Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
Devotional: September 22nd

Acts 15:22-41

The apostles and the elders meeting at Jerusalem are busily occupied with the question which has been brought before them. The whole assembly is in agreement with the conclusions of James (vv. 22, 25). The letter which they send by the hand of Judas and Silas comes to reassure and comfort the brethren at Antioch who had been very upset (v. 24). At the same time the visit of the two servants of God contributes much to the building up of the assembly (v. 32). Thus the efforts of the Enemy to cause trouble and divide have produced the opposite effect in the end. The faith of the disciples has been strengthened and the bonds of communion between the assemblies have been deepened. Once more the wicked one has been deceived by his own work (Proverbs 11:18).

All difficulties being settled, the work of the Lord can recommence. The concern of Paul for the assemblies set up at the time of his first journey leads him to undertake a second journey to see how his brethren are going on spiritually (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:28). But this time Barnabas does not go with Paul. A disagreement about his nephew, Mark, is the reason for this. Later Mark will regain the confidence of the apostle and he will be "profitable . . . for the ministry" (Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11).