Let us pray. Wherefore, my sentence is that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God. Acts 15:19. As I am being transformed into your likeness, Jesus, I consciously make the choice to let go of past rules and outdated mindsets that stand in opposition to the new way of being. I am freely able to live. By the work of Jesus, I am now saved by grace through faith. Keeping traditions that hold me bound to the past can no longer serve in my new life. Therefore, like the multitude of counsel in Acts 15, guide me, Holy Spirit, and reveal to me what needs to stay in my life and what needs to go. Reveal to me in your Holy Word the ways I'm called to live, so I may experience the life in abundance that you died to give me, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thank you for making prayer a priority in your day. To learn more about the Bible, stay tuned for today's story. Brought to you by Biblein ayear. Com.

I'm Cheryl McCleom, host of the cold case podcast, Zone 7. Join us every Wednesday to hear cases like the Long Island serial killer. Hear Carrie Lawson, daughter of the notorious serial killer, BTK, weigh in on the accused Long Island serial killers children.

You show genuine interest and you can't fake it, but these guys can see right through to your soul. You have to be walled off, prepared. And if you don't know your stuff, they're going to just call you out and they're going to be like, Nope, I'm talking to somebody else. I'm not talking to you.

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Our world is blaring with the white noise of pop culture, politics, and products. Don't you think it's time for a message that goes beyond the pointless chatter?

You've perfected us by that one sacrifice that I can live in freedom and be the Christian you've.

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With God. As you close your eyes, ask God to come and have fellowship with you. Open yourself to the Holy Spirit and ask him to minister to you. Take a moment to dwell on God's amazing gift of strength. Think of how Jesus had to persevere and rely upon the Father to complete his task. Thank him for setting aside his personal desires for the benefit of mankind.

Listen to meditative prayers on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Jerusalem Council.

In our last story, Paul was nearly stoned to death by Jewish Christians who sought to control Gentiles by the law. They were dangerous and controlling. Yet Paul did not let the stones stop him. Now we see a move of God's Spirit as guides the apostles and leaders to address the problems ahead. If Gentiles are to be brought into the family of God, they are going to need to learn to let go. Inspired by the Book of Acts.

Hello. This is another episode of The Bible in a year. I'm Jack Graham. In yesterday's episode, we heard about the persecution brought upon Paul and Barnabas by those who wish to silence the message of Jesus. Twice they had to escape those who wish them harm. But finally, in Listera, Paul was seized by angry men who stoned him and carried him outside the city, leaving him for dead. But the disciples came to his aid, and Paul rose up to continue preaching and teaching, and many more came to Christ as a result. Today we'll hear how Christ following Jews attempt to add to the Gospel, trying to make Gentile believers follow Jewish religious traditions such as circumcision. We'll see Paul and Barnabas journey to Jerusalem and convene a council of the apostles and elders of the Church to stand against these doctrines that threaten to rob the Gospel of its power. Let's listen now to today's reading from the Book of Acts.

The toxic doctrine of the Church in Antioch was spreading. Jews who had become Christian considered themselves more complete and holy followers of God. They lauded their heritage over the Gentiles. Many of them even taught that a Gentile could not become a follower of Jesus unless he was circumcised. This was in direct opposition to what Jesus had spent years battling against. He died so that nobody would be judged on the law, but on the righteousness given to them through his sacrifice. So Paul and Barnabas called for the Apostles and pastors of the Church together to discuss these teachings. Since the early Church was mostly made up of Jews, it was hard for them to comprehend the faith in Jesus without embracing the Jewish culture. So they prayed and bore their heads before God and one another. They argued and debated the law of Moses and the law of Liberty established by Christ. Then in the midst of the arguments and debates, Peter stood up before the room. Everyone paused as Peter paced the room. He stood with authority. He was no longer the scared fisherman. He was a man of quiet strength, a man who knew Jesus deeply.

My brothers, Peter said, I have been a witness to what God has done to the Gentiles. God has met them and given them his spirit. He has made no distinguishing between us and them. He gives the same spirit to both, and we are to not call unclean what God has cleansed. Do we not still believe that we are saved by grace? Should we not believe the same is true for them? The room fell silent and Peter sat down. Then hes in Barnabas and Paul recounted the violence of the Jewish Christians in Antioch. After this, all looked to James, the brother of Jesus. He stood to his feet. There were silence and James looked deep in thought. My judgment is this, we should not bind the Gentiles to laws that bring them no closer to Jesus. We should write to them to encourage them, to guide them, to restore them. But we should also inform them on the things from the law they ought to keep. For such is our burden as leaders, all were in agreement. So they forged a letter of encouragement to the Gentile believers, and thus the first major conflict within the church was solved by a multitude of voices.

In today's scripture, we find Paul and Barnabas at odds with some Jewish Christians who came from Judea and began to teach that Gentiles must first be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas saw this for the false teaching that it was a burden on the Gentiles that Jesus never meant for them to bear, and they debated them with passion. It was no small matter, and a rift was beginning to form in the Church. Paul and Barnabas wisely traveled to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and the other apostles along with elders in the church. These were people who had lived alongside Jesus and heard him preach. If anyone could rule on this matter, it would be them. As it turned out, this was not simply a question on the fringes. There were many Jews in Jerusalem who believed the same things, that Gentiles had to follow Jewish laws and customs and become circumcised. Of course, it was a deeper issue than circumcision. This was a fundamental misunderstanding of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the freedom that he gives to all who follow him. After a great deal of debate and discussion, then.

Peter stood and spoke with confidence. I can imagine that as he addressed the gathering, he was recalling the day on the roof when the vision of unclean animals came to him and he heard God tell him to rise, kill, and eat. How after he protested, God told him that he was not to call anything unclean that God had made clean, and how just after he awoke from his vision, men came to bring him to a centurion named Cornelius, a Gentile who came to faith in Christ. Peter had led this man and his whole family to faith in the Lord, and there had been no need for circumcision. Salvation came through faith in Christ alone by God's grace alone to these Gentiles who heard the word of God and the message of salvation. And the same Holy Spirit had been given to them, as was given to Peter and other believing Jews. To Peter, the matter was settled. God made no distinction and had called all nations and all people to himself. So in Acts 15:10 and 11, he concludes, Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test? By placing a yoke on the back of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear.

But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ just as they will. Paul and Barnabas then began to tell those gathered what the Lord had been doing among the Gentiles who were coming to faith in the Lord. Finally, James, Jesus's own brother, stood and testified that what Peter, Paul, and Barnabas were saying did not contradict Old Testament prophecy, but rather supported it. This is so important that we remember this today as well. Yes, God uses experiences to shape and inform us in our walk, but our experiences do not Trump God's revealed word. God's word is our final authority for faith and practice. As James concluded, God did not intend for Gentiles to become Jews. So rather than burden them with religious requirements of the law, they should instead exhort them to abstain from things like sexual immorality and other practices that would violate God's moral law, ultimately hindering their fellowship with God and other believers. This Jerusalem Council then drafted a letter to send out to believers, resolving the matter and encouraging them to have unity in the faith. This was the first major disagreement in the church, resolved through wise counsel, discernment, understanding of God's word, and prayer.

It would not, however, be the last division in the church. And as we'll discover in our next episode, Paul would remind believers again that righteousness and freedom come not from good works, but through faith in Jesus Christ by God's grace. We'll learn more about that the next time. Let's pray. Dear God, we thank you for the gospel, that your grace is available to all. This is not a religious experience, but a life-changing transformation by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we always judge our experiences in the discernment of God's word through the lens of scripture. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thank you once again for joining the Bible in a year, and you can help ensure that more and more people can hear the life-changing message of God's word with your generous gift today to keep these gospel-centered messages reaching people around the world, please give at www. Bibleintheyear. Com.

This episode is sponsored by Metta Share, an innovative healthcare solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

Hello, I'm Dr. Tony Evans, and I'm excited to have you join me on this new podcast, Heroes and the Bible. Come to me, boy.

You and your God.

Will crumble.

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He.

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I come to you in.

The.

Name of the Lord of hosts and creator of the stars.

We all have giants that we face in our life. When you understand that the greatness of God affects our ability to handle the giants of life, it will encourage, inspire, and challenge all of us to our faith in our God and our growth in Jesus Christ.

Look past his height and appearance, Samuel, for man sees.

The.

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I'm Cheryl McClellum, host of the Colcais Podcast, Zone 7. Join us every Wednesday to hear cases like the Long Island serial killer.

You show genuine interest and you can't fake it, but these guys can see right through to your soul. You have to be prepared. If you don't know your stuff, they're going to just call.

You out. Listen to Zone 7 with Cheryl McCleom on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

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