Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Acts 15 before reading the devotional below.
Once you sign up to follow Jesus, what are the requirements for ongoing participation? This is the question before the early church, and some Jewish believers are pretty sure that the new Gentile converts need to be circumcised as a sign of their allegiance to the God that had always belonged to the Jewish people. It was clear that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit and were being welcomed by God, but what should happen after that was up for debate.
Paul and Barnabas are still in Antioch, but they are soon sent to Jerusalem to clear up this question with the other church leaders. Peter, Paul and the other early leaders agree that the Gentiles should not be met with a heavy burden that even the Jews could not always bear. Paul and Barnabas return once again to Antioch to report the decision to the church there. After some time there, Paul and Barnabas part ways after strongly disagreeing about partnering with John Mark.
Following Jesus does not come with burdensome requirements to fulfill. The apostles agreed that those who follow Jesus should stay away from idols and sexual immorality. They kept the main thing the main thing and helped remove barriers in access to God. They were making an important statement: to follow Jesus, you don’t have to become Jewish. Yes, we can all agree on cultivating a life that imitates Christ, but God allows for all cultures to participate in worshiping him without having to adopt strictly Jewish traditions. If following Jesus feels like a heavy burden, chances are you have some “extras” that God himself does not require. Jesus is available to all people of all cultures and ethnic groups, and the Holy Spirit is evident wherever the message of Jesus is received.