We take another break in the advance of the gospel. Off to a great start in Acts chapters 2 – 4, then a pause to take care of a few problems in chapters 5 and 6 with the result:

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6.7, ESV)

Then there’s the persecution of Acts 8, which resulted in yet more expansion:

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word…Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. (Acts 8.4…11.19 – 21, ESV)

Then Paul and Barnabas went out, recorded in chapters 13 and 14. More expansion.

Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. (Acts 14.24 – 27, ESV)

Then a giant OOPS – a major roadblock from whom? Romans? Nope. It’s our Jewish friends again, this time, Jews who were among the believers.

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15.1, ESV)

“They” have always been among us: “unless you belong to our church…unless you’re baptized this way, at this time, with the correct words…unless you abstain from a list of things we think all good Christians abstain from…unless your music is of this form…” and on and on. It’s called legalism, and Paul would have none of it.

And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. (Acts 15.2, ESV)

It was a marvelous discussion ending with this startling declaration from Peter:

No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15.11, NIV)

I get chills every time I read this. Peter, the faithful Jew (“I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” Acts 10.14) declares who needs grace. It is by grace WE are saved – we good religious people, we pious church-going people, we’re the ones who need grace. Tomorrow we’ll look at the decision the church leaders made in Acts 15, and its aftermath. Sneak preview: it results in more expansion!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2.8, 9, NIV)

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (Philippians 3.3 – 9, NIV)