My mom took us to church in the various places we lived in my childhood. One of my earliest memories of church was a split. One Sunday the church was full of people. The following Sunday, there were very few people. Even as a child, I knew something bad had happened. The pastor left. People divided. Would the church ever become healthy again?
The church at Jerusalem was trying to avoid a split among all the Christians in the ancient world. Reading Luke’s story, we learn about their process. After James listened to everyone, he gave his best understanding of what to do next. The apostles and elders, together with the whole church wrote a letter to all the new believers detailing the decision the council had made. Two leaders from Jerusalem, Judas and Silas accompanied Paul and Silas with the letter.
Notice the content of the letter. First, they corrected the misinformation spread by the Judaizers. Second, they affirmed Barnabas and Paul, who had risked their lives to reach the Gentiles. Then they shared how they had come to their conclusion, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you. . .” The church had discerned the will of the Spirit. Jesus’ prayer, “Thy will be done, thy kingdom come,” was fulfilled in the church. God’s will became their will.
The good news really is good news. Christ did not die and rise from the dead so that we would have to go back to spiritual bean-counting and legalism. For freedom he has set us free. Together we can find and do God’s will for the church and our own lives. Even those who have endured “church-hurt,” need to know that the church can work through difficulties. I remember that the church which had been so badly broken was healed by the grace of God. Some of the finest disciples I have known came to lead in the church. Years later, the new pastor preached at a conference for youth when I responded to God’s call to ministry. The music minister at the camp was the associate music minister of a church in Houston called Tallowood. God worked all things together for good. Watch him do it again and again.
