- Covered In His Dust
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- Acts Chapter 15
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
👉🏽 Read Chapter 15 HERE before reading my notes. If you don’t, my notes won’t make sense.
You can access previous notes on Acts and Luke HERE.
Let’s wrap up the day in His glory, Saints! ☀️
At the end of chapter 14, Paul and Barnabas had just returned from their first missionary journey and were in Antioch of Syria, an important gathering place for the early church and a major center for Gentile believers.
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Acts 15 confronts a disagreement that echoes through history and remains relevant today: What does it take to be saved?
“You think you’re right with God? Not yet. First, you need to be circumcised and follow the law of Moses. Faith in Jesus isn’t enough.”
And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
This was a big deal.
The phrase "no small dissension and debate" is a biblical expression of describing a heated argument, emphasizing the seriousness of the issue and the strong convictions on both sides—this wasn’t just a minor discussion; it was a critical moment for the early church.
This was about 15-20 years after Jesus’ resurrection, and Gentiles were joining the church in significant numbers. Their inclusion raised questions that could have divided the early Christian community.
It was a critical moment because the core of the gospel was at stake—was salvation through faith in Jesus alone or through faith plus following the Mosaic Law? How Gentiles would be welcomed into the church depended on this decision, and it would shape Christianity’s future.
People often struggle to believe in the free gift of grace because it goes against how we’re wired. We’re used to thinking we have to earn everything—through hard work or good deeds. The idea that salvation is completely unearned and freely given can feel too simple, almost too good to be true.
Grace also requires humility. Accepting it means admitting we can’t save ourselves, that our efforts will never be enough, and that we’re fully dependent on God. Letting go of control and trusting fully in Him isn’t easy.
So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.
Now, they’re sent to Jerusalem to settle this debate. Along the way, they can’t help but share the amazing news of Gentiles turning to Christ, spreading joy to the believers they meet.
They also carry the weight of the storm ahead—a pivotal moment, a fork in the road. This decision would not only shape the future of the church but also mark a definitive split between Judaism and Christianity.
They’re walking into history, driven by both the excitement of God’s work and the gravity of what’s at stake.
When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”
When Jesus died, something incredible happened.
The curtain in the temple tore from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This wasn’t just a piece of fabric; it was a heavy, thick curtain that separated people from the Holy of Holies—the place where God’s presence was. Only the high priest could go in there, and even then, only once a year, after making sacrifices for his sins and the sins of the people.
The curtain was a reminder that sin separated us from God. But when it tore, it was like God was saying, “The separation is over.” Jesus’ death paid for our sin once and for all. We don’t need priests, sacrifices, or rituals to approach God anymore. Through Jesus, we can come to Him directly, by faith.
But some of the Pharisees couldn’t let go of the way they had always done things. They believed that people still needed to follow the law and be circumcised to be right with God. It’s almost like they were trying to sew the curtain back together, saying, “No, faith in Jesus isn’t enough. You still need to keep the rules.”
The Pharisees believed in Christ but were struggling to reconcile their faith with the law. They didn't understand: you can’t mix grace with legalism.
And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.
Peter is recalling his experience in Acts 10 (which took place about 10 years earlier) with Cornelius, the Gentile centurion, and his household. Here’s how it ties together:
In Acts 10, Peter witnessed firsthand that God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. Cornelius and his household:
heard the gospel,
believed,
and received the Holy Spirit.
What made this moment so shocking to Peter and the Jewish believers with him was that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit without being circumcised or following the law—it was purely through their faith in Jesus.
“If God acknowledges them as believers… shouldn’t we?”
A yoke was both a burden and a tool to guide. It was placed on animals to keep them working together and pulling heavy loads.
In a spiritual sense, a yoke represents being bound to something—whether it’s the law, sin, or God. For example:
Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you... For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Jesus offers His guidance, which is far lighter than the burden of trying to earn salvation.
Peter calls the law a “yoke” that no one could carry, showing that salvation can’t come from keeping the law.
Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Peter was saying that no one—not even their ancestors—had been able to fully keep the law. Its purpose wasn’t to save people but to reveal their sin and their need for God’s grace (Romans 3:20, Galatians 3:24).
Even the most faithful Jews couldn’t meet the law’s perfect standard because righteousness doesn’t come through effort or following rules—it comes through faith in Jesus. Peter’s point was simple: if the Jewish people couldn’t carry the burden of the law, how could they expect Gentile believers to?
But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
It’s not what Peter says; it’s what he doesn’t say.
Peter flips the script. He isn’t saying, “They (Gentiles) can be saved like us (Jews).” Instead, he’s saying, “We (Jews) are saved the same way they (Gentiles) are—through the grace of the Lord Jesus.”
This is so big because it acknowledges that Jews, despite their heritage and the law, are just as dependent on God’s grace as the Gentiles. Peter is leveling the ground, making it clear that salvation isn’t earned through the law or Jewish customs—it’s entirely by faith in Jesus, for both Jews and Gentiles.
It’s not “Saved by faith after all we can do.”
Nor is it “Saved by faith + baptism + sacraments + good works.”
We are saved by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone.
It’s four days until Christmas, and I can hear my family in the background—baking cookies, cutting snowflakes, and Christmas music echoing through the house.
I’m keeping this one short so I can go enjoy them.
Four Minute Inspiration
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
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George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father of nine children, five adopted.
In 2024, George and his wife expanded to Cuba, joining forces with nine pastors committed to transforming lives through the gospel.