What You Can Bear

Text:

Acts 15:10:

Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

 

Theme:

What You Can Bear

 

Introduction:

• The Book of the Acts of the Apostles accounts literally the actions of the apostles in establishing God’s Church, both of believers and institutional dominion, across the earth.
  • The disciples, led by Peter – Apostles to the Jewish communities
    • Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
  • Paul à Apostles to the Gentiles communities
    • Romans 11:13, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:”
    • 1Timothy 2:7, “Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”
• The Book of Acts is filled with all of the victorious soul-winning activity of God through the apostles from Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost to the conversion of Saul on the Damascus Road.
  • However, the 15^th chapter of Acts finds the disciples another not so pleasant aspect of their work…dealing with discord between the Christians and the Ministers.
    • Dealing with disputes and disagreements and attitudes is part of the Work of the Ministry
      • 1Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
    • The issue in our text is that there arose a debate in Antioch concerning the Gentile believers and their being brought under the yoke of circumcision and ceremonial law.
      • Acts 15:1, “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”
    • Peter and James reconciled the matter by explaining that:
      • The Jews came out of the Gentiles and are God’s chosen people
      • The Jews and Gentiles alike have been given the Word of faith and the opportunity of Salvation
      • Salvation is by Faith and through Grace
        • Acts 15:11, “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they”
        • Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
      • Should be encouraged to live RIGHT and not live LIKE JEWS
        • Acts 15:19-20, “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”
      • Only do what is NECESSARY in Christ
        • Acts 15:28-29, “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.”
    • How similar this is to our disputes in church today!
      • Do you have wear a suit (for men) or a long dress (for women) in church?
      • Is speaking in tongues a requirement for salvation?
      • Does believing in God require that I quote scripture?
      • Should one read the King James version or other versions of the bible?
      • Who should be the president of what auxiliary?
• Specifically, the 10^th verse of this 15^th chapter hits on a critical issue in the debate concerning circumcision and ceremonial law à What you can bear!

“Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

• Simply put, why would the disciples be charged to preach what neither they or their father could abide by themselves. That would contradict God’s Word in Jesus Christ!
  • Romans 7:6, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
  • Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”
  • The powerful assertion in this scripture is the reference to WHAT WE CAN BEAR
• Implicitly stated, God will not give us any more than what we can bear!
• God has requirements and expectations of us as believers:
  • Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,”
  • Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
  • Matthew 16:24, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
    • We have to “bear our cross”!
      • Mark 15:21, “And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.”
• We often complain!!
  • Lord, it’s too much!
  • Lord, I can’t take anymore!
• God has given us assurance that we can “bear our cross”!
  • Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
  • He knows WHAT YOU CAN BEAR!!!
  • The gospel pearl says it best:

We are our Heavenly Father’s children

And we all know that He loves us one and all;

Yet there are times when we find we answer

Another’s voice and call;

If we are willing, He will teach us,

His voice only to obey no matter where,

And He knows, yes, He knows,

Just how much we can bear.

Chorus:

Tho’ the load gets heavy,

You’re never left alone to bear it all; 

Ask for the strength and keep on toiling,

Tho’ the tear drops fall. 

You have the joy of this assurance:

The Heavenly Father will always answer prayer

And He knows, yes, He knows

Just how much you can bear.

Think of the times you’ve asked the question

Down in your heart now just what shall I do? 

Then you confide in your friends and loved ones,

But they have troubles, too; 

There is a God who rules earth and heaven,

In Him there’s relief from ev’ry pain or care,

For He knows, yes, He knows,

Just how much we can bear.

Just praise His name although you’re burdened,

For there are blessings He’s bestowed on you;

In every way we must never doubt Him,

These trials we must go through;

Try to endure a little longer,

And don’t forget that for each of us He cares

For He knows, yes, He knows,

Just how much we can bear.

 

Body:

It is true in Philippians 4:13 that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

• But, we should not be doing EVERTHINGJ
• We should only be doing what God’s Will directs us to do!
  • We are to be as the folks in Jeremiah 42:6, “Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”
• In His WILL, we have assurance that

Nothing can happen that God does not allow to happen

• God’s Sovereign Will
  • Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
• God’s Providential Will
  • Romans 8:27, “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
• God’s Permissive Will
  • 1 Peter 3:17, “For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.”

In summary, God’s GOT YOUR BACK!  He knows WHAT YOU CAN BEAR!!

§  This is explained by the poem “The Will of God” by Author Unknown

The Will of God will never take you:

Where the Grace of God cannot keep you,

Where the Arms of God cannot support you,

Where the Riches of God cannot supply your needs,

Where the Power of God cannot endow you.

The Will of God will never take you:

Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,

Where the Wisdom of God cannot teach you,

Where the Army of God cannot protect you,

Where the Hands of God cannot mold you.

The Will of God will never take you:

Where the Love of God cannot enfold you,

Where the Mercies of God cannot sustain you,

Where the Peace of God cannot calm your fears,

Were the Authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The Will of God will never take you:

Where the Comfort of God cannot dry your tears,

Where the Word of God cannot feed you,

Where the Miracles of God cannot be done for you,

Where the Omnipresence of God cannot find you.

• Everything happens for a purpose.
  • We may not see the wisdom of it all now, but trust and believe in the Lord that everything is for the best.
    • Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

 

Conclusion:

• God’s Will is fulfilled in Jesus Christ
  • Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
  • In Jesus is everything that God’s Will has promised and even ordained!
    • In Jesus there’s…
      • All power
      • All knowledge and wisdom
    • In Jesus there’s…
      • Love
      • Joy
      • Peace
      • Longsuffering
      • Gentleness
      • Meekness
    • In Jesus there’s…
      • God’s comfort
      • God’s concern
      • God’s caring
      • God’s correction
      • God’s direction

In Jesus is EVERYTHING!!!!

 

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