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Bro. Otis Fisher
Now, Greg taught chapter 13, is that right? And I don't have chapter 14. I couldn't find it. So we'll go to 15. When you're studying God's holy word, you must know these three things. I keep repeating them, but it's mandatory that you know.
First of all, you have to know who's speaking. Second, what is the subject? And third, to whom he is speaking. Now, in Acts 15 .1, and certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.
Burge, what does that remind you of that takes place today?
All right.
Dennis, what does it remind you of? Any church, other than a blood-bought church, demands that you do something. Walk on your knees, stand on your head, or be baptized. So this was not new. Those certain men were in chapter 15.
All right, David, I couldn't find 14. These certain men pretended to have been sent by the apostles. Burge, how could they claim that? All right, what do we know at the church to which they went? Who do we know that was not there, Greg?
That's right. So they could not counterdict them. The first church and the last church, trouble came from within the church. There's a strong compunction with us to make our opinion and practices a rule and law.
Now, think about that. That's a healthy thing if you don't go too far with it. Everybody else is supposed to think and act just as we do. What if all of you acted like I did, or David, or Dennis? Or Fred?
Everybody was just like them. Wouldn't be much discussion, would it? If they don't, then we judge them not saved. That's so easy to do. Greg, I want you to turn to Ephesians 1, 4 and 8, 9, 10. And David, will you go to 2 Timothy 1, 9.
Dennis, go to Romans 9, 15, 16, 17, 18. Virg, will you go to Galatians 2, 16? Who's on the back row? Okay, John, turn to second. What'd you say? All right. John, go to 2 Thessalonians 2, 13. Russell, go to Revelation 17, 8.
Now, we're talking about these people that claim that you had to be circumcised in order to be saved. And if you were not, you weren't saved. Let's see what Ephesians 1, 4 has. And 8. 9, 10, and that's all, 9 and 10.
All right, go to Ephesians 2, 8. Now, Greg, 9 and 10. Be true if you have to do something that plainly says not of works, not of works, lest any man should boast.
Now, 2 Timothy 1, 9, who has saved us, past tense,.
Called us personal with a holy calling from heaven, not according to anything you do or anybody else does, but according to God's own purpose, which was given in Christ before the world began. Now, Romans 2, 15, 16, 17.
No, Romans 9, 15, 16.
Yes, hold right there. Who is it that's talking?
God. He says, I will have mercy on who I want to, not you. 16.
It's not of him that willeth. What's that mean, Greg? All right, 17. Now, who was it that hardened Pharaoh's heart, David? God did.
Lots of people can't take that. 18 spells it out, doesn't it? Galatians 2, 16.
Again, works won't get it. 2 Timothy 2, 13. Is that 2 Timothy 2, 13? Thessalonians, I'm sorry. That was a good verse. Let's go to this one. Now, from the beginning, what beginning? When did God choose you?
So how much did you have to do with it? Not a thing. Now, Revelation 7 and 8, 17, 8, excuse me. All right. Who is it that the names were not written in the Lamb's book of life? The unsaved, meaning that you were written before there was life.
Verse 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of men should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about the question, this question.
They were so disturbed that they were sending Paul and others to the first church. Heresies provoke true doctrine to be more diligently discussed. Is that true, David? That's another reason for everybody not being the same.
Yes. That's a good point. Those that have taken the wrong meaning of the kingdom of God are just wrong. They'll take wrong measures to advance it and will lead to the hindrance of it. If you do not study the word, sooner or later, someone's going to say something to get you to thinking and you'll run down that trail.
Study the word. They went to Jerusalem. We go to the Bible. Is the earthly church to which you belong only teaching only the Bible truth only? I'd like to hear an answer. Is it? You don't know? Well, does it teach salvation by the blood of Christ only?
Yes. Is it a place where you can serve and grow in spiritual knowledge? All right. All right. Three, and being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenix, Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
They're on their way to Jerusalem. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, whom believed, saying that it was needful to be circumcised, to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Where were these Pharisees? In Jerusalem. They, just like so many today, insisted on the necessity of adding to the gospel. The gospel says what, Vernon? Vernon, where'd that come from? Let me get myself together.
David, from where does the gospel come? All right. It comes from God. You wouldn't know anything if it were not that God presented it to you.
So, right here, we're going right back to some person who does, evidently, don't study the gospel at all, but he has healed and blessed the world with the very exact same thing he did in 2001. That's right.
They, like so many today, insist upon the necessity of adding to the gospel. They're saying, this is what they're saying, God cannot save you unless you do something. What do you have to do, David, in order to be saved?
It's absolutely nothing. I had a thought this week. Let me see if I can put it in words. Words are coming harder for me. We know nothing, nothing at all, except that God exists. And we know that because he revealed himself to us.
The whole world does not understand. The whole world is seeking something because of God. Everything goes back to God. Without God, and I mentioned to David this week, what if God had been evil, but he's good?
And the apostles and elders came together for the considering, consider of this matter, for to consider this matter. Here's a record of the first church council meeting. God has written a law and a gospel.
Why did the law come first, David? That's right. The law to humble, the gospel to comfort. The law to cast down, gospel to rise up. Law to convince of misery, gospel to convince of mercy. Law is discovered to discover sin, gospel to discover grace.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago, God made a choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should bear the word of the gospel and believe.
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us. Now that was rather amazing in that day and time that the Gentile would receive the Holy Ghost and put no difference between them purifying their hearts by faith.
Now, therefore, why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? We also tempt God. Did you know that? Yes. Yes. It's only God, period, in everything.
We also tempt God when we expect him to bless our worship service and he has no part in them. Today, across this nation, there'll be plenty of churches where there is no Bible, where God is not mentioned, Christ is not mentioned.
They come, they listen, they feel so happy because somebody made them feel good purifying their hearts. This is a work of God by faith to purify our hearts. The difference in any church lie in one or two areas.
First, they are not understanding each other. Two, they're looking for a loophole to support their former statement. I would hate, if I was so am I, to look for loopholes that might support a statement that I made.
Eleven, but we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they. It is simple to rely on Jesus when you realize that you are lost and he is the only one that can save you.
That wouldn't be hard to do, would it? If you realize that you're lost and headed for hell, you're already saved. But it's hard if one thinks he must do something to cause God to save him. Even harder when he thinks he can actually do something that will make God like him.
These same churches that I mentioned a while ago, if they do mention God, it'll be in some area that if we do this, he'll like us. If you join with those that believe something other than the truth, you're condoning a false religion and it will weaken your influence.
Then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders of God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, I want you to listen to me now.
Simon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophet as it is written. After this, I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down.
And I will build again the ruins thereof. And I will set it up that the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Known unto God are all of his works from the beginning of the world. I think that if allowed, we would drift off into something other than that. God, known unto God are all of his works. How many of his works does that include, Greg?
All. All. How many works are there? Acts 15, 16. After this, I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will build again the ruins thereof. And I will set it up.
I will. I will. I will. No doubt about it. God's going to do it. And he did. Acts 15, 17. That the residue of men might seek after the Lord and Gentiles upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who has been making these things known from the beginning of his world.
Wherefore, my sentence is that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but that we write unto them that they abstain from volutions of idols and from the fornication and things strangled and from blood.
Strangled. David, what does strangled mean? What's the purpose of strangling? Besides to kill. What? We know it's improper. We know it's to kill. But what else does it do? Keeps them from bleeding. Holds all of the blood inside.
Some of these people, that was a delicacy. Not anybody could eat or drink blood. Adultery was very common among the Gentiles. In fact, it was part of their pagan worship. Adultery. In America, we're going back to paganism today.
What they call new morality is the old program. Paganism. Our ancestors came out of the forest half naked, eating raw meat and indulging in gross immorality. There's nothing new about this new morality.
21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him being read in the synagogues every Sabbath. The sense of this verse seems to be this. It was necessary to write to the Gentiles what they needed to know, having not been instructed by the law.
Now, think for a moment. The Jews know the law. The Gentile does not. In nearly every city, Moses and the law was taught. But the Gentiles did not know that. That is, the law preached to them in that city.
By the reading of the law in the synagogues every Sabbath day, by this they were kept in remembrance of those institutions which the Gentiles who had not the law then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, surnamed Barcibus, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.
Now, they're going to send somebody back with them with the answer with Paul and Barnabas. And they wrote letters by them after this manner. The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
Now, it was not necessary to inform the Jew, for they were well aware of these things, having heard them all of their life in the synagogues. But the Gentile presented a different problem. For as much as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your soul saying you must be circumcised and keep the law to whom we gave no such commandment.
And there it is. That answers the big question that they had. It seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Paul and Barnabas and Paul. They sent Judas and Silas in order to confirm the fact that this was the decision of the council.
Twenty-six. Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for a show of hands, but you think of your own life, has that occurred with you? I dare say with some of you it has.
We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by for it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things. David, how could they say it seemed good not only to us but to the Holy Ghost?
How could they say that? No question about it. The whole council had met under his direction, had consoled under his influence, and gave forth their decree from his special inspiration. The Holy Spirit was guiding them.
It was as though the Spirit had actually spoken to them, that you have seen from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which if you keep yourselves you shall do well, fare you well, you shall do well.
Meaning if you do not, you'll do evil. So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered this epistle. Now, we cover a great distance.
So when they were dismissed in Jerusalem, they came to Antioch. There's a long time in between there. Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. Can you imagine, even in this country, on the east coast and the west coast, wrote a letter.
Davidson, California, he wrote me a letter, and it would take months to get there. And before there was anybody traveling across the country, he'd have to put aboard ship. If you were communicating with England and the colonies, you would have to go by ship.
How long would it take, Craig? And that depended on the wind. It was no small thing for these folks to have this question decided by the first church fathers, also that the Holy Spirit spoke, not literally.
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirming them. After they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
Now, in Acts 15, 34, notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to abide there still. The others sent back. Titus stayed with them. This verse does not appear to have been in the original writings. So take it as you will.
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also. Now, it's evident that Paul and Silas got along well together, wouldn't you say? Do you agree?
And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do. Make the circuit, didn't they? And this was just natural.
He wanted to go and see how they were doing. Paul thought it was necessary to water the seed that he had planted. And Barnabas determined to take with him John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought it not good to take him with them, who departed from them, from Pamphylia, and went not with them.
And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed unto Cyprus. There grew up an argument between them over Mark. Why was this, Greg?
All right. And there's another reason, David. Yes. Well, that's understood. But on the surface, what was their argument? Yes. Tell me a little more about Mark.
I don't know, but I thought it might have been different. I thought he was planning to head to Cyprus. I always thought he was planning to head to Cyprus.
It wasn't that. First of all, he was not sent by the Holy Spirit. Second, he was a nephew of Barnabas. And when Mark saw that Barnabas was not as important as Paul, he resented it, proving the Holy Spirit was not in him, or had not sent him.
Mark, Barnabas, on the other hand, stood up for his nephew, and it caused a division between Paul and Barnabas. And Paul chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. Barnabas would not give in, and Paul would not agree. There was no anger here for it, if any. And if any try to find it, it's because they cannot be angry and sin not.
And thus, we're always bringing our own moral and immoral qualifications to the standard by which we judge others, even though they have been qualified by the blood of Jesus. We still resent it, to a certain degree, when our will is not.
Do not exceed your station. Don't try to impress your will upon others unless you're qualified. All right, next week, if I can find chapter 14, we'll go back to it. Is there anything from anybody? I'm sure that a lot of these cities were in that area, because Paul was in that area.
It might be, you know, a will upon everybody. I hope we don't do that this time. Is there anybody else? Anything? Where is this business, please?
All right, thank you. Keep in mind, we'll do it for other days.