Letter of Recommendation

Letter of Recommendation

Acts 15: ²² Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. ²³ With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:

Greetings.

²⁴ We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. ²⁵ So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. ²⁸ It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: ²⁹ You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

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“Please provide three recommendations” said the potential employer. I had worked jobs I really did not like so I struggled to think of who would recommend me. I had to swallow my pride and ask the bowling alley owner, the janitor foreman and the dorm admin for recommendations. “I hope they say something nice” I worried.

• There were times when I worried about what someone would say on a recommendation.
• There were times when I did not give my best so I could not expect a good recommendation.
• There were times when I did not have experience so any recommendation written about me could not show the expertise I brought with me.

Confusion broke out in cities where Gentiles resided. Some people, who did not believe in JESUS being GOD, were teaching rules to follow GOD. The apostles had to do something, so they wrote a letter with specific recommendations for the Gentiles to follow. They also chose people who could confirm the words written in the recommendation.

• GOD wants me to be a witness to HIS word.
• GOD wants me to provide verification to HIS salvation through my actions and words.
• GOD wants me to be sent with HIS recommendation of what to do.

There is a prime recommendation that JESUS gives. No, it is a commandment. “Love one another.” This commandment solve and resolves every issue I could ever face. Even when people do not love me, GOD tells me to love them.

HIS love for me was so strong that HE died just for me. When HE was raised from the dead, HE put in motion a series of unstoppable events. I am grateful HE chose me to be part of HIS plan.

• When people have problems, what is your recommendation for a solution?
• Do you point people to JESUS as your final destination?
• Will you use your skills to recommend solutions for people, ultimately bringing them to JESUS?