Now turn again in your Bible
to the book of Acts chapter 15. Acts chapter 15. Remember the issue
that came up in that day in Acts chapter 15. We have an indication
of it. It's a very, very important issue
because in verse 1 of Acts 15, the certain man which came from
Judea, We know from reading this scripture and others that they
weren't sent of God. They weren't sent by the apostles,
nor were they sent with God's message. And Paul plainly identified
them as false, false brethren. They came down from Judea and
taught those in Antioch, the Gentiles, that they said, well,
you must be circumcised in order to be saved. And then later on,
it says over here in verse 5, these Pharisees, they said, instructed
that it was needful not only to be circumcised, but they commanded
them to keep the law of Moses. Well, there was a conference
here in Jerusalem about this matter, about this very important
issue. And the issue and the question
was, how does God save sinners? How does God save sinners? And
the answer was plainly declared by Peter and again by James in
verse 11 of Acts 15. We believe through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved. Now if I'm saved, and
if you are, it's totally by God's sovereign mercy and sovereign
grace. It's not of works. lest any man
should boast." Again, James declares the same thing, declares the
same message, how God did take out a people for His name and
God determined to save them by His purpose. Verse 18 of Acts
15, known unto God are all His works from the beginning. And God determined to save sinners
by and through the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Upon His merit,
the merit of His sacrifice, upon His obedience, Christ alone. Remember, Paul started that way. Acts 13, verse 38. Acts 13, verse
38. Be it known unto you therefore,
men and brethren, that through this man is preached to you the
forgiveness of sin. By him all that believe, are
justified. All that believe are justified
from all things. Who can lay anything to the charge
of God's elect? It's God who justifies, and He
justifies freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ
Jesus. Justified from all things which
could not be justified, could not be saved by works, by the
law of Moses. Now that message clearly resounds
throughout all of God's Word that salvation is by the grace
of God. Christ has redeemed us. We read
in Galatians chapter 3, Christ redeemed us from the curse of
the law. The law said if you don't do
perfectly every commandment, every jot and tittle, that you're
under God's curse, the curse of that law. The law demands
perfection. I can't produce that. You can't
either. But the Lord Jesus Christ did. He honored God's law for
us. And not only that, but He died
under the judgment of that law and set us free. He's redeemed
us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us. Therefore,
we read in Romans 10, we're no longer going about to establish
the righteousness of our own, are we? But we have submitted
to the righteousness which is of God, provided of Him, And
then it says in verse four, Christ is the end of the law. He's the
end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it,
that believe it. God is blessed to give his people
saving faith and saving faith rests in Christ, the Lord Jesus
Christ. So we can clearly see from looking
at this scripture and others that salvation is by grace alone. in and by and through and upon
the merit of Jesus Christ. And that he gives salvation freely
as the gift of God. The gift of God. Now, notice
in verse 22 and following. When they had discussed all this
matter and cleared the issue, plain and simple, They sent men,
Paul and Barnabas, back with Judas and Silas with this letter. It pleased the apostles and elders
with the whole church, verse 22, to send men, their own company
chosen, with Paul and Barnabas, Judas and Silas. And here's what
they wrote. They wrote letters by them after
this manner. The elders and apostles and brethren
send greeting. unto the church of brethren,
which are the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, Cilicia." Now look at
verse 24. Now here's what they do. The
first thing they do in this letter sent back with these faithful
men, the first thing they do, and remember now, this is God's
instruction. This is written and given of
God. For as much as we have heard
that certain went out from us, and have troubled you with words."
You know, it's troubling to hear somebody say that Christ is not
enough in salvation. That's troubling. They said that
you must do this or do this or do this. You must bring your
works to it. And that troubled these believers
because Paul preached to them grace and Christ. And here these
certain came with words that troubled the believers, and it
really distracted their soul. It subverted them away from the
gospel, saying that you had to be circumcised and you had to
keep the law. Paul said, we, Paul and Peter
and the others, we gave no such commandment. Evidently, these
men, when they came from Jerusalem, these false prophets here, When
they came from Jerusalem down to Antioch, they seemed to indicate
that they were sent of God, that they were sent of the apostles.
They weren't. He said, We gave no such commandment. Now, verse 25. So first thing
they did is they condemned the false prophet and they condemned
their message. The second thing we see in verse
25 is that it seemed good to us being assembled with one accord,
with one mind, one heart, to send chosen men unto you with
our beloved Barnabas and Paul." So you see what he's doing here?
They're condemning the false message and the false prophet.
Our Lord said, Beware of them which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they're ravening wolves. Beware of them. Beware of them. We're given many
scriptures about try the spirits, try the preacher whether they
be sin of God. Try them by the word of truth.
So they condemn the false preacher with his false message and then
they recommend, verse 25, they command God's true servants.
These men are chosen men. These men have God's message
and they're beloved. They're chosen. and their beloved. They commended God's true service.
Isn't that true of every believer? These two things, they're chosen
and they're loved. And that's in Christ. We're chosen
in that covenant of grace before the foundation of the world,
and He's loved His people with an everlasting love. Something else we see that they
say in this letter, these men, Not only are chosen and loved,
but these men have given their lives for the gospel, verse 26. They have put their lives at
risk. They put their lives in a hazardous
situation. And they did. They surrendered
themselves and they gave themselves totally to the preaching of the
gospel. And it cost them greatly. Paul was stoned. They thought
to death, drug through the streets like a dead dog and drug outside
the city and left for dead. They put their life at jeopardy
preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. These men have given
their lives, and notice this, verse 26, for the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ. They've given their lives for
the cause of God and truth, for the name of Christ. His name
here is Lord. He is Lord. How did he become
Lord? Turn over here to Acts chapter
2. We've studied this, but let's
read it again. Acts chapter 2. How did he become
Lord? They gave their life for the gospel of the Lord. He's
not Lord by something we do. Acts 2.36. Therefore, let all
the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same
Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Who made him
Lord? He's Lord by God's decree. Lord
by decree. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. He's God manifesting the flesh.
He has to be Lord. Lord of heaven and earth. And
then he says here, secondly, they've given their Lives for
the name of the Lord, the gospel, and then they call Him Jesus. How do you get that name? Well,
turn over to Acts chapter 5. That means that He's the Savior.
There's salvation in no other. Acts chapter 5. Look what it
says here. Acts chapter 5. Salvation in
no other but Christ. Acts 5 verse 30. The God of our fathers raised
up the Savior, whom you slew, you killed and hanged him on
a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be Prince
and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness
of sin. So how did he become Lord? By
God's decree. How did he become the Savior?
Well, God said so. He is our Savior, the only Savior
of sinners. Turn to Acts chapter 13. Acts
13-23. Remember we talked about David. God raised
up David, a man after His own heart. Acts 13-22. Now verse
23, Of this man seed hath God, according to His promise, raised
unto Israel the Savior. Who is He? Jesus Christ. So He's Lord, He's Savior. They've
given themselves their lives To the Lord, to the only Savior. Now look back at the text again.
And He is the Christ. He is the very Christ of God.
He is the anointed of God. The anointed of God. Turn to
Acts chapter 9. Whenever you see that word Christ,
it means that He is the anointed. Acts chapter 9, verse 20. This is a conversion of Paul,
and as soon as he was converted, regenerated and converted, made
new in Christ. Verse 20, And straightway he
preached Christ in the synagogue, that he is the Son of God. 21
But all that heard him were amazed and said, Is not this he that
destroyed them, which called on this name in Jerusalem, and
came here for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto
the chief priests? But Saul increased and moreened
strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus,
proving that this is the very Christ." So he's Lord, he's Savior,
and he is the Christ of God. He's the anointed prophet, priest,
and king. And it is this Lord Jesus Christ
that we preach and worship. Paul did in that day. We do in
this day. We've given ourselves to Him. We've submitted everything to
Him, given all things into His hands for keeping, for our salvation. You remember what the Apostle
said in another place, I know whom I have believed and I'm
persuaded He's able to keep all which I've committed unto Him
against that day. Committed, the believers totally
sold out, committed to the cause of God and truth in Christ. These men were And God's people
today are sold out to the gospel. Sold out to the gospel. Now,
look back at the story again. Acts chapter 15. And then it says in verse 22,
verse 27, and verse 32, We have sent, therefore, Silas, Judas,
who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. to verify and
confirm they sent these two other men with the same message, with
the same word, being sent of God. In the mouth of two or three
witnesses, let every word be established. Now, verse 28 and
29, it seemed good, it seemed good, pleasing to God, pleasing
to God the Holy Spirit and to us. to lay upon you no greater
burden than these necessary things." Now, these things here that he
talks about were not necessary for salvation, because that would
be contrary to the whole Word of God, wouldn't it? But what
he's doing here, and what God is teaching here, that you abstain
from meat offered to idols, from blood and from things strangled,
things that are not killed in a proper way, And from this thing
of fornication, the Gentile heathen idolaters, that was an accepted
way of life, from which if you keep yourselves from these things,
you shall do well." And then he says, "...fare you well."
Now, God had directed and guided them in the matter of law and
grace, and gave them these necessary things to observe, not for salvation,
not to be more saved, but for harmony and peace. among the church who is made
up of Jews, made up of Gentiles. Good advice for us today. Let
us not needlessly offend someone in the matters of conscience.
Now, there's two Scriptures that deal with this. If you want to
jot this down, Romans 14, Romans 14, verse 13, and 1 Corinthians
chapter 8, verse 6 through 13. Now, let's read. Let's turn over
here to Romans chapter 14. Now, the whole book of Romans
talks about justification by grace, doesn't it, through the
blood of Christ. But it also deals with some very practical
issues. Would you needlessly offend another
believer by flaunting your liberty in front of them? You wouldn't
do that, would you? Look at Romans 14, 17, For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink, not meat and drink, but
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that
in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved
of men. Let us therefore follow after
the things which make for peace, and the things wherewith we may
edify one another. For meat does not destroy the
work of God. If I eat ham, pig, you know,
the Jewish dietary law, you couldn't eat certain things. Meat doesn't
destroy the work of God. All things indeed are pure, but
it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh,
nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth,
or is offended, or is made weak." Don't needlessly offend another
believer. Which is more important? Now,
you think with me here. In matters of conscience, which
is more important? Your personal liberty or harmony
and fellowship in the gospel? Which is more important? Your
liberty? I'm going to have my way. I don't
care what anybody else thinks. That's not the right attitude,
is it? Which is more important? Well, peace and harmony and fellowship
in the gospel. Let me show you another scripture
to help us on this matter. Matters of conscience. Matters
of conscience. Galatians. Turn to the book of
Galatians. Galatians chapter 5. Now, there's no stronger word
in the Bible about salvation and justification by grace than
Galatians. We believe through the grace
of the Lord we shall be saved. But look what it says here, and
then in Galatians chapter 5, Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and don't be entangled
again with the yoke of bondage. You see Galatians 5.1. But notice
down at verse 13. We have been called unto liberty. Only use not your liberty for
occasion to the flesh. But by love, serve one another. You see what he's saying here?
Don't needlessly offend in matters of conscience. And that's what
he's doing. That's what he's teaching here.
For the peace and harmony among God's family, God's people, leave
off those things that might be offensive to others. And order
your life in such a way that is honoring to God, and pleasing
to God, and live in such a way as to keep harmony among God's
people. You know, we're to do this. Turn to Ephesians chapter 4.
Notice this here. Ephesians chapter 4. Look at Ephesians chapter 4 verse
1. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, Ephesians 4 beseech
you that you walk worthy of the vocation with which you are called,
with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, forbearing
one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit
and the bond of peace." Peace with God. So don't try to flaunt
your liberty. You may have liberty in matters
of conscience that I don't have. But order your life in such a
way that it will not offend, needlessly offend. Now, back
to Acts chapter 15. I want to work on something here
for a few moments. In Acts chapter 15, notice this
phrase here in verse 28. For it seemed good, and that
word there means it is pleasing, it was pleasing to God and to
us. What pleases God pleases his
people. Now is that right? What is good
and right and proper and pleasing to God is also pleasing to his
people. Now hold your place there and
turn to Psalm 135. What pleases God pleases us.
If you are a believer you have no question in your mind. Psalm
135, look at verse 5. Psalm 135, verse 4, I know that
the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever
the Lord pleased, that's what He did in heaven, the earth,
the seas, and all deep places. You see, God is God. Whatever
He does, He does what He pleases. What pleases Him, pleases me. Whatever He does. Turn back to
Psalm You remember the story of Job. God took everything away
from him. All of his riches. He was a rich
man. Took away his seven children.
Killed them all. Remember what he said? The Lord
gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of
the Lord. Psalm 115 says, verse 3, But
our God is in the heavens, and he hath done whatsoever he had
pleased. Now, you think with me. To the
believer, this is so. Whatever pleases God, pleases
me. Pleases me. Well, what does it
please God to do? Find 1 Samuel 12. 1 Samuel 12. What does it please God to do?
The Scriptures tell us what it pleases God to do. 1 Samuel chapter
12. What does it please God to do?
Look what it says here. 1 Samuel, chapter 12, verse 22. 1 Samuel 12, 22. For the Lord
will not forsake His people for His great namesake, because it
pleased the Lord to make you His people. You see, what pleases
God, pleases me. God chose a people in that covenant
of grace. And you know what? That's pleasing
to His people. Find 2 Thessalonians. Let me
show you. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 2
Thessalonians chapter 2. What pleases God? It pleased
God to elect a people and choose a people and give them to Christ
in that covenant of grace. And that electing love not only
pleases God. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. It pleases His people. Paul said,
verse 13, We are bound to give thanks always to God for you,
brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit
and belief of the truth, whereunto He calls you by our gospel to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. See, it
pleased God to choose a people, and it pleases us that God is
pleased to choose us and to save us by His grace. Our Lord said, you didn't choose
me, I've chosen you. Secondly, turn to Isaiah 53.10.
What does it please the Lord to do? You see, what pleases
Him pleases us. Notice Isaiah 53.10. Well, let's
go back to Isaiah 42.21. Let's look at this first. Isaiah
42.21. Isaiah 42, 21. The Lord is well
pleased for His righteousness sake. Isaiah 42, 21. He will
magnify the law and make it honorable. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
pleased God in honoring the law of God. Well pleasing for His
righteousness sake. And you know what? The believer
is pleased with the righteousness we have in Christ. Turn to Philippians
chapter 3. The believer is well pleased
with this righteousness in Christ. He magnified the law and made
it honorable. In Philippians chapter 3, 11
verse 9, And be found in him, not having my own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faithfulness
of Christ, the righteousness which is of God thy faith. You
see, He honored the law of God for us, and that's the righteousness
we enjoy. It pleased God that in Him all
fullness should dwell, and we are complete in Him. Now, find
Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53. Whatsoever the Lord
pleased, that's what He did. It pleased Him to choose a people. It pleased Him to send the Lord
Jesus Christ to honor His law and to make us righteous in Christ.
That's pleasing to us. Well, it's pleasing to me. I
count everything else that was lost that I might win Christ
and be found in Him. Isaiah 53, 10, you're all familiar
with this. Look at verse 10. Yet it pleased
the Lord to bruise Him. He put Him to grief. When thou
shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his day, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand, if pleased God to bruise Christ in our room
and in our stead." And you know what? That pleases me, because
I'm saved by his sacrifice. Find 1 Corinthians chapter 1,
look at this here. 1 Corinthians 1.18, For the preaching
of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto
us which are saved is the power of God. Look at verse 22. 1 Corinthians 1.22, The Jews
require a sign, the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ
crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, unto the Greeks foolishness,
but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God, and Christ the wisdom of God. Do you have any other hope for
forgiveness of sin but the fact that Christ died in your room
and in your stead as a substitute? You see, it pleased God to make
Him the Lamb of God. It pleased God that He should
die in our place. That pleases me. You see, it
seemed good unto God and to us. Does it not? I'll tell you something
else. Find Matthew 3, 17. God says of the Lord Jesus Christ
in Matthew 3.17. I want you to turn and see these. Matthew 3.17. 3.17, Matthew. And, lo, a voice from
heaven saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am pleased. Well,
please. You see, what pleases God pleases
me. You see, we are accepted in the
Beloved. In the Beloved. Back to 1 Corinthians
1 again. What does it please God to do?
Well, to choose His people, to honor His own law through the
sacrifice of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 21, it pleased God. 1 Corinthians 1
21, for after that, in the wisdom
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Believe. It pleased God through preaching
to save His people. Do you know what pleases me to
hear gospel-honoring, Christ-centered preaching? Faith comes by hearing
and hearing by the Word of God. God has chosen by the preaching
of the gospels to call out his sheep. That pleases God. Pleased to you? Pleasing to me. Pleasing to me. That's right.
Now, find Galatians 1. Galatians chapter 1. Notice this. You see, it seems
pleasing to God and us. What I'm saying is this. What
pleases God, pleases his people. Notice Galatians 1, verse 15,
Galatians 1, verse 15, But when it pleased God, who separated
me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal
His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen, immediately
I conferred not with flesh and blood. Please God to save His
people and to reveal Christ unto them by His sovereign grace.
Does that please you? It sure pleases me. God saved
me by His grace, and He revealed His Son in me. Now turn over
just a few pages to the book of Colossians. Colossians. What does it please God to do?
Whatsoever He pleased, that's what He did. Whatever is pleasing
to Him. Colossians 1.19, For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. having made
peace through the blood of his cross. By him to reconcile all
things unto himself, by him I say, whether they be things in heaven
or on earth, and you, earth and heaven, and you that were sometimes
alienated, enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath
he reconciled." You see, it pleased God that in Christ should all
fullness dwell. The fullness of God, but the
fullness of redemption, the fullness of pardon. That's pleasing to
God. And you know what? Pleasing to
His people. Look right across the page. Colossians
chapter 2, verse 9 and 10. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him. Quite pleasing
to me. Complete in Christ, which is
the head of all principality and power. Now let me show you
another one. You see, what pleases God, pleases
His people. Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter
11. Notice this, Hebrews chapter
11 verse 4, Hebrews 11 verse 4, By faith Abel offered unto
God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained
witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts,
and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated
that he should not see death. and was not found because God
translated him before, and before his translation he had this testimony
that he pleased God. You see, to just walk by faith. Look at verse 6. But without
faith it is impossible to please Him. You see, the way of salvation
is by faith. We walk by faith, not by sight. He that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is rewarder of them that diligently seek
him." It pleased God that salvation should be by the grace of God,
received by faith. It pleases God to give faith
to His people. And you know what? That pleases
me. That pleases His people. You
see what he's saying there? Look back at the text again,
and I'll have to quit. For it seemed good, verse 28,
it seemed good, pleasing to God Almighty and to us. Now ask yourself this, does what please God, what pleases
God, does that please you? If you're His, it certainly does. Because we know in Scripture
that all things work together for good to them who love God,
to them who are the call according to God's purpose. All things
He's working in our life, to those who are believers, ordained
of God, ordered of God, sent of God, pleasing to God, and
you know what? Pleasing to us. He works all
things for our good. and His glory.