The Council at Jerusalem must have been an incredible scene. It has a similar feel to the American Constitutional Convention or something like that -- with even more at stake. I can't imagine how cool it must have been to hear James speak up and deliver the eloquent and to the point speech that we read in verses 13-21. Keeping it as simple as possible, a letter to the new Gentile believers gets delivered and they are instructed on four points. Bam. There it is. "You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell." (verse 29)
The chapter ends on a seemingly ugly note as the missionary dream team of Paul and Barnabas is split up. I believe it's clear that God's design is never that relationships be fractured and that Christian friends go their separate ways (Paul writes of the need for harmony in the Body of Christ), and yet God is going to use this for His glory. Nothing that happens in our lives is useless...God can use any difficulty or hardship to accomplish something lasting and beautiful.
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