not in the oldest manuscripts of Acts, so it is omitted by many of the new translations. While the information in that missing verse (that Silas remained in Antioch) appears to be entirely accurate, based on subsequent verses, it is omitted in newer translations to preserve the historical accuracy of the text.
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प्रेरित अध्याय 15 त्यसपछि कतिपय मानिसहरू यहूदियाबाट एन्टिओकमा आए। तिनीहरूले गैर- यहूदी दाज्यु-भाइहरूलाई शिक्षा दिन शूरू गरेः “मोशाको व्यवस्था अनुसार जब सम्म खतना हुदैनौ तबसम्म तिमीहरूको मुक्ति हुने छैन।” 2 पावल र बर्णाबास यस्तो शिक्षाको घोर विरोधी थिए अनि तिनीहरूले यस विषयमा ती मानिसहरूसंग बहश गरे। तब मणडलीले पावल, बर्णाबास र अन्य मानिसहरूलाई यरूशलेम पठाउने निर्णय लिए। ती मानिसहरू त्यस विषयमा प्रेतिहरू र अग्रजहरूसँग अझ बहश गर्न गए। 3 उनीहरूको यात्रालाई मण्डलीले सहयोग गरयो। तिनीहरू फोनिसिया र सामरिया भएर गए। ती देशहरूमा तिनीहरूले कसरी गैर-यहूदी मानिसहरू सत्य परमेश्वरतर्फ मोडीए भनेर बताए। यो खबरले सबै दाज्यू-भाइहरूलाई खुबै आनन्द तुल्यायो। 4 पावल, बर्णाबास र अन्य मानिसहरू यरूशलेम आइपुगे। त्यहाँका प्रेरितहरू, अग्रजहरू र सम्पूर्ण विश्वासीहरूले तिनीहरूलाई स्वागत गरे। पावल, बर्णाबास र अन्य मानिसहरूले परमेश्वरले उनीहरूमार्फत गर्नु भएको सबै कुराहरू भने। 5 यरूशलेममा कतिपय विश्वासीहरू जो फरिसीहरूको दलका थिए उठे अनि भने, “गैर-यहूदी विश्वासीहरूले खतना गर्नै पर्छ। मोशाको व्यवस्था मान्नै पर्छ भनेर हामीले भन्नु पर्छ!” 6 तब प्रेरितहरू, अग्रजहरू यस समस्या माथि एकत्रित भएर अध्ययन गर्न थाले। 7 यस विशयमा त्यहाँ लामो र्तक सभा बस्यो। पत्रुस उभिए अनि भने, “मेरा दाज्यु भाइहरू! प्रारम्भिक दिनहरूमा के भयो तपाईंहरू राम्रोसंग जान्नु हुन्छ। परमेश्वरले तपाईहरू माझबाट नै उहाँको सुसमाचारको संदेश गैर-यहूदीहरूलाई प्रचार गर्नलाई मलाई छान्नु भयो। तिनीहरूले मबाट सुसमाचार सुने अनि विश्वास गरे। 8 परमेश्वरले प्रत्येकको हृदय जान्नु हुन्छ अनि उहाँले यी गैर-यहूदीहरूलाई स्वीकार गर्नभयो। परमेश्वरले हामीलाई उहाँले दिनुभए जस्तै तिनीहरूलाई पवित्र आत्मा दिनुभए हामीलाई यो देखाउनु भएको छ। 9 परमेश्वरको लागि ती मानिसहरू कुनै पनि खण्डमा हामी भन्दा भिन्न छैनन्। विश्वासद्वारा परमेश्वरले उनीहरूका हृदय शुद्ध पारिदिनु भयो। 10 तिमीहरू किन गैर-यहूदी दाज्यू-भाइहरूरको घिच्रोमा जुवा वाँधिदिनु चाहन्छौ? के तिमीहरू परमेश्वरलाई क्रोधित बनाउन प्रयास गरिरहेका छौ? हामी र हाम्रा पुर्खाहरू त्यो जुवा बोक्न असमर्थ थियौं! 11 होइन, हामी विश्वास गछौं कि दुवै हामी र यी मानिसहरू प्रभु येशूको अनुग्रहले बचाइनेछौं।” 12 त्यसपछि सम्पूर्ण दल नै शान्त भए। तिनीहरूले पावल र बर्णाबासको कुराहरू ध्यान दिएर सुने। पावल र बर्णाबासले तिनीहरूका माध्यम गैर-यहूदीहरू माझ परमेश्वरले गर्नु भएका जम्मै चमत्कारहरू र आश्चर्यजनक कामहरू बारे वृतान्त सुनाए। 13 तिनीहरूले भनी सकेपछि याकूबले भने, “मेरा दाज्यु-भाईहरू, ध्यान लगाएर मेरो कुरा सुन। 14 शिमोनले तिमीहरूलाई कसरी परमेश्वरले गैर-यहूदीहरूलाई आफ्नो प्रेम प्रकट गर्नु भयो सोही कुरा बताए। प्रथम पल्ट परमेश्वरले गैर-यहूदीहरूलाई ग्रहण गर्नुभयो अनि तिनीहरूलाई आफ्नो मानिस बनाउनु भयो। 15 अगमवक्ताहरूको वचनहरू योसंग सहमत छः 16 ‘म त्यसपछि फर्की आउने छु। म दाऊदको घर फेरि बनाउने छु, जुन ढलेको छ। उसको घरको भागहरू फेरि बनाईदिने छु। जुन ध्वंश भएको छ। अनि म उसको घर नयाँ बनाउनेछु। 17 ताकि अन्य सबै मानिसहरूले प्रभुलाई खोज्नेछन् अन्य सबै गैर-यहूदीहरू पनि मेरा आफ्ना मानिसहरू हुन्। प्रभुले त्यसै भन्नु भयो। अनि उहाँ मात्र एक हुनुहुन्छ जसले सबै यी चीजहरू गर्नुहुन्छ। 18 ती चीजहरू प्रारम्भको कालदेखि नै जानिएको हो।’ 19 “यसैले हामीले गैर-यहूदीहरूलाई बोझ दिनुहुँदैन जो परमेश्वरप्रति फर्केकाछन्। 20 बरू हामीले तिनीहरूलाई यी कुराहरूमा बताउँदै एउटा चिट्ठी लेख्नु पर्छःमूर्तिलाई चढाएको चीजहरू नखाऊ। यसले खाद्य अशुद्ध पार्छ। कुनै व्यभिचार नगर्। रगत नखाऊ। निमोठेर मारिएका पशुहरू नखाऊ। 21 तिनीहरूले त्यसो गर्नु हुँदैन किनभने त्यहाँ अझै त्यस्ता मानिसहरू छन् जसले मोशाको व्यवस्था सिकाउँछन्। मोशाको वचनहरू धेरै र्वष देखि प्रत्येक विश्रामको दिनमा सभाघरमा पढिन्दैछ।” 22 तब प्रेरितहरू, अग्रजहरू र समस्त मण्डलीले निर्णय लिए कि पावल र बर्णाबासको साथमा आफ्नै केही मानिसहरू एन्टिओकमा पठाउने। तिनीहरूले यहूदा जसलाई बर्णाबास पनि भनिन्छ र सिलासलाई छाने। ती मानिसहरूलाई यरूशलेमका दाज्यु-भाइहरूले खुबै सम्मान गर्थे। 23 मण्डलीले तिनीहरूका हातमा यो चिट्ठी पठाए।एन्टिओक शहर अनि सिलिसिया र सिरिया देशका गैर-यहूदी दाज्यु-भाईहरूलाई तिमीहरूका दाज्यु-भाइ प्रेरितहरू, अग्रजहरूबाट अभिवादनःप्रिय दाज्यू-भाइहरू, 24 हामीले सुनेकाछौकि कतिपय हाम्रा मण्डलीका मानिसहरू तिमीहरूकहाँ आए अनि तिनीहरूले भनेका कुराहरूले तिमीहरूलाई दुःखी र खिन्न पार्यो। तर हामीले तिनीहरूलाई त्यसो भन भनेर भनेनौं! 25 तिमीहरूकहाँ केही चुनिएका मानिसहरू पठाउन एकमत भएकाछौं। तिनीहरू हाम्रा प्रिय मित्र बर्णाबास र पावलसँग आउनेछन्। 26 तिनीहरूले प्रभु येशू ख्रीष्टको सेवामा आफ्ना जीवन समर्पण गरेकाछन्। 27 त्यसैले हामीले उनीहरूसंग यहूदा र सिलासलाई पनि पठाउँदै छौं। तिनीहरूले यही चिट्ठीमा भएका कुराहरू मुखले भन्न गईरहेका छन्। 28 पवित्र आत्माले सोच्दछ कि हामीहरूले तिमीहरूलाई अधिक जिम्मेवार दिनु हुँदैन। अनि त्यसमा हामी सहमत छौं। तिमीहरूले यति मात्र गर्नु आवश्य छः 29 मूर्तिहरूलाई अर्पण गरिएको खाद्य नखाऊ। रगत नखानु निमोठेर मारिएको पशुहरू नखानु, कुनै प्रकारको पनि यौन पापहरू नगर्नु। यदि तिमीहरू उपयुक्त कुराहरूबाट टाढा रहन्छौ भने, तिमीहरूले राम्रो गर्नेछौ। अब हामी बिदा माग्छौं।” 30 यसर्थ पावल, बर्णाबास, यहूदा र सिलासले यरूशलेम छाडेर एन्टिओक गए। त्यहाँ तिनीहरूले विश्वासीहरूको समूह भेला पारे अनि तिनीहरूलाई चिट्ठी दिए। 31 विश्वासीहरूले त्यो चिट्ठी पढिसके पछि त्यसले उत्साहित पारेकोमा तिनीहरू आनन्दित भए। 32 यहूदा र सिलास पनि अगमवक्ताहरू थिए। तिनीहरूलाई उत्साह दिन र दृढ बनाउन तिनीहरूले पनि निकै कुराहरू गरे। 33 त्यहाँ केही समय बसे पछि यहूदा र सिलास फर्के। तिनीहरूले विश्वासीहरूबाट शान्तिको आशीर्वाद पाए पछि यरूशलेमका दाज्यु भाईहरू जसले तिनीहरूलाई त्यस काममा पठाएका थिए तिनीहरूकहाँ फर्के। 35 तर पावल र बर्णावास एन्टओकमा नै बसे। तिनीहरू र अन्य मानिसहरूले त्यहाँ सुसमाचार प्रचार गरे अनि प्रभुको संदेश सिकाए। 36 केही दिन पछि, पावलले बर्णाबासलाई भने, “हामीले धेरै शहरहरूमा प्रभुको सन्देश भन्यौं। हामी ती शहरहरूमा हाम्रा दाज्यू-भाइ दिदी-बहिनीहरू के गर्दै होलान् भनेर हेर्नलाई एकपल्ट भेट्न जानु पर्छ।” 37 बर्णाबासले यूहन्ना मर्कूसलाई पनि सँगै लैजान चाहन्थे। 38 तर तिनीहरूको प्रथम यात्रामा नै तिनीहरूलाई यूहन्ना मर्कूसले छाडेका थिए। प्याम्फिलियामा उनले तिनीहरूसंग एक साथ नलिन जोड गरे। 39 पावल र बर्णाबास माझमा यस विषयमा गहन चर्चा भयो। तिनीहरू छुट्टीए अनि भिन्दा भिन्दै बाटो लागे। बर्णाबास मर्कूसलाई लिएर समूद्र यात्रा गर्दै साइप्रसतिर लागे। 40 पावलले सिलासलाई आफूसित लान चुने अनि गए। अन्टिओकका दाज्यू-भाइहरूले पावललाई प्रभुको रेखदेखमा राखे अनि बाहिर पठाइदिए। 41 मण्डलीहरू अझ बलियो बनाँउदै पावल र सिलास सिरिया र सिलिसिया देशहरू हुँदै गए।