Scripture: Acts 15:10-11
"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! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
Observation:
In the life of the early church, it was a big deal when the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. Years of tradition, generations of racial separation, centuries of "us vs. them" mentality came to a crossroads when God revealed His plan to Peter. The thing is, it takes a lot to overcome the "we've-always-done-it-that-way" thinking, even in the early church. In Acts 15 there is a difference of opinion about which laws have to be observed by the Gentile believers in order to truly be saved, specifically whether they ust be circumcised.
Peter's response is to say
a) that circumcision is a symbol of the law, and
b) even we, the Jews, despite years of trying, haven't been able to uphold it;
emphasizing his point that Christ-following is about grace.
Application:
It's not unheard of that the church today would have this same discussion. We change the specifics but essentially we're saying, "Those non-believers? They don't act like Christians so I am going to condemn them." But we're just like the believers in the early church that Peter was talking about--we haven't mastered the Christian life and yet we think others should do it before they have the power of Christ at work in them.
I think it's time to live with grace--knowing that without it we're lost; knowing that to extend it is to be like Christ; knowing that we've done nothing to deserve it.
Prayer:
God, I pray that through Your power You would make New Hope a place of grace--a place to give it and receive it and to see it lived out. Forgive us for selfishly receiving but failing to share. Make New Hope a place of new hope, overflowing with grace. We'll be careful to give You the honor and praise for what You accomplish. Amen.
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