Acts 11:18 - Homilies By P.c. Barker

A model Church meeting.

The worst hindrances to the spread of Christianity and to its hold upon the world have always been found to be, not so much the native opposition of the human heart, nor the direct conflict with Satan and with sin, but those indirect conflicts which are entailed by:

1. The inconsistencies of Christians in their individual life.

2. The " contentions " of Christians in their mutual or collective life. We have before us a threatening instance of this latter kind, and an agreeable example of the way in which it was averted. Notice—

I. A THREATENING INSTANCE OF CONTENTION AMONG A BODY OF CHRISTIANS . We read that "when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him." Though the more unfavorable turn of the word as now used by us need not be pressed, yet it certainly implies, as it stands, dissatisfaction with what he had done, and not the gentlest or suavest manner exhibited in calling him to account for it.

1. Contentions within Christian communities are in their simplest principle and beginning justifiable. It need not be said of them, as of offences, "Woe to him by whom they come!" though it may, nay, almost must, be said of them, that they "will come." It is for this reason, because the Church on earth is, as amongst its own members, its own guardian. It acknowledges the headship of Christ. It acknowledges the rule of the Spirit. It does not acknowledge any earthly lord, any vicar of Christ, any earthly sovereign authority. Hence it is answerable for its own doctrine and for its own discipline within its own pale. And investigation, debate, yea, all the formality of judicial trial (so that neither motives, methods, nor weapons are carnal), are within its province.

2. Contentions within Christian communities very generally arise on some plausible ground, to say the least. It was certainly so now. It is highly important to discriminate as far as possible between what is really legitimate and what is merely plausible. Of the first are—

But of the second are

3. Contentions within Christian communities fix stern responsibility on those who stir them, only second to that of those who cause them, when this is really done.

4. Contentions within Christian communities demand as much, as solemnly as any position whatsoever in life, singleness of eye and a pure conscience. Feeling, personal feeling, party feeling priestly feeling, and even the perfection of ignorant prejudice, have, in probably the saddest preponderance of history, profanely trampled on the ground and made it mournfully all their own. Nor is there any more hollow hypocrisy, more miserable mockery, more insulting blasphemy, than when these counterfeit zeal for the Lord of hosts and a pure and sensitive conscience.

II. A GRATEFUL EXAMPLE OF THE METHOD BY WHICH IT WAS AVERTED . It takes two persons to make a bargain, and two to make a quarrel; and, if a reconciliation is to be genuine and have in it the elements of lasting, both parties must do their share. It was so now.

1. Peter did what lay in him to remove cause of offence and to explain difficulty.

2. On the other hand, those who had at first possibly rather peremptorily challenged Peter's conduct may be observed with some commendation now. Presumably these were some of his fellow "apostles and brethren" ( Acts 11:1 , Acts 11:2 ). And of their disposition it is to be noted favorably that: