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We can turn to the book of Acts, 
Acts chapter 15. Our focus this morning is on 
James's testimony, Acts 15, 13 to 21. Remember, they meet in 
this council to discuss the issue of what's called Judaizing, adding 
circumcision and the ceremonies of Moses to the Gentiles in order 
that they may be saved. And so they take up this particular 
issue. We hear first from Peter, and 
then we hear from Paul and Barnabas, and then James, as I mentioned, 
verses 13 to 21. But I'll read beginning in verse 
1 to remind us of the context. And certain men came down from 
Judea and taught the brethren, unless you are circumcised according 
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 fathers 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 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 are 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 preach him in every city, being read 
in the synagogues every Sabbath. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
thank you for the written word of the living God. Thank you 
that you have blessed us richly by giving us this great book. 
And thank you for the presence and the power of your Holy Spirit. 
Our Lord wonderfully said that he would not leave his disciples 
as orphans in the world, but he would give them another helper, 
another comforter, one just like the Lord Jesus. So we thank you. 
for the kind provision of the Holy Spirit. We pray that He 
would be at work now in our minds and hearts. We pray that we would 
see how important this doctrine of justification by faith alone 
really is. And God, may we see as well what 
a comfort and what an encouragement and what a blessing this doctrine 
is for us. Again, forgive us for all sin 
and anything that would darken our understanding. And we pray 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, we have seen thus 
far that there was a problem of Judaizing in the church in 
Antioch. We had that sort of situation 
where Paul and Barnabas had to throw down essentially in the 
church in Antioch because there were those who said that Gentiles 
must be circumcised. So the church in Antioch then 
sends Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem so that they can convene with 
the elders and the apostles and work through this particular 
situation. According to verse 5, the problem was in Jerusalem 
as well. There were those of the Pharisees, 
the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, who also insisted that 
Gentiles must be circumcised before they could be saved. So 
we see the testimony of Peter, and hopefully it was very much 
of a review for us, because we weren't long ago, in Acts 10. 
Peter was the apostle sent by God to the household of Cornelius, 
who was sort of the formal introduction of Gentiles into the church of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. We heard his testimony, and then 
you see Paul and Barnabas telling and describing how God had done 
all these mighty works with reference to the Gentiles, according to 
verse 12, and now James comes to conclude this particular meeting. 
And I want to look at four things in James' testimony. First, the 
appeal to Peter's testimony in verses 13 and 14. Secondly, the 
affirmation of Amos' prophecy in verses 15 to 17. Third, the 
argument from God's sovereignty in verse 18. And then finally, 
the application of wisdom in verses 19 to 21. But in the first 
place, in his testimony, notice his appeal to Peter in verses 
13 and 14. 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. Now this James was introduced 
or told us in chapter 12. We also see him in Acts chapter 
one. There are a lot of candidates 
out there for who this particular James is, and the one that I 
believe is the case is that he was, in fact, the Lord's brother. 
He was Jesus' brother, according to Matthew 13, 55. So he was 
the son of Joseph and Mary. As well, he rejected Jesus during 
a part of Christ's ministry, according to John chapter 7. 
His brothers did not believe in him at that particular juncture. But the conversion of James is 
consistent, or rather is seen after the resurrection of Christ 
according to 1 Corinthians 15, 7, and then his association with 
the disciples on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 1. And here we 
see him as a leader in the church at Jerusalem. One man says that 
James became a respected and beloved figure in the early church, 
especially among Jewish Christians. He was considered the first quote-unquote 
bishop of the Jerusalem church and was called the righteous 
or the just because of his faithfulness to the law and his devotion to 
prayer. Hegesippus claims that James 
was stoned to death by the scribes and Pharisees for refusing to 
renounce his commitment to Jesus. The Jewish historian Josephus 
confirms the essentials of this story and he enables us to date 
the incident to AB 62. So this is the James that stands 
up in the midst of this council at Jerusalem. He is the leader 
of the church. He's not a capital A Apostle, 
rather he is a pastor, an elder, and he is the one that now comes 
to conclude this part of the council. And notice specifically 
he highlights Peter's testimony. James says in verse 14, Simon 
has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take 
out of them a people for his name. We've already seen the 
testimony of Peter. Basically, he rehearses Acts 
chapter 10, his connection with Cornelius and the household of 
Cornelius. But I love the way James specifies 
this, that God first visited the Gentiles to take out of them. So you've got the Gentiles, but 
out of this mass of Gentiles, God takes out of them a people 
for His name. Brethren, we are a people for 
the name of God Almighty, the God of the Old Testament, God 
of the New Testament. The true and living God is the 
God who has saved us, who has called us out of darkness into 
marvelous light so that we may proclaim the praises of Jesus 
Christ. We are a people of his name. 
Now notice, secondly, he says this is an affirmation of Amos' 
prophecy. In verses 15 to 17, he says, 
with this the words of the prophets agree. Now the appeal to scripture 
is crucial in theological matters. In other words, it's not just 
simply the experience of Peter, it's not simply the experience 
of Paul and Barnabas, but rather what does the Bible say concerning 
Gentile inclusion into the covenant people of God Almighty. So the 
appeal to scripture is crucial in theological matters. When 
he says prophets plural in verse 15, and then he cites one particular 
prophet, I think the idea is, is that the prophets plural function 
in a Christocentric manner. In other words, the prophets, 
plural, emphasized the coming Redeemer of God's elect. The 
prophets, plural, spoke of Jesus Christ. The prophets, plural, 
didn't simply exist to condemn Israel on behalf of God and His 
law. Though they did that, But the 
prophets of Israel also ended their condemnation of the people 
by alerting them to the reality that Christ was coming. The Messiah 
and champion of his people would arrive. He would save his people 
from their sins. And so the thrust of the prophetic 
testimony is with reference to Jesus. And with reference to 
this appeal to the prophets, it would ground the proceedings 
ultimately in the word of God and not in the opinions of men. 
To the law and to the testimony, that's always got to be our sort 
of profession. And then the appeal to the prophets 
underscores the ongoing authority and relevance of the prophets. 
Have you ever had the misfortune of meeting a professing Christian 
who doesn't care about the Old Testament? That's a terrible 
thing. That is an anomaly. That is a 
bad thing. The people of God ought to affirm 
both Testaments. All Scripture is given by inspiration 
of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly 
furnished unto every good work. There's a class of Christians 
out there affected by what's been called dispensationalism 
that do not see the relevance of old covenant prophets for 
this new covenant mindset. Well, that brethren is absolutely 
positively wrong. James in this council at Jerusalem 
invokes the prophet Amos to affirm and to underscore that what we 
are witnessing is according to God's plan. In fact, John Calvin 
comments here, he says also, we must here note that the use 
of the doctrine of the prophets is yet in force, which some brain-sick 
men would banish out of the church. Calvin's absolutely positively 
right. Brain-sick men want to remove 
the prophetic testimony from the church of Jesus Christ. Men 
who hopefully aren't brain sick will see the value and the relevance 
of Amos 9, verses 11 and 12, when it comes to this great issue 
of Gentile inclusion in the covenant of grace. So notice that James 
does cite this, verses 16 and 17. Now, James is using the Greek 
translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. There's some differences 
when you look at Amos 9, 11 and 12 in your New King James Version. But even if James used what's 
called the Masoretic text, the conclusion and the argument would 
have been exactly the same. I don't want to bore you with 
details. I don't want to get into all the ins and outs. It's 
not that they're completely contrary, but there are some differences 
when you compare what we have in the New King James at Amos 
9, and 11, and 12, and what you compare here. And again, the 
issue is that James, speaking to predominantly Greek speakers, 
is using the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. 
And so what James says here is absolutely crucial and binding 
upon the situation that they are faced with here in this council 
at Jerusalem. Notice what he says first of 
all. 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. Now, just to give you a bit of 
the context of Amos, Amos was an 8th century BC prophet to 
the northern kingdom. Now, the first two chapters of 
Amos is basically God's judgment against the nations outside of 
Israel. But then the rest of the book 
is taken up with a prophecy of condemnation against Israel and 
Judah. But as is typical and commonplace 
in the prophets, after they come to condemn on behalf of God, 
they come to encourage or comfort on behalf of God. So the book 
of Amos ends on this high note, this crescendo, this reality 
that the tabernacle of David will be rebuilt by God Almighty. And when you ask the question, 
what is this tabernacle of David? It is a reference to the spiritual 
kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Old Testament prophetic testimony, 
it spoke often of David as being the leader of an idealized kingdom. Hosea 3.5, for instance, I'll 
just quote that. Hosea 3.5 says, afterward, the 
children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and 
David their king. They shall fear the Lord and 
his goodness in the latter days. In fact, turn to Ezekiel, the 
prophet. Ezekiel chapter 34. just to see 
that this is old covenant language in which the prophets preached 
Jesus Christ. So as they pointed forward to 
this Davidic kingdom, we are to understand it with reference 
to Jesus. The book of Acts has already 
closely connected Jesus and David in Acts chapter two. It's already 
closely connected Jesus and David, excuse me, in Acts chapter 13. 
as well in the nativity account in Luke chapter one. What does 
Jesus do? He sits on the throne of David. So David was the prophetic sort 
of testimony of an idealized kingdom, which we see realized 
in our Lord Jesus Christ. So look at Ezekiel 34, which 
is spoken concerning the restoration by the divine shepherd or Davidic 
king. In Ezekiel 34 at verse 23, notice. He says, I will establish one 
shepherd over them and he shall feed them, my servant, David. 
He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will 
be their God and my servant, David, a prince among them. I, 
the Lord, have spoken. Now you understand that David 
had been long dead by this time when Ezekiel is writing. But 
the people of God didn't say, what does he mean? Is David going 
to be resurrected? No, David was a type. David was 
a type or an emblem of his son to come. And that's how the prophets 
spoke. That's why in Amos chapter 9, 
this rebuilding of the tabernacle of David is simply the realization 
of the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Notice in Ezekiel 
37, at verses 24 and 25. Ezekiel 37, verses 24 and 25. Actually, we'll pick up in verse 
22. New covenant reality is being 
spoken of here. Verse 22, in Ezekiel, I'm sorry, 
I'm in Ezekiel 36, I need to be in Ezekiel 37. Ezekiel 37, 
verses 24 and 25. Sorry about that. David, my servant, 
shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. 
They shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes and do 
them. then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to 
Jacob my servant, where your fathers dwelt, and they shall 
dwell there, they their children and their children's children 
forever, and my servant David shall be their prince forever." 
Again, that's why Peter, on the day of Pentecost, in Acts chapter 
2, tells us that Jesus sat down on the throne of David. Jesus 
is the very scope of this prophetic testimony. And so when James 
says that Amos 9, 11, and 12 is being realized in our midst, 
it is a reference to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. As Gil says, 
for the tabernacle of David designs the spiritual kingdom or church 
of Christ, who is here called David, and of whom David was 
an eminent type. Remember, God gave David a promise 
that there would be a dynasty according to 2 Samuel chapter 
7. Well, God has purpose to fulfill that dynasty and he does it in 
the coming of the Son of God, David's son and yet David's Lord. So this idea of the tabernacle 
of David being rebuilt or having fallen down, being rebuilt by 
God and set up by God is the spiritual kingdom of our Lord 
Jesus. Now notice what James goes on 
to say in verse 17. 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. So the judgment of God that was 
sure to come upon the nation of Israel, if you read Amos 3 
to the beginning of chapter 9, would be followed up by restoration. It would be followed up by blessing. 
It would be followed up by therefore or a nevertheless. I will not 
ultimately cut you off. There will be this rebuilding 
of the tabernacle of David. There will be this spiritual 
kingdom of Jesus Christ, our Lord. And the Lord God himself 
is the one who rebuilds the ruins. It is the Lord God himself who 
sets it up. And the reason is, is 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. So that reality that was initially 
prophesied by Noah in terms of that son Japheth that is then 
affirmed to Abraham in Genesis 12 and throughout the book of 
Genesis concerning Gentile inclusion has come to fruition and James 
recognizes that and says this is biblical. What we are doing 
here is what we should have been expecting. What we are seeing 
here is simply God rebuilding the tabernacle of David. It is 
the inclusion of Gentiles according to the plan and purpose of God 
that he had stipulated in the written word, but even originates 
in his eternal decree. Alexander says, the essential 
meaning of the passage, therefore, is that the restoration of the 
kingdom of David was to be connected with the spiritual conquest of 
the Gentiles. Does everybody get this, what 
James is doing? He is going to the law and the 
testimony. He is going to the prophetic word. He is saying, 
this isn't just based on experience, this isn't just based on opinion, 
this isn't just based on the whims of men, but rather, this 
is God's word. We should expect this, we should 
want this, we should pray for this, and now that God is doing 
it, we ought to stand in awe and worship and praise and adore 
him. John Stott says, God promises first to restore David's fallen 
tent and rebuild its ruins, which Christian eyes see as a prophecy 
of the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, the seed of David 
and the establishment of his people. So that secondly, a Gentile 
remnant will seek the Lord. In other words, through the Davidic 
Christ, Gentiles will be included in this new community. This is 
absolutely crucial. He grounds this experience in 
the revelation of God through the prophet Amos. And in so doing 
that, James affirms the experience of Simon Peter. In doing this, 
James affirms the experience of Paul and Barnabas. But again, 
it's not based on these men, rather it is based on the written 
revelation of God Almighty that there was a day coming in which 
God himself would rebuild this tabernacle of David. And when 
God rebuilt that tabernacle of David, not a physical temple 
that lay in our future, Banish the thought, brethren, that's 
not what this has to do with at all. This is the church of 
the Lord Christ. This is the people of God Almighty. It's not some future rebuilt 
temple in Jerusalem to satisfy some strange eschatology. This 
is God's purpose and plan in the coming of the Redeemer. In 
the fullness of the times, God sent forth his son, born of a 
woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law. He 
has achieved this through his own crosswork. He is achieving 
this from the right hand of the Father, where he sends the Holy 
Spirit to bless the proclamation of the Word to the salvation 
of both Jew and Gentile. So we have the appeal to Peter's 
testimony, the affirmation of Amos' prophecy. Now notice, thirdly, 
the argument from God's sovereignty. If you're not using the New King 
James or the King James, you have a different reading in verse 
18. Again, I don't wanna bore you 
with the details. I'm gonna stick to what the New King James has 
in this particular section. Notice what James says in verse 
18, known to God from eternity are all his works. Isn't that 
an appeal or rather an argument from God's sovereignty? In other 
words, this council that we're having was in the mind and purpose 
of God. Gentile inclusion didn't originate 
at the Jerusalem council. Gentile inclusion didn't originate 
with the calling of Cornelius and his household. Gentile inclusion 
originates in the decree of God. It goes back to eternity past. It's tough to even talk about 
eternity past because there's no marker in eternity in terms 
of present, past, and future. But for our sakes, I've got to 
sort of quantify it some way or other, Gentile inclusion in 
the covenant of grace wasn't at the first century when the 
people of God went out and preached to Gentiles. It originates in 
God's decree. It is anticipated in God's word 
via the prophetic testimony. It was executed by God's son 
in the coming of the son to live, to die, and to be raised again. 
And it's preached by the church. And now the church, according 
to Acts 15, is witnessing these Gentiles coming in among them. 
And so the issue has produced itself. Well, do we have to circumcise 
them? And do we have to give them the 
ceremonies of Moses? Well, the overarching testimony 
is absolutely positively not. We haven't caught God unawares. 
We haven't, you know, sort of puzzled or surprised God with 
these Gentiles coming into the church. I love verse 18, that 
there is a variant there and that it is translated differently 
is unfortunate. I think this would be a great 
argument to just use the New King James. Known to God from 
eternity, are all his works. Brethren, that has a myriad of 
application, not only soteriologically, but across the board. There is 
nothing that transpires in our lives that catches God off guard, 
whether it's Gentile inclusion in the covenant of grace or the 
reality that this particular crisis is upon us. Known to God 
from eternity are all his works. He is sovereign. He is over all 
things. Psalm 115 and Psalm 135 haven't 
changed. Our God is in the heaven. He 
does whatever he pleases. That isn't put on hold. That's 
not a back burner sort of a doctrine, but God has all things under 
his control. And in terms of Gentile inclusion 
in the covenant of grace, James says, of course, God knew this. 
Of course, God determined this. Of course, God announced it through 
the likes of Amos. His son secured it through his 
own cross work. And now the church is preaching 
it and people are coming unto Jesus. Alexander explains this 
way. He says, this verse, verse 18, 
expresses still more strongly and directly than verse 15, the 
important fact that the reception of the Gentiles into the church 
was no afterthought or innovation. but a part of the divine plan 
from the beginning. Again, brethren, there's no two 
peoples of God. It's not as if this is a Gentile 
parenthesis until the Jews come back and it's a really wonderful 
thing. No, the middle wall of separation 
has been abolished. That's the point of Ephesians 
chapter two. That's the reality. He doesn't 
take and keep them as two men, but he takes the Jew and the 
Gentile and brings them together and makes them one new man under 
Christ. The idea that there are two peoples 
of God or that there will be this separation again of Jews 
and Gentiles does not have biblical support. It does not have biblical 
warrant, but rather this stuff is invoked by James to explain 
what is happening in terms of Gentile inclusion. Notice that 
James doesn't say, well, you know, when Jesus came, he offered 
the kingdom to the Jews, they rejected him, and then he turned 
his attention to the Gentiles. Now he's going to deal with the 
Gentiles until there's this rapture, the Gentiles are gone, and then 
God's going to get busy and work on the Jews. That's not what 
James does. That is absolutely positively 
not what James does, which should have been what he had done, had 
dispensationalism and this idea of two peoples of God been true. He should have just said, this 
is the parentheses, we deal with the Gentiles. Once the Gentiles 
are raptured and gone, then we have the real business of God's 
dealings with the Jews. Brethren, that is not a biblical 
eschatology or biblical, better, hermeneutic. That is not the 
way the apostles read the scripture. That is not the way the apostles 
read the prophets. If your way of reading the Bible 
is different than Paul's and Peter's, it's not them that have 
to change, it's you that has to change. Those men operated 
by the power of the Spirit, and they took prophetic passages 
and applied them to what was happening in the church at that 
time. There's no parentheses. There's 
no two peoples of God. The blessed reality is that God 
is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. That's what 
we should rejoice in. That's what we ought to praise 
him for. Now, finally, fourthly and finally, notice the application 
of wisdom. So James affirms Peter's testimony. James affirms Paul and Barnabas. James highlights this or grounds 
it in the prophetic testimony of Amos in Amos chapter 9, 11, 
and 12. But we got to do something, right? We've got to give an answer. 
We've got to give a response. We would all concede that the 
Gentiles are now among the people of God." So look at what James 
does. In the first place, he emphasizes doctrine, and in the 
second place, he gives some practical advice. Notice the emphasis on 
doctrine in verse 19. He says, therefore, I judge that 
we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning 
to God. So what has James just done? 
He has condemned Judaizing. He has condemned the thought 
that Gentiles need to believe and be circumcised in order to 
be saved. So James has rendered verdict 
as the leader of the church. He has said these Judaizers are 
wrong, whether they're an Antioch or whether they're of the sect 
of the Pharisees who believe that are presently in Jerusalem. 
He has just said no to that. He doesn't fear offending them. 
He doesn't fear, you know, trouncing on their delicate sensitivities. 
He says, you're wrong. We are not gonna do this. It 
would be to trouble them in order to ask them to be circumcised 
or to undergo those particular ceremonies. So he is agreeing 
with Simon Peter. Notice what Peter says in verse 
10. 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? See, see, James does the same 
thing. We're not gonna trouble them. We're not gonna call them 
to be Jews and Christians. They can be Gentile Christians. 
See, that's where it all fell down to. Okay, the Jews are thinking 
we were circumcised. We've gone through these ceremonies. 
We're the people of God. If the Gentiles come in among 
us, well, then they have to do that as well. And yet at this 
council at Jerusalem, they say, no, they don't. And in this, 
what does James affirm? James affirms here, underscores, 
highlights, bold faces, italicized, whatever it is that really makes 
his point that justification by faith alone is what is biblical. It is not justification by faith 
plus circumcision. It's not justification by faith 
plus ceremonies, but it's justification by faith alone. James affirms 
that in verse 19 and lays this down as a doctrinal principle 
that no one is to tamper with, nobody is to mess with, nobody 
is to distort. The way of salvation, if you 
are not saved either here or listening online today, if you 
are not saved, the way of salvation is clear in scripture. The Bible 
says that you have sinned. The Bible says that you have 
transgressed. The Bible says that you have 
lacked conformity under God's law. You always do that which 
is contrary to God. The way of salvation is not to 
fix yourself because you can't and you won't. The way of salvation 
is not to take a little bit of help and add to it your own works 
to complete it. The way of salvation is by God's 
grace. Isn't that beautiful? We're not 
here today because we're better. We're not here today because 
we're smarter. We're not here today because we're braver. We're 
here today because God saved us. He conquered us. He brought 
us to himself. What's the instrumentality? By 
faith or through faith. We are saved by grace through 
faith, and that not of ourselves, lest any of us should boast. 
It is a gift of God given to people so that they may come 
to the Father through the Son in the Spirit and know that blessing 
of being found in Jesus Christ. Not having my own righteousness, 
Paul says in Philippians 3.9, which is of the law. but that 
which is given to me freely by God, received through faith." 
It's a blessed, wonderful thing, and James highlights that, or 
underscores that. Now, note the practical advice 
or the practical assistance in verses 20 and 21. First, we see 
the exhortation in verse 20, and then the rationale or reason 
in verse 21. Notice in verse 20, but... Okay, 
so here's where the council is doing very wise work. They settle 
the doctrinal matter. There's no way that we will ever 
tell people that you must believe and be circumcised to be saved. 
That's settled right there. It's done. Verse 19, James says, 
we're not going to trouble the Gentiles. But we have this situation 
where Gentiles and Jews who at one time were two peoples, one 
time were at odds with each other, at one time did have enmity and 
animosity. That really was the case. Remember, 
Jews would thank the Lord that they were born not a woman or 
born not a slave and born not a Gentile. I mean, talk about 
offensive. Man, our society collectively 
would lose their minds They actually heard a Jew pray that way today. 
I mean, come on. Did any of you see the advice 
for ladies in quarantine in Malaysia? It said, don't nag your husbands. 
Be very kind to your husbands. Do wear makeup and dress nicely. American and Canadian women would 
lose their minds if that kind of sort of statement was made. 
But James wants to facilitate communion between Jews and Gentiles. Now, the four things that he 
mentioned here typically are connected to the ceremonies. 
They are typically connected to the ceremonial law. When he 
says avoid sexual immorality, that is certainly a Seventh Commandment 
violation. The idea might simply be that 
the Gentiles were a lot more promiscuous relative to fornication. Gentiles as a whole opposed adultery, 
but in terms of fornication, they were a whole lot easier 
with it than, say, the Jews were. Some suggest that the prohibition 
against sexual immorality speaks specifically to incest, that 
the Gentiles would be a lot more open to marriage within the degrees 
of consanguinity or affinity. But whatever the case, these 
four things are not to be interpreted as the exhaustive law from this 
time forth for every Gentile. It was to facilitate communion 
among the Jews and the Gentiles. I don't just mean table fellowship 
at the Lord's Supper, I mean communion, friendship, fellowship, 
sitting in the same room together. You can imagine, if you were 
a first century Jew and you were taught from a youth to praise 
God that you were born not a Gentile, and now you're sitting next to 
a Gentile in your church service, that would have caused a bit 
of concern. Now we say, oh no, the Spirit 
is in us and we're just full of love. Okay. Doesn't that work 
today as well? Why do we do anything wrong? 
The Spirit is in us and we're just full of love, right? I'm 
sure this was a real-life challenge and a real-life issue. So James 
suggests, or James lays down these four things. First he says, 
those things polluted by idols. Now again, we think about this 
and we go, wait a minute, that's just a no-brainer. I mean, wouldn't 
anybody know that you're not supposed to eat things polluted 
by idols? No, they wouldn't. Part of Paul's 
sort of approach to Corinthians in 1 Corinthians chapters 8 to 
10 hangs on that particular issue. And then as well, when he says 
to avoid sexual immorality, again, Gentiles were either far more 
promiscuous or incest specifically, and then from things strangle. 
Jews were regulated by God's law on how they were supposed 
to kill and ingest meat. They weren't supposed to strangle 
the animal. They were supposed to cut it 
and empty it of its blood. Well, the Gentiles didn't get 
that memo. They didn't subscribe to the 
book of Leviticus. They didn't get their dietary 
regulations from the Jews. So what James is saying is that 
you Gentiles coming into this Jewish environment now, we're 
not going to make you get circumcised and we're not going to make you 
keep the ceremonies of Moses, but we're going to ask that you 
refrain from parading those kinds of things in front of these Jews, 
which was happening in 1 Corinthians. And then the last thing is, and 
from blood. Jews had strict regulations about 
not ingesting blood. So again, this isn't a comprehensive 
code. Going forward, the four commandments 
for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I think Philip Ross hits 
the nail on the head. He says, the few requirements 
the council lays down are not meant to be an exhaustive ethical 
code, but temporary accommodations. That's how we should approach 
this. They were temporary accommodations so that these two people could 
fit together, go together, and not needlessly offend one another. He goes on to say that would 
help to maintain peace in the church while the apostles worked 
to shape Christian thinking. It seemed good, verse 28, not 
because a combo of casuistry and scribal tradition led their 
thoughts to Leviticus. Now notice what he says, but 
because unity was more important than absolute liberty. Beautiful 
statement, brethren. Churches that get this do well. Unity was more important than 
absolute liberty. God has given us liberty. We differ and disagree among 
ourselves how that liberty is to be expressed. But this one 
principle flows from Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8-10. If my liberty offends someone 
who disagrees, then I ought to reject using my liberty. Okay? Because absolute liberty 
is not as important as unity within the body. Look at 1 Corinthians 
chapter 10 for just one specimen sample of the emphasis of the 
apostle. This is sort of the capstone 
on a prior argument, verses 8 to 10. Notice what he says in verse 
23, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. 
All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let 
no one seek his own, but each one the other's wellbeing. Notice, 
eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for 
conscience sake, for the earth is the Lord's and all its fullness. 
What does that mean? That means if you happen to be 
a Jew and you're wandering the main streets of Corinth and you 
go to the local market, don't ask them if that meat was offered 
to an idol. Don't do it. Just buy the meat 
and eat it. Why? Because according to Paul 
in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, we know that idols are fake. We 
know there's no such thing as an idol. We know that it's just 
a ruse, it's a mindset. And the argument that the apostle 
gives here is don't ask questions, buy the meat and ingest it. Go 
ahead, enjoy that steak. But then notice what happens 
in verse 27. If any of those who do not believe, 
so now you're dealing with an unbeliever who invites you to 
dinner. Possibly there's weaker believers in that same sort of 
dinner party. And you desire to go. And then 
he goes on to say, eat whatever is set before you, asking no 
question for conscience sake. Do any of us operate that way? 
No, I don't think we do. Where did this come from? How 
did you do it? Don't ask if you don't want the answer. Have you 
ever had that? Somebody asks your opinion on 
something or advice and you tell them and they get mad at you. 
I've often mused in my own head, well, then you shouldn't have 
asked. Simple way, right? None of us have all the answers. 
None of us know everything. None of us speaks ex cathedra. It's better not to ask. That's 
Paul telling you, not Jim. Paul says, don't ask. If they 
offer you this meat, you're sitting with an unbeliever, and he offers 
you this beautiful steak, you are not required to say, was 
this beautiful steak used in some ritualistic, polluted, idolatrous 
ceremony where it was offered up to idol? Paul says, don't 
eat, don't ask. Eat the steak. Eat the steak 
and enjoy yourself. That's good counsel too, right? 
Just enjoy what God's given. But then notice what he goes 
on to say. But, verse 28, if anyone says to you, this was 
offered to idols, okay? So now they're handing you the 
steak and they're saying this was offered to idols. That changes 
the context a bit. And Paul has an argument or a 
rationale for why you operate the way that he says here. This 
was offered to idols. He says, do not eat it for the 
sake of the one who told you and for conscience sake. Now 
notice verse nine, for the earth is the Lord's in all its fullness. 
Do you understand that Psalm 24.1 is the rationale for why 
you don't eat it because you don't want to offend your unbelieving 
friend or server at this particular meal. But it's also legitimately 
the tax that he uses to go into the meat market and ask no questions 
and buy steaks that could have been offered to idols, but go 
ahead and eat it. You don't know? Go ahead and 
eat it. Because the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. 
So when it comes to this issue of liberty, as we heard in Ross, 
sometimes unity is more important than absolute liberty. So back 
to verse 29, conscience I say, not your own, but that of the 
other. For why is my liberty judged 
by another man's conscience? But if I partake with thanks, 
why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? 
In other words, what I think Paul is getting at here is that 
when we're dealing with others and they don't share our view 
on certain aspects of liberty, you can go ahead and put your 
liberty away for that meal. I don't know that he means forever. 
Some Gentiles somewhere might be offended, so I'll never eat. 
No, I don't think that's it at all. We can have liberty as long 
as we're not affecting persons that don't have that same particular 
view. I don't think Paul says, well, 
you can never eat meat again. I mean, he uses that sort of 
language again to underscore a particular point. If my ingestion 
of meat offends a brother for whom Jesus died, then I'll never 
eat meat again, Paul says. The idea is, is that liberty 
is a blessing and it's a gift from God, and it would be a wonderful 
thing if all God's people grew in their understandings of liberty, 
so that we could be mature men and women when it comes to these 
various things, but such is not the case. So therefore, we need 
to respect one another, we need to be kind to one another, and 
we need to seek to accommodate one another, and that's the point 
of the Jerusalem Council. This isn't the comprehensive 
Four Commandments, for the church going forward, their accommodations 
on the part of the Gentiles to not make angry or to not create 
more problems with these Jews as Gentiles are being included 
into the church. That's the point in the Jerusalem 
Council. Now, in conclusion, a few thoughts 
and then we'll close. First, the ecclesiastical lessons. The church addressed issues that 
were affecting her. They didn't just hope it went 
away. They didn't just say, well, you know, that doesn't affect 
me. No, they convened together. They had dispute. They had some 
degree of opposition. They had men stand up. They gave 
deliberation. They spoke, they listened, they 
pondered. And then James leads the congregation 
by laying down these non-negotiables with reference to entrance into 
the kingdom of heaven. but then these encouragements 
so that we as Jews and Gentiles can function together without 
wanting to kill each other. That is a good thing. Now, some 
will say that the Jerusalem Council didn't work because Paul has 
to write again in Romans 14. Paul has to deal again in 1 Corinthians 
8-10. How do we respond to that? I 
would suggest that the council most certainly did work, that 
the council wasn't at fault, but it's men continuing after 
the council that have this proneness to wander and this proneness 
to leave the God that we love. That's the spirit in which Paul 
addresses it in Romans 14 and in 1 Corinthians 8-10. He doesn't 
say, look, Corinthians, we had a council, Acts chapter 15 dealt 
with it. You need to just keep silent 
and do what you're told. No, he doesn't do that. He addresses 
it. He goes through it. He continues in this particular 
vein, not because the council didn't work, but because in every 
generation of believers, we need to be reminded and we need to 
be retaught. I've used the illustration that 
Baal worship persisted in Israel after Mount Carmel. I mean, come 
on, brethren, if you were standing at Carmel and you saw Yahweh 
send fire down to consume Elijah's sacrifice, to lick up the very 
water with, you know, these tongues of fire, and you saw these, you 
know, poor, pathetic prophets of Baal, you know, gashing themselves, 
dancing around, you know, calling upon their God, and He does nothing, 
why would it ever enter in your mind again that, oh, I guess 
Baal is an option? But Jehu's ministry as king of 
Judah was to exterminate Baal worship from Israel. They don't 
blame the particular instance of Kings chapter 17, the contest 
at Carmel, just like you don't blame Acts 15 that there is persistent 
rebellion in the hearts of men, and we always want to add to, 
we always want to take away from, or we always want to distort 
the very truth of God himself. Secondly, the theological lessons, 
at least as taught by James, is that the plan of salvation 
originated in the decree of God, known to God from eternity are 
all his works. It was announced by the prophets 
of God, and with this the words of the prophets agree just as 
it is written, and was executed by the Son of God. What's Jesus 
teach in John chapter 10? I have other sheep. Jesus knew 
that the mandate laid upon him even back to the servant song 
in Isaiah 42 and 48 or 49. It was too small a thing that 
Messiah come simply for the tribes of Jacob. But I will give you 
as a light unto the Gentiles. was always in the mind and in 
the heart of God. And now the plan of salvation 
included the Gentiles, along with the Jews, as the people 
of God. And James lays down a doctrinal principle, verse 19, and then 
some practical helps in verse 20. Oh, the reason why? Verse 
21, I did skip that. It's a tough one, actually, now 
that I'm thinking about it. I just skipped right over that. 
For Moses has had, throughout many generations, those who preach 
him in every city being read in the synagogues every Sabbath. 
Now, this could go one of two ways. In other words, we need 
to lay upon these Gentiles these particular temporary accommodations, 
because when they go to the synagogue, which, you know, the church initially 
was, you know, synagogal, they met together as gatherings of 
people together, they were going to hear the Law of Moses. These 
Gentiles were going to hear about the circumcision and the ceremonies, 
and they needed to be instructed on how to navigate in the midst 
of this. But as well, we need to tell 
the Gentiles this because the Jews are getting heavy doses 
of Moses each and every Sabbath in each and every synagogue meeting. 
And so the Gentiles need to know how to navigate along with the 
Jews so that we don't end up with a big mess in the churches. So that's why they give, or James 
gives, this particular counsel. In terms of the practical observations 
in the passage, the capability and competence of the church 
to deal with theological and practical matters. Does anybody 
like to be treated like a child? Even children don't like that, 
do they? They don't. Children don't like it to be 
treated like a child, but you have to come along as their, 
almost said lords and masters. I don't mean it quite that epically, 
but to remind them that they are children and they are subject 
to our authority. But adults typically don't like 
to be treated like children. Oh, this is man's work, or this 
is for the adults. You sit at the back. The church 
was involved. I reject this idea that the church 
is simply there to entertain, or the church is simply there 
to be another sort of business, or the church is simply there 
to meet some felt needs on the part of people. The church is 
the pillar and ground of the truth. The people of God who 
have the Spirit of God ought to be able enough and competent 
enough to deal with the very issues facing the church. That 
doesn't mean we don't have an educated ministry. That doesn't 
mean we don't have elders among us. That doesn't mean that we 
don't have pastors and that sort of thing. But it also means we're 
not a bunch of rubes. We're not a bunch of clueless 
adults that have no thought whatsoever about how to proceed. Brethren, 
we are to be treated as and treated with the kind of respect that 
we want others to treat us with. The wisdom of James in refuting 
Judaizing, but also in encouraging peace between Jews and Gentiles. And then the willingness of God's 
people. When these Gentiles receive this 
letter, as hopefully we'll see next week, they rejoice. They're happy. They want to hear 
it. They're not like, oh, I can't 
believe we can't eat things polluted by idolatry. They don't do that. 
They're happy that the apostles and the elders took the time 
to meet, to discuss this, to include them, and then to send 
them this letter. It was a great encouragement 
and a boon to them. And they were more than willing, 
at least generally. There's always, you know, that 
one odd duck that wants to continue to eat his steak and offend everybody 
else. But for the most part, they were 
willing to maintain this practice so they could facilitate communion 
among the people of God in the Church of God. Beautiful. Beautiful 
stuff going on here. And then finally, we need to 
remember the whole reason why they convened had to do with 
the gospel. There's a lot of things we are busy with. There's 
a lot of things that demand our attention. There's a lot of things 
that the Bible addresses and covers, and I don't want to minimize 
any of it. I think the Bible speaks to matters, all matters 
of faith and practice. I think it speaks to matters 
concerning civil government. I think it speaks to matters 
concerning quarantine. I think it speaks to everything 
under the sun. But the primary emphasis on the 
part of the church is the gospel. It is the truth that Christ saves 
sinners, the reality that God Most High, in His grace, in His 
wisdom, in His mercy, and in His kindness, did not leave us 
in our filth, did not leave us in our sin and degradation, but 
He came to us, He lifted us up, and He said, live, live. And 
it's by grace alone, through faith alone, such that Paul could 
say, therefore, We conclude that a man is justified by faith apart 
from the deeds of the law. Or that Paul could say, and be 
found in him, Christ, not having my own righteousness, which is 
from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the 
righteousness which is from God by faith. And then Acts 13, 38 
and 39, what does Paul preach there? In that synagogue in Pisidia 
in Antioch. Therefore, let it be known to 
you, brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness 
of sins, and by him everyone who believes is justified from 
all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of 
Moses." Gospel is everything. You know, we've been praying 
for the at-risk people among us in terms of the physical. 
I hope you're daily praying for the at-risk among us in terms 
of the spiritual. Because there is something deadlier 
out there than this particular problem. It is hell. It is banishment. It is away from the presence 
of God Almighty. And as we sang, we want the churches 
to be full. We want people to stream to Zion. We want people to come and meet 
the living and true God through his blessed son, the Lord Jesus 
Christ. It's gospel, brethren, gospel. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your word. We thank you for the clarity 
that these men address this issue with. We thank you that it's 
inscripturated for our benefit and for our blessing and our 
encouragement. And God, I pray that we would 
learn the lessons from this council at Jerusalem, and that it would 
affect us in a good and positive way. And we pray this gospel 
would go forth throughout the earth today, conquering and to 
conquer, and that sinners would come to you through your son. 
And we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. 
Well, we'll close by singing hymn number 570. Hymn number 
570, you can stand as we sing together. is oh and holy 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, thank you for these good words. Thank you for your great 
grace. Thank you, Lord, that you do 
keep and preserve and bless your people. And may we experience 
this today on the Sabbath. May we experience each and every 
day. And may you encourage and strengthen each of our hearts 
and build us up in our most holy faith. And we pray these things 
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.