Submitted to
And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. Acts 15:4
Today I want to talk about faithfulness in submitting to the authority that you are under. We all have some kind of authority that we are to be submitted to. If you are married, then you and your spouse submit to one another. If you still live at home with your parents, then you submit to them and their rules. If you are in school, you submit to the authority of teachers, counselors and principals. If you have a job, you submit to the authority of your boss. In your church, you submit to the authority of the pastor and elders and the mission that they are on. A true example of submitting is shown in faithfulness. You are faithful to show up. In your marriage you love and support one another and hopefully are faithful to the mission of raising your family and taking care of your home. At school faithfulness shows up in submitting to the teachers and following the rules there. In your church, you are faithful and submit to the mission of the church and the vision of the pastor.
Faithfulness at your job does not mean exposing where things are being done wrong or stepping on others to make yourself look good. It is showing up on time and doing your best work when you are scheduled the way you are instructed by your employer. Even if you think you know a better way, you do it your bosses way or else come to an agreement with your boss to have the opportunity to try your way to see how it goes. You don’t just go behind their back or sneak around. That is not faithful and that is not submitted to the authority that you have placed yourself under.
In today’s reading, the apostle Paul and Barnabas were faced with Jewish leaders teaching that unless they followed the old covenant way of doing things, people could not be saved without the old works of the law. Paul did not believe that and did not teach it to the gentiles either. Certainly, he was not going against the ten commandments, but the leaders were telling the gentiles that they had to enter into a covenant with God the way that Abraham did. They were failing to acknowledge the new covenant that Jesus established in His death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven.
This is when Paul and Barnabas went back to Jerusalem to submit this issue to the Apostles and leaders of the church. They did not continue on their mission until this dispute was resolved to whom they submitted themselves to. Paul was an apostle, but he recognized that his faithfulness to the mission God had called him to was in submission and agreement with the other leaders of the church.
They did come into agreement when the discussed the results they saw God doing despite the nationality of the people or the rituals they perform. Paul submitted to Peter and James what he had seen the Holy Spirit working in people even though they were not Jewish people. Peter had experienced it too at Cornelius’ house when he first preached to the gentile people.
The point is that even though these men were apostles and the leaders of the New Testament church, they still submitted to one another. This was the only way that they could come into agreement and the only way that they could be faithful in all that they were called to.
Today I want to encourage you to be faithful by submitting to the authorities that you are under. Submit to your spouse, to your boss and even your government. Be a faithful follower and employee by submitting your thoughts and ideas to those over you. Get out and get active within the laws of the land to be faithful in making your country a better place and submit your feelings and thoughts to the God that loves and makes provision for you. It is required of God’s people to be faithful and the place faithfulness starts is in submitting to one another and authority.
Today’s scripture reading: Acts 15:1-21
1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
13 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me:
14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.
15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16 ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;
17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.’
18 “Known to God from eternity are all His works.
19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,
20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
The Daily Dose 