7 May 2021
Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation.
Acts 15: 7-21, NRSV
Following the meeting of the Council in Jerusalem, Barsabbas and Silas (leading members of the church in Jerusalem), were selected to travel with Barnabas and Paul to Antioch where the dispute about whether new Christians should be subject to the Mosaic Law had first arisen. They took with them a letter detailing the decision of the Council. This letter was one of many written communications that were important in building unity in the early Church. The letter stressed the importance of the guidance of the Holy Spirit on the decisions they had made. The wisdom of the decisions made by the Council was evident in the way in which its message was received.
- Why do you think the members of the Antioch Church received this letter so positively?
- How can we ensure that the guidance of the Holy Spirit influences decisions made in our church communities?
Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit with any important decisions you are facing.
