Risked Their
Lives
After much discussion,
Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God
made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message
of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by
giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us
and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to
test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our
ancestors 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.”
The
whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling
about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. When they finished, James spoke
up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. Simon has described to us how God first intervened to
choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. The words of the prophets are
in agreement with this, as it is written:
“‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s
fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will
restore it, that the rest of
mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who
does these things’ — things known from long ago.
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it
difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them,
telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from
the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For the law
of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in
the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
Then
the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their
own men and send them to
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in
Greetings.
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 15:7-26
Wherever you are led, into whatever field, spread the good news of Jesus Christ. There is no higher calling. Do not fear rejection. Do not remain silent. God provided His Spirit to empower you and His Word to make the message clear. Ask God for the courage to speak up and witness for the Savior. Taking the risk will be well worth it.
The rewards of witnessing are well worth the risks
Our Daily Bread –