We’re back in Acts after a festive break, you can catch up with previous teachings/devotionals here.
After the council of 15.1-21 we read that it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They choose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas (vv.22b) and send them off to Antioch.
Upon hearing the the debate and discussion (15.6), the testimony of and personal encounters with Jesus (v.7), the humility and the realisation that something paradigm-shifting was happening (v.11) the church now wants to get involved. From the apostles and elders to the whole church, everyone clearly wants to get involved. Participation in the Gospel isn’t limited to an elite group within the church, it’s for the whole church.
How often we are comfortable to simply turn up to the weekly worship service, listen, learn, and leave. Participation in the Gospel is a whole church endeavour. Encouraging others, equipping others, and edifying others aren’t just the jobs of those called to church leadership. We all have a part to play, the whole church.
As we start a new year, take a moment to honestly evaluate what you are adding to your local church community. Is it simply attendance once a week, or can you articulate in a sentence or two how you are adding to the family, how you are adding to the whole church?
James Travis 