Acts 11

Acts chapter 11 verses 1 to 18

In Acts 11 we see the reaction of "the apostles and brethren in Judea when they heard that the Gentiles also received the word of God." Word has got back to Jerusalem about what happened when Peter went to Cornelius. Notice the word used in verse 2 - "contended". They were offended, not at the receiving of God by the Gentiles but rather by Peter's actions - going into the house of a Gentile, eating with them and having fellowship. This was actually the whole point of Peter's vision - it wasn't about eating clean and unclean animals but rather about the differences that were being made at that time about Gentiles joining with Jewish believers. This was all about prejudice. Thankfully they gave Peter the opportunity to explain himself very clearly and concisely rather than rushing to judgment first. So often this is a problem in our present day - we don't think but rather act first (and I speak from personal experience, both having done it myself and seen it done to me). We have to understand that mingling with Gentiles was just so outrageous to the Jews that it took a lot of persuading to show that Peter's actions came from the Lord. Now we can understand why Peter took 6 of the believers with him - they had to act as witnesses and attest to how Peter conducted himself. I can imagine that while Peter stood before these men his heart was racing - how would they react to him personally and to these new believers in Christ? 

Peter told them exactly what had happened to him - from his vision on the rooftop to the men appearing at his door asking him to come with them to Cornelius' house. He recounted clearly that it was God speaking directly to him on the roof top and how it was God's Holy Spirit that impressed him to respond to the invitation to go. He also emphasised that it was the Holy Spirit who worked in Cornelius' house to bring them to faith in Christ. Peter recalled Jesus' own words as well as the Old Testament Scriptures in Isaiah 49 that there was nothing to stop these Gentiles coming to faith in Christ.

The apostles in Jerusalem, after hearing Peter's testimony agreed - "God also had granted the Gentiles repentance unto life." It is because of this agreement and acceptance that I today can have faith in Christ - this is the crucial breaking point in all of history. He has granted me repentance to life as well. But ... it is not just a one off experience. It is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit revealing daily my sin. God does not reveal it all and that is it. It is a continual working of conviction that calls me to repentance moment by moment.

This passage made me question my own feeling of superiority and favouritism. I have had the privilege of growing up in a family that knew Christ personally. They understood that it was not anything they could do to merit salvation but by simple repentance and faith in Christ. I had to trust Christ for myself. There was no way I could hold on to any coat tails of my parents or others in my family. But my attitude since I repented and accepted Christ has had to change - and it does slowly. I know that I can easily become conceited and proud of my faith but reading this chapter has made me aware once again of my need to repent and ask God to forgive me for those feelings of superiority and hatred towards people who have yet to put their faith and trust in Christ. I can become so cocooned in my own world and fail to see others around me that need God's forgiveness for their sins. My actions do sometimes speak of those feelings and it would be easy to react incorrectly when I see people struggling in this life. I have had to stop and pray asking God to show me the need of others around me and to respond in the way he wants me to. It is easy when I am under attack and being ridiculed by people for believing in Christ to have a superiority attitude but I need to humble myself constantly and repent. 

Acts 11 verses 19 to 30

Verse 19 of Acts 11 is reminiscent of Acts 8 verse 4. It reminds us of what has happened to the early church. Persecution was rife after Stephen's death and people scattered out of Jerusalem as a result. But they didn't just scatter and settle down - they went "preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only." This verse shows us how far they scattered - Cyprus, Phenice which is North Africa and Antioch in Syria. They were crossing the boundaries of land geographically but also spiritually because in the very next verse we see the believers arriving in Antioch to preach the Lord Jesus to Greeks. They were no longer reaching just the Jews but Gentiles. We have to realise that Antioch was an utterly pagan city at this time. The people worshipped many gods.

"And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord." This was God at work - God is sovereign in salvation. It is only through God's word that people can be saved. We might not be able to present God's word well but God will still honour our efforts for him.

Word gets back to the church in Jerusalem and they send reinforcements in the shape of Barnabas. Immediately we are reminded of who Barnabas was - back in chapter 4 he had a parcel of land which he sold and gave the proceeds to the apostles. So we know he was generous but in verse 24 we get a fuller description - "he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith". He had a proven track record and the church wanted to use him. Notice what Barnabas saw when he came to Antioch - "the grace of God".  Barnabas responded by exhorting them - a wonderful pun on his own name - he is the encourager. Again we read "much people was added unto the Lord."

Lives were being touched and changed and Barnabas needed more help. He remembered Saul who was in Tarsus and he set out to find him. He brought him into the work in Antioch and for an entire year they met together with the church and taught them. Maybe it was because they talked and taught about Christ that people around them called Christians - we don't know but the name stuck and we have it still today. God was at work in them and then he worked through them. There was a famine in the land and all the disciples got together to provide financial assistance to believers. This was the first time in recorded history that people in one part of the world collected money to send, without strings attacked to help another people group in another part of the world. Why would they do that? The hand of the Lord is with them, prompting them and the grace of God is at work in them. They want to help brothers and sisters in Christ whom they have never met.