ACTS 11
Act 11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the
Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Looks like some of the disciples forgot the message of Jesus to go into all the
world and preach the gospel. All the world at that time would have included
Gentile nations. These passages show us that as believers, we sometimes get into
error and make mistakes. It is not sin unless we break the law of God and
purposely do what we know is wrong, but they should have known from the words of
Jesus that this action was wrong. In the flesh we tend to forget. This is why
constant prayer and the study of the word is necessary. We have to stay face to
face in our prayer closets with God and never forget how much we need Him to
direct our paths. Error comes easily if we do not watch.
Act 11:2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the
circumcision contended with him,
Act 11:3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
We can admire them in one way. They thought Peter was doing something wrong and
they tried to see what was going on. They were not willing to allow Peter to do
wrong. However, they were the ones making an error here, not Peter.
We must remember that these were Jews but Jews that had converted to Jesus
Christ. However, they still were Jews. Jewish people were not to associate with
Gentiles whom they considered to be dogs or the filth of the world. This was
because the Gentile nations worshipped idols and with idol worship came
fornication and much uncleanness including child sacrifices and evil that Israel
was forbidden by God to avoid. They were to have nothing to do with nations that
worshipped idols because they would be influenced to do the same things.
There was a reason for their concern here but they had to realize that it was
the day of grace and the preaching of the gospel so that Gentiles could also be
delivered from sin and be granted eternal life. The message of Jesus and His
salvation is for all who would believe. Man, woman, child, Gentile or Jew.
Act 11:4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it
by order unto them, saying,
Act 11:5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A
certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by
four corners; and it came even to me:
Act 11:6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw
fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls
of the air.
Act 11:7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
Act 11:8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any
time entered into my mouth.
Act 11:9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed,
that call not thou common.
Act 11:10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into
heaven.
Act 11:11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the
house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
Act 11:12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these
six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:
Act 11:13 And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood
and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is
Peter;
Act 11:14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be
saved.
Act 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the
beginning.
Act 11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed
baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Act 11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who
believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Act 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified
God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Peter could have handled this differently and had a different result. He could
have gotten angry and had the attitude, "How dare you question the great Peter,
chosen of God." Peter did not considered himself a Pope or head of the church.
He knew that he was a pillar but not the head. He, in the spirit of meekness and
truth told what had happen in order to convert the thinking of these Jews, not
to intimidate them. We don't convert anyone to our way of thinking by using
intimidation and making them feel inferior. By this I don't mean that we are to
pat people on the back and never warn against sin. Preaching against the
consequences of sin is what will bring them to Christ to be free from sin. But
we don't have to preach people into hell and not tell them how to keep from
going there. Peter gladly shared his experience with his Jewish brethren so that
can also rejoice to see the works of God and realize that God wants to save
Gentiles as will as the Jews.
Act 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that
arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
I sometimes wonder if persecution did not come upon them, whether they would all
have stayed in Jerusalem and just build a big mega church forgetting the call of
Jesus Christ to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
The persecution sent them away from Jerusalem. Yet even then most of them found
other Jews and preached only to them. That never should have been neglected but
they eventually had to preach to Gentiles to obey the full commission Jesus gave
them.
Act 11:20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they
were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
Act 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed,
and turned unto the Lord.
Act 11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which
was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as
Antioch.
Barnabas must have been a great compassionate people person who saw that God
wanted to save the Gentiles and not just the Jews. He is the first one to open
his heart to the Apostle Paul when the others held back in fear of this man, not
trusting him because of his past.
Act 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and
exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Act 11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and
much people was added unto the Lord.
Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Looks like Saul (Paul) still needed fellowship and strength from the brethren in
Christ.
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came
to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught
much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
This was a place where they fed upon the word and grew in the word of the Lord.
We are not to just save the lost and then forsake them. They are to learn and be
given the word to build them up in the faith. If we fail to do this, we will
open the door to false doctrine and weird teaching. This happened after the
death of the apostles. I sometimes marvel how the Roman Catholic church got from
the simple gospel of Jesus Christ into using icons, mass and the worship of
Mary. It amazes me how we get from what the apostles preached to what is
practiced in some churches today. There is no resemblance to the word of God in
some church organizations. What happened?
Sometimes it is following men instead of the Lord, sometimes it getting off the
foundation of Christ and having another teaching as the main emphasis, sometimes
we either add to the commandments or take from the word in some way. Making the
way of salvation something other than faith in Jesus is the first step away from
the truth.
Salvation is not in joining an organized church. Not all organized churches are
bad but if they have moved the plan of salvation away from the simplicity of
faith in Jesus to being involved in the church, they have started down the path
to apostasy.
Salvation is not in being baptized as an infant. That infant has no idea why he
or she is being baptized.
True conversion is being born again by the spirit of God. It is something only
God can do but He willingly gives the new birth to anyone who truly receives His
Son, Jesus Christ and turns from sin. Yes, part of salvation is rejecting sin.
Sin is what is destroying our souls. Sin separates us from God. Jesus came to
save us from sin. We are forgetting to teach that when we preach Jesus. He came
to save us from sin.
The gospel is telling people that they are lost. Their sins is separating them
from God and is going to send them to hell. God doesn't send us to hell, sin
does. Jesus came to pay the price for our sins and make a perfect way for us to
be forgiven and to overcome sin. We do not have to sin after coming to Jesus for
salvation. The Holy Spirit is imparted to us so that we can overcome sin. This
teaching that we sin a little bit every day is not correct.
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be
turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall
see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any
root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Heb 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one
morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the
blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought
it carefully with tears.
God's plan for us is holiness. Not a manmade holiness that concentrates on
outward religion or rituals, appearance or other things but a holiness that is
by the spirit of God where the commandments of God are placed within our hearts.
If we do sin, the sin should grieve us and the spirit of God would bring us
immediately to repentance so that we can be cleansed from that sin and renewed
to God.
Act 11:27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
Act 11:28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the
spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to
pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
We see here one of the works of the Holy Spirit. By the spirit this man sent a
warning to the believers. Sometimes the spirit will comfort us, exhort us,
correct us from error and many other things but in this case it was a warning of
a famine that was coming similar to the dream Pharaoh had in Egypt in which
Joseph by God's spirit interpreted the dream of the coming famine.
Act 11:29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined
to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea:
Act 11:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of
Barnabas and Saul.
Storing up food and preparing ahead of time is not wrong in itself but we must
do this if the spirit of God leads us, otherwise we are not to worry about
material things in this life but wholly trust the Lord. Notice also that the
disciples according to their ability didn't seem to worry about themselves here
but sent relief to others worrying about their need, not their own.
If we knew a famine was coming usually the first thing we think of is our own
family and how to provide for them and that is not wrong but we also should be
concerned about our brethren in the Lord, our pastor's family and perhaps our
next door neighbor. It seems they didn't worry about giving 10 percent or who
gave what but gave according to their own ability. Being filled with the spirit
and then walking in the spirit will lead us into all truth but it is up to us to
listen, to yield and then to obey the leading of the Lord in all things.
