Acts 15:19

Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore, my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.

Then it pleased the apostles and the elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, chief among the brethren.

Let's pray. Father, as we look into Your Word now, as we consider the great things that You have done, Lord, the acts of Your Holy Spirit here through the church, I pray that You would continue to teach us and instruct us, Lord, by Your Spirit. Just as You promised, Jesus, that You would not leave us without a guide, without a teacher, but that You would send the Spirit of truth who would guide us in all truth and teach us all things. We pray for Your direction today, for we ask it in Jesus' name. And all God's people agreed, saying, Amen. You can be seated.

Hopefully, you remember that as we were going through Acts chapter 15 last week, we saw that there arose a dispute within the early church, and maybe the biggest dispute that the church had faced to this point. So much so that they needed to have a gathering there in Jerusalem, what we call the Jerusalem Council, to discuss this issue of false teaching that had entered into the church.

Paul and Barnabas had been pastoring or overseeing the flock, the body of Christ there in the city of Antioch, which was primarily made up of Gentiles who had become believers in Christ. A group of Pharisees who had become Christians from the Jewish religion came from Jerusalem up into Antioch, and they saw this fellowship of Gentiles who were worshiping the Lord and fellowshipping together in Koinonia with the Jewish Christians that were there. They began to teach that unless you be circumcised after the manner of Moses...

You cannot be saved. This dispute became so great between Paul and Barnabas and the men from Jerusalem that they determined to go to Jerusalem and discuss the matter. As they were discussing the issue among the apostles and the elders, Peter rose up. He spoke about how God had already made the decision between the Jews and the Gentiles long ago and how God had worked among the Gentiles in Acts chapter 10 at Cornelius' house through the preaching of Peter.

At that, Barnabas and Paul rose up, and they began to declare the great things that God was doing in Antioch and also in the region of Galatia. Then James, the half-brother of Jesus and the overseer of the church in Jerusalem, rose up and said, "Listen, we're not the only ones speaking to this. The prophets of old have spoken that God would bring the Gentiles into the body of Christ."

As we come to the remaining passage in Acts chapter 15, we see that they decided to write a letter and send it to the Gentile believers in the region of Antioch and Galatia. James states in verse 19, "My sentence is that we trouble them not, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but that we write unto them that they abstain, number one, from pollutions of idols; two, from fornication; three, from things strangled; and from blood."

Remember, there was a group of Christians within the early church that came out of Judaism. They had been Pharisees, determined to follow the law and keep all the commandments given in the Old Testament. They focused on all 613 commandments, but not just the law; they were also focused on the traditions of the elders and sought to keep those things to make themselves righteous.

However, what the law reveals, as we considered last week, is that no one is made righteous by the law. More than anything, the law reveals that we are wicked, that we are sinful, and in need of a Savior—specifically, in need of that Savior's grace. Jesus came as that Savior to give us grace. Amen? We are thankful for the grace of God.

Paul the Apostle, Barnabas, and the rest of the church recognized that the grace of God is of the utmost importance. Yet, after receiving the grace of God, these Pharisees who had become Christians had a true concern. They were concerned about the issue of righteousness and were stumbled by the way many of the Gentiles had lived.

Many of the Gentiles who lived in these regions, particularly in Antioch and Galatia, had come out of paganism. They had worshiped many false gods. This worship of false gods was clearly presented when Paul and Barnabas were in the region of Galatia. Remember, they were preaching the gospel. As they preached the gospel and healed a man who was lame, the whole city came together and wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas, thinking that they were Greek gods come down from the heavens. They had to withhold them, stopping the people and saying, "Listen, we are men just like you. You don't need to come and offer a sacrifice to us. In fact, we come here to tell you to turn to God and turn away from these vain things that you've been following."

Paul was teaching very much the same thing that the Pharisees were seeking to impose on the Gentile believers. They wanted the Gentiles to no longer walk in their foolish and vain practices of old. Yet, they insisted that unless one departed from those things, they could not be saved. Paul, however, was saying that we are saved by grace through faith. Once we are saved, God has saved us for good works, which involve turning away from these vain things.

When James and the council in Jerusalem gathered together, they decided not to place a yoke of bondage or a burden of the law on these people, insisting that they must jump over hurdles or through hoops to be saved. Instead, they said, "Now that you're saved, we exhort you, we challenge you, we call you to walk and live in righteousness."

The four things that the church wrote to the Gentile believers about were abstaining from things offered to idols, abstaining from fornication, abstaining from things strangled, and abstaining from blood. These four issues were not laws that we Gentiles need to follow, but rather exhortations directed specifically at those Gentiles who had come out of paganism at that time.

If the Jerusalem council were to write a letter to us Gentiles here in America today, their list might be different. They might say, "Abstain from covetousness," which is an issue that we Americans tend to struggle with, is it not? They may also say, "Guard your eyes in the environment that you're living in," because we live in a flesh-saturated environment. They would speak of righteous things that we ought to do and encourage us to depart from the things that this world embraces, the rudimentary principles of this world.

Not only were they calling and exhorting them to walk in righteousness, but they were also guiding them toward a life that reflects their newfound faith.

Now that they had been saved, they were also called to the law of love. Though they were not bound under the law of Moses, they were bound under the law of love, as are we today. What exactly does that mean?

As you look through the Old Testament, you find that there are many moral laws. I just mentioned a moment ago that there are at least 613 of them mentioned in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. It was the desire of every Pharisee and the most religious of the Jews to follow those laws to the letter, every jot and every tittle taken care of. However, those are not the only laws. A person might even be able, in their lifetime, to fulfill those laws.

Paul the Apostle, before he was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, was Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee. He told the church at Philippi in Philippians chapter 3 that according to the law, when he was a Pharisee, he considered himself to be blameless. This means that if you were to examine Paul's daily life based on the law in the Pentateuch, you would say that he was a righteous man. That's a pretty powerful thing—a heady thing, no doubt. But that's not the whole law.

Jesus was asked a question in the Gospels, a question that every Jew knew the answer to because it was an important question among the Jews: What is the greatest commandment in the law? If you were a Jew and you were asked that question, you would immediately know to answer from Deuteronomy chapter 6. You would say, "The Lord is one God, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength." Oftentimes, they would also say, "And you shall love your neighbor as yourself," the second and greatest commandment.

Jesus was asked that question, and he answered it correctly. He asked a lawyer, and the lawyer said that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. Every Jew knew those commandments, and when we read through the New Testament, we find that the law of love is supremely important. Jesus even emphasizes this in the Gospels.

The great apostle John, in one of his letters, says, "I write a new commandment unto you, but not a new commandment that you do not know." He states that we are to love one another as Christ has loved us. We are called to love, and so in this church, in this body, with different cultural backgrounds represented, the early church at this point...

In Acts chapter 15, we see two totally different cultures growing together as one in Christ. One group came from a very religiously ordered background of Judaism, while the other came from a very pagan world. Now, they were united in Christ; the middle wall of separation was torn down.

How do you relate to one another? How do you interact with one another? The exhortation given by the church in Jerusalem to the Gentiles was important because many of the Jews viewed the Gentiles as just a bunch of pagans. The Pharisees were concerned that these early Gentile Christians would bring their pagan ideas and philosophies into the church. Their concern was valid, but their method of addressing it was wrong. Oftentimes, we want to try to fix people before they can have fellowship with us. However, the church was saying, "No, come and fellowship with us. We are one in Christ." They challenged and exhorted the Gentiles to live and walk in righteousness.

These Gentiles had previously been involved in worshiping false gods in various temples throughout Antioch and Galatia, where they would offer sacrifices. Sometimes, their sacrifices involved strangulation, and they would eat meals with blood, which was not kosher for a Jew. A Jew would look at that and say, "That is wicked; that is a heathen practice. Don't bring that into the church." They were advised not to eat meats offered to idols.

Paul would provide further instruction and understanding about this in his letter to the Corinthians, where he said, "Listen, don't stumble your weaker brother or sister in Christ. If they have an issue with you eating meat offered to an idol, then don't eat that meat." It was an issue of love, esteeming someone higher than yourself. The Gentile Christians had the right to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to continue their marriage practices, even if the food was not kosher according to Jewish laws. However, out of love for their brothers in Christ, they were being exhorted to turn away from those practices.

Additionally, they were instructed to depart from fornication. It is interesting to note that when we look at the four exhortations that the council at Jerusalem gave to the Gentile believers, these principles were actually established by God prior to the law in Exodus chapter 20. In Genesis chapter 9, verse 4, God told Noah...

His family was allowed to eat meat, but they were not permitted to eat the meat with the blood because life was in the blood. This was established prior to the law being given. The idea of not committing fornication or adultery, or being involved in wicked sexual and moral practices, was given by God when He instituted marriage in Genesis. He said, "I have created you male and female, and for this cause, the two shall come together and become one." They shall leave their father and mother and cleave to one another, and what God has put together, let no man separate.

The understanding of adultery and fornication, as well as the condemnation of immoral practices that many heathens engaged in, was given prior to the law. The prohibition against offering sacrifices to idols was also clearly established before the law. There is one God, and we are to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

The early church, in writing this letter to the Gentiles, produced one of the first epistles directed at Gentile believers to exhort them to live in godliness, and it would not be the last. As you read through the remaining epistles of the New Testament—Paul's 13 letters, John's letters, Peter's letters, and the book of Hebrews—you see exhortation after exhortation primarily directed at Gentiles to walk in righteousness.

Here, 2,000 years later, we continue to study the Scriptures and learn how we ought to walk in righteousness from a position of salvation. We have received salvation by grace through faith, but we are called to walk in newness of life. Amen? This means departing from every evil practice.

The early church recognized the issues that the Gentiles were facing, which concerned the Jews. They determined that it was necessary to address these issues of righteousness, of walking rightly before God, and of loving one another. They decided to write a letter to the believers. As James said, "It is my sentence that we do not trouble them by putting a burden upon them, but let us write a letter to them."

For Moses of old, in every city, has those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day. Now notice this: it pleased the apostles and the elders, along with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men.

Among the brethren, one of the most common questions that I, as a pastor, receive is, "How do I know the will of God?" How do I know the direction that God is leading me, what He is calling me to, or what He wants me to do? Whether it's here at Calvary Chapel Escondido or at the Bible College in Marietta, many times I talk with people who are wondering. In fact, it comes up the most at the Bible school, where people are preparing for ministry. As they finish up their time at the Bible school, they often ask, "How do I know God's will for my life? How do I know what God is wanting me to do?"

In the remaining verses that we have here in chapter 15 today, I want to consider seven answers to that question: How do I know the will of God? If you're taking notes, number one: here in verse 22, we find the will of God through the unity of the body. This dispute, this discussion that arose in the early church, had the potential for dividing the fellowship. When they gathered in Jerusalem, there was a group of Christian Pharisees who could have stood up and said, "We disagree with what you're saying, Paul. We don't like what you're determining, counsel, so we are going to go start our own church, the First Christian Church of the Law down the street."

Yet, after they discussed, prayed, and heard from Peter, who reminded them of the work that God had done at Cornelius' house, and after they heard from Paul and Barnabas about the work that God was doing in Antioch and up in Galatia, and after they heard from James, who said, "Look, the prophets of old told us that this would happen," they all came to a place where they were pleased with the decision. Did you see that in verse 22? This issue that could have divided the church was dealt with. The apostles, elders, and the whole church were pleased and decided to send chosen men from their own company up to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. In determining what the will and direction of God was that day, there was unity in the body.

Secondly, also in that verse, notice the quality of the leaders. In finding God's will,

We need the unity of the body, but we also need the quality of leadership. We see this in the several names that are mentioned. They decided to send chosen men to Antioch, with number one being Paul and number two being Barnabas. However, not only were Paul and Barnabas good quality leaders within the body of Christ, but they also had Judas, who was surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas. These men were chief among their brethren in Jerusalem.

Furthermore, look at verse 23. They wrote letters by them after this manner: "The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren that are Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia." There were the elders in Jerusalem, the apostles in Jerusalem, and these chief men—quality leaders within the body of Christ: Paul, Barnabas, Barsabbas, and Silas. The early church had the unity of the body and the quality of the leaders directing and seeking the direction of the Lord.

As they continued their letter, verse 24 states that James and the council at Jerusalem said, "For as much as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls, saying you must be circumcised and keep the law, to whom we gave no such commandment, it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Look at the quality of the leadership spoken of here. They also sent Judas and Silas, who shall tell you the same things by mouth. It seemed good—notice this—it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than the necessary things: that you abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. For if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare you well.

In this passage, considering the answer to the question of how we find the will of God, we see three key points: number one, the unity of the body; number two, the quality of the leaders; and number three, found in verse 28, the activity of the Holy Spirit. It says there in verse 28, "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you..."

There is no greater burden than these necessary things. As the leaders were unified together in Jerusalem during this council, God, by His Spirit, led them in their discussion. He reminded them through the Apostle Peter how God had poured out His Spirit upon the Gentiles at Cornelius' house. He revealed to them by His Spirit how Paul and Barnabas had seen great miracles in the preaching of the Word of God in Antioch and Galatia. Then, He brought to mind the Word of Amos the prophet through James, who stood up and said that Amos had told them this would take place.

There was the activity of the Holy Spirit directing the meeting as they gathered together, and they were unified as leaders in Jerusalem. Over the years, as we have made decisions—whether as a staff, a group of pastors, or a group of elders and pastors here at this church—it always amazes me that when you can get seven or ten men to agree upon anything, that has to be the work of the Holy Spirit. They saw the Holy Spirit moving in their midst, demonstrating the unity of the body, the quality of the leadership, and the activity of the Holy Spirit.

Continuing on, we look at verse 30 of Acts chapter 15. It reads, "So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle, which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation." I want you to note something in verse 31. These Gentiles in Antioch had been told right before Paul and Barnabas went down to Jerusalem that they were going to figure out whether or not they should be circumcised. Now they come back and say, "Hey, listen, you don't need to be circumcised." When they had read it, they rejoiced. That is an understatement.

In verse 32, Judas and Silas, being prophets themselves, exhorted the brethren. Notice that they were pastors, teachers, and prophets, giving forth the Word of God. They exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them. After they had tarried there for a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. Notwithstanding it,

Please turn to Silas, verse 34, to abide there still. Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also. In seeking and finding the will of the Lord, we desire the unity of the body, the quality of the leaders, the activity of the Holy Spirit, and the consistency of the teaching.

The consistency of the teaching is emphasized in verse 32, where we see that Judas and Silas, being prophets themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them. Then, in verse 35, Paul and Barnabas also continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others. If we had the privilege of joining the church in Antioch over 1,900 years ago, we would have found a vibrant fellowship of Jews and Gentiles in Christ, being taught and equipped with the word of God by Paul, Barnabas, Judas, Silas, and many others.

They didn't just have one person who got up and preached the word; they had many gifted and enabled believers who were able to share the word of God. I am blessed here, and we are blessed as a body, that there is not just one gifted person. Pastor Josh, Pastor Eric, Pastor Richard, Pastor Mark, and many of the elders have been gifted and enabled by God to teach the word of God. This is not just what happens here on Sunday morning.

We have Bible studies on Monday night, whether it's with the School of Discipleship, or on Tuesday night with the Women's Ministry. On Wednesday night, Pastor Richard has been teaching through the passage on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Thursday night features the Men's Bible Study, the School of Discipleship, and the Spanish Ministry. God is doing work through able men and women, teaching and equipping the body of Christ here daily.

The consistency of the word of God is utterly important in discerning God's will. One of the first questions I ask people when they come to me and say, "How do I know what God wants me to do?" is, "Have you been spending time in Bible study with other believers?" Most of them will say, "Yes, I've been going to church, I've been involved with the men's ministry, involved with the women's ministry," whatever it may be. Then, I ask them that important question: "Have you individually been seeking the Lord in His word daily?"

And I would say nine times out of ten, people say no. I have to ask them, how then do you think you will know what God is calling you to do if you never seek Him in His Word? Todd shared this morning, as we were partaking of communion from Hebrews chapter one, where it says in verse one that God, at sundry times and in diverse manners, spoke in times past unto our fathers by the prophets.

What I have found is that people today are oftentimes looking for a guru; they're looking for a prophet. They come to me or to one of the other pastors and ask, "What does God want me to do?" I respond, "I don't know. I have enough trouble trying to figure out what He wants me to do." So, what does God want me to do? Notice what the author of Hebrews says in verse two: God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed the heir of all things, by whom He also made the world.

Listen, would you like the counsel of your pastor, or would you prefer the counsel of God, who created the world? I think I choose B. If we consistently seek the Lord in His Word and through the teaching of other gifted brothers in the body of Christ, I guarantee you will be more apt to hear the voice and word of the Lord when you're wondering, "What ought I to do?"

There is one other thing that we skipped over in those verses we just read. Look at verse 34 of Acts chapter 15. Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to abide there still. Remember, the church at Jerusalem sent Judas and Silas up to Antioch to confirm the word that Paul and Barnabas were sharing there. These men came from the church at Jerusalem and said, "Listen, we were in the council; we heard everything that the apostles and elders had to say, and we agree that this letter is truth, it is fact."

Now, Judas says, "I am going to go back to Jerusalem." In verse 33, after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. After a period of time in Antioch, the church said, "All right, guys, if you want to go back to Jerusalem, you can," but it pleased Silas to abide there still.

Again, if you're taking notes on finding the will of God, we need the unity of the body and the quality of the leaders.

The activity of the Holy Spirit and the consistency of the teaching are important factors to consider. Number five is your desire personally. I have never met a missionary on the field who was not in a place where they desired to be. This question often seems to cause some confusion or puzzle people.

I remember a conversation I had about a year ago with a student at the Bible college. She was really struggling with whether or not she should stay at the college. Bible college seems like such a spiritual thing to do, such a good place to be, and such a right place to be. Yet, she was wrestling with the decision and seeking the will of the Lord. She asked me, "What do you think I'm supposed to do?" I replied, "Well, what do you want to do?"

She looked at me with a puzzled expression and said, "What do you mean, what do I want to do? I want to know what God wants me to do." I insisted, "I want to know what you want to do." She thought I was nuts. I said, "No, really, tell me what you want to do." She finally admitted, "Well, I'd really like to be a physical therapist." I responded, "Well, then you're at the wrong college."

Again, she looked at me in disbelief. To her, how could a pastor suggest she leave Bible college? I said, "Don't you think that God needs Christian physical therapists? Some of you have been to a physical therapist, and you know you need a Christian physical therapist." She agreed, "Well, yeah." I continued, "Well, maybe God gave you that desire, and maybe He wants you to pursue that path. Perhaps you're in the wrong place."

We often struggle with this concept, but the psalmist said, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Desire can be dangerous, but we should not discount it.

Let me give you an example. In 1998, I was attending the Bible college in Marietta. After being there for about three weeks, maybe a month, I determined that I didn't really want to be there. I found that the material I was learning at the Bible college was no different from what I was already being taught at Calvary Chapel, Escondido's School of Ministry and School of Discipleship. The problem was that being up there, I really didn't have the opportunity to serve here. There was a strong desire to leave and return.

At first, I thought, well, that can't be the Lord. I'm supposed to be here. But a couple of months later, as I was at the Bible college, I came home to the church on a Sunday morning. After the service, Pastor Richard asked me and one of the other students from the Bible college, Charles, a good friend of mine, to come into his office. He sat down and said, "Listen, we are considering starting an internship, and we would like you guys to come on as ministry interns in the following year, in January of '99. I want you guys to pray about it."

So, Charles and I got into my old Toyota car, and as we were pulling out of the parking lot on that Sunday afternoon, I said, "I'm going to do it." Charles looked at me and said, "You haven't even prayed about it." I replied, "I have been praying about it. I already had a desire, and this is an open door." You see, I have found in my life and in my ministry that God leads me many times by a desire and then an open door. The desire comes first.

After I started here at the church as an intern, just a few weeks later, I was asked to be the junior high youth pastor. I taught the junior high group for a few more years. I remember it very clearly. In the summer of 2003, I began to have a desire—I don't even know where it came from—to go and teach at one of the Bible schools overseas. I even asked our missions director, Kelly Kirstead, to inquire with the Bible College director in York, England, Dave Sylvester. She sent an email asking him if we had a guy on our staff who was interested in possibly coming over to teach. He replied that they didn't really have any need, and there was no open door. I had a desire but no open door, so I put the desire on the back burner, figuring maybe it wasn't of the Lord, maybe it was just me.

About six months later, I was visiting a friend of mine, the pastor of Calvary Chapel up in Thousand Oaks. We were talking about other things, and I had not shared that desire with him. As we talked, he looked at me and said, "Miles, would you be interested in going to the Bible College in Germany and teaching there? I just got an email from David Guzik, and he is in need of a teacher." I looked at him and said, "What? Yeah, I think I would." You see, God had given me a desire, and then an open door came.

But even bigger than that, I remember in the fall of 2002, Pastor Richard and I were at a retreat at a conference.

Up in Big Bear, we were sitting down one afternoon, just talking about various things. He was asking me, "What do you believe the Lord is speaking to you? What do you think the Lord is showing you?" I decided to share with Richard a desire that had been planted in my heart, one that I had not told anybody about because it seemed completely impossible and probably not the best thing to talk about. I said, "I believe that someday the Lord is going to call me to be the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Escondido."

At the time, I was 22 years old, and we had a great senior pastor here, Pastor Pat Kinney. He had been here for many years, pastoring the church and leading the flock. There was no vacancy for the senior pastor position, but the desire was planted in my heart. I hadn't shared it with anybody, but I shared it with Pastor Richard. I remember he kind of looked at me and wrote it down in his little brown book. Some of you know Richard; he has a little book where he writes things down, and we are always wondering, "What's in the book?"

It wouldn't be for years until the Lord would open the door, but the desire was already there. God oftentimes gives us a desire before He opens the door. He desires that we would walk in His will, and He desires that we would desire to walk in His will.

We see here in Acts chapter 15, verse 34, "Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to abide there still." I am pastoring and teaching this church because I want to be here. The Lord has called me, yes, but I desire to be here. As you delight yourself in the Lord, He does give you the desires of your heart, and sometimes that means He plants the desire in your heart.

Continuing in verse 35, it says, "Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also." Some days after, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do."

If you're taking notes, here are some key points: number one, the unity of the body; number two, the quality of the leaders; number three, the activity of the Holy Spirit; number four, the consistency of the teaching; number five, your desire personally; and number six, your concern internally.

Your concern internally. As Paul and Barnabas were at that awesome church in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of God, a burden began to well up within Paul's heart—a concern for those they had ministered to in Galatia. Perhaps when he would get ready to go to sleep each night, he would see the faces of those brothers and sisters he had shared the gospel with there. There was a burden that God had placed in his heart, and he shared that burden with Barnabas. He said, "Listen, let's go up and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they're doing."

God often leads us by a burden He places inside of us. What does this look like? I have seen this happen a number of times with missionaries who have been raised up within our church. They were sitting in a chair just like you, and someone like Pastor Jim Davis from Pastoral Training of Asia came and shared. He'll be sharing with us next month. As Jim shared about what God is doing in Asia, a burden suddenly came upon that person's heart—something they had never even thought of or considered before. Now, they have a burden for the people of China, the people of Vietnam, or the people of Cambodia. That burden is there to go, and when the door opens, they're ready because they've already been earnestly desiring it or burdened by it.

Or perhaps, as you are driving that same route to work every single day, you pass by a certain bus stop, and there is one person who, for some reason, stands out to you. You see them standing at that bus stop every time you drive by, and their face just seems to stick in your mind as you go to work. You can't understand why. Perhaps God is putting a burden upon your heart to go and share the word of God because God leads us with that burden, that concern internally.

And so notice what happened. Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought it not good to take him with them, as he had departed from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. The contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, while Paul chose Silas.

And departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. He went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Number seven, if you're taking notes today: God leads us through differing visions individually. This is difficult at times, but God leads us through differing visions. What was the differing vision here? Well, Paul said to Barnabas, "Listen, I have a burden. I have a concern about our brothers that we've shared the gospel with up there in Galatia. Let's go visit them." Barnabas said, "That's a great idea! Let's take my nephew Mark with us."

Paul responded, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, boy, back the camel up, Barnabas. I don't know that Mark is very dependable." You see, on their first missionary journey, they took John Mark with them. They sailed from Antioch, west to Cyprus, and traveled through the island of Cyprus. Then they sailed north up to Pamphylia, and when they got to Pamphylia, Mark checked out. He bailed out. We don't know why, but it bothered Paul. He didn't like it; he was upset by it.

Now, when they got ready to go on their second missionary journey, Barnabas said, "Let's take my nephew Mark. Isn't that a great idea?" Paul replied, "No, he's not dependable. I can't trust him. I don't want him to come." The contention was so sharp that Paul and Barnabas split ways. These men, who had been serving God together in Antioch for years, had traveled together as missionaries through Galatia. They had been through difficult times, been shipwrecked together, and endured unbelievable challenges, so knit together in the work of God.

Barnabas was the only one who had reached out to Saul of Tarsus, Paul the Apostle, when everybody else was concerned about who he was. Now, Paul says, "No, we're not taking Mark with us." They had a differing vision. Barnabas, whose name means "son of encouragement" or "son of consolation," was one of those guys who was willing to go out on a limb for somebody and take a second chance.

How many of you are thankful for second chances? I have to admit, I probably, in my personality, side a little bit more with Paul at times.

I reserved a little bit more concern and was a little bit more apt to say, "Well, I don't think so." However, I'm thankful for Barnabases. I'm thankful for guys like Josh, who is willing to take a chance on anybody, and I'm grateful for that. Although sometimes I don't quite understand it, and it doesn't quite jive with my personality or understanding, I think Paul was that way too. Barnabas was the one who was willing to take a chance.

We see that with Saul of Tarsus and with Mark. You know what? Two thousand years later, we should be very thankful that Barnabas took a chance on Mark, even though it caused dissension between him and Paul. Mark became the author of the Gospel of Mark, and God was going to use this young man. At that point in time, there was a differing vision: Paul wanted to go north into Galatia, while Barnabas wanted to go to Cyprus, his home country, and he wanted to take Mark with him.

Although it was a difficult split and a division that was undoubtedly hard for the church at Antioch, as well as for Paul and Barnabas personally, it was good for the Kingdom of God. God had a plan, and I believe that He even allowed this issue in their lives to multiply ministry. We've seen this a number of times with different ministries within our church throughout the years that have gone out from our church. Although it's painful for those involved, God is doing a new thing. There are differing visions individually, and God works through that.

You know what? God has a way of bringing things back full circle. Would you turn with me as we finish up here today to Paul's last letter, 2 Timothy chapter 4, the very last letter that Paul would ever write just before his martyrdom? Notice what he says to Timothy, his son in the faith, whom Paul would meet in the region of Galatia in Acts chapter 16.

In 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 9, Paul is in prison in Rome at this point, and he says to Timothy, "Do thy diligence to come unto me shortly. Timothy, come quickly; I need your help." Why? Verse 10 tells us: "For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and he has departed unto Thessalonica. Cretans has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me, Timothy."

What he tells Timothy to do at the last part of verse 11 is to take Mark and bring him with him, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. You see how God is able to bring things full circle. Yes, Mark was the issue that caused division between Paul and Barnabas in Acts chapter 15, but at the end of Paul's life, as he was finishing up his race in ministry, he says to Timothy, "Bring Mark to me; I need his help."

God is able to lead, guide, and direct us. He leads us through the unity of the body, through the quality of the leaders, through the activity of His Holy Spirit, through the consistency of the teaching of God's Word, and through a desire that He places in you and in me internally. He also leads us through that concern or burden we feel within.

At times, God leads through a differing vision, where someone comes and says, "Listen, I believe the Lord is calling me to go out here and start this work and do this thing." I may say, "Well, I don't like that. I don't like you leaving. I don't want you to go." But God has a plan, and He is able to lead people in a way that may be different from the way we are going. We should be open to it. Amen.

Let's stand and pray together. Father, I pray that you would help us to be those who are waiting upon you, seeking you for your direction. It is your desire to lead us just as you led the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. You desire to lead us as we wander around this world on our way to meet you eternally in heaven.

I pray, Lord, that you would lead us by that pillar of fire by night in those dark times. Would you light the way so much that we are able to see and know that you are calling us in this way or that? May we hear that word behind us saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Lord, may we be those who are led by the cloud by day, that cloud that covers us in the heat of the day. May we find rest and peace knowing your will. Lord, stir our hearts to seek you, to seek you in your Word, to seek you in the unity of counsel, to seek you from quality leaders, and to seek after the activity of your Spirit. Lord, help us.

Help us not to discount the desire that you place in our hearts or the burden that we have internally. Lord, help us to recognize that people are called to differing things than we might be called to as we follow you and light this world.

We praise you and thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.