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- Acts Chapter 15 (part 3)
"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! ☀️
Quick recap.
Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to settle a major question: “Do Gentile believers need to follow Jewish laws, like circumcision, to be saved?”
After a lot of debate, Peter reminded everyone that God had already shown His acceptance of the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit—just like He did for the Jews. He made it clear that salvation is by grace alone, not by keeping the law.
Then James stood up and declared his judgment: Gentiles don’t need to follow all the Jewish laws, but they should avoid idolatry, sexual immorality, and certain foods to promote unity.
It was decided to send a group, including Paul and Barnabas, back to Antioch with a letter from the apostles, elders, and the whole church to share their decision.
This is that letter:
“The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.
Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,
it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
As we read, it’s important to be curious.
Who?
What?
Where?
Why?
When?
The letter explains that Gentile believers don’t need to be circumcised or follow the Law of Moses, but they are asked to "abstain" from a very specific list.
Why these four things? Why were they so important?
Many Jewish Christians still followed the Law of Moses, and these practices—idolatry, sexual immorality, eating strangled animals, and consuming blood—were especially offensive to them. By asking Gentiles to avoid these, the church wasn’t adding unnecessary burdens but promoting peace and fellowship in a culturally sensitive way.
This wasn’t about salvation. It was about living in a way that didn’t create unnecessary division within the body of Christ.
It’s like inviting a vegan friend over for dinner. You know they don’t eat meat, so you skip the steak and serve a plant-based meal instead. Not because eating meat is wrong, but because you value the relationship and want to make them feel comfortable.
Make sense?
Let’s go deeper.
“abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols,”
Ummmmm. What?
Sometimes, the meat sacrificed to idols was sold in the marketplace. Temples didn’t waste anything, and this meat was often high quality, so people would buy it for everyday meals.
Other times, the meat was served at temple feasts or private gatherings tied to idol worship. These weren’t just dinners—they were part of the rituals, and eating there made it look like you were worshiping the idol too.
For Gentile believers, this created a problem. Even if they weren’t trying to worship idols, buying or eating that meat could cause confusion, especially for Jewish Christians who avoided anything connected to idolatry.
James’ instruction to abstain wasn’t about being picky about food—it was about staying away from anything that could look like idol worship and protecting unity in the church.
“and from blood, and from what has been strangled,”
Eating strangled animals was a big deal because, under Jewish law, animals had to be killed in a specific way to drain their blood.
Blood was considered sacred and symbolized life, so consuming it was strictly forbidden (see Leviticus 17:10-14).
For Jewish Christians, eating blood—or meat from strangled animals where the blood hadn’t been drained—was deeply offensive and tied to their understanding of honoring God’s commandments.
“and from sexual immorality.”
The new Gentile believers James was addressing were primarily from Greek and Roman backgrounds. These were people who had grown up in the Greco-Roman world, where sexual immorality wasn’t just common—it was part of their culture, religion, and daily life.
For many of these Gentile believers, their old way of life included practices that were normal in their society but went against God’s standards—things like temple prostitution, forbidden relationships, and a casual view of sex. (Is it so different from American culture today?)
James was telling them, “You’re following Jesus now, and that means leaving those practices behind.” This helped them live holy lives and strengthened the unity of the church, especially with Jewish believers who had very different views on purity and worship.
But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Silas was one of those "many others" who stayed in Antioch to teach and strengthen the church. After coming to Antioch as part of the delegation delivering the Jerusalem Council’s letter, Silas didn’t just deliver the message and leave. He chose to stay and contribute to the ongoing work of ministry. (This is important later.)
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
Paul and Barnabas didn’t just plant churches—they were committed to helping them grow, and I have to imagine they were excited to share the news from the Jerusalem council that salvation is through grace, not works.
Division.
Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.
Remember back in chapter 13, when John Mark left them in Pamphylia? That decision must have still stung for Paul, especially considering the challenges of their mission. He likely felt that taking someone who had abandoned the work before could be a risk.
But John Mark was Barnabas's cousin (Colossians 4:10), and that family connection might explain why Barnabas was so determined to give him another chance.
Barnabas was known as an encourager and had a reputation for seeing potential in others—like when he vouched for Paul after his conversion (Acts 9:27).
This intense disagreement is a good reminder that even faithful servants like Paul and Barnabas had conflicts. It’s in every church. Why? Because churches are filled with human beings.
The beauty of the church, though, is that through Christ, we are called to work through these conflicts with grace and unity, reflecting His love even in our disagreements.
Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
Silas’ decision to stay in Antioch after Judas returned to Jerusalem could have demonstrated qualities that Paul valued—commitment, flexibility, and a heart for ministry.
Paul needed someone who could handle the challenges of traveling, teaching, and navigating cultural differences between Jews and Gentiles. Silas’ actions in Antioch gave Paul confidence in his character and calling.
I love that the Lord used what seemed like a bad situation to multiply the mission.
Instead of one team, there were now two, reaching more places with the gospel.
It’s a reminder that even in conflict, God can work to advance His kingdom and accomplish His purposes in ways we can’t even imagine.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Wait. What?
In Acts 14, during his first missionary journey, Paul was stoned in Lystra (a city in the region of Galatia, near Cilicia) and left for dead by those who opposed the gospel. He also faced opposition in Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia.
Despite the danger,
Paul
went
back.
He knew the young churches needed encouragement and discipleship to stand firm in the face of their own persecution.
Paul showed incredible boldness and selflessness, trusting that the Lord would protect and guide him as he fulfilled his mission.
Two final observations stand out to me.
First:
For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
Do you see it? I WANT THAT.
I want a life so aligned with the Spirit that His guidance feels natural, like breathing. A life where I’m not just following the Spirit, but working together with Him, moving in harmony in faith and obedience.
My second observation gives me goosebumps.
Paul is writing to the church in Colossae while imprisoned, likely in Rome. Despite his confinement, he’s focused on encouraging and instructing the Colossian believers in their faith.
"Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),"
He sends greetings from several companions with him—including John Mark ♥️
And then this:
"Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry."
As Paul faces his final days, he wants the companionship and support of the people who have stood by him and shared in the work of spreading the gospel.
(How can you not love the Book of Acts? It reaches right to the center of your bones!)
Restoration.
No matter the mistakes of the past, God’s grace can bring healing, renewal, and purpose. If Paul and John Mark’s story teaches us anything, it’s that there’s always room for second chances when we walk with Him.
Keep going—He’s not done with you yet.
I loved Chapter 15 so much that I didn’t want it to end.
Acts 16 is a chapter of extraordinary challenges and miraculous victories. Paul begins his second missionary journey, accompanied by Timothy, Silas, and later Luke.
The story intensifies with Paul and Silas being beaten and imprisoned for casting out a spirit, only for God to miraculously free them through an earthquake, leading to the salvation of a Roman jailer and his household.
Last call.
We’re starting our journey to read the Bible in 90 days this Monday morning. If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time. Don’t miss this chance to dive into God’s Word with us! Just reply to this email to join.
One 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 to 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.