DOCSLIB.ORG

Garden City Copyright © 2015 by John Mark Comer This Title Is Also Available As a Zondervan Ebook

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Garden City Copyright © 2015 by John Mark Comer This Title Is Also Available As a Zondervan Ebook ZONDERVAN Garden City Copyright © 2015 by John Mark Comer This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook. Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks. Requests for information should be addressed to: Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Comer, John Mark, 1980 – Garden city : work, rest, and the art of being human / John Mark Comer. — ​ 1 [edition]. pages cm ISBN 978-0-310-33731-7 (hardcover) 1. Theological anthropology — ​Chris tian ity. 2. Vocation — ​Chris tian ity. 3. Work — ​ Religious aspects — ​Chris tian ity. 4. Chris tian life. I. Title. BT701.3.C65 2015 248.4 — dc23 2015015500 All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible. Copy- right © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foun- dation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permis- sion. All rights reserved. Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — ​electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other — ​except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design: Ryan Wesley Peterson Interior design: Ryan Wesley Peterson Edited by Carolyn McCready and Becky Jen First printing July 2015 / Printed in the United States of America 9780310337317_GardenCity_int_HC_5th.indd 2 7/30/15 4:25 PM The path Genesis 1 – 2 009 Welcome to the art of being human 017 Part 1: Work Kings and queens 033 A place called Delight 051 The unearthing of a calling 069 Everything is spiritual 093 Kavod 113 Kazam! Machine 133 Cursed is the ground 157 Part 2: Rest I am not a machine 183 The anti-Pharaoh 201 The Lord of the Sabbath 219 Part 3: The Garden City Life after heaven 237 The people of the future 253 Epilogue: Redefining greatness 273 Revelation 21-22 291 Notes 307 Thanks 321 About the author 323 9780310337317_GardenCity_int_HC_5th.indd 7 7/30/15 4:25 PM Welcome to the art of being human The other day I was out for coffee with my friend Dave. I live in Portland, which is basically the best city for coffee in the world.1 Sadly, it’s not the best city for sunshine. It rains here. A lot. So we spend a large chunk of the year hibernating in coffee shops, waiting for that strange, yellow object in the sky to re-emerge. All of which leads me to Dave. Dave had asked if we could get together and talk about his fight with depression. Unfortunately, I’m a bit of an expert on the subject. My own tangle with depression was brutal and terrifying, but I made it through, and here I am. A better man P 017 9780310337317_GardenCity_int_HC_5th.indd 17 7/30/15 4:25 PM because of it, oddly enough. I learned a fair bit through my years in the maw of the beast, and I’m always happy to help however I can.2 Dave wasn’t suicidal or anything, just unhappy. But he had no clue why. He kept saying, I don’t get it. I follow Jesus. And I have a great life. Why am I depressed? My take on depression is that it’s more of a symptom than a disease. That something in your life is causing the depression.3 So usually with somebody like Dave I start digging. What’s underneath the depression? The root under the ground? Dave was kind enough to put up with my interrogation — ​Are you sleeping enough? How are you eating? Do you exercise? Talk to me about your prayer life? How’s your marriage? I was relentless. But he couldn’t think of anything “wrong” with him. Then I started asking questions about his job. Do you like what you do? It’s a good job, he said. Yes, but do you like what you do? Do you wake up in the morning with a sense of anticipation? Of excitement for the day ahead? Well, no, not really. P 018 9780310337317_GardenCity_int_HC_5th.indd 18 7/30/15 4:25 PM And for good reason. It turns out that Dave used to be a Navy Seal. Full on. He can hold his breath under water for like three days.4 After he got out of the Navy, he moved back home to Portland and took over his dad’s lighting business. It was a steady income. Great pay. He was able to buy a home and live well. Just one catch — ​he couldn’t care less about lighting. I mean, if you wanted a great deal on a commercial fluorescent, he was your man. But it wasn’t him. He went from a job push- ing his body well past the limit and risking his life every day to a cold metal desk with a laminate top and a computer stuck in Excel. So I asked Dave one of my favorite questions, If you could do anything, what would you do? He started to slide around in his chair. Discomfort was all over his face. Most of us are too scared to even think about that question. The odds of letdown are really high. In fact, you’re probably feeling like Dave right now — ​questions racing through your mind. What about the fact that billions of people in the world live hand-to-mouth? They’re lucky just to survive. Loving what you do is a luxury of the rich. What about the fact that even here in the US, unless you come from money, it’s incredibly hard just to eke out a living? The middle class is disappearing. Millions of Americans are under- Welcome to the art of being human P 019 9780310337317_GardenCity_int_HC_5th.indd 19 7/30/15 4:25 PM employed — ​working minimum-wage jobs with a master’s degree from Stanford. American isn’t what it used to be. What about the fact that most people hate what they do? They dread work every day. It’s the epitome of toil — ​exhausting and difficult. These are all legitimate, intelligent questions, and we’ll get into them later. For now, set your anxiety aside. I want you to sit in the discomfort of my question to Dave: “If you could do any- thing . .” After an awkward silence, David said, Well, I guess I would love to be a police officer. So I asked the immediate follow-up question: Why don’t you just quit? Give it a shot? He immediately started into a litany of reasons why he couldn’t do that — ​the family business, his father was depending on him, his wife, safety as a dad, and so on. Even though he was a bit nervous, I felt like we were on to something. At the end of our conversation I just said, Dave, here’s what I would do: go home. Talk to your wife and then your dad. Think and pray. Why don’t you at least try? Now, fast-forward about six months. I hadn’t seen Dave in a while and never heard back on our conversation (okay, so I’m P 020 9780310337317_GardenCity_int_HC_5th.indd 20 7/30/15 4:25 PM a lousy friend). But the next time I ran into Dave, he was beam- ing. It was obvious something had changed. Turns out, he did it. He quit the family business, and his dad was just fine with it. And he got a job with the local police department. He had to start at the bottom, but for the first time in years, he woke up before his alarm. Dave was the same guy. Same wife, family, church, city, exer- cise routine, coffee shop, lawn to mow, dentist. All that changed was his job. What he got up to do every day. Why is that? How could something as mundane and ordinary as a job change everything for Dave? I would argue it’s because what we do is central to our humanness. What’s the first question we usually ask somebody when we meet them? (After we get a name and fumble through a few awkward sentences about the weather.) “So, what do you do?” Granted, that’s likely more of a guy question. Women usually ask, “Are you married? Single? Have any kids?” — ​questions about relationships.5 Welcome to the art of being human P 021 9780310337317_GardenCity_int_HC_5th.indd 21 7/30/15 4:25 PM But they are essentially the same question: What are you giv- ing your life to? When you wake up every morning, what is it you do with your small ration of oxygen? There’s a nasty rumor floating around the church right now, and it sounds something like this: “It’s who you are that mat- ters, not what you do.” Really? Where do the Scriptures teach that? It’s true that some of us look to what we do for our identity and a sense of self-worth.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Author of the Gospel of John with Jesus' Mother
    JOHN MARK, AUTHOR OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN WITH JESUS’ MOTHER © A.A.M. van der Hoeven, The Netherlands, updated June 6, 2013, www.JesusKing.info 1. Introduction – the beloved disciple and evangelist, a priest called John ............................................................ 4 2. The Cenacle – in house of Mark ánd John ......................................................................................................... 5 3. The rich young ruler and the fleeing young man ............................................................................................... 8 3.1. Ruler (‘archōn’) ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Cenacle in the house of Nicodemus and John Mark .................................................................................... 10 Secret disciples ............................................................................................................................................ 12 3.2. Young man (‘neaniskos’) ......................................................................................................................... 13 Caught in fear .............................................................................................................................................. 17 4. John Mark an attendant (‘hypēretēs’) ............................................................................................................... 18 4.1. Lower officer of the temple prison ..........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Bookshelf a Serendipity Bible for Groups Cds the Gospel of Matthew
    TOP SHELF – Bookshelf A Serendipity Bible for Groups Cds The Gospel of Matthew The Gospel of Mark The Gospel of Luke The Gospel of John Reveal jrhighBELIEVE.com Out of Eden meditate The Visual Bible Youth Leaders Music Video Loop Restore My Heart* (workbook in top shelf right) Walking Lessons Learned in the Dark by Faith ExtremeDays life’s a trip TeamFCA Love, Honor & Communicate The Exodus Revealed Search for the Red Sea Crossing Marriage Tune Up – spirituality Marriage Tune Up – God’s Design Marriage Tune Up – Conflict Resolution Marriage Tune Up – Intimacy Marriage Tune Up – Communicatio n 100 Best Loved Hymns tin T.O.A.S.T. Cheaper by the Dozen April 17 & 19, 2009 T.O.A.S.T. Out Town 1 2ND SHELF -Bookshelf A Discovering the Church Becoming Part of God’s New Community The Incomparable Jesus Friendship With God Building You Church Discovering the Church Spiritual Disciplines The Discipleship Series @ in the 80s-Serendipity series Serendipity 101 Women of Faith Serendipity 101 Men of Faith Serendipity 101Marriage Seasons of Growth Serendipity 101 Assessment Personal Audit Serendipity 101 Wholeness Time for a Checkup Serendipity 101 Core Values Setting My Moral Compass Serendipity 101 Jesus Up Close and Personal (9) Serendipity 201 Faithfulness Walking in the Light Serendipity 201 Perseverance Staying the Course Serendipity 201 Discipleship In His Steps Serendipity 201 Freedom Living By Grace Serendipity 201 Leadership Passing the Torch Serendipity 201Gospel Jesus of Nazareth Serendipity 201Hope Looking at the End of Time Serendipity 201Wisdom
    [Show full text]
  • Who Is Right, Paul Or Barnabas? Acts 15:34-41
    6-27-21 Who is Right, Paul or Barnabas? Acts 15:34-41. Everyone disagrees with someone at one 2me or another. Chris2ans are not exempt; we fight and whine with the best of them. Some2mes we even try to use the scriptures to win our arguments. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing but the inten2on in the heart of doing it can be. The N.T. records some of the early arguments among believers. When you read Romans and I Corinthians, you discover that Chris2ans disagreed on things like ea2ng meat offered to idols, on whether to observe the Sabbath Day, or whether to eat meat or be a vegetarian, and on whether to drink wine. We can read in Colossians a church that was torn by controversy over the proper role of angels, New Moon celebra2ons, and the proper diet for spiritual Chris2ans. In Thessalonica, the young church was deeply confused about the Second Coming of Christ. In Philippi there was evidently a major power struggle within the church, which is why Philippians contains such a strong plea for unity. Today, I am not speaking about disagreements over the fundamental, non-nego2able doctrines. These truths are not “up for grabs,” as if we could decide whether we believe that Jesus is God or whether we believe in the Second Coming, or deny the virgin birth, Jesus sinless life, death, burial and resurrec2on, or that saving faith is found by the gracious works of Jesus. Those truths belong to the “faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (JuDe 3) In this message we are looking at what we might call Category 2 disagreements, areas of doctrine or prac2ce not involving the fundamentals of the Chris2an faith.
    [Show full text]
  • Meet the Disciples Here’S a Synopsis of the Information the Bible Gives Us About the 12 Disciples
    In a scene from the television series “The Chosen,” Jesus (left) meets brothers Andrew (center) and Simon. Meet the disciples Here’s a synopsis of the information the Bible gives us about the 12 disciples. The more you know about them, the more you can relate to their experiences as they followed Jesus. If you’re interested in an extremely creative (and yet biblical) look at the disciples, discover The Chosen television series. The first season is available on YouTube, with more information available at studios.vidangel.com/the-chosen. Simon, called Peter. The only married disciple, at least esus went up on a mountainside according to what we know from the Gospels. His mother-in-law and called to him those he wanted, was healed by Jesus (Mark 1:30). At Caesarea Philippi (Matthew J 16:13ff), Jesus gave Simon the name Peter, which means “Rock.” and they came to him. He appointed It was here that Jesus also referred to Simon as a “son of Jonah,” twelve that they might be with him and in a less complimentary moment, as “Satan!” See Matthew and that he might send them out to 16:23 for the context. The Gospel of Mark is generally thought preach and to have authority to drive to be Mark’s written record of the eye-witness account of Simon out demons. These are the twelve Peter. Simon’s betrayal of Jesus was second only to that of Judas Iscariot. Unlike Judas, Simon lived through the weekend and he appointed: Simon (to whom he was eventually restored into full fellowship (John 21).
    [Show full text]
  • The Gospel of Mark Schedule
    The Gospel of Mark Schedule Participants are encouraged to read the chapters covered prior to the session. Tuesday, March 9 Introduction & overview Mark 1- 3 Tuesday, March 16 Jesus, the Christ Mark 4 - 8 Tuesday, March 23 Jesus, the Son of Man Mark 9 - 13 Tuesday, March 30 Jesus, the Son of God Mark 14 - 16 These materials © 2021 Ronald L. Ryan, D. Min. Please do not reproduce by any means without permission of the author. An Introduction to the Gospel of Mark Most scholars regard the Gospel of Mark as the earliest of the four canonical gospels. Written about 70 AD, it pre- serves a record of the early Christian community’s struggle to understand the person of Jesus and the significance of his words, actions, death and resurrection. It also provides us with an idea of the difficulties which the infant church faced as it strove to survive in a world filled with tensions of its own. There is nothing within the text itself that identifies the author, but ancient tradition has given him the name Mark. The evangelist is sometimes identified with John Mark (cf. Acts of the Apostles 12:12) who ac- companied Paul on his first missionary journey, until the two had a bitter falling out (Acts 15:39). They later reconciled, and John Mark remained close to Paul during his final imprisonment in Rome. John Mark is also referred to in 1 Peter 5:13 as “my son.” Non-scriptural writings from the second century describe the author of the Gospel of Mark as a close associate of Peter, the one who would interpret the apostle’s preaching from Aramaic into the common Greek.
    [Show full text]
  • Acts 15:36-41 the First Division Among Church Leaders
    The First Division among Church Leaders JUNE 21-23, 2017 Pastor David Andersen / PO BoxBible 2020, Chesterfield, Study VA Title 23832 / [email protected] Acts 15:36-41 “Then after some days Paul said to Paul owed Barnabas an incredible debt of gratitude for all Barnabas, ‘Let us now go back and visit our that he had done for him. Barnabas had introduced him brethren in every city where we have preached the to the Jerusalem church who had refused to trust him word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.’ 37) because of the terror he had inflicted upon them through his fierce persecution. When Barnabas had been sent to Now Barnabas was determined to take with them the church at Antioch, after his ministry began to be John called Mark. 38) But Paul insisted that they blessed there, he went to Tarsus to get Saul to help him. should not take with them the one who had Their dynamic pastoral leadership together caused the departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not believers to “first be called Christians at Antioch.” On their gone with them to the work. 39) Then the first mission trip, after Paul had won the king and taken contention became so sharp that they parted one his name, Barnabas gave him the leadership of the mission team. Thus, he became the primary speaker as from another. And so Barnabas took Mark and they visited the synagogues in Pisidian Antioch and sailed for Cyprus; 40) but Paul chose Silas and Iconium where it seems that over half of these cities are departed, being commended by the brethren to won for Christ.
    [Show full text]
  • Sermon Transcript from September 4Th, 2016 Jesus the Teacher Pastor John Mark Comer, Reality San Francisco
    Sermon Transcript from September 4th, 2016 Jesus the Teacher Pastor John Mark Comer, Reality San Francisco Turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark. As Dave said, we're all – both my church and yours and a couple of others – are reading through the Bible from Genesis all the way to Revelation in one year. And I think tomorrow we wrap up the Gospel of Matthew and then Tuesday start the Gospel of Mark. So, up in Portland, we're still wrapping up the Creative Minority series, but this is San Francisco. You guys are all Type A. You have to be two or three weeks ahead. You just have to. So, whatever. That's your thing. That's fine. So, let's talk for a few minutes about Jesus of Nazareth. Holy Spirit, we just invite You to come, even now, and to give shape to the next half hour or so that we invest in the text as we open our heart and our mind and really all of our life to the voice of God as made manifest in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and the teaching from the Scriptures. Just, Holy Spirit, come. Jesus was a lot of things. Most of us know Him best as the Son of God. But, He was also the Messiah. Or, another word for that is the Christ; the long-awaited king of Israel. But, if you were a first century Jew and one Sabbath morning Jesus were to show up in your synagogue and teach from the Torah or whatever, the odds are that the category you would have put Jesus in was that of a rabbi.
    [Show full text]
  • PRI Shell Learners Book Unit IV the Church Begins
    THE CHURCH BEGINS O 2009 Virginia TheologicalSeminary Shell Year-Primary, Unit IV Text by ECC editors 1 ': " 1 Vu,tiJ," l,.r*tl.;.el.:rfisi,l.tt{*a:: .i i ,iri,i il,{: ;lilt}i;{' :h;lgt, u :.r,.r:|,i i #,eF$ :?J.#dffi-ffi r}tr*k. &ft*S*' u,{0 *[*ii,, t;.;kc rrirf,i rri.:r:r-i *&iUn*-"4##t&Sttl1;1i gt;il i fr i,rk, i', i i w CIIAPIER 1 Luke, the Chris tianVriter Luke wrote down things he saw and heard. It helped him to remember. Luke was a Christian. He had not seenJesus with his own eyes, but many others had told him about Jesus. Luke heard about the great deeds ofJesus. He heard about whatJesus taught. He knewJesus was the Son of God who had risen from the dead. One day Luke said to his friend, Theophilus, "We are growing older. I am afraid people will forget the good news of our LordJesus Christ. It should be written again and saved so that all people may read and know of our joy!" Theophilus replied, "Luke, you are the one to do that. You write well. Tell the story just as you have heard it." "I will," Luke answered. "I will write more than Lukewrote storiesobout Jesus others have, and it will be like a letter to you." ondthe Church, Luke unrolled a scroll and dipped his pen in ink. For 4 many days he worked. Then he said, "It is done." We call his first book The Gospel According to Luke.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life of Mark the Evangelist
    The Life of Mark the Evangelist April 25, 2021 Revision C Gospel: Mark 6:7-13 Epistle: 1 Peter 5:6-14 Many people have confused the Evangelist Mark with another member of the Seventy, John surnamed Mark (Acts 12:12). In addition, there was a third member of the original Seventy Apostles named Mark, who was the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). They are three different individuals who came from different locales and who had much different roles in the Early Church. Modern accounts of these three individuals are often blended together. The Evangelist Mark was originally an idolater1 from Cyrene of Pentapolis, which is near Libya. He came to the Faith of Christ through the Apostle Peter. John Mark, on the other hand, in addition to being one of the original Seventy Apostles, was born at Jerusalem2, and the house of his mother Mary (Acts 12:12) adjoined the Garden of Gethsemane. John Mark was later Bishop of Byblos in Phoenicia just north of Beirut on the Mediterranean coast. Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, was3 also one of the original Seventy Apostles and was later the Bishop of Apollonia in Samaria, just north of Joppa on the Mediterranean coast. Since Barnabas was native to Cyprus (Acts 4:36), Mark, his cousin, probably was also native to Cyprus. After Pentecost, the Evangelist Mark accompanied the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:13), much as the Evangelist Luke accompanied the Apostle Paul. John Mark, on the other hand, accompanied the Apostles Paul and Barnabas on their First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:5, 13), and later worked with Barnabas on Cyprus (Acts 15:39).
    [Show full text]
  • New Testament
    New Testament: Animal sacrifices insufficient _HEBREWS MATTHEW MARK The anointing at Bethany _MARK_JOHN LUKE JOHN Apostates predicted _JUDE (The) ACTS ROMANS Around the throne of God _FEVELATION 1st CORINTHIANS 2nd CORINTHIANS Ask, seek, knock _MATTHEW_LUKE GALATIANS EPHESIANS At Antioch in Pisidia _ACTS PHILIPPIANS COLOSSIANS Athens given to idolatry _ACTS 1st THESSALONIANS 2nd THESSALONIANS 1st TIMOTHY 2nd TIMOTHY Barnabas and Saul at Antioch _ACTS TITUS PHILEMON The Beatitudes _MATTHEW_LUKE HEBREWS JAMES Be holy _2nd CORINTHIANS 1st PETER 2nd PETER Be patient and persevering _JAMES 1st JOHN 2nd JOHN Be reconciled to God _2nd CORINTHIANS 3rd JOHN JUDE Be strong in grace _2nd TIMOTHY (The) REVELATION Betrayal by Judas _MATTHEW Betrayal in Gethsemane _MARK_LUKE __________________a-z_____________________ Betrayal in the garden _JOHN Abound in faith _2nd CORINTHIANS Beware of personal favoritism _JAMES Abraham's true descendants _JOHN A big catch of fish _LUKE Addressing the Jerusalem mob _ACTS The birth of Jesus _LUKE An adulteress and Jesus _JOHN Blessings beyond measure _LUKE Adultery in the heart _MATTHEW Blind Bartmaeus healed _MARK The alleluia chorus _REVELATION The bottomless pit _REVELATION All have sinned _ROMANS All things possible with God _MARK The bread from heaven _JOHN All things to all men _1st CORINTHIANS All to the glory of God _1st CORINTHIANS Burial in Joseph's tomb _MATTHEW Always in prayer _EPHESIANS By faith they overcame _HEBREWS Ananias and Sapphira _ACTS The angel and the little book _REVELATION Called to blessing
    [Show full text]
  • Acts 1:15-26 “In the First Book, O Theophilus, I Have Dealt with All That
    Medical Doctor Called through National Representative JANUARY 25, 2018 Pastor David Andersen / PO BoxBible 2020, Chesterfield, Study VA Title 23832 / [email protected] Acts 16:6-10 “And they passed through the Paul’s excitement over this second missionary trip with Phrygian and Galatian region, having been the opportunity to “go back and visit our brethren in every city forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they Asia; 7) and when they had come to Mysia, they are doing,” (Acts 15:36) would have been dashed on the rocks of disappointment as “Barnabas was determined to tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did take with them John called Mark” (15:37). When Paul not permit them; 8) and passing by Mysia, they insisted on not including the defector who had left the came down to Troas. 9) And a vision appeared to team and had immediately rejected his leadership, “the Paul in the night: a certain man of Macedonia was contention became so sharp that they parted from one another,” standing and appealing to him, and saying ‘Come (15:39) and Paul necessarily chose Silas and departed with over to Macedonia and help us.’ 10) And when he the blessing of the church. But he never again got to see the king, Sergius Paulus, whom he had led to Christ and had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go whose name he joyfully carried with him for the rest of into Macedonia, concluding that God had called his life to remind him of his commission (9:15).
    [Show full text]
  • Copies of Bible Study Class Charts 10 Mar 15
    Acts 15 3 3 15 Review of Acts 15 Paul and Barnabas were describing their successful missionary journey when some men came down from Jerusalem demanding the Gentile converts be circumcised and live Kosher After much discussion the Church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to discuss this matter with the Apostles and elders On their way through Phoenicia and Samaria they related their success in attracting many Gentiles to the Church They were well received by the Jerusalem Church until members of the party of the Pharisees challenged them again Review of Acts 15 (Cont) During the heated debate Peter again presents his beliefs as related to the conversion of Cornelius Paul and Barnabas then present their successes among the Gentiles whom they had baptized The elderly James, Bishop of Jerusalem: Agrees with Peter, Paul and Barnabas Reminds the council that the coming of the Gentiles into the kingdom was prophesied by many prophets Quotes from the Prophet Amos Review of Acts 15 (Cont) James provided the solution by quoting from the “Holiness Code” from Leviticus stating that the Gentiles could be baptized into the Church so long as they abstained from: What has been sacrificed to idols Blood What has been strangled Pornea The council agreed Paul, Barnabas Judas (called Barsabbas), and Silas were instructed to take a letter containing this decision and read it to the Church in Antioch St. Barnabas Also called Joseph Styled an Apostle in Holy Scripture and, like Paul, is ranked with the Twelve, though not one of them May have been one of the 70 disciples of Jesus or may have converted to Christianity shortly after Pentecost (29 or 30 A.D.) Born of Jewish parents in the Island of Cyprus at about the beginning of the Christian Era St.
    [Show full text]