It Takes a Community
Read Acts 15:1-30.
Change is hard. My first District Superintendent told us early on that the only ones who like change are babies with wet diapers...and sometimes not even they like it all that much! One of our kids (I won't tell you which one) absolutely hated having their diaper changed, even if it was wet. So even when change is needed, it's not always welcomed!
In the Scripture passage this morning, change was coming to the church, and it was monumental. Gentiles were being welcomed into the church—the church that was, up to this point, primarily Jewish in nature. And there were those who believed that the primary "mark" of the covenant with God, which up to that time had been circumcision, ought to remain the same. Gentile believers were, understandably, not excited about this! And some of the apostles gather at Jerusalem to make a decision. Was God showing them a new way forward or should they hold exclusive onto the past?
You can read the story yourself, but here's the point: sometimes God's will needs a community to be discerned. Both sides came together certain they were right. No one is the villain here; both had good reasons why their side should be maintained. Both could quote Scripture to back up where they were coming from. But it was obvious God was doing something new among the Gentiles, and so together, they prayed and reasoned and discussed what that might be and what God's will in this setting might look like. Not until the council was at peace together did they send a letter with instructions to the Gentile churches (instructions that did not include circumcision, much to the Gentiles' relief, I am sure).
Whenever we're trying to make a decision about a direction in life, after having prayed about it ourselves, it's wise to listen also to the community of faith. For many of us, that will probably be our small group, covenant group or LifeGroup. We might discuss it with a close friend or spiritual advisor over coffee. We might ask a few trusted friends to pray about the decision. I believe and have experienced the value of community in this regard myself many times. God often reveals his will through his gathered people.
Change is hard. That's one reason God works through community, so that we don't have to face it alone.
Change is hard. My first District Superintendent told us early on that the only ones who like change are babies with wet diapers...and sometimes not even they like it all that much! One of our kids (I won't tell you which one) absolutely hated having their diaper changed, even if it was wet. So even when change is needed, it's not always welcomed!
In the Scripture passage this morning, change was coming to the church, and it was monumental. Gentiles were being welcomed into the church—the church that was, up to this point, primarily Jewish in nature. And there were those who believed that the primary "mark" of the covenant with God, which up to that time had been circumcision, ought to remain the same. Gentile believers were, understandably, not excited about this! And some of the apostles gather at Jerusalem to make a decision. Was God showing them a new way forward or should they hold exclusive onto the past?
You can read the story yourself, but here's the point: sometimes God's will needs a community to be discerned. Both sides came together certain they were right. No one is the villain here; both had good reasons why their side should be maintained. Both could quote Scripture to back up where they were coming from. But it was obvious God was doing something new among the Gentiles, and so together, they prayed and reasoned and discussed what that might be and what God's will in this setting might look like. Not until the council was at peace together did they send a letter with instructions to the Gentile churches (instructions that did not include circumcision, much to the Gentiles' relief, I am sure).
Whenever we're trying to make a decision about a direction in life, after having prayed about it ourselves, it's wise to listen also to the community of faith. For many of us, that will probably be our small group, covenant group or LifeGroup. We might discuss it with a close friend or spiritual advisor over coffee. We might ask a few trusted friends to pray about the decision. I believe and have experienced the value of community in this regard myself many times. God often reveals his will through his gathered people.
Change is hard. That's one reason God works through community, so that we don't have to face it alone.
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