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Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him because he had deserted them in Pamphylia They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul went through Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:36-41). Have you ever experienced a "clean break?" Clean breaks can take the...
Keep Reading"I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel"(Galatians 2:14). I had been volunteering at the library for several years, loving my assigned task, when an older woman from the Senior Center was given work at my assigned job. I was frustrated, for I only worked twice a week and, again, loved what I was doing. I was annoyed she couldn't be used somew...
Keep ReadingWhen Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was in the wrong (Gal. 2:11). When you look back on your life, do you see that some of the worst times ended up serving a greater purpose than you could have dreamed? My friend lost his job on the day he and I met for a long-planned reunion. This was two years after we had briefly known each other at grad ...
Keep ReadingWhen Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he was clearly in the wrong When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,I said to Peter in front of them all (Galatians 2:11, 14). Did you catch the title: behaving the Gospel? We are of course to believe the Good Newsand that believing must get translated into certain ways of be...
Keep ReadingActs 15 What's really amazing about Acts 15 is that a bunch of people reach a decision that seems to fly in the face of most everything they have ever known and loved. Think about it: the church at that moment was primarily Jewish. The "headquarters" was in Jerusalem. The senior leadersPeter and James, among otherswere lifelong Jews. The Scriptures they looked to were wh...
Keep ReadingActs 15:1-29 My family and I have lived in lots of different places, and that means we've attended lots of different churches. In each church there have been business meetings, and we've been privy to lots of issues, large and small, that have come before their congregations. A few that stand out: Color of the carpet/chairs/pews (This one has come up in almost every si...
Keep ReadingIt is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved,just as [the Gentiles] are"(Acts 15:11, emphasis added). We've all felt left out before: the middle school clique spurns you, you don't dress the same as the others at church, the coffee group is bewildered you send your kids to public school, and on and on. We long to say, just tell me the standards to join your...
Keep ReadingActs 15:1-21 The United States has the Constitution. Christianity has the Holy Bible. Whenever a question arises for either politicians or Christians, they each have a jointly accepted document to turn to for clarity. Even with these foundational documents, however, both politicians and Christians can find themselves in conflict with others in their group. The conflicts ...
Keep ReadingThis brought Barnabas and Saul into sharp dispute and debate with them Peter got up and addressed them, " Now then why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No!" (Acts 15:2, 7, 10) Unity is a lovely idea until it has to get worked out by people like us! Our current series is challe...
Keep ReadingConsider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark The wisdom from heaven is first of all pure (James 3:5, 17). Chatham Church wants to grow into a "noble cedar" church. Another way we talk about this is being a "big tent" church. "Big tent" does not mean lots of people who are all alike, who all agreethat's pretty easy to do! But "big tent" means lots and lots...
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