Navigating Conflicts: Lessons from the Early Church

Devotional

Day 1: Theological Conflicts and Accountability

The early church faced significant theological conflicts, such as the debate over circumcision for salvation. Paul and Barnabas demonstrated the importance of accountability by returning to Jerusalem to resolve the issue collectively. This teaches us that theological disputes should be addressed within the community, with a focus on scripture and collective discernment. The early church's approach to resolving theological conflicts involved open, respectful discussions, testing beliefs against scripture, seeking confirmation from others, and looking for spiritual signs. This structured approach ensured that their decisions were aligned with God's will and provides a model for us to follow in resolving conflicts today. [11:03]

Acts 15:6-7 (ESV): "The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 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.'"

Reflection: Think of a theological issue you have struggled with. How can you seek accountability and collective discernment within your church community to address this issue?

Day 2: Relational Conflicts in the Church

Relational conflicts are inevitable, even within the church. We must remember that we are all broken and striving to follow God's way. The early church worked through relational conflicts with grace and understanding, setting an example for us to handle disagreements with love and patience. By acknowledging our own brokenness and extending grace to others, we can navigate relational conflicts in a way that honors God and strengthens our community. [01:55]

Ephesians 4:2-3 (ESV): "With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Reflection: Think of a recent conflict you had with someone in your church. How can you approach this person with humility and patience to seek reconciliation?

Day 3: Worldly Conflicts and Standing Firm

The church often faces conflicts with worldly values. Jesus made it clear that we cannot serve both God and the world. We must choose to stand firmly in God's camp, even when it leads to conflict with societal norms. This requires courage and a steadfast commitment to God's principles. By standing firm in our faith, we can be a light to the world and demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel. [03:44]

James 4:4 (ESV): "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel pressured to conform to worldly values. How can you stand firm in your faith and choose God's principles over societal norms?

Day 4: Structured Conflict Resolution

The early church's approach to conflict resolution involved open, respectful discussions, testing beliefs against scripture, seeking confirmation from others, and looking for spiritual signs. This structured approach ensured that their decisions were aligned with God's will and provides a model for us to follow in resolving conflicts today. By engaging in open dialogue and seeking God's guidance, we can navigate conflicts in a way that honors Him and promotes unity within the church. [20:54]

Proverbs 15:22 (ESV): "Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed."

Reflection: Think of a conflict you are currently facing. How can you apply the early church's structured approach to conflict resolution in this situation?

Day 5: Unity and Love in the Church

We are called to live in harmony, be humble, and maintain unity within the church. While we may have differing opinions on secondary issues, we must stand united on the core truths of the gospel. Our witness to the world depends on our ability to love one another and handle conflicts with kindness and gentleness. By following the example of the early church, we can navigate conflicts in a way that honors God and strengthens our community. [34:48]

Colossians 3:14-15 (ESV): "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Reflection: Reflect on a secondary issue that has caused division in your church. How can you promote unity and love within your church community despite differing opinions?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into the conflicts faced by the early church as recorded in Acts chapters 15 to 19. We explored three types of conflicts: theological, relational, and worldly. Theological conflicts often arise from differing interpretations of scripture, as seen in Acts 15 where some believers insisted on circumcision for salvation. Paul and Barnabas opposed this, emphasizing that salvation is through faith in Christ alone. They returned to Jerusalem to resolve this issue, demonstrating the importance of accountability and collective discernment in theological matters.

Relational conflicts are inevitable in any community, including the church. We must remember that we are all broken and striving to follow God's way. The early church faced relational conflicts but worked through them with grace and understanding. Worldly conflicts occur when the values of the church clash with those of the world. Jesus made it clear that we cannot serve both God and the world; we must choose to stand firmly in God's camp.

The early church's approach to conflict resolution offers valuable lessons for us today. They engaged in open, respectful discussions, allowing all voices to be heard before reaching a consensus. They tested their beliefs against scripture, sought confirmation from others, and looked for spiritual signs. This structured approach ensured that their decisions were aligned with God's will.

We are called to live in harmony, be humble, and maintain unity within the church. While we may have differing opinions on secondary issues, we must stand united on the core truths of the gospel. Our witness to the world depends on our ability to love one another and handle conflicts with kindness and gentleness. By following the example of the early church, we can navigate conflicts in a way that honors God and strengthens our community.

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Key Takeaways

1. Theological Conflicts and Accountability: The early church faced significant theological conflicts, such as the debate over circumcision for salvation. Paul and Barnabas demonstrated the importance of accountability by returning to Jerusalem to resolve the issue collectively. This teaches us that theological disputes should be addressed within the community, with a focus on scripture and collective discernment. [11:03]
2. Relational Conflicts in the Church: Relational conflicts are inevitable, even within the church. We must remember that we are all broken and striving to follow God's way. The early church worked through relational conflicts with grace and understanding, setting an example for us to handle disagreements with love and patience. [01:55]
3. Worldly Conflicts and Standing Firm: The church often faces conflicts with worldly values. Jesus made it clear that we cannot serve both God and the world. We must choose to stand firmly in God's camp, even when it leads to conflict with societal norms. This requires courage and a steadfast commitment to God's principles. [03:44]
4. Structured Conflict Resolution: The early church's approach to conflict resolution involved open, respectful discussions, testing beliefs against scripture, seeking confirmation from others, and looking for spiritual signs. This structured approach ensured that their decisions were aligned with God's will and provides a model for us to follow in resolving conflicts today. [20:54]
5. Unity and Love in the Church: We are called to live in harmony, be humble, and maintain unity within the church. While we may have differing opinions on secondary issues, we must stand united on the core truths of the gospel. Our witness to the world depends on our ability to love one another and handle conflicts with kindness and gentleness. [34:48]
### [34:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:55] - Introduction to Conflicts in the Early Church
[03:44] - Worldly Conflicts
[05:44] - Theological Conflicts in Acts 15
[07:24] - Peter's Stand on Salvation
[11:03] - Accountability and Returning to Jerusalem
[13:01] - Importance of Team and Accountability
[14:57] - Open Discussion in Jerusalem
[16:53] - James' Scriptural Confirmation
[18:57] - Testing God's Word
[20:54] - Spiritual Signs and Confirmation
[22:48] - Resolving Theological Debates
[24:58] - Handling Theological Conflicts Today
[29:09] - Primary vs. Secondary Issues
[31:03] - Unity Despite Differences
[34:48] - Living in Harmony and Peace
[38:51] - Kindness and Gentleness in Correction
[40:54] - Love as a Witness
[43:12] - Conclusion and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was the main theological conflict discussed in Acts 15:1-20, and how was it resolved? [05:44]
According to Romans 12:16-18, what attitudes and behaviors are Christians encouraged to adopt in their relationships with others?
In Ephesians 4:1-3, what qualities does Paul urge believers to exhibit to maintain unity within the church?

Interpretation Questions

Why did Paul and Barnabas feel it was necessary to return to Jerusalem to resolve the theological conflict about circumcision? [11:03]
How does the structured approach to conflict resolution in Acts 15:1-20 serve as a model for handling disputes in the church today? [20:54]
What does it mean to "live in harmony" and "be humble" as described in Romans 12:16-18, and how can these principles be applied in modern church settings?

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you experienced a theological conflict within the church. How was it handled, and what could have been done differently to align with the early church's approach? [24:58]
How can you personally contribute to maintaining unity and love within your church community, especially when disagreements arise? [34:48]
Think of a recent relational conflict you had with a fellow believer. How can you apply the principles of grace and understanding to resolve it? [01:55]
In what ways can you stand firm in your faith when faced with worldly conflicts, and what support do you need from your church community to do so? [03:44]
Identify a secondary issue in your church that has caused division. How can you and others work towards unity while respecting differing opinions? [29:09]
How can you practice kindness and gentleness in your interactions with others, especially when correcting or being corrected? [38:51]
What steps can you take this week to ensure that your actions and words reflect the love and unity that Jesus calls us to exhibit? [43:12]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "If you've come to church this morning to be fed, okay, to a degree, I'll let you have that. But actually, to a further degree, it is your responsibility to feed yourselves. And you feed yourselves by picking up the Word of God and reading it." [01:55] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "You can either be fully in God's camp, or you can be fully in the enemy's camp. You cannot sit on a fence, because there isn't one." [03:44] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Salvation is by faith in Christ alone. It's grace. There's no works for salvation. There's no things we can do to our bodies that will get us a salvation. There's nothing we can do to earn salvation." [11:03] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "By this, all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." [40:54] (8 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We need to be filled with Jesus. We need to be filled with Holy Spirit. And the early church knew this. And that's why they robustly discussed, their differences. But they always kept in mind that the person they were arguing with was a brother or a sister." [43:12] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "The church, Christians, we are not immune to conflict. In fact, I think we're one of the worst places for it. Because we all have an expectation of the person sitting next to us that they're perfect, that they're doing it God's way. And they have that same expectation of us. And the reality is, you're both broken. Neither of you are doing it God's way. We're just trying." [03:44] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Paul and Barnabas defend that point. And they say, no, I'm sorry, we can't accept that. So what we're going to do, they're going to go back to Jerusalem. Why did they go back to Jerusalem? Because it was Jerusalem that sent them. You see, Paul and Barnabas had an accountability to the church in Jerusalem. And it was back to that place of accountability that they went with this debate, with this theological issue." [11:03] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We are called to be eager to maintain unity, not with those who mess with the gospel, but with those Christian brothers and sisters who might not believe the same as we do. I'm called to be in unity with flat earthers. called to be in unity with those that believe, that God's method of creating earth was not six days literal. I'm even called to be in unity with Calvinists." [36:53] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. There are some Christians in the world today, and there were Christians in that world, that wanted conflict. They wanted to tell the world, how bad it was, and that they'd got it wrong. They wanted to tell other Christians how bad they were, and how they'd got it wrong." [32:52] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We need to be filled with Jesus. We need to be filled with Holy Spirit. And the early church knew this. And that's why they robustly discussed, their differences. But they always kept in mind that the person they were arguing with was a brother or a sister. That they were going to spend eternity with them, regardless of whether they like them on earth." [43:12] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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