TO THE ends OF THE earth

SMALL GROUP GUIDE

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Do It Again, Lord TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

Acts 11:19-15:41

Small Group Discussion Guide for Austin Oaks Church

Written by the Small Group Ministry at Austin Oaks Church

© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents About the Book of Acts ..................................................................................................................................... iii

So Far in Acts .......................................................................................................................................................... iv

Characteristics of a Missional Church ....................................................................................................... 1

Angels, Prayers, and Deliverance ................................................................................................................. 5

The Global Church on the Move ................................................................................................................. 10

Unity, Liberty, and Charity—Deciding What Really Matters ..........................................................15

When the Godly Disagree .............................................................................................................................. 20

Map: Paul’s First Missionary Journey ....................................................................................................... 26

Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................................... 27

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About the Book of Acts When we open the Book of Acts, we’re actually jumping into the middle of a story, like coming to movie about halfway through. Luke, the Greek doctor and historian, pens these chapters as a continuation of his gospel account, a sort of “Jesus’ Story Part 2.” Because in Luke’s mind, this history of the early church only extends the story of the Savior come to save the whole world. Though Jesus Himself ascends to Heaven in the opening scene, every step His apostles and His church takes in this book is the next chapter to His grand plan to save the world.

Luke writes this book, formally known as the “Book of the Acts of the Apostles,” to his friend, Theophilus. We don’t know much about the recipient, and we’re not even sure Theophilus is his name—it could be an official title. In any case, Theophilus means “God lover,” and he’s probably a Roman citizen living somewhere in Italy. And Luke has amazing things to share. He chooses to use the Greek word “praxeis” for “acts,” an important choice since the word usually refers to the achievements of great men. And Jesus’ apostles are certainly that.

Not that they begin that way at all. If we read Luke’s gospel account alongside the other three gospels (Matthew, Mark, and John), we’ll see Jesus’ twelve disciples-now-apostles hardly measure up to the “great men” standard. An eclectic group of mostly uneducated men, they mess up in every way possible. Yet God will do His most amazing works through them in these pages—the birth and building of His Bride, the church. Though “uneducated ordinary men” (Acts 4:13), the Holy Spirit empowers them to go preach the gospel, work miracles, and stand boldly in the face of persecution.

Perhaps, then, we can think about the Book of Acts not so much as the story of Jesus’ apostles, but the story of what God does through them. When the Holy Spirit arrives and invests Himself in the early believers, He comes in power, flame, and a roaring wind. That power rages through every verse, transforming these men, their city, and ultimately the world.

Some two thousand years later, you and I look back on these early days perhaps with longing and a bit of nostalgia. The Holy Spirit’s power manifest in those early days is no less needed in our day. And so as we look back to the first moments of the Church Age—our present age– we say, “Do it again, Lord.”

Yes, Lord. Do it again in us.

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So Far in Acts... As we begin this section of Acts, let’s set the stage. Part One of our study of Acts opens with a tremendous promise the Lord Jesus Christ gives to His apostles—that God the Fa-ther will send the Holy Spirit to fill them with power to be Christ's witnesses to the world. Then Jesus ascends to Heaven through the clouds. The apostles set about the practical matter of prayerfully choosing a successor to the traitor Judas, ultimately choosing Mat-thias to join them.

Ten days after Jesus returns to Heaven, the promised Holy Spirit arrives in an amazing display of power through violent wind and tongues of fire. The apostles speak in lan-guages they do not know, enabling everyone in the gathering crowd to understand their declarations of God’s glory. Despite this display of God-given authority and power, some skeptics still mock the apostles, dismissing the whole thing as a drunken commotion. Pe-ter responds with his first sermon, urging everyone to repent of their rejection of Jesus and call on His name to be saved. About three thousand join the cause of Christ and begin to enjoy true fellowship by sharing everything they have, including their time, their possessions, and their hearts. They praise God together as one people and God gives them favor with everyone around them.

Later, Peter and John see a lame beggar pleading for money at one of the Temple gates named Beautiful. Instead of giving him a handout, Peter offers him something far great-er. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, he commands the man to walk and helps him to his feet. To everyone’s amazement, the lame man walks and jumps with them in-to the Temple, praising God the whole way. With crowds gathering in astonishment, God provides Peter another opportunity to preach Jesus, the glorious Son of God, the promised Messiah, and the only hope of salvation. And many believe, growing the infant church to five thousand people.

But not everyone rejoices at this “good news” Peter and the apostles preach. The priests and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin imprison John and Peter for the night, then demand to know who gives them power to heal. Peter declares boldly the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, reminding them that they’re the ones who crucified Him and that salvation can only come through Him. The Sanhedrin can’t figure how to silence these "unschooled, ordinary men" who walked with Jesus, so they reprimand them and set them free.

Once released, Peter and John return to the other believers. This band of brothers and sisters raise their voices in prayer to the Lord, remembering prophetic words of David about how the world will rebel against God and His Anointed One, and they pray for boldness and courage to proclaim Jesus’ name. Filled by the Holy Spirit, the church

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goes out in unity, power, and boldness, preaching the gospel, sharing their possessions, and caring for anyone who needs it. God blesses His servants to be blessings to every-one around them.

Chapter 5 begins with the sobering story of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira. This couple lies to the church about proceeds from a land sale in an effort to raise their social stock. They think they’re only lying to men, but their lies to the Holy Spirit who empowers the church cost them their lives. More and more people join the believers, as God demon-strates His power through more and more miracles and wonders. Still frustrated, the re-ligious leaders imprison Peter and the other apostles again, but God sends an angel to free them. Undaunted, the Sanhedrin rulers demand the apostles to stop preaching in the name of Jesus, flog them, and then let them go.

With continuing rapid growth in the church, internal struggles begin, and the apostles select seven men, including Stephen, to take over the ministry to needy widows. Ste-phen is "full of God's grace and power" and performs many signs and miracles, but also makes some enemies. These enemies conspire against him and force him to appear be-fore the Sanhedrin, where he eloquently recounts the history of the Jewish people and rebukes the leaders for resisting the Holy Spirit. His preaching earns him a death sen-tence. Saul personally stands watch over Stephen’s execution, then launches open per-secution of the church.

The believers scatter, and a disciple named Philip goes Samaria, healing and preaching Christ to many, including Simon the sorcerer. Simon wants the power of the Holy Spirit and tries to buy it from the apostles, but he’s rebuked for his sinful heart. God then di-rects Philip south where he meets an Ethiopian eunuch who just happens to be reading Isaiah's prophecy of Jesus. Philip explains the meaning of the prophecy, telling him the good news about Jesus, and at the first sign of water, the Ethiopian is baptized.

Saul, in the midst of his tirade against the church, makes his way towards Damascus to persecute believers there. But on the way, Jesus Himself confronts him, an encounter that leaves him blind. When Saul reaches Damascus, God sends Ananias heal his sight and anoint him as God's chosen instrument to carry the message of salvation to the Gen-tiles.

Meanwhile, Peter heals Aeneas from paralysis in Lydda and raises a woman named Dor-cas from the dead in Joppa. Later, Peter encounters God in a trance. God shows him all manner of animals considered unclean by Jewish law and commands him three times to kill and eat. At that moment, three men arrive from Roman Centurion Cornelius to bring Peter back to Cornelius' home. Upon his arrival, Peter understands what God was saying in the trance - God intends to bring His message of reconciliation to everyone, not just the Jews. With Cornelius’ profession of faith in Jesus, Peter witnesses God pour out the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles (non-Jews), hearing them speak in tongues exactly as the original apostles had done. Salvation has now come to everyone!

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Characteristics of a Missional Church Acts 11:19-30

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Session One: Characteristics of a Missional Church

Read Acts 11:19-30. What is God revealing to you personally through this passage?

What really hit you in this week’s sermon?

As we look at the characteristics of a missional church, we can make a couple of observations. We see at the outset that many disciples only share the gospel with Jews. However, once the men of Cyprus and Cyrene reach Syria’s Antioch, they follow in the Apostle Peter’s footsteps and preach to Greek-speaking non-Jews, a group known as Hellenists.

Antioch is a huge, sprawling metropolis, a crossroads for economy and a “melting pot” of races and cultures. The third largest city in the Roman Empire (only Rome and Alexandria are larger), she held the nickname “Queen of the East.” As is often the case in large blended cities where ideas and religions mix and mingle, Antioch reeks of spiritual darkness. Temple prostitution, idol worship, and corruption are everywhere.

The early disciples show up with gospel’s light, bringing life and freedom when citizens of Antioch turn to Jesus as Lord. Of special note, the gospel message doesn’t come to Antioch through the native Jews, but through outsiders who probably have closer cultural and experiential ties to these Gentiles. Perhaps if traditional, exclusive-minded Jews had tried preaching to the Hellenists, the people wouldn’t have been so quick to receive the message. And so the Lord sets the steps of the right men for the job. Shortly after, the church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to “check up” on the infant church in Antioch. We can almost feel the unease surrounding the rumors of a group of messy pagans meeting together in the name of the Lord Jesus! Barnabas hails from Cyprus and again would have likely been better received than the Jewish apostles. Barnabas, like

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Stephen before him, is also a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (v. 24), and he’s true to his name, which means “son of encouragement.” He’s blown away by the grace of God in the church in Antioch. He exhorts and builds up, bringing Saul alongside to teach the new believers for over a year.

After this instructional time, a man named Agabus prophesies about a great famine on the horizon. The Antioch church rolls up her sleeves, and each disciple, according to his or her ability, pools together to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea. And this is before anything has even happened yet! They entrust their giving to Barnabas and Saul, who hand-deliver to the elders in Judea.

Love God

According to the following verses, whom does God wish to save?

Genesis 12:2-3

Isaiah 45:22

1 Timothy 2:1-6

In the following verses, what has God done in order to save all?

Ephesians 5:2

Philippians 2:5-8

Romans 5:8

1 Corinthians 15:3

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How does looking at these verses and the early church in Antioch challenge or broaden your understanding of God’s grace?

If God desires to save all, AND has gone to such great sacrifice to do so, what prejudices or obstacles do you need to overcome for the sake of the gospel?

Love One Another

Read 1 Peter 4:10. How did the church in Antioch model this verse?

When the Antioch church hears about the possibility of a future struggle, everyone bands together to send support, according to each one’s ability. Examine yourself for a moment, and think your own giving. What resources do you have (time, money, space, talent)? How are you sharing these with your brothers and sisters in Christ?

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faith-fully administering God's grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10)

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Angels, Prayers, and Deliverance Acts 12:1-25

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Session Two: Angels, Prayers, and Deliverance

Read Acts 12:1-15. What is God revealing to you personally through this passage?

What do you most need to remember and apply from this week’s sermon?

If you and I look around and feel desperate for deliverance from the mess our world is in, then we can relate to our brothers and sisters in Acts 12. Emperor Caligula sits on the throne in Rome, a disturbed man known for his extreme violence and capricious nature. In Jerusalem, King Herod astutely uses his political skill to gain power in Judea, and he’s all about self-promotion and pride. It’s in this climate that the early church endures attacks, not only from religious leaders, but from the forces of government as well.

Acts 12 tells us Herod has found a political advantage in persecuting Christians. The powerful Jewish leaders applaud his casual beheading of the Apostle James, the brother of John and one of Jesus’ closest inner circle. Eager to capitalize on his newfound popularity, Herod arrests Peter, the head of the early church. But with the Passover celebration underway, it’s not the most politically astute time to publicly try to execute the apostle. Instead, Herod decides to wait until the celebration ends and avoid the risk of a riot in crowded Jerusalem during the feast. And the king takes no chances that Peter might escape or that the Christians might attempt a jail break - he stations sixteen trained Roman soldiers to guard him, with two burly men literally chained to Peter’s side.

With human powers doing all they can do to extinguish Peter’s life and the early church with him, believers gather to pray.

I can’t imagine things looking worse when these believers fall to their knees and beg for God’s intervention. Up against one of the most powerful men in the land, they have no

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other recourse, no other hope, except in their mighty God. They’ve already lost one apostle, James, to Herod’s sword. Now the king plans to have Peter’s head on a plate and the Jewish religious leaders eating out of his hand. So they begin “earnestly praying” to God - the original Greek literally means “to pray without ceasing.”

And in response to these prayers, God slices through extreme circumstances - and Peter’s chains - to set him free. Mankind’s best efforts and most powerful people cannot alter God’s plan for Peter even one iota.

With his prized prisoner taken from him, Herod lashes out at his guards and kills them all. A short time later, as Herod continues to politic his way through life for his own benefit, his pride takes a front row seat for all to see. Exposed and unsubmissive to the One True God, Herod takes the fatal blow he had intended for Peter - publicly and swiftly. And he endures a horrific death as the worms of his sin literally eat him from the inside out.

Love God

How does God demonstrate His power over men and governments in this passage?

What do the following verses say about God’s power over men and governments?

Proverbs 21:1

John 19:8-11

Romans 13:1

According to 1st Century historian Josephus, Herod wears royal robes made of silver when he appears before the people and gives his grand speech (Acts 12:21) His pride and glory come to a gory end, as the passage describes. Josephus notes that Herod suffers under the torment of the worms in his body for five days before finally succumbing to death.

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How do the answer to the first question in this section together with these verses about God’s authority help us live in our world today?

God quickly and clearly answers the prayers of the early church in this passage (Acts 12:5). What are some ways you’ve seen God move in response to the prayers of your small group? In our church?

Both James and Peter suffer under Herod’s persecution,. What are the different outcomes for Peter and James in their suffering? How is God victorious in both? How would you explain this to someone who doesn’t believe in God or Jesus Christ?

Based on what happens to Herod in Acts 12:21-23, what does God think of pride and taking credit that belongs to Him alone?

Love One Another

Scripture is replete with verses about God answering our prayers (Matthew 7:7-11, Matthew 21:22, Luke 11:9-13, John 14:13-14, John 15:7, for example). Yet, we probably all know someone who’s prayed earnestly for God to move on their

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behalf or to save a loved one, but they haven’t seen God move the way they expected Him to. What can we do to offer God’s love and comfort to someone confused by - or even angry with - God’s answers to their prayers?

What insight does Luke 18:1-8 offer?

Like the early church, we may find ourselves under authorities that are unfriendly or even actively opposed to our faith. What does this passage teach us that can encourage us in such circumstances?

How can we help one another trust God when we are under the authority of leaders who don’t seem just or righteous?

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)

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The Global Church on the Move Acts 13:1-14:28

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Session Three: The Global Church on the Move

Read Acts 13:1-14:28. What is God revealing to you personally through this passage?

What from this week’s sermon affects you most?

So in the previous lesson, we see Herod eaten by worms because he doesn’t give glory to God during his speech. Now we begin a long, arduous missionary journey where Paul and Barnabas face magicians, great escapes, mistaken identities, and assassination at-tempts. And some people say the Bible is boring! Our two chapters this week contain many incredible, important events and conversations, but for the sake of time, we’ll just scratch the surface. A deeper study of Acts 13 and 14 is highly encouraged.

At the church in Antioch, the disciples seek God in worship, fasting, and prayer. The Holy Spirit declares His mission for Barnabas and Saul, and the believers bless them and send them out. How beautiful that the church, in unity, hears clearly from the Lord through corporate worship and prayer. God is at the center of this decision.

There’s no accident in forming Team Barnabas and Saul. They need each other’s strengths and cover each other’s weaknesses. Saul (Paul) is bold, zealous, strong-spirited, intellectual, and well-educated. Barnabas leans to the diplomatic side, encour-aging and welcoming everyone he meets. He advocates for the outsider and overflows with grace. We’ll see later on how these traits come to a head. For the time being, these men’s great differences serve to challenge and sharpen one another.

These chapters boast many wonders, and the name of Jesus is passionately proclaimed. The apostles arrive at Cyprus, and after preaching, a magician named Elymas (also called Bar-Jesus) tries to lead the proconsul away from the faith. Paul rebukes him, and the advisor goes blind for a time. Paul knows all about blindness after spending three days in the dark himself (Acts 9). Paul’s darkened eyes led to his repentance, regenera-

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tion, and life’s work. We can imagine he prays for the same results here.

Paul and Barnabas travel through many cities, always starting out in the synagogues and preaching to the Jews. They have a common background and history, making it easier for the listeners to relate and believe. Paul demonstrates time and again his unquestion-able knowledge of the Scriptures and uses his reasoning and Spirit-given words to draw many to the truth of the Messiah.

It seems, though, that every city has a population of jealous, angry Jews. These trouble-makers cause uproars, chase the apostles out of town, beat them down. Paul and Barna-bas retreat to safe spaces as needed, but wherever they go, they preach the gospel.

In Lystra, Paul heals a crippled man, seeing that he has faith to be made well. In re-sponse, the crowds begin to worship Paul and Barnabas, calling them gods in the like-ness of men. The apostles tear their garments and rush into the crowds, crying out the truth: they’re just men, and they bring the good news of the God who gives life. Do you see the way Paul and Barnabas grieve and mourn the empty idol worship of the people? Friends, we can really learn from this. On a dime, the tides turn, and the very same crowd is persuaded by the Jews to stone Paul, drag him out of the city, and leave him for dead.

But God’s not done with Paul yet. Not by a long shot.

The mission continues as the two evangelists trace back over their steps. They return to the groups of disciples along the way and strengthen them. They use their experiences with persecution as an example of courage and faith. They appoint elders in every church. They pray and fast and dedicate to the Lord. At long last, they sail back to Anti-och, where the church praises God for the good work He has done through Paul and Bar-nabas to the Gentiles. They share their “God Stories” with the church!

Finally, they rest.

Love God

Aware of God’s heart for all to be saved (see Session One), the church in Anti-och prays and hears the Lord’s call to send out Paul and Barnabas to spread the gospel to other areas. Their response is immediate. What about you? What has God called you to in which you are struggling to respond?

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In each place they visit, many come to know Jesus, but Paul and Barnabas al-so face fierce persecution. What does each of the following verses say about persecution?

Matthew 5:44

John 15:18

2 Timothy 3:10-12

1 Peter 4:12-14

Knowing that persecution is a guarantee as a Christ-follower, what do these verses say about God that can offer encouragement to us?

John 16:33

Romans 8:37-39

1 Corinthians 15:58

What does persecution look like today for us, and how do we or should we respond as Christ-followers?

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Love One Another

Barnabas and Paul always start out preaching in the Jewish synagogues, per-haps in part because this is most natural to them. Is there a particular group of people you find it easy to identify with or relate to? How do you demonstrate Jesus to them?

When confronted with literal in-your-face idol worship, Paul and Barnabas tear their clothing and preach the truth even louder and more desperately. What kind of idolatry do we see in our culture today?

How should we, as Christ-followers, respond to our culture’s idolatry?

What do you observe about the steps the apostles take on their missionary journey? What do they make sure to do? How can we model ourselves after this in our modern day church, in Austin, Texas?

We tell you the good news: What God promises our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. (Acts 13:32a)

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Unity, Liberty, and Charity - Deciding What Really Matters Acts 15:1-35

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Session Four: Unity, Liberty, and Charity—Deciding What Really Matters

Read Acts 15:1-35. What is God revealing to you personally through this pas-sage?

What is new or particularly impactful to you from this week’s sermon?

Up to this point, much of the conflict the early church endures has come from outside groups - the Jewish religious leaders or political powers. But in Acts 15, conflict arises from within. A group of Phari-sees-now-Christians argue with Paul and Barnabas about how someone becomes a believer. Do Gen-tile (non-Jewish) believers have to convert to Juda-ism and be circumcised to truly be saved by the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ? Paul says “No!” as loud as he can, while the group of Jewish believers shout “Yes!” with just as much zeal.

It’s not the singular act of circumcision that’s really in view here, but whether or not believers have to keep the entire Mosaic Law with all six hundred+ rules and regulations to belong to God’s family. The Lord commands circumcision in Genesis 17:10 as a sign of the everlasting covenant between the Him-self and Abraham’s descendants, the Jews. And ev-erlasting means everlasting, right?

Paul argues that Gentile believers don’t belong to Abraham but to Jesus Christ alone. So that whole

Acts 15:34 “but Silas decided to remain there.” Some Bible translations include the verse above with a special designation or note, but others omit this phrase, skipping straight from verse 33 to verse 35. Verse 34 represents an interpolation - a phrase or passage added to the Scriptures at some point through the ages. It’s possible that a scribe’s or priest’s note in the margins accidentally made its way into the text proper through a transcription error as copies of the Bible were handwritten over and over again through the ages. By looking at the oldest copies available and comparing manuscripts with each other, scholars have determined that verse 34 is likely not part of the original text.

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“everlasting” thing refers to God’s promises and not to the Law that never saved any-body anyway.

Unable to settle the dispute and with the theological stakes as high as they can be, Paul and Barnabas head to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and church elders and re-solve the matter once and for all.

It’s not hard to sympathize with this Pharisee sect of believers advocating for circumci-sion. After all, up to the time of their salvation, they’ve committed every living moment to the Law of Moses, holding it in the highest regard. They love the Word of God as best they know it. In their minds, they’re just standing up for the Scriptures.

But their lack of humility doesn’t allow for the obvious evidence right in front of them. At the Jerusalem Council, with the Apostle Peter and James the elder of the Jerusalem church (and the brother of Jesus Christ, by the way) in attendance, they hear testimony after testimony of how Gentiles come to faith and receive the tell-tale sign of salvation, the Holy Spirit. None of these Gentiles got circumcised before or after their profession of faith and baptism, and no one doubts that they are truly saved. So why should any of that change now?

James concludes the whole matter by making a point the Pharisee believers should have seen coming since they know the Old Testament so well. James quotes Amos 9:11-12 as evidence that God has intended to save Gentiles all along - with no mention of them becoming Jews first. God has determined and demonstrated that salvation comes by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Neither circumcision nor any other work of man is necessary.

And so the Jerusalem church sends a letter back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, along with two leaders from the Jerusalem church, to honor the Gentile believers. All they ask is that the Gentiles be considerate of their Jewish brothers and sisters by avoid-ing certain foods and activities that would be particularly offensive to the Jews. After all, by grace they all belong to one family now - God’s family - and showing love for one an-other obeys the command of Jesus Himself.

Love God

What was the “sharp dispute” Paul and Barnabas were drawn into (Acts 15:1-3)? How did they seek to resolve this dispute (Acts 15:3-11)?

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What does this passage reveal about God’s character and His heart for Jews, Gentiles, and the church at large (Acts 15:7-9)?

Since believers are saved by grace alone and not by following the Mosaic Law or any other human works (Ephesians 2:8-9), then why did God give the Jews the Law in the first place? Romans 7:1-8:4 discusses this issue.

Read James 2:14-22. James clearly says that “faith without works is deed.” It seems that works give evidence that our faith is real. How have the apostles thus far in Acts modeled faith and works together? What works can we do that also model our faith to the world?

Love One Another

The issue of circumcision comes into focus in Acts 15 as the issue at hand. What issues might those who value the Bible very highly today put forward as essential one when it comes to determining if someone truly belongs to Christ?

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The Jerusalem Council sends a list of re-quests to Gentile believers asking them to abstain from certain things for the sake of their Jewish brothers and sisters and to foster unity among all of Jesus’ followers. What groups of believers in our city and our world do we need to be considerate of as we consider how we live? How have you seen believers adjust how they live for the sake of unity in the body of Christ and consideration of our brothers and sis-ters in other cultures?

Where does legalism - a list of do’s and don’ts for believers - show up in your life? What’s the danger of legalism to your relationship with God and with others?

How does grace promote unity among believers? How does legalism poten-tially divide us from one another? What are issues in faith that we need to stand firm on?

Throughout its history, the church's leaders have met to settle doctrinal issues. Historians point to seven ecumenical councils in the church's early history, especially the councils of Nicea (A.D. 325) and Chalcedon (A.D. 451). Yet, the most important council was the first one—the Jerusalem Council—because it established the answer to the most vital doctrinal question of all: "What must a person do to be saved?" (from the MacArthur Bible Commentary)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast .(Ephesians 2:8-9)

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When the Godly Disagree Acts 15:36-41

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Session Five: When the Godly Disagree

Read Acts 15:36-41. What is God revealing to you personally through this passage?

What was your biggest take-away from this week’s sermon?

With a letter from the Jerusalem Council delivered to the Gentile believers, Paul and Barnabas stay at Antioch. But the season of conflict isn’t over yet. We’re about to witness a very important argument resulting in the sad dissolution of a fantastic team. Even in this, though, God has lessons for us.

After some time, Paul suggests to Barnabas that they return to all of the cities they’ve visited to see how the believers are doing. Barnabas wants to bring along his nephew, John (also known as Mark). Paul vehemently objects because John Mark abandoned them on their first mission, even before the going got tough. Barnabas, always the advocate for second chances, thinks John Mark deserves another shot. The two stand firm on each of their sides, neither one relenting until the disagreement becomes so “sharp,” the two men permanently part ways.

Barnabas takes John Mark to Cyprus, and Paul selects Silas to accompany him on his rounds. In the later epistles, we see Paul refer fondly to Barnabas, but there’s no indication they ever restored their working relationship. Let’s think through a couple of things. First, neither Paul or Barnabas is wrong. We can see both sides and agree that they each have a valid point and perspective. Even our author Luke maintains an unbiased stance in his reporting. This is not an issue of doctrine or theology, but of personal conviction.

Second, this incident offers us some comfort in seeing the apostles as humans, just like us. Where’s the forgiveness, the sacrifice of pride and opinion for the sake of the Kingdom? Where’s the compromise? Maybe God wanted the two to head in different directions, but we don’t see this splitting of ways as a level-headed, prayerful decision. We see it as the result of a heated confrontation. But beautifully, God redeems even this.

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Because of their separate paths, the gospel covers twice as much ground and reaches twice as many people. Amazing, right? No matter how we mess up, God’s got us covered in His vast, intricate plan.

As we’ve mentioned before, Paul and Barnabas have distinct, specific strengths. What we see now is that their biggest assets can also be their biggest blind spots. Paul is passionate, relentless, and vociferous. On the flip side, he isn’t willing to have anyone weaker come alongside. He doesn’t have any patience for John Mark. Meanwhile, Barnabas champions the underdog, ever kind and gentle. In this, he perhaps grants too much leniency when he might need to be more firm. In both men, their greatest strength also demonstrates a weakness.

But even after a very uncomfortable conflict, neither Paul nor Barnabas ceases his work for the Lord. They may take different approaches, but they don’t allow this discouraging split to steer them away from their calling. Have you ever heard of someone leaving church because of personal disagreements? I sure have. Friends, when we face heat with our brothers and sisters (which we will!), it’s our responsibility to approach the scenario in the Spirit of Christ. This doesn’t necessarily mean we need to continue to work in close proximity with someone whose personality majorly clashes with ours. It means that we solve our problems in considerate, respectful, prayerful ways. Even in our disagreements, we can bring glory to God.

Love God

Disagreement can often bring division. Yet as Christ-followers, we are called to live in unity. What do the following verses have to say about unity?

Psalm 133:1

John 17:23

Ephesians 4:3

Colossians 3:13-14

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We are called to live in unity with one another and, in fact, it is our unity that demonstrates God’s love to the world (John 17:23). What did Barnabas and Saul do to maintain unity among the believers?

Unity doesn’t always look the way we expect it to and often seems paradoxical. What might be required in conflict to keep the peace?

Romans 8:28 says that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him. We see that here with Paul and Barnabas. Through their split, the gospel spreads even further. How has God shown you that He has the ability to take even our biggest mistakes and work them for good?

What does God want you to understand about unity among believers from this passage?

Love One Another

When we begin to clash with our brothers and sisters, how do we know when we cross the line into sin?

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What do you think about the way this issue was handled between Barnabas and Paul? What do you think would have been the “right way” to go about it?

Have you ever had a “Paul and Barnabas” moment with a friend? What was the outcome?

When we start to feel conflict with members of our church family, what are some practical steps we can take to resolve the manner in a way that is pleasing to God?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)

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Paul’s First Missionary Journey

Source: “BibleHistory.com - Paul’s First Missionary Journey” - Accessed August 15, 2016, http://www.bible-history.com/new-testament/pauls-first-missionary-journey.html

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Bibliography Barnes, Albert. Albert Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. 8th Edition. Kregel Classics,

1962. Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and

English Lexicon. Snowball Publishing, 2010. Clarke, Adam. Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Baker Publishing Group,

1983. Easton, M.G. Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Cosimo Classics, 2006. Exell, M.A., Jospeh S. The Biblical Illustrator. public domain, 1900. Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on The Whole Bible. Box Una edition. 6

vols. Hendrickson Publishers, 2009. MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas

Nelson Publishers, 2005. MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas

Nelson Publishers, 1995. Orr, James. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. 2 edition. OSNOVA, 2010.

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