Acts 15: 22-34 - Corps Notes - October 12, 1976
Acts 15:22-34 October 12, 1976 This first Jerusalem council that we’re dealing with in Acts 15, to which we will see the conclusion in this session, is absolutely phenomenal. Acts 15:22 This must have been quite a time. James had given that tremendous message that he shared with the people there. Now, whether this ran for a day or two, I don’t know, but I’m sure it wasn’t just a 15 minute, or a half-hour meeting, because this was a heavy time. The decision had to now be made whether the freedom of the Word by grace was to live, or whether the Church was still under legalism. You can imagine this heavy thing; this was not something light, you know, like whether you’re going to put a three-cent postage stamp or a four-cent on a letter. This was something that no words could describe. You have to know enough of the Word and you have to be cognizant of the requirements of the Old Testament and that which the Pharisees and others had laid upon the people, to appreciate the greatness of this wonderful record in the early Church. “pleased it” - it seemed good to - This, seemed good, is revelation. It pleased them because they got revelation. They saw what God really had in store, therefore all the apostles and the elders, and the whole Church, were pleased. Boy, what a response to revelation. The revelation came basically out of the teaching of James; his setting before the people, and then their just being sharp, spiritually. You have the list here of the apostles, the elders with the whole Church. “whole” - may not mean “every Tom, Dick and Harry”, because I’m sure there was some Tom, or Dick, or Harry who did not get convinced on the grace principle. I still see them coming up in Acts 21:20, some time later; they were still zealous for law, yet the body had agreed. Maybe there were three, maybe two dozen. I don’t know, but the body, the whole Church, without any distinction, had absolutely agreed that this, that now comes, they were to do. “to send chosen men” - That’s
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was published. Because once it' s in print, people can take a look at it if they want to. I'd like a cup of coffee, please. Now, we are in verse 28. The Aramaic translation is ' and he who was stealing.' I understand it from the English, ' let him that stole,' past tense. The Aramaic is real simple, real strong. ' And he, the one who is born again, who was, past tense, stealing.' Thank you. His whole life was one of those before he was born again. Whenever you bring a cup of coffee to a right-hand man, you put the handle to the right. When you serve a cup of coffee to a left-hand man, you put it on the left-hand side and put the handle to the left. Corps principle number seven or something, ha ha. Mrs. Wierwille would say, Well, be thankful you even get a cup of coffee. [Laughter] Ah, you're wonderful. See, ' let him who stole, steal no more.' 'Stole and steal,' that' s a figure of speec