Acts 15

February 24, 2022

“They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left... He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” (v 39-41‬)

Even the two main missionaries of the early church, Barnabas and Paul, disagreed about ministry strategy and personnel. Luke doesn’t narrate who was “right” and who was “wrong.” Both had legitimate reasons for their ministry convictions. Barnabas wanted to give Mark another chance to serve on the team. Paul believed the mission was too important to risk including someone who might desert again (v38). But even in their irreconcilable disagreement, God used it to expand the mission - with Barnabas and Paul now ministering to two different groups of people.

Lord, I praise You that Your purpose of expanding the gospel’s reach to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) will not be thwarted - even by church leaders who don’t always agree. I know there is a right way to disagree - so as to keep the unity of the Spirit (Eph 4:3). Barnabas and Paul are an example, as they remain friends - as evidenced by the way Paul refers to Barnabas in 1 Cor 9:6. Lord, may I (and the other elders of Trinity) maintain this kind of spirit of unity - even in those places of disagreement - so that the body of Christ can be built up and the mission continue to be advanced!

— Pastor Joshua Brooks

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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?