Acts 15:22-33
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.
The First Church Council
September 25, 2022 • Acts 15:22–34
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May 5, 2024 • Wade Pursell
Conversation Starters ╬ How do you read the Bible? Is it like a novel with a gripping story or like non-fiction that gives good information to know? “Eating” the Bible involves a meditative, slow, submissive process with interest in both knowing more and, more importantly, becoming more. In the companionship of the Spirit, will you seek to increase your “becoming-more” reading of the Word? ╬ Who do you know who “walks in the counsel of the world, stands with sinners, or sits with scoffers”? Pray for them! May God the Spirit create in them a great hunger for God’s Word who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
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Conversation Starters ╬ Jesus is the Word that became flesh. How does Jesus’ incarnation, his life, death and resurrection give you reason to trust the Bible? ╬ Jesus is our teacher who gave us an example of a true servant leader. How did Jesus choose to be known as a leader? Consider Jesus’ leadership example from John 13-14 as you ask yourself, “What Would Jesus Do?”