Discussion and disagreement have been important means of development in the Christian church’s life. Acts 15 is a good example of that, with its tense argument about how to handle non-Jewish Christians that results in a peace-making solution. However, big
Ancient rules
James, the brother of Jesus and a pastor of the Jerusalem church, lays out in Ac 15:13-19 why it is acceptable for Jewish and non-Jewish Christians to worship together, without the latter converting to Judaism. However, one problem remains if
David’s big tent
Some disputes look insoluble to us: the two sides just can’t agree! But then, suddenly, a solution appears and it’s such a relief! In our verses, James, a pastor in the Jerusalem church, comes up with a great answer to
Grace abounding
Christians have received grace from God. This means we have been given a gift by God which is the very opposite of what we deserve. We deserve death; He has given us life. And this gift is hugely expensive: His
Three troublesome trips
Paul’s perseverance is a notable feature in the stories we have about him (eg 2Co 11:16-33). Our verses demonstrate this as he returns from an exhausting mission trip not simply to enjoy a rest at home, but to handle a
Elders
Paul and Barnabas were not simply nomadic preachers; they were actually builders (1Co 3:10). They travelled not just to win converts and move on, but to see the kingdom of heaven firmly established on the earth. Hence, having reached Derbe
A new adventure
First there was one church, launched in Jerusalem and expanded until it stretched across the ancient land of Israel (Ac 9:31). Then a second church was founded in the city of Antioch in the land of Syria: an independent church
Two new arrivals
For nearly 2000 years Jesus followers have been known as ‘Christians’. Where did the name come from? An ancient city called Antioch (sited near to modern Antakya in Turkey), where not only that nick-name but also the first local church
Gracious disagreement
If Jesus came to build God’s kingdom (Lk 4:43) and bring people into unity (Co 3:11), why have Christians formed so many different types of churches? Has something gone wrong? Our verses provide part of the answer, as they give
It’s all clean
There are things we cannot do. Some are physically or mentally beyond us. But others we simply cannot face because of what they stir up within us: they are utterly off-putting. Yet, at times, we may have to do them