Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church

09/06/2026

Sept 6. Today's sermon is posted on our YouTube channel.
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc9VAeCBrZe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Tithes, offerings & donation to GMBC cashApp, $gmbc3701FB ...

09/06/2026

"Starting All Over Again"
Acts 16:1-5

After enduring controversy and fighting over doctrine and practice and receiving the wisdom of the Council at Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas - along with John Mark, Judas Barsabas, and Silas - headed back to Antioch of Syria to carry the proclamation of sound orthodoxy and orthopraxis to the churches. No doubt, Paul and Barnabas were wounded after withstanding contention from those who had been proven wrong but surely continue to have influence within the ecclesiastical body. Saints of the church who have endured battles that they never should have fought know something about this.

*You see, it is possible to be right and prevail after facing those who were wrong and persistent yet still be wounded by the fiery darts of the enemy.*

And so, wounded and scarred, this small delegation headed back to the work to which God had appointed them.

The congregation rejoiced in the consolation of the epistle. Judas and Silas did their jobs, exhorting the brethren and confirming them. Judas Barsabas went back to Jerusalem and to the Apostles but Silas stayed in Antioch And after they had been there for a while, Paul determined that it was time for them to go abroad once again. Barnabas agreed that it was time to go and planned for his nephew John Mark to accompany them. But there was a bit of a problem because John Mark had left from them in the city of Pamphylia and Paul did not think much of his demonstrated lack of commitment to the work. And the disagreement was so serious, that these two men - Paul and Barnabas - who had been through so much together could not be on one accord. They separated, their partnership broken because of Paul's single-minded commitment to the work and Barnabas' thought that even though his nephew did not perform as expected before, he could still be useful to the mission.

Have you ever been in partnership with someone that had been by your side through the roughest and toughest of times and then something happened that strained the relationship to the breaking point? A friendship? A business relationship? A marriage? Connection to your parents or even to your children? Your membership in a church? Have you ever been connected to anyone and have something happen that you regarded as so serious that you began to question whether it was worth holding onto anymore?

Through my years of ministry, I have heard many wonderful expositors and prolific prognosticators pontificate about who in this situation was at fault. Many blame John Mark for his lack of commitment. But John Mark was not Paul's partner. John Mark was the protege of Barnabas. Some say that Barnabas had too much loyalty to his blood instead of the mission. Still others take the position that Paul should have been more gracious and merciful as he was one who knew best, being an Apostle of Jesus Christ who was commissioned directly by the Lord. I say that you can put coulda, woulda, and shoulda in a bag, shake them around, and when you dump them out you still have nothing. It doesn't matter who was really at fault. If they had stayed together, especially with them already coming out of a big blow up in the church, their ministry together would likely have been riddled with dysfunction and debilitated by resentment. Hindsight is always 20/20. What happened is what happened. What needed to happen afterward was a new beginning. Paul departed and took Silas with him. Paul was starting all over again. Here is where we meet the text.

Was Silas in tow, a man not short of commendation or credentials, Paul came once again to Derbe and Lystra. There, he met a certain disciple named Timotheus - Timothy - the son of a Jewish woman named Eunice, the grandson of Lois. His father, however, was a Greek - a Gentile. As Jewish identity passes through the lineage of the mother, he would have and should have been regarded as being of Jacob's lineage. He had a good reputation in the church. He was known throughout the church, even all the way out through Iconium. He was upstanding, dedicated, and hard-working. And Paul wanted Timothy to join Silas in their little band as they went to minister the gospel to a dying world. Paul was headed into areas heavily populated by Jews who had been indoctrinated by tradition and had not yet heard the proclamation of the council that none who believed Christ were required to have the outward sign of circumcision in order to demonstrate their faith. And it had to come back to Paul's mind all the troubles that he had just endured over just that thing. His first mission had great successes with many coming to faith. But it ended on a sour note of conflict and controversy within the church. The lingering raw feelings certainly contributed to the strain on his relationship with Barnabas because when you're injured, you'll bleed on anyone nearby whether they cost it or not. He did not want the next one to end up like the last one. And so, perhaps against his own conviction, he took and circumcised Timothy because everyone knew that his father was a Gentile.

I know that I'm not the only one who has ever read this account over what we have is Acts 15 and 16 and struggled to reconcile what was decreed and what was done. How could a giant in the faith and human history move in a direction opposite to what he knew and believed he should go? Preaching this for the very first time in my ministerial career, I began to understand what happens to us when we're starting all over again.

1. Persevere Through Sacrifice v3
- This first part just might be the hardest part. Paul knew the value of having someone like Timothy to go with him. He had Silas who was a formidable preacher in his own right. He himself was an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, chosen later as one who was born out of time, but nonetheless possessing the authority given by Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost to work the works of God and validate the revelation of Jesus Christ. But he needed Timothy as he would be a living bridge between the Jews and the Gentiles that could show that God would make no difference between either. The problem before him was that those who were steeped in tradition would be unwilling to hear someone that was not enough like them. And I believe that this was a difficult decision for Paul but Paul took Timothy and circumcised him so that he could fit in.

This was going against all that Paul had just fought for. In asking Timothy to make this physical sacrifice, Paul was making a sacrifice of his own principles. He had just fought for the right of a man to not be circumcised to be accepted by the church, and there he was asking a man to be circumcised in order to do the work of the church. He had to feel a vestige of creeping hypocrisy in his spirit. But I understand now.

When we are dealing with people and trying to reach them for their salvation through the proclamation of the gospel, we are always limited by what those people already do and think. Nearly every time, reaching them will require us to make compromises. And most of those compromises will require us to make sacrifices. The truth of the matter is that reaching people with the gospel is going to cost us something that we don't want to pay.

Wisdom will help you understand the difference between what is required and what is allowed. The only way that you begin to understand things broadly is to see them from all available sides. The edict from the council was that no one needed to become Jews and be circumcised to be counted as believers. The edict was not that believing Gentiles could not be circumcised. The ruling didn't apply to Timothy because he was already a believer. Paul was ready to sacrifice his position on the matter to serve a greater purpose. Paul asked him to make the sacrifice so that he could reach unbelievers where they were instead of trying to convince them to elevate their thoughts beyond what was already in their heads. Personally, I don't know if that's a sacrifice that I could have asked him to make. But I do know this:

*You can never make people stop believing something that they want to believe. But if you get stuck on that, neither you nor they will be able to move forward.*

When you make that choice to sacrifice in order to help someone, you have to persevere through that sacrifice because no matter what you do after you make it, you cannot ever go back to undo it. You need to be sure of what you're doing before you make a sacrifice. You have to count the cost of serving the Lord's people. Sacrifice involves pain, anguish, recovery, and sometimes even despair. But when you sacrifice, persevere and push through it because you're not doing it for yourself. Your sacrifice is always for others. Persevere through sacrifice.

When you are starting all over again, you must persevere through sacrifice. But also, when you're starting all over again:

2. Preach And Serve v4
- Paul and his preachers had made hard choices. They wanted to have the good successes without the great disappointments. But anyone who has been in the work knows, you don't have any guarantees for how things are going to turn out. Sometimes all you can do is plant. Other times, all you can do is water. But it's up to God to give the increase. And you can't tell how things are going to turn out. Control what you can control. What they could control was their own faithfulness and dedication. The text says:

"And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders, which were at Jerusalem."

You can make all the accommodation for people that you can. You can try to anticipate what their particular issues and problems will be with hearing you. You can deal with all the logistical issues. But when you get there what you have to do is preach and serve. They carried the word of God and expounded the instruction. That was for the people's salvation and it was their missionary service.

Paul has started all over again. But he was not working from the same template as before. He preached what needed to be preached. He served how he needed to serve. But he did not get caught up in the minutiae and irrelevant things that tend to slow down and bog down a ministry.

Saints I want you to understand something. You cannot let the pettiness of people stop you from giving you attention to the main thing. People might make it difficult or the situation you walk into might be difficult. But whatever you do, keep the main thing the main thing. Preach and serve. Give them the word and then help them as much as you can. But you have to know that you can't change anybody. You just have to give them the word of God and your service in love. You are not ever going to be able to please everybody. So my suggestion is that you not to please anybody. Just explain that you are nobody who happens to know somebody:

*You know somebody who is a bridge over troubled waters
*You know somebody who's a shelter in time of storm
*You know somebody who is a way out of no way
*You know somebody who turns darkness into day
*You know somebody who can heal your broken body
*You know somebody who is a heart fixer and the mind regulator

Because if you're going to serve, you will meet that moment in which all you have to give is a word and the word preached! And if you make up your mind to preach and serve, you'll find out that even when you found yourself by yourself, the Lord was still with you! The Lord is always with you in His word. And the Lord will always help you when you serve. Preach and serve!

3. Proclaim The Savior v5
- They had persevered through sacrifice as they preached and served. The scripture says that:

"...the churches were established in the faith, and increased in number daily."

This didn't happen because Paul was so smart. It didn't happen because Silas was well established. It didn't happen because Timothy was young and good looking. It didn't happen because they built the churches or church buildings. It happened because they proclaimed the Savior. They preached Jesus. They preached the same Jesus that said, "...upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It was that Jesus who was building His church. And that's all that it takes for Jesus to build His church. There is no secret formula. There's no secret knowledge. There's no special technique that no one has ever tried before. There's no secret gospel. You don't need any extra books of the Bible. You just come to realize that after you've gone through everything that you've been through, you just need to proclaim the Savior!

*Jesus! The Lily of the Valley!
*Jesus! The Bright and Morning Star!
*Jesus! The beautiful Rose of Sharon!
*Jesus! The fairest of 10,000!
*Jesus! My Rock in a weary land!
*Jesus! My way out of no way!

*Jesus! Who was born in Bethlehem!
*Jesus! He was reared in Nazareth!
*Jesus! One Friday...

09/06/2026

Church start time: 10:35 am. If you are sick & shut-in, you can listen to the sermon live on Facebook or our YouTube channel GMBC3701

08/30/2026

Aug 30: Praise be to God for blessing us to see the last Sunday of August. Today's sermon on our YouTube Channel. Click on the links!
https://youtube.com/live/jRI3IottDv

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcrJ46mpnTb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsi=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Because of what the missionaries sent from Antioch preached and taught to the Gentiles, certain men dispatched by the Pharisees who claimed to believe, had gone from Jerusalem two chastise Paul and Barnabas. On the basis of dubious doctrine, these mouthpieces for Pharisaical hypocrisy, started a church fight that ran between Antioch and Jerusalem. When the council of Elders and Apostles to resolve the issue, with Paul, Barnabas, and Peter giving testimony and evidence, the conclusion reached was that Gentiles did not need to become Jewish proselytes in order to believe and receive Christ.

I made mention of James the brother of Jesus, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, one who did not believe until Jesus went and found him after the resurrection. His encounter with Jesus, someone that he had known his entire life yet for most of his life did not believe to be the Christ, profoundly affected him. He not only became a believer, he became a leader, and he became a man of prayer. James prayed. That was his reputation in the early church and that is his testimony today, for man ought to always pray and faint not. James stood up in the assembly after Paul and Barnabas had given testimony of the wonders God had wrought with the Gentiles by them. He began to speak and everyone listened.

*Can I pause for a moment right here? It is true that you can learn from almost anybody. But I don't actively look for counsel from anybody who does not pray. I don't know about you or how you feel about it. But I just believe that if someone wants to say something to me about how I need to be and how I need to live, that person needs to be someone who has been in touch with and talking to the Lord. Everybody has something to say. But what I need to hear are words of wisdom from somebody who has spent time on their knees the Master!*

Do I have a witness in here?

You see, neither I nor you need to hear a lot of stuff about how to get along with people from people who don't love people. Despite what you might hear from people who call themselves believers, the mandate from the Lord is that we love one another as the Lord has loved us. Not necessarily means that we have to get along. But when we have fallen out with one another - for whatever reason and regardless of who was right or wrong or if both were wrong - in order for us to get along, we must reconcile with each other and mean it. Problems persist when there is a failure in reconciliation. And reconciliation always fails when one or both parties fails to mean it.

James the Elder stood amongst his peers and the Apostles. He said Simon Peter had declared how God had used him to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, to take out a people unto His name. And they said that this was in accordance with the words of prophecy that God will not only set up and rebuild the Tabernacle of David, but that He would also from the residue of men - those outside the covenants and promises - receive any that would seek Him. James was telling them that if God was for the Gentiles, then he was going to go along with God's plan. Then, as the Teaching Elder and Ruling Elder, James pronounced his verdict as the judge for what the church should do:

Do not trouble them of the Gentiles that come to be saved. Do not lay on them grievous rules. Only have the expectation that they abstain from the pollutions of idolatry, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. The reasons were that there is no God but God, that a genuine change in their walk would serve as testimony, and that they would not go back to the rituals of the world and to practices that prevent fellowship with their brothers and sisters.

When you reconcile and mean it, you don't act one way one day and another way the next day. You cannot have reconciliation with people when you are "sometimey" or when it's just convenient for you. James said that for them to set boundaries for themselves was the best course so that everyone could get along with one another. They were by wisdom to set boundaries for themselves that spoke of what they would not do instead of telling other people what to do and what not to do. And this is another reason why many of us fail in our reconciliation attempts. We spend too much time telling other people what to do instead of telling ourselves what we're not going to do so that we don't adversely affect the lives of others.

And here brothers and sisters, we meet the text. And I want to take a few things from it to recommend to you today because we all too often fail to reconcile because we do not mean it. People will smile at you with hatred and malignity behind that smile. People will praise you in your presence and talk about you when you're not there. People will take everything good you have to offer, and do everything they can to make people think you've done nothing. But if you've had a problem with somebody and genuinely, truly, and sincerely want to reconcile and mend what has been broken, you must in your heart and in your mind mean it. You can fool other people. You can even fool yourself. But you can never fool God because God knows what's really in you. And sooner or later whatever is on the inside it's going to show up on the outside. So even if you try to fake it till you make it, you are going to show what kind of person you really are. When there's been a breakdown, there needs to be a buildup. But you can never build up anyone or any relationship that has been broken unless you reconcile and really mean it.

1. Deal With People Wisely vv22-23
- The Apostles and Elders with the whole church all agreed to send others back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas surname Barsabas and Silas, both regarded highly among the brethren. It was important to the leadership and to the entire church that Paul and Barnabas received not only the endorsement philosophically of the church, but that day received the encouragement physically from the church. This is a wise move that was led by James. They didn't just say that Paul and Barnabas were right and the hypocrites were wrong. They didn't just leave them out there by themselves. By sending others that were of high esteem with Paul and Barnabas, the church in effect put some skin in the game by sending representation with them. The church leadership partnered itself with those who were on the front lines of discipleship. And they had to do this because had they not done it, Paul and Barnabas may have believed that they were just talking a good game. But if you're going to be about it, be about it. Show up for me when you know I have ops. Give me some people that are going to have my back. They had already tried to kill Paul. But how many know when you got some backup, people won't try you like they did when you were alone?

They didn't stop there. They also sent by Paul and Barnabas, Judas Barsabas and Silas, letters unto the church's Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. These letters authenticated the men, the ministry, and the mission. This was a wise move because people who are new to the faith need to know that they are following what and who is approved of God. No one wants to believe that they have been fooled, played, or used by anyone else. If you're going to lead and direct people, you must understand how people think and do what you can to assuage their doubts and fears - not to put their faith in men but to make sure that they are not drawn off after evil men. They sent the letters because they were determined that all would be reconciled and they wanted everybody to know that they meant it. They put their names on the line. They put their reputations on the line. And when you mean it, you don't mind putting your name on it. Acting in genuine sincerity is the way to deal with people wisely.

2. Deepen Understanding Of The Word v24
- In the letter was presented the fact as understood by the council, that certain men had gone out from Jerusalem with with words - their words, not God's words - to subvert their souls by telling them that they had to be circumcised and to become proselytic Jews in order to be saved by the grace of God. They made it clear that those words by those manipulators, being not the words of God, were not authorized by the leadership and were not commanded to be spoken to them. The church leadership understood that the Gentiles, by and large, did not have more than a cursory understanding of the word.

In order to understand what the word says, it is helpful to know what it does not say. There is nothing in the law, the prophets, or in the wisdom literature that says Gentiles must become Hebrews, Jews, or the children of Israel. But in the church right now and I suspect even back then, they are not an awful lot of people who really want to have a deep understanding of the word. There is even an old saying in a faith tradition that runs somewhat parallel to us that says, "I don't read my Bible. I have a priest and him I believe." Most people don't open the Bible unless they decide to get up out of their beds and actually walk into a sanctuary. Those who come into the sanctuary haven't learned what needs to be learned but I lay that at the feet and on the shoulders of pastors and preachers who are too lazy to teach and don't care whether people know or not just so they can have control and sway over people. What has happened to the church that we are content with such a sanctification of ignorance?

People of faith in our churches, fellowships, and congregations depend upon Pastors, Preachers, and Teachers to adequately explain and expound the word of God. It's on us to teach it. But it's on you to learn it. How about we make an agreement today, so that we can ensure that there is a deeper understanding of the word? I'll preach it. I'll teach it. But you learn it. I will make it clear. I will make it plain. I will not tell you that it says what it does not say. I may not get to all of it but I'll get you as much of it as I can. And when you learn what I can teach you, that will make me deepen my understanding so that I can give you more of what you came here for.

*Is there anybody here that wants to go deeper?"

Can somebody in here say deeper? Let us all go deeper! Deeper! Deeper! Deeper in the Lord!

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

People will lie to you and tell you that God said what God did not say. But the only way that you would know the difference between a lie and the truth is if you have a deeper understanding of the word!

3. Decide Who You Will Worship vv25-29
- Something I like to tell people is that we need to make sure that we put people before process. We need to put individuals ahead of institutions. And we need to put the saints before the system. If we do not do those things, we will all end up worshiping a "what" instead of worshiping a "who."

Worship should always be directed and focused. The endorsement of the church was upon those actually sent by the church. And in following the encouragement of those so certified and qualified, you can be properly led to worship Someone instead of worshiping something. Herein was the endorsement and encouragement:

25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

We will not lay a great burden on you but we want you to be advised of certain things.

Stay away from idolatry and leave false gods alone.

Don't go along with the crowd and doing the things that they do. Don't ruin your testimony by acting like everybody else. Even if you used to do it, by the Holy Ghost you can now testify that the things you used to do, you don't do no more!

Don't use anybody's body for your own hedonistic pleasures. If you're going to get with somebody, there ain't no harm in loving somebody. But don't you use somebody because you can't keep yourself!

We're not trying to make you do anything. And we're not trying to make you like us. We just want you to know that if you know who to worship you won't worship idols and you won't worship yourself. But you have to decide who you will worship!

*I don't know how you feel about it
*I don't know what you been going through
*I don't know the pressure you've been under
*But you don't know like I know what the Lord has done for me!
*The Lord has been good to me! He's been good and better than good!
*He brought me! He taught me!
*He kept me! He never left me!

*He came to be born in Bethlehem!
*He was reared in Nazareth
*But one Friday, Jesus went to Calvary! They hung Him high! They stretched Him wide! He hung His head! For me He died! He died! Didn't He die!
*But from a cold grave inside of a borrowed tomb
*Bright early Sunday morning Jesus rose from the grave with all power in His hands!
*Jesus went unto the Father!
*But He is coming back! He will! He will! He will! I know He will!

And I have decided to worship Jesus! I have decided to worship the Lord! That's why I praise Him! That's why I glorify! That's why I magnify!

*Jesus! The Lily of the Valley!
*Jesus! The Bright and Morning Star!
*Jesus! My way out of no way!
*Jesus! My rock in a weary land!
*Jesus! My Savior!

And this is how you reconcile when you really mean it! Whenever there has been a problem, you can work it out if you worship the same God together. Jesus Himself will work it out! Wherever two or three are together in the name of Jesus, He will be in the midst! Won't He do it?! Won't He do it?!

Give Him praise! Give Him glory! Worship Him!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/30/2026

"How To Reconcile
And Mean It"
Acts 15:22-29

Because of what the missionaries sent from Antioch preached and taught to the Gentiles, certain men dispatched by the Pharisees who claimed to believe, had gone from Jerusalem two chastise Paul and Barnabas. On the basis of dubious doctrine, these mouthpieces for Pharisaical hypocrisy, started a church fight that ran between Antioch and Jerusalem. When the council of Elders and Apostles to resolve the issue, with Paul, Barnabas, and Peter giving testimony and evidence, the conclusion reached was that Gentiles did not need to become Jewish proselytes in order to believe and receive Christ.

I made mention of James the brother of Jesus, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, one who did not believe until Jesus went and found him after the resurrection. His encounter with Jesus, someone that he had known his entire life yet for most of his life did not believe to be the Christ, profoundly affected him. He not only became a believer, he became a leader, and he became a man of prayer. James prayed. That was his reputation in the early church and that is his testimony today, for man ought to always pray and faint not. James stood up in the assembly after Paul and Barnabas had given testimony of the wonders God had wrought with the Gentiles by them. He began to speak and everyone listened.

*Can I pause for a moment right here? It is true that you can learn from almost anybody. But I don't actively look for counsel from anybody who does not pray. I don't know about you or how you feel about it. But I just believe that if someone wants to say something to me about how I need to be and how I need to live, that person needs to be someone who has been in touch with and talking to the Lord. Everybody has something to say. But what I need to hear are words of wisdom from somebody who has spent time on their knees the Master!*

Do I have a witness in here?

You see, neither I nor you need to hear a lot of stuff about how to get along with people from people who don't love people. Despite what you might hear from people who call themselves believers, the mandate from the Lord is that we love one another as the Lord has loved us. Not necessarily means that we have to get along. But when we have fallen out with one another - for whatever reason and regardless of who was right or wrong or if both were wrong - in order for us to get along, we must reconcile with each other and mean it. Problems persist when there is a failure in reconciliation. And reconciliation always fails when one or both parties fails to mean it.

James the Elder stood amongst his peers and the Apostles. He said Simon Peter had declared how God had used him to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, to take out a people unto His name. And they said that this was in accordance with the words of prophecy that God will not only set up and rebuild the Tabernacle of David, but that He would also from the residue of men - those outside the covenants and promises - receive any that would seek Him. James was telling them that if God was for the Gentiles, then he was going to go along with God's plan. Then, as the Teaching Elder and Ruling Elder, James pronounced his verdict as the judge for what the church should do:

Do not trouble them of the Gentiles that come to be saved. Do not lay on them grievous rules. Only have the expectation that they abstain from the pollutions of idolatry, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. The reasons were that there is no God but God, that a genuine change in their walk would serve as testimony, and that they would not go back to the rituals of the world and to practices that prevent fellowship with their brothers and sisters.

When you reconcile and mean it, you don't act one way one day and another way the next day. You cannot have reconciliation with people when you are "sometimey" or when it's just convenient for you. James said that for them to set boundaries for themselves was the best course so that everyone could get along with one another. They were by wisdom to set boundaries for themselves that spoke of what they would not do instead of telling other people what to do and what not to do. And this is another reason why many of us fail in our reconciliation attempts. We spend too much time telling other people what to do instead of telling ourselves what we're not going to do so that we don't adversely affect the lives of others.

And here brothers and sisters, we meet the text. And I want to take a few things from it to recommend to you today because we all too often fail to reconcile because we do not mean it. People will smile at you with hatred and malignity behind that smile. People will praise you in your presence and talk about you when you're not there. People will take everything good you have to offer, and do everything they can to make people think you've done nothing. But if you've had a problem with somebody and genuinely, truly, and sincerely want to reconcile and mend what has been broken, you must in your heart and in your mind mean it. You can fool other people. You can even fool yourself. But you can never fool God because God knows what's really in you. And sooner or later whatever is on the inside it's going to show up on the outside. So even if you try to fake it till you make it, you are going to show what kind of person you really are. When there's been a breakdown, there needs to be a buildup. But you can never build up anyone or any relationship that has been broken unless you reconcile and really mean it.

1. Deal With People Wisely vv22-23
- The Apostles and Elders with the whole church all agreed to send others back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas surname Barsabas and Silas, both regarded highly among the brethren. It was important to the leadership and to the entire church that Paul and Barnabas received not only the endorsement philosophically of the church, but that day received the encouragement physically from the church. This is a wise move that was led by James. They didn't just say that Paul and Barnabas were right and the hypocrites were wrong. They didn't just leave them out there by themselves. By sending others that were of high esteem with Paul and Barnabas, the church in effect put some skin in the game by sending representation with them. The church leadership partnered itself with those who were on the front lines of discipleship. And they had to do this because had they not done it, Paul and Barnabas may have believed that they were just talking a good game. But if you're going to be about it, be about it. Show up for me when you know I have ops. Give me some people that are going to have my back. They had already tried to kill Paul. But how many know when you got some backup, people won't try you like they did when you were alone?

They didn't stop there. They also sent by Paul and Barnabas, Judas Barsabas and Silas, letters unto the church's Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. These letters authenticated the men, the ministry, and the mission. This was a wise move because people who are new to the faith need to know that they are following what and who is approved of God. No one wants to believe that they have been fooled, played, or used by anyone else. If you're going to lead and direct people, you must understand how people think and do what you can to assuage their doubts and fears - not to put their faith in men but to make sure that they are not drawn off after evil men. They sent the letters because they were determined that all would be reconciled and they wanted everybody to know that they meant it. They put their names on the line. They put their reputations on the line. And when you mean it, you don't mind putting your name on it. Acting in genuine sincerity is the way to deal with people wisely.

2. Deepen Understanding Of The Word v24
- In the letter was presented the fact as understood by the council, that certain men had gone out from Jerusalem with with words - their words, not God's words - to subvert their souls by telling them that they had to be circumcised and to become proselytic Jews in order to be saved by the grace of God. They made it clear that those words by those manipulators, being not the words of God, were not authorized by the leadership and were not commanded to be spoken to them. The church leadership understood that the Gentiles, by and large, did not have more than a cursory understanding of the word.

In order to understand what the word says, it is helpful to know what it does not say. There is nothing in the law, the prophets, or in the wisdom literature that says Gentiles must become Hebrews, Jews, or the children of Israel. But in the church right now and I suspect even back then, they are not an awful lot of people who really want to have a deep understanding of the word. There is even an old saying in a faith tradition that runs somewhat parallel to us that says, "I don't read my Bible. I have a priest and him I believe." Most people don't open the Bible unless they decide to get up out of their beds and actually walk into a sanctuary. Those who come into the sanctuary haven't learned what needs to be learned but I lay that at the feet and on the shoulders of pastors and preachers who are too lazy to teach and don't care whether people know or not just so they can have control and sway over people. What has happened to the church that we are content with such a sanctification of ignorance?

People of faith in our churches, fellowships, and congregations depend upon Pastors, Preachers, and Teachers to adequately explain and expound the word of God. It's on us to teach it. But it's on you to learn it. How about we make an agreement today, so that we can ensure that there is a deeper understanding of the word? I'll preach it. I'll teach it. But you learn it. I will make it clear. I will make it plain. I will not tell you that it says what it does not say. I may not get to all of it but I'll get you as much of it as I can. And when you learn what I can teach you, that will make me deepen my understanding so that I can give you more of what you came here for.

*Is there anybody here that wants to go deeper?"

Can somebody in here say deeper? Let us all go deeper! Deeper! Deeper! Deeper in the Lord!

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

People will lie to you and tell you that God said what God did not say. But the only way that you would know the difference between a lie and the truth is if you have a deeper understanding of the word!

3. Decide Who You Will Worship vv25-29
- Something I like to tell people is that we need to make sure that we put people before process. We need to put individuals ahead of institutions. And we need to put the saints before the system. If we do not do those things, we will all end up worshiping a "what" instead of worshiping a "who."

Worship should always be directed and focused. The endorsement of the church was upon those actually sent by the church. And in following the encouragement of those so certified and qualified, you can be properly led to worship Someone instead of worshiping something. Herein was the endorsement and encouragement:

25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

We will not lay a great burden on you but we want you to be advised of certain things.

Stay away from idolatry and leave false gods alone.

Don't go along with the crowd and doing the things that they do. Don't ruin your testimony by acting like everybody else. Even if you used to do it, by the Holy Ghost you can now testify that the things you used to do, you don't do no more!

Don't use anybody's body for your own hedonistic pleasures. If you're going to get with somebody, there ain't no harm in loving somebody. But don't you use somebody because you can't keep yourself!

We're not trying to make you do anything. And we're not trying to make you like us. We just want you to know that if you know who to worship you won't worship idols and you won't worship yourself. But you have to decide who you will worship!

*I don't know how you feel about it
*I don't know what you been going through
*I don't know the pressure you've been under
*But you don't know like I know what the Lord has done for me!
*The Lord has been good to me! He's been good and better than good!
*He brought me! He taught me!
*He kept me! He never left me!

*He came to be born in Bethlehem!
*He was reared in Nazareth
*But one Friday, Jesus went to Calvary! They hung Him high! They stretched Him wide! He hung His head! For me He died! He died! Didn't He die!
*But from a cold grave inside of a borrowed tomb
*Bright early Sunday morning Jesus rose from the grave with all power in His hands!
*Jesus went unto the Father!
*But He is coming back! He will! He will! He will! I know He will!

And I have decided to worship Jesus! I have decided to worship the Lord! That's why I praise Him! That's why I glorify! That's why I magnify!

*Jesus! The Lily of the Valley!
*Jesus! The Bright and Morning Star!
*Jesus! My way out of no way!
*Jesus! My rock in a weary land!
*Jesus! My Savior!

And this is how you reconcile when you really mean it! Whenever there has been a problem, you can work it out if you worship the same God together. Jesus Himself will work it out! Wherever two or three are together in the name of Jesus, He will be in the midst! Won't He do it?! Won't He do it?!

Give Him praise! Give Him glory! Worship Him!