THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 15:22-29
“You will do well to avoid these things.” (Acts 15:?29)
These church leaders are not releasing disciples from God’s moral law.
Killing, lying, stealing, cheating, raping, etc., these were still wrong.
But the ceremonies and rituals of Moses’s law no longer applied.
Circumcision, tithing, sacrifices, clean and unclean laws, these no longer applied.
Four exceptions are recommended to the disciples:
Abstain from food sacrificed to idols and from blood.
Abstain from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.
All of these were related to idol worship, which was common in their day.
The disciples were tempted daily to indulge in these ‘normal’ practices.
The church leaders were equipping disciples for living in that world, at that time.
What cultural practices in our day would we do well to avoid?
As Jesus warns us, “cut off” those things that can ruin us (Matthew 5:30).
Use of drugs? drinking parties? web porn? ‘don’t pay now’ spending?
What are the things you deal with that weaken your relationship with Jesus?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to pay attention to the cultural practices that undermine my walk with You. Help us as a church to encourage and support one another in guarding against these temptations.