Thursday 23rd February - Acts 15

Today’s chapter is Acts 15

Tom writes:

Those of us who lead in any environment would do so well to emulate the beautiful instinct of these apostles. They worked hard to spread joy and encouragement. Not only in formal decisions “not to make it difficult” for the churches but also in each interaction of Paul, Barnabas and Barsabbas with the believers. These apostles left a legacy of encouragement and joy. As I mull over this I realise how often my bias is to analysis and how I have - at times - been a bit prone to criticise. I desperately want to lean towards encouragement and strengthening; towards leaving a legacy of encouragement and joy. Surely that is an instinct all of us should desire? Another beautiful instinct of these elders was to sit under the governance of God no matter what it cost. In the early chapters of Acts we saw how the disciples constantly reinterpreted Old Testament passages in the light of Jesus’ resurrection.

They do this here in a shockingly sacrificial way. The Jerusalem Council was in Jerusalem (hence the name) - the city made Central to Hope by the prophetic promises of Isaiah et al. And the Council was made up of The Apostles. Yet these Jerusalem Apostles were happy to reinterpret the prophecies about “rebuilding David’s tent” in such a way that hugely downgraded their own importance. By confirming Gentiles do not need to follow the law they freed all believers from even visiting Jerusalem, let alone submitting every decision to the Jerusalem Apostles. Syrian Saints and Ephesian Evangelists were given over to the governance of God; to Spirit and Scripture, with a general call to be kind-hearted towards other believers. We can all use a catalogue of cunning ruses to keep people under our control. Instead, Could you and I go the way of the apostles? To release, to empower and to allow God to be their governor? Not giving licence to all behaviour but pointing all people to follow God and not us, to make Him increase in their lives, while we slide gently to one side. That sounds good to the Holy Spirit and I guess it also sounds good to me as well.

Question for reflection

How could you conduct yourself to release encouragement and joy into others this week?