January 23rd, 2026
Friday, January 23rd
Roadblocks
By: Pastor Todd Crofford
“My judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”
-Acts 15, NLT
Today’s text includes a bunch of good news for you and me. Shrimp and bacon are back on the menu. I don’t have to ritually wash on Saturday afternoon before church and I don’t have to limit my Amazon clothes search to garments with tassels. Ok, without being silly, the gospel tells me I don’t have to adopt someone else’s culture to access God’s grace.
The future of the gospel was hanging by a thread in Jerusalem that day. At stake was whether Christianity would be a Jesus-first movement or just a sect of Judaism. The fight was over whether people who came to learn about Christ had to become more Jewish before they could become followers of Jesus. The Holy Spirit led them to the right answer.
Are there ways that we make it hard for non-believers to become followers? Do we demand they change their ways before they can change their allegiance? Do we believe they have to agree with us socially, vote like us politically, or look like us physically? The Jerusalem council decided not to put up additional roadblocks to people coming to faith. We need to make sure we think likewise.
We dare not make it difficult for those who are seeking to turn to Christ.
Roadblocks
By: Pastor Todd Crofford
“My judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”
-Acts 15, NLT
Today’s text includes a bunch of good news for you and me. Shrimp and bacon are back on the menu. I don’t have to ritually wash on Saturday afternoon before church and I don’t have to limit my Amazon clothes search to garments with tassels. Ok, without being silly, the gospel tells me I don’t have to adopt someone else’s culture to access God’s grace.
The future of the gospel was hanging by a thread in Jerusalem that day. At stake was whether Christianity would be a Jesus-first movement or just a sect of Judaism. The fight was over whether people who came to learn about Christ had to become more Jewish before they could become followers of Jesus. The Holy Spirit led them to the right answer.
Are there ways that we make it hard for non-believers to become followers? Do we demand they change their ways before they can change their allegiance? Do we believe they have to agree with us socially, vote like us politically, or look like us physically? The Jerusalem council decided not to put up additional roadblocks to people coming to faith. We need to make sure we think likewise.
We dare not make it difficult for those who are seeking to turn to Christ.
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