Acts 15:30-32
The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
Thoughts for Today:
As the story goes, on Valentine's Day one year the pastor of a local church decided to offer a ceremony for all married couples to renew their wedding vows. When the pastor asked one of the more elderly men in the congregation if he and his wife would like to participate, the answer was an emphatic, "No." The pastor asked, "But wouldn't you like to express your love to your wife one more time?" The grizzled veteran of marriage answered, "I told her once fifty years ago, 'I love you', and if I ever change my mind I'll let her know." Now that's a funny story, but I've always wondered how the wife must have felt about her husband's answer. Sure the wife had the original ceremony, piece of paper (marriage certificate), ring, and the presence of her husband for fifty years, and certainly actions speak louder than words; but let's face it -- sometimes it is comforting to hear those encouraging words, "I love you," from time to time.
In our passage today, Judas, Silas, with Paul and Barnabas had come to Antioch with a letter of instruction from the church in Jerusalem. The letter did much to clarify to what degree the Mosaic Law would continue to be observed by new Gentile believers (which we have covered in much detail in previous devotions). There are two things I find particularly interesting in the role of Judas and Silas in this event: the first, they "said much," and second, what they said was to, "...encourage and strengthen the brothers." Too often I see people who either say too much or don't speak at all, neither of which are encouraging or strengthening. It's sometimes difficult to understand how the right words of encouragement can be so strengthening, yet how the wrong words (or no words at all) can contribute to such defeat and emptiness.
In our passage today, Judas, Silas, with Paul and Barnabas had come to Antioch with a letter of instruction from the church in Jerusalem. The letter did much to clarify to what degree the Mosaic Law would continue to be observed by new Gentile believers (which we have covered in much detail in previous devotions). There are two things I find particularly interesting in the role of Judas and Silas in this event: the first, they "said much," and second, what they said was to, "...encourage and strengthen the brothers." Too often I see people who either say too much or don't speak at all, neither of which are encouraging or strengthening. It's sometimes difficult to understand how the right words of encouragement can be so strengthening, yet how the wrong words (or no words at all) can contribute to such defeat and emptiness.
Questions to Ponder:
Ask your friends, wife (or husband), children and parents, "Do I say too much or not enough? Do my words encourage and strengthen, or do they have the opposite effect? Your words will typically follow your intention when you begin speaking. Therefore the next time, before you speak, ask the Lord to give you words which encourage and strengthen according to His will, just like Judas and Silas.
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