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come to everyone it's good to be here just a couple of announcements before we begin no luncheon today I'm also no Bible study on Wednesday evening everything has been suspended hopefully temporarily until the end of this particular crisis but we will continue to have Lord's Day worship morning and evening and so far as we are able so make sure you're checking your emails because there is shifting data each and every day and then likely the baptism will be postponed so we won't have the baptism on the 29th but eventually God willing we will so for our call to worship this morning you can turn with me to Psalm 32 psalm 32 I'll begin reading in verse 1 a psalm of David a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit when I kept silent my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me my vitality was turned into the drought of summer say law I acknowledge my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin say law for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found surely in a flood of Great Waters they shall not come near him you are my hiding place you shall preserve me from trouble you shall surround me with songs of deliverance say law I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will guide you with my I do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bit and bridle else they will not come near you many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the Lord mercy shall surround him be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and shout for joy all you upright in heart amen well please turn with me to Psalm 98 see Psalm 98 C as in Charlie when you find that you can stand and we'll sing together [Music] well let us pray or God Most High we gather together on the Sabbath day to come and to confess that you are holy that you are glorious that you are from everlasting to everlasting and as we just sang you are the God who judges the earth you are the God who is sovereign in your government and Providence you were the God who made the world who sustains the world and who has redeemed his elect out of the world and we praise you for these great truths God may you use them to fortify and strengthen our hearts may you grant that stability and security to your church that we desperately need each and every day and we would ask that today as we gather together we would come to the Father through the son and the power of the Holy Spirit and that God would be all in all in this place we ask Most High that you would be pleased to send forth your Holy Spirit that he would dwell richly in our hearts through faith so that we may know his presence in his power we asked it as we look to the Scriptures it would be a great encouragement to our hearts that she would strengthen us and help us Lord God to go forward to persevere and to endure in the face of the various things that plagued us in this world we ask that you would be pleased to forgive us for our sins and transgression what a blessed Psalm we read psalm 32 in the reality that you justify us freely by your grace we give praise to you we know we're not redeemed because of our good works but because of your great grace and the works of our Lord Jesus Christ but even now forgive us and cleanse us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus the Apostle tells us where to let our conduct be worthy of the gospel and we confess to our shame that's not always the case so God forgive us for our transgression forgive us for our want of conformity unto that law and cleanse us in that precious blood we ask as well father that you would be merciful with reference to this crisis facing the world god we pray that you would give us wisdom that you would give us grace that you would give us help to continue onward in the midst of this and we would ask that you would bless those in our mets the rhythm that are in the high-risk category we just commit them you into the word of your grace and pray that you would watch over each and every one we ask as well Lord God that you would give wisdom the government officials give wisdom to those in the medical industry to get to be able to deal successfully with this particular threat and we also pray father that in the midst of this crisis many would consider their place before a thrice holy God and the reality that it is God who judges men and may the gospel go forth at this time and may it what run swiftly and be glorified and may you be pleased to say from every tribe tongue people in Asia may you cause your face to shine upon the nations and let them be glad as your word goes forth we know it is in times of crisis and we know it is in times where men face the reality of their own mortality that they think through the implications of dying apart from Christ so God we pray that this would be used for good gospel ends that it would be a means of of conviction a means of bringing sinners to that place where they want Christ and him crucified we pray that that word would continue to be preached in the midst of these days and that father you would be glorified in it we asked you would bless this local church be with those in our myths that do suffer with ongoing physical trials and challenges we ask that you would undertake on their behalf that you would be their shield their exceedingly great reward in the midst of these difficult times we also pray for all of us that you would grant us growth spiritually growth in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and may we see our place in this world in this present time to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and give us the boldness and the courage to hold forth your word of truth we pray for the persecuted Church we ask God that you would look with favor upon our brothers and sisters that suffer we know that hasn't stopped we know that hasn't ceased we know that continues to go on were the enemies of Christ continue to target the people of God we ask that you would look with favor upon our brothers and sisters she would grant them help in the midst of these things and cause them to to glorify your Most Holy Name even in these times of crisis and God we pray that you'd be merciful to the governing authorities in this land and in the US and throughout the world it grieves and it breaks our hearts to see that all what they deem essential businesses and whatnot are to be closed down but abortion clinics continue to go on each and every day God we pray that in your wrath you would remember mercy we pray that people would be awakened to the to the reality of the the judgment of God to come not perhaps in this particular crisis but someday for a nation or for nations it's slaughter innocent babies that slaughter old people that slaughter those who are ill God we pray to you have mercy turn the hearts of politicians and in a right and just way cause them to look unto God most high as David commands or David exhorts the rulers and the Kings and Psalm 2 to bow to to kiss the son lest he be angry and they perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little we pray that you would give wisdom to these leaders and be even more so we pray he would put the fear of God in their hearts but we know that is the beginning of wisdom Lord bless this time and help us to worship help us to put out of our minds the various things that affect us day in and day out and help us to be consumed with the glory of Jesus Christ and we pray in his most blessed name amen well please turn with me in your hymn books again to 230 hymn number 213 [Music] Oh we can turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 19 for our scripture reading Acts chapter 19 I'll pick up reading in verse 21 this is Paul's ministry in Ephesus we see in the last part of the reading from last week that persons were getting rid of their books on the black arts and such things and now in this particular section we see a potential riot in the city because idle tradesmen were being put out of business that's the kind of blast to the economy that we should be looking for as the gospel is preached and Idol makers go out of business that's what we should be after and that's what happened when Paul preached Christ and him crucified so beginning in acts 19 at verse 21 when these things were accomplished Paul purposed in the spirit when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to go to Jerusalem saying after I have been there I must also see Rome so he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him Timothy and Erastus but he himself stayed in Asia for a time and about that time there arose a great commotion about the way for a certain man named Demetrius a silversmith who made silver shrines of Diana brought no small profit to the craftsmen he called them together with the workers of similar occupation and said men you know that we have our prosperity by this trade moreover you see in here that not only at Ephesus but throughout almost all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people saying that they are not God's which are made with hands so not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute but also the temple of the Great Goddess Diana may be destroyed may be despised and her magnificence destroyed whom all Asia and the world worship now when they heard this they were full of wrath and cried out saying great is Diana of the Ephesians so the whole city was filled with confusion and rushed into the theatre with one Accord having seized Gaius and Aristarchus Macedonians Paul's travel companions and when Paul wanted to go into the temple the disciples would not allow him than some of the officials of Asia who were his friends sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater some therefore cried one thing and some another for the Assembly was confused and most of them did not know why they had come together and they drew Alexander out of the multitude the Jews putting him forward an Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted to make his defense to the people but when they found out that he was a Jew all with one voice cried out for about two hours great is Diana of the Ephesians and when the city clerk had quieted the crowd he said men of Ephesus what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the Great Goddess Diana and of the image which fell down from Zeus therefore since these things cannot be denied you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly for you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess therefore if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone the courts are open and there are pro consoles let them bring charges against one another but if you have any other inquiry to make it shall be determined in the lawful assembly for we are in danger of being called in question for today's uproar there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering and when he had said these things he dismissed the assembly amen well let us pray our Father we thank you for the power of the gospel we thank you for the glory of the gospel we thank you for the Christ of the gospel who lived who died and who has raised the 3rd day so that we might have everlasting life and we thank you for this time in the city of Ephesus when Paul preached and Idol makers were afraid because their business was going to tank God we pray that we would see such things in our own generation that as your gospel goes forth running swiftly and being glorified that people would turn from their useless idols to the true and the Living God that they would look unto you that they would come unto you through Jesus Christ the Lord that that one who died that one who lived that one who rose again would would would collect would save a great multitude that no man can number send forth your glorious word we pray and we ask in Jesus name Amen well you can turn with me again in your him books to 458 458 again we'll stand as we sing together [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to Acts chapter 15 as we continue our exposition of the book of Acts we find ourselves in acts 15 basically what it is is the counsel at Jerusalem the chapter as a whole deals first with the problem concerning Gentile inclusion in the church verses one to five secondly we have the deliberations concerning the situation from Peter Paul and Barnabas and then James and verses 6 to 21 and then the decree from the council in verses 22 to 35 and the chapter ends with the launch of the second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul but I want to read up to the end of this first section I want to read the verse 29 and then our focus this morning is on verses 1 to 5 so beginning in acts 15 at verse 1 and certain men came down from Judea and taught the Brethren unless you were circumcised des cording to the custom of Moses you cannot be saved therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and elders about this question so being sent on their way by the church they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria describing the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy to all the brethren and when they had come to Jerusalem they were received by the church and the Apostles and the elders and they reported all things that God had done with them but some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up saying it is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses now the Apostles and elders came together to consider this matter and when there had been much dispute Peter rose up and said to them men and brethren you know that a good while ago God chose among us that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe so God who knows the heart acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us and made no distinction between us and them purifying their hearts by faith now therefore why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our Father nor we were able to bear but we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles and after that and after they had become silent James answered saying men and brethren listen to me Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name and with this the words of the prophets agree just as it is written after this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down I will rebuild its ruins and I will set it up so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord even all the Gentiles who are called by my name says the Lord who does all these things known to God from eternity or all his works therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols from sexual immorality from things strangled and from blood for Moses has had throughout many generations those who preached him in every city being read in the synagogue's every Sabbath then it pleased the apostles and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas namely Judas who was also called barsabbas and Silas leading men among the Brethren they wrote this letter by them the apostles the elders and the brethren to the brethren who are of this Gentiles in Antioch Syria and Cilicia greetings since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words unsettling your souls saying you must be circumcised and keep the law to whom we gave no such commandment it seemed good to us being assembled with one Accord to send chosen men 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 will also report the same things by word of mouth for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things that you abstain from things offered to idols from blood from things strangled and from sexual immorality if you keep yourselves from these you will do well fare well amen well let us pray father we thank you for this wonderful account in acts 15 and god I pray that you would give us now freely of your Holy Spirit that he may lead us and guide us and direct us as we consider this situation we ask Lord God that our hearts would be drawn out with encouragement again reflection upon that glorious gospel of our salvation that gospel that comes to us graciously it's not a mixed match it's not a peace of faith and a peace of law in order to commend us to God but it's grace alone through faith alone and Jesus Christ alone and in this we greatly rejoice Lord God because we know there is no good thing dwelling in us there is nothing they could ever commend us to a holy God and so we give praise to you for the life and the death and the resurrection of our glorious Lord Jesus as our confession says he is imputed or the the sole righteousness of Christ is imputed to us and we give praise to you bless this time now we ask in his most glorious name amen well I want to look at as I said verses 1 to 5 we got to look at the problem to see how they address it in terms of their deliberations but before we look specifically at verses 1 to 5 we need to do a bit of chronology there's some difficulty squaring what happens here in acts 15 with what happens in Galatians 1 and 2 there's a lot of difference of opinion in terms of commentary and scholars as to what's going on with reference to acts 15 and specifically Galatians 2 some suggest that Galatians 2:11 and following is the Jerusalem Council I don't take that particular possession I want us to look for a moment at Galatians chapter 1 just so we can square the chronology with what we have here in the book of Acts in Galatians chapter 1 in verses 18 to 24 we see Paul's first post conversion visit to Jerusalem and this corresponds to Acts chapter 9 verses 26 to nine then as we move forward in Galatians 2 verses 1 to 10 is the famine relief visit so it would have been the second post conversion visit of Paul to Jerusalem it's the famine relief visit that is recorded in acts 11 verses 27 to 30 and then again it's mentioned in acts 1225 now acts 15 is his third post conversion visit to Jerusalem the events recorded in Galatians 2 11 to 21 Peters failure or resistance of having table fellowship with the Gentiles this most likely occurred prior to the Jerusalem Council so it's not the same event Galatians 2 11 to 21 is not acts 15 it comes before acts 15 remember that at the end of the first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch in Syria and they remain a long time there well it's from that vantage point that Paul writes this letter to the Galatians but we see that even before this even as Paul addresses this situation in Galatians there's already defection not apostasy but some degree of defection even on the part of Peter and Barnabas relative to having table fellowship with Gentiles and so acts 15 is sort of the response to that situation there are many compelling reasons for this construction the most is this Peter would have never separated from the Gentiles after this Jerusalem council and when Paul writes Galatians he would have cited I think the Jerusalem Council as it spoke specifically to these things so what we have in the interim between acts 14 and 15 Paul is in Antioch Paul is writing or has written to the Galatians and he's rehearsing that even Peter and Barnabas have fallen prey to these Judy icing tendencies and then we see this come as a reality first in the church at Antioch and then secondly in the church at Jerusalem so that's the reconstruction I don't believe that acts 15 is Galatians 2 I believe that acts 15 comes just after that incident where Peter and Barnabas went astray again not apostasy that in denounce Christ but Paul had to withstand Peter to his face and Paul had to rebuke him for his conduct that was right or wrongly portraying the gospel of free and sovereign grace now if you have followed that I commend you I said that probably more for me than for you because I like to know where we are tethered in the historical reality of the situation but well at first at the problem in the church at Antioch and verses 1 & 2 and then secondly the journey to the church in Jerusalem in verses 3 to 5 we notice in the first place the issue verse 1 says certain men came down from Judea and taught the Brethren unless you are circumcised de cording to the custom of Moses you cannot be saved now we ought to suppose that this is the church in Antioch in Syria remember Paul and Barnabas have stayed there a long time and that's the church that's in view and this is curious because the report was given to the church in Antioch concerning Gentile inclusion if you look back at 1427 also they had already witnessed Gentile inclusion according to acts 11 at verse 20 we see Gentiles coming in to the the blessed sphere of redemption through Jesus Christ and they are in the church at Antioch interestingly the church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas as a delegate to delegate to go and investigate and affirm what is happening there in Antioch which indicates to us that this particular error this particular problem this particular situation or issue is such that even the mighty Barnabas and Peter himself stumbled upon it now when we come to this particular passage we need to appreciate what is in view here it's not simply how do we facilitate Gentile inclusion in the church I mentioned that somewhat prior to this they do eventually deal with that but look at the soteriological and verse 1 tells us unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses you cannot be saved now the council does determine how to get Gentiles and Jews into the same place so that they can function one with another but the particular issue has to do with what we call Judy Isaac it has to do with faith in Jesus Christ plus works in order to be saved that is precisely what is happening now the certain men according to verse 1 are not identified but most likely they were from the church in Jerusalem in Galatians 2:12 Paul tells us that they work from James don't think though that James taught them this because when we look at 1524 James the leader of the church in Jerusalem says since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words unsettling your soul saying you must be circumcised and keep the law to whom we gave no such commandment James was not a Jew D Iser James was not a legalist James was not a neon omean James says I didn't give them that commandment Paul in Galatians 2:12 saying that they were from James indicates the church in Jerusalem and most likely it was something that they themselves claimed well James sent us back in Galatians 2 for Paul talks about these kinds of men that creep in and they spy out the Liberty that we have in Jesus Christ so the certain men aren't identified in terms of name but they are identified in terms of doctrine and notice what their doctrine is they were in fact Judaizers the teachers taught that the Gentiles needed to add circumcision to faith in order to be saved but as we know from the book of Galatians when you first take that step of law keeping for salvation again mingled with faith when you take that step you're obliged to keep the entirety of the law that's what Paul says in Galatians chapter 5 2 to 4 if you think circumcision is an add-on with faith that will commit you to God you need to think again you need to engage in the entirety of the law you need to get engaged in all the customs of Moses and we see that specified at the end of verse 5 notice the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up saying it is necessary to circumcise them and to keep command them to keep the law of Moses the doctrine of Sir Susan is obviously the most visible the most significant in terms of the Jewish mindset but it was an obligation to keep the law in addition to faith in Christ in order to be saved so again as the issue arises as it originates it's not in the first place how do we facilitate Jews and Gentiles in the same church but rather as the issue arises it is a heretical denouncement of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ because if righteousness comes through the law then Christ died in vain Paul the Apostle is the fighter the combatant the one that is leading the charge relative to putting this thing to death the issue as I said is Judy Isaac John Stott says they were telling Gentile converts that faith in Jesus was not enough not sufficient for salvation they must add to faith circumcision and the circumcision observance of the law in other words they must let Moses complete what Jesus had begun see that's the issue with legalism brethren that is the problem you need Moses to complete what Jesus had begun if that is the reality of it then whence the cross why Galatians 2:20 one if cry are the emphasis on 221 if righteousness comes to the law then Christ died in vain I think that is a very excellent statement they must let Moses complete what Jesus had begun and let the law supplement the gospel the issue was immense the way of salvation was at stake the gospel was in dispute the very foundations of the Christian faith were being undermined now before we move on the question must arise well well how could Peter and Barnabas do this how could they fall prey to this I mean Peter himself preached to the household of Cornelius Peter himself preached Christ to him all the witness testified whoever believes in his name will receive the forgiveness of sins Peter himself saw the that the conversion of Cornelius and his household as I said Barnabas according to Acts chapter 11 was sent by the church in Jerusalem to Antioch in order to investigate this how could it happen how does it continue to happen the Bible is crystal clear on this matter and yet parentally a perennial e we have to deal with this attempt to ad works to faith it may not be circumcision in our present age but it's something I have the the sneaky suspicion that the gospel of free grace bugs people they cannot in their minds rationally understand how grace comes into a messy world saves messy sinners and does so for the glory of God Almighty apart from the sinner's works brethren that is offensive to the natural man and unfortunately it's offensive to some who even profess faith in Jesus Christ if it isn't grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone then we're all damned the good news is is that it is grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone brethren and this was the issue at stake here in the Jerusalem Council now notice under the problem in the church at Antioch we see the issue and verse one notice the response in verse two I don't know how bad it is to say this but the Apostles threw down they threw down that's what the tax tells us therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them this means a lack of agreement respecting policy strife discord disunion one of the words the other means engagement in a controversial discussion discussion debate argument in other words when Paul heard that this compromise had come or when this addition or supplement rather had come Paul gets into it with these false teachers remember this is the same Paul that in Galatians chapter 1 eight-nine pronounces an anathema on anybody who would distort the grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ if we or an angel at of heaven should preach to you another gospel other than that will other than what we have preached let him be an now that word a nassima means damned to hell let them be cursed let them be devoted to destruction in the Old Testament that language was utilized when Israel would go against say Jericho they were to take things and put them under the ban they were to anathematized things they were not to use them for their own enjoyment and that is what Paul says with reference to those who twist the gospel of Jesus Christ so Paul and Barnabas throw down as well the Apostles supremely prized the truth of God not the feelings of men I think we're all aware of ben shapiro famously saying facts don't care about your feelings well Paul doesn't care about your feelings either if you tamper with the gospel of free grace Paul is the man he calls us to be in Titus chapter 1 verse 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and remember that convict those who contradict Paul doesn't just say well that's another view that's another expression that's another way to think about it that's not what Paul does Paul gets into the trenches with them and he combats with them because the truth of the gospel is at stake you'll see something in Treece intriguing Galatians 1 I've already mentioned it he pronounces an anathema upon those who distort the gospel when you get to Philippians chapter 1 Paul doesn't have that attitude with manual preaching the truth but with bad motives and the bad motives most likely were directed to Paul Oh Paul's in jail Paul this fellow that thinks he's the the mighty apostle for Jesus is sitting in a jail cell Paul says I don't care what they think about me but the fact that they preach Christ and him crucified that gives me great joy because I think at times people compare Galatians 1 and Philippians 1 they say wait a minute Paul here you're pronouncing an anathema and in this instance you're saying as long as they preach Christ because even though they hated Paul even though they were showing contempt for Paul they preach the truth of the gospel see that's what ultimately matters brethren it is the truth 16 ounces to the pound Matthew Poole comments on Paul's conduct he says Paul that meek apostle who was willing to become all things unto all men yet he enters into a holy war with them that would introduce circumcision into the Christian Church because one he would have no works of the law to be an ingredient unto our salvation but the free grace of God in Christ to be all in all - that our freedom from all the ceremonial law acquired by the death of Christ might not be diminished 3 that the spreading of the gospel might not be hindered but that Christ might be accepted and honored amongst all Poole is right brethren Poole is spot-on and that's what the Apostle Paul does along with Barnabas with these men again no namby-pamby well that's the way they understand it that's the way they see it brethren the judy icing heresy is a heresy the conflation of justification and sanctification promoted by the abominable church of rome is heresy the idea of the federal vision in the new perspective on paul insisting upon faith in Christ and faithfulness in our lives in order to be saved is heresy it is basic Roman Catholic dogma regurgitated in Protestant guys the Apostle would have no truck with that whatsoever therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them notice the response of the Church day the church in Antioch determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and elders about this question not because the Church in Jerusalem can speak with papal infallibility not because Peter was the leader in the church the Pope of the church fact James was the leader in the church in Jerusalem but because this affected the churches this affected not only Antioch but it affected Jerusalem as we'll see in just a moment it affected Barnabas it affected Peter it affected various people so what does the church respond with let's appeal to the collective wisdom of the church let's gather the elders let's gather the apostles let's make the case let's deal with this issue brethren what you see in this this passage is good ecclesiology they don't shrink back from dealing with issues but they face the issues they go forward and deal with the issues they're not babies they're men that are committed to the truth of God and they know that clear articulation of that truth is absolutely necessary again because we're not dealing with a peripheral issue this is not over eschatology this is not over liberty can I have a TV it's not over those sorts of things it is over the reality that some taught faith in Jesus plus works unto eternal life now let's look secondly at the journey to the church in Jerusalem notice first their journey of verse three so being sent out sent on their way by the church that's beautiful isn't it it was the church in Antioch according to Acts chapter 13 that the Holy Spirit comes - there's godly man there's teachers faithful man and the Spirit says to those men separate for me Paul and Barnabas for the work that I have called them to so the church is absolutely crucial and instrumental in dispatching these men on their missionary enterprise but the church is equally crucial and the church is equally vital in dealing with heresy inter ranks the church in Antioch not like churches today that would just say well they'll sort it out they'll figure it out no Paul Barnabas you go you be our delegates you be our messengers and you take all of these things and you deliberate over them for the good not only of our church but for all the churches the journey was about two hundred and fifty miles long and took them through Phoenicia and Samaria now Phoenicia had already been reached according to Acts chapter 11 and Samaria had been reached by Philip in Acts chapter 8 and notice what Paul and Barnabas do here in the first three describing the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy to all the brethren they weren't trying to gin up public support for their cause they were simply rehearsing the great work of God they were simply telling them what God had done among the Gentiles many of whom were in the churches in Phoenicia and in Samaria and as a result what does that bring it brings gladness to hearts doesn't it isn't that the best word that a good a weary heart can receive is your sins are forgiven is it one of the most glorious not inspired stanzas in the entirety of our hymn book my sin oh the Bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more praise the Lord praise the Lord isn't that the best thing sinners can ever hear the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord amen it is so when they give this report it is absolutely consistent with the report to cause great joy to all the Brethren and then notice the arrival in Jerusalem this is beautiful and when they had come to Jerusalem they were received by the church and the Apostles and the elders and they reported all things that God had done with that so again it wasn't just the Apostles it wasn't just the elders it wasn't just the Apostles in the elders but it's the entirety of the church so I think at times we we we minimize the place of the church in matters of theology we think well that's the work of the seminary the seminary ain't the pillar and ground of the truth according to Paul in first Timothy chapter 3 it's the church this idea where men are simply CEOs or rabble rousers or or or cheerleaders or or businessmen is not consistent with what the New Testament teaches the men who lead and govern and teach in churches are theologians they know the truth of Scripture they know theology and they seek by the grace of God to teach that to everybody in the church so that they are growing in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ our confession speaks to this in chapter 26 verse paragraph 15 in cases of difficulties or differences either in point of doctrine or raishin wearing either the churches in general are concerned or anyone Church in their peace union and edification or any member or members of any church are injured enter by any proceedings and centures not agreeable to truth and order it is according to the mind of Christ that many churches holding communion together do by their messengers meet to consider and give their advice in or about the matter indifference to be reported to all the church is concerned howbeit these messengers are assembled are not entrusted or howbeit these messengers are assembled are not entrusted with any church power properly so-called or with any jurisdiction over the churches themselves to exercise any centures either over any churches or persons or to impose their determination on the churches or officers in some churches help one another churches give advice to one another churches aid one another but no one Church has the right to assume Rome's posture and command other churches what they're supposed to do so these Baptists Divine's navigated the biblical balance on the one hand it's not the case that were an island unto ourselves brethren typically when I do new members interviews III hopefully will add this every single time but to point this out in chapter 26 if you are wrong there's a mechanism in place to deal with that wrong be aware of churches that don't have the Hat beware of churches where there is no place to actually be able to deal with your problems so our confession I think is right on there but as well guarding against that papal tendency for one church to lord it over the rest now notice what they report when they get to Jerusalem they reported all things that God had done with that so Paul and Barnabas were just happy about this wherever they go they tell what God had done with that and again it wasn't the way that the Paul's and Barnabas is the Barna boy is at the plural form of Barnabas the Barna boy would would sort of flout this nowadays well when I went there all these people were healed or when went there all these people were saying no what God has done what the Lord has done the reality is these Gentiles that we once referred to as dogs have come by grace into the very Church of Jesus Christ these persons who we treated as second-class citizens are now on equal footing with us in the very kingdom of God Almighty why was this glorious because for a man like Paul he saw it as the fulfillment of promises made in the Old Testament this isn't a New Testament sort of a twist on redemptive history what's God say to Abram in you all the nations of the earth will be blessed what does he ratify or confirm to Isaac and to Jacob and throughout the entirety of the Old Testament there's a whole song devoted to the reality that Gentiles will praise the God of Israel happens to be the shortest Psalm in the entire Psalter but it's there nevertheless the psalmist prays in Psalm 67 for God's face to shine upon the nation's what does God say or you always say to the servant in the servant song in Isaiah chapter 42 and 49 it's too small a thing for my servant simply to save the tribes of Jacob but I will give you as a light unto the Gentiles again this is no new thing and in truth interestingly notice in verse 5 it refers to the sect of the Pharisees the sect of the Pharisees it's not the church that is ascent the church is the natural outflow of Old Testament religion the Church of Jesus Christ is what the Old Testament moved forward to the Church of Jesus Christ is what was promised what was anticipated what was prophesied concerning what was celebrated in the Psalter it is the reality that God is in the world reconciling it to Jesus Christ our God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself so Paul understood this and Paul rejoiced in this and Paul celebrated this it's not the church that's sectarian it is the Pharisee party that is the set now notice that in verse 5 I should tell you that some differ on what's happening here in verse five some suggest that this is part of Paul's report some suggest that Paul is saying this is what's happening in Antioch but I think the text is better understood as this problem is happening in Jerusalem as well in other words this is a universal problem it's not just affecting Syria Antioch but it's rather affecting Jerusalem so when Paul highlights the reality that God is saving Gentiles God is including them in the Covenant promises made to Abraham then at that point it says according to verse five some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up in the midst of the Church of Jerusalem saying it is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses so you see it wasn't a problem confined to Antioch in Syria but it's a problem in Jerusalem as well it is a problem that unfortunately has persisted throughout the ages and I want to conclude with a few thoughts first the universality of the problem here we see churches of Antioch in Syria and Jerusalem were affected by Judy Isaac it's necessary not it's a good thing to kind of keep the peace between the Jews and Gentiles Paul does that Paul has Timothy circumcised in order to keep the peace between the Jews and the Gentiles that's not what's happening here this is soteriological this is entrance into heaven this isn't facilitating good sort of conduct between people in the same church as well the leaders in the churches even got caught up in it Poland but Peter and Barnabas in fact look at Galatians chapter 2 again this precedes the Jerusalem Council but it was something that was happening Peter himself had witnessed the conversion of the household of Cornelius and yet refused table fellowship with Jews notice in Galatians 2:11 now when Peter had come to Antioch I withstood him to his face again don't we love that about Paul it doesn't matter who you are it doesn't matter what notoriety you may have it doesn't matter if you happen to be a pillar in the church if you're wrong Paul's gonna tell you you're wrong again when it comes to a gospel issue I doubt Paul was that wonderful guy at the party that would walk around to everybody correcting every jot and tiddle of their theology I don't get that from Paul Paul was all things to all men that he might win some but when the gospel is on the line even if you are the Apostle Peter even if you were with Jesus for three years even if you went into the Mount of Transfiguration even if you were in the Garden of Gethsemane even if you were the one who had denied him and he looked at you and you wept bitterly and he restored you nevertheless Paul will withstand you to your face because you're wrong about the way that sinners get saved now what Peter does here intriguingly is not verbal he doesn't denounce Gentiles he doesn't say well Gentiles can't be saved but what he does for his actions in some sense suggests that he suggests that there's still second-class citizens we still can't eat with that they may have come by grace through faith in Jesus but they're still to be despised by us when it comes to the issue of having a meal with them that's what Peter is doing and according to verse 11 Paul says when Peter had come to Antioch I withstood him to his face because he was to be blamed for before certain men came from James he would eat with the Gentiles but when they came he withdrew and separated himself fearing those who were of the circumcision and the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy brethren take heed lest we fall some of the men that have embraced bad theology along the way started off really good when we did the impassibility sort of study some men that had ended up on the wrong side of that particular doctrine were Orthodox reformed at least reformed ish Calvinistic theologians that it ended up in the waters of open theism you've got to be on guard and you've got to take heed and you've got to resist this prevailing tendency that is in man to try to add something to the grace of God in order to commend us to God again God's grace comes into a messy world saves messy sinners and does so for his glory and for the good of those people we may not appreciate that at times we may think well that's not fair that that horrible wicked person is now saved well again it's not fair its grace if God deals with us according to fair or God deals with us according to just or God deals with us according to righteous then we're all damned so when we look at somebody who is a gross sinner that gets saved if it rises up in your heart to think well I don't know how that could ever be the case imagine you you know you've got enough sin in your heart to damn you for an eternity of eternities brethren just since we got out of bed this morning we haven't loved the Lord our God with all our heart soul mind and strength we haven't loved our neighbors as ourselves that is the grim reality that we face the very letters of Romans and Galatians specifically were written in large part to deal with this very issue because it is a universal problem secondly the perpetuity of the problem the problem doesn't die after the Jerusalem Council it doesn't end you say well how could that be how could bail worship persist after Elijah on Mount Carmel were weakened we're sinful we go astray we sing that hymn sometimes who were prone to wander prone to leave the god that we love remember that contest at Carmel that God contest at Carmel when Elijah the prophet challenges the false prophets of bale Elijah the Prophet mocks the false prophets of bale God the Lord affirms Elijah and sends fire down to consume Elijah's sacrifice you would think that would have put bail worship to rest in Israel forever what's J whose primary mission according to second Kings chapter 10 it is to eliminate bail worship from Israel why does this persist again I think Manton is right we all have in our hearts a libertine a papist and a legalist we have a default position to gravitate toward that which is dark sinful and wicked we have a default position to gravitate against God's grace why do you think there's so many emphases on God's grace in the Bible because we think that it's not the case well there must be something about me that God set his love upon there must be something about me that caused God to elect me there must be something about me that God gave me the graces of faith and repentance according to scripture there ain't it's according to God's good pleasure it's according to God's sovereign prerogative it is according to God's sovereign grace the problem has persisted in the church through the ages again if not circumcision then the sacraments if not circumcision then our faithfulness if not circumcision then some other addition or supplement to the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord thirdly the pernicious nough sub problem not many kids are here but there's a few kids I'll define pernicious so you know that word it means causing great harm or destructive I do that for the adults too I had to Google that door definite you know pernicious death Google is a wonderful thing all you do to put the word in de F and you get access to the world's dictionaries but it causes great harm and destruct in its destructive in the first place and I know we're all going to reflects or have this reflex response this is such an attack on the gospel but first I want to suggest it's an attack on the law it is an attack on the law of God brethren what does Paul say in first Timothy chapter 1 verse 8 we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully if somebody loves something they want to use it properly they don't want to abuse it they don't want to twist it they don't want to distort it they want it to do what God had purposed for it to be to do john calvin says moreover these knaves did great injury to the law when they did wickedly corrupt the right use their uh brethren we often think that legalists love the law can I say that legalists hate the law they hate the gospel as well they don't like the consideration that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself graciously through faith with no credit going or owing to the center himself but all glory to God all met a magnifying of the Lord Jesus Christ they ain't the gospel they also hate the law yet if you have something that was intended for a particular use I would never suggest you love it if you're using it in the wrong way would you I think that's pretty counter or pretty pretty pretty intuitive there but it is in fact as well an attack on the gospel look how the the actual Council of Jerusalem is going to respond to this notice and verse 10 in Peters deliberation now therefore why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear it is to test God to add works to faith in Jesus Christ and then notice as well what James says in verse 24 I'm sorry verse yea verse I'm sorry verse 19 therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God you see brethren it is an attack on the law because it's an unlawful use of that law but it's a definite attack upon the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord Galatians 2:20 1 was written in this kind of a contact it was written to the to deal with this particular issue and there Paul says I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness comes to the law then Christ died in vain matron says this verse Galatians 2:20 1 is the key verse of the Epistle to the Galatians it expresses the central thought of the Epistle the Judaizers attempted to supplement the saving work of Christ by the merit of their own obedience to the law that says Paul is impossible Christ will do everything or nothing earn your salvation if your be obedience to the law is perfect or else trust holy to Christ completed work you cannot do both you cannot combine merit and grace if justification even in the slightest measure is through human merit then Christ died in vain now the temptation was not temptation that almost makes it sound like it was bad but the potential was for me to come this morning and preach psalm 46 it's a great song times of trouble times of hardship times of ache times of woe we need to be still and know that God is God but I stuck to this because brethren there's a problem larger than the coronavirus there is a problem larger than a toppled economy and that problem is sinners going to hell and if we are wrong in the antidote if we are wrong in the remedy if we are wrong in the gospel then instead of helping them to avoid that we are helping them along that's what Judy Isaac does when you or I attempt to add works to faith we have obliterated the gospel of free and sovereign grace and the antidote obviously with reference to this particular problem is the right correct preaching of the law preach it in its civil use preach it in its pedagogical use preach it in its normative use but as well preach the gospel Christ alone faith alone grace alone to the glory of God alone as it comes to us through scripture alone Martin Luther made this statement he says but no law no matter how divine or holy has the right to tell me that I obtained justification and life through it I will grant that it can teach me that I should love God in my neighbor and live in chastity patience etc but it is in no position to show me how to be delivered from sin the devil death and hell for this I must consult the gospel and listen to the gospel which does not teach me what I should do for that is the proper function of the law but what someone else has done from me namely that Jesus Christ the Son of God has suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death praise God Almighty for the gospel and may God stop the mouths of those who blurt out the heresy of works plus faith in order for salvation may God raise up we talked about the appointment of elders in the last couple of weeks many know the gospel men who know the law men who know the distinction men who know the connections men who know how to preach who cry aloud spare not lift up their voices like trumpets and proclaim the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord will let us pray our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for the forgiveness of sins we thank you for the imputation of the righteousness of Christ received by faith alone and God it is amazing that the default position in man's heart is to subvert that it is to twist it it is to distort it may we respond by singing praises to you may we respond by giving glory to you may we respond by celebrating the great works of our God namely the salvation of our miserable hell deserving souls and God we pray that this gospel would go forth conquering and to conquer and that many today would come out of darkness into marvelous light by your grace by the power of the Holy Spirit and they would taste and see that the Lord is good and we pray this in Jesus name Amen well let's close by singing number 563 in our hymn books it'll be to a familiar tune 563 [Music] [Music] the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace God may this be true for each of us be true for everyone in our local church for all of your people and may we glorify you today may we seek by grace to sanctify the data call the Sabbath a delight and we pray that in this you would be honored and that you would be glorified and we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation you you you