January 1 - Interminable Meetings

January 1 – Interminable Meetings

Not long after the new sect of Judaism was called Christian for the first time in Antioch, there was a meeting. It figures, doesn’t it? I don’t think there are a group of people that can do anything without a meeting.

This meeting, though, was a significant moment in the beginning of our history. You can read all about it in Acts 15:1-21. The gist of the story is that a group of men visited those new Christians in Antioch and told them that unless they were circumcised they couldn’t be saved.

You see, Christians at the time were still considered part of Judaism and as they began adding to their numbers from the Gentiles in the area, Jewish law was still very important. These people weren’t just added to the Christian church, they were actually becoming Jews as well.

Paul and Barnabas were furious. They had been traveling throughout the region, teaching the Gentiles about Christ and brought back amazing news of the new converts. It was up to them to travel to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and the elders of the chuch. Their reports were received with great joy … until … some of the Pharisees who were also Christians stood up and re-stated the requirement that the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses (Acts 15:5).

This necessitated a meeting. Acts 15:7 says, “After much discussion …” I leave it to you to imagine how long that meeting was in session.

Fortunately, Peter decided that the meeting needed to come to a close and told the group that God would not have asked the Gentiles to bear a condition that none of them would ask to bear (yes, adult males being circumcised would probably scare a bunch of them off).

“We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:11)

This is incredibly significant in the birth of the Christian church. With these words, Peter set forth a doctrine that would be foundational for bringing a world to Christ. The grace of Jesus is the one thing that brings us salvation.

James (the brother of Jesus and the head of the church in Jerusalem), then stood up, quoted from Amos 9:11-12 and encouraged the brothers to ‘not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.’

From this point forward in the book of Acts, the Jerusalem church fades into the background. The focus is no longer on the Jews, but on the growth of the church among the Gentiles.

A meeting. For the church. Over two thousand years have passed. We still have meetings – more than anyone probably needs. But, this meeting changed how people would be accepted into the church. Everyone is welcome. Everyone is offered grace in Jesus Christ.