The Book of Acts: The Growing Church (Week 15 )
1. It must stand _________ on ___________.
1 The apostles and brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who insisted on circumcision criticized him, 3 saying, "You went to visit men who were uncircumcised and ate with them!" (Ac 11:1–3)
He gave directions that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days. (Ac 10:48)
Do you notice a difference between the way "those who insisted on circumcision" acted toward the conversion of the Samaritans and the conversion of Cornelius and his household who were Gentiles?
4 So Peter began to explain everything to them, point by point. He said, 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision in which an object like a large sheet was let down from heaven by its four corners. It came right to me. 6 When I inspected it very carefully, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!' 8 "But I replied, 'Certainly not, Lord, for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 "A voice spoke from heaven a second time: 'What God has made clean, you must not continue to call unclean.' 10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up into heaven again. 11 "At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them without any hesitation. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 He told us how he saw an angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa and call for Simon, the one called Peter. 14 He will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.' (Ac 11:4–14)
In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky.
(Ac 10:12)
Lenski; "... wild, not domesticated, few if any of them being permitted to Jews as kosher food."
4b The angel told him, ... "5 Now send men to Joppa to get a man named Simon, who is called Peter. 6 He is staying as a guest with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."
(Ac 10:4b, 5–6)
15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as he came down on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered how the Lord had said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try to stand in God's way?"
(Ac 11:15–17)
May you receive mercy, Lord! This will never happen to you. (Mt 16:22b)
When they heard these things, they had no further objections, and they praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted repentance that results in life also to the Gentiles! (Ac 11:18)
Points to Ponder
1. What is one thing that stood out to you from this week's message?
2. Have you ever faced some particularly harsh criticism? How did you respond?
3. Where do you experience harsher criticism: in the church or in the world? Why?
4. What is a way to turn criticism into something that glorifies God?
5. Do you struggle to keep Jesus first in your life? If so, what can you do to change that?
6. Do your barter with God? If so, why do you do that? What needs to change?
Homework: Acts 11
