A Study in The Book of Acts

Part 11

 

Today we are continuing in our study. We will be in chapter 11. The First part of the chapter follows the events of chapter 10. Peter returns to Jerusalem following the conversion of Cornelius and his household. I am going to summarize here.

 

Acts 11: 1-114: Peter relates the vision the Lord gave him regarding the Gentiles, and how they were accepted by God by informing them of his vision, his understanding of the vision and how the door for the Gentiles is opened. It is very important that we understand that the Holy Spirit orchestrated this event. Ending with the filling of Cornelius and his house with the Holy Spirit and baptism. As believers we must remember that we must be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in all we do.

 

The Holy Spirit had to rid Peter of his racial pride, religious pride, and all his prejudices.

How many of us have to reach this same point in our lives? We have to live a surrendered life, a life yielded to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We have to be willing to be changed inside and out, give up old beliefs, old opinions, old “wives tales” to grow in the Lord. If we are not willing to live a surrendered life, then we will eventually stagnate in our growth.

 

How do we reach this point? We have to stay in His presence. We have to study our Word, wait and meditate, and pray. I believe praying in the Spirit is a very vital part of this process.

 

I think it is interesting that Peter is questioned and berated by the Jewish believers immediately on His return for his association with the “uncircumcised”. Too many times we let our own opinions get in the way of our witness.

 

Acts 11: 15-18: 15.  "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.  16.  "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, `John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'  17.  "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?''   18.  When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.''

 

When they heard what Peter had to say, they became silent. I think this is interesting. I am sure some were praying and thinking, others were waiting to see the general reaction. But in the end, they all rejoiced because God had opened the doors to the Gentiles, as evidenced by the outpouring of the Holy spirit with the evidence of speaking with tongues. We must rejoice with others when they surrender to the call of the Lord, we cannot let prejudice interfere with the working of the Lord.

 

Look at the next verses.

Act 11:19-22: 19.  Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.  20.  But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.  21.  And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.  22.  Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.

 

We need to go back to chapter 9 to understand the timeline here.

Acts 9:22-23: 22.  But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.  23.  Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.

 

A lot happens during these 2 verses.  Paul had set out to persecute the church, was converted on the road to Damascus. When studying a timeline of Paul’s life, during the time covered in these two verses is over 10 years.

 

It is believed that Paul has his Damascus road experience in 34 AD and somewhere in this time he travels to Arabia, the desert region below Damascus and stays 3 years. He then returns to Damascus in 37 AD and makes His first visit to Jerusalem to meet with the Apostles. This is when he escapes from Damascus in the basket due to threats on His life.

 

Acts 9: 26-27: 26.  And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.  27.  But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

 

Saul then returns to his hometown of Tarsus and this is where we see the events in chapter 11, starting.

 

Acts 11:19-26: 19.  Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.  20.  But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.  21.  And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.  22.  Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.  23.  When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.  24.  For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.  25.  Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.  26.  And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

 

We leave Paul,  and see Barnabas again. I love this description of Barnabas. Remember he is known as “the son of encouragement.” He is described as a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and of faith. I want to be this person, a good person filled with the Holy Spirit and faith, don’t you?

 

This is the time when the persecution of the church becomes more intense and they scatted throughout the known world. Many Gentiles are being saved and Barnabas is sent on a fact-finding mission to Antioch. He is greatly encouraged by what he finds and begins leading this group of new believers, soon this church in Antioch grows rapidly until Barnabas needs help. So, we find him going to Tarsus to get Paul to return to Antioch to assist him in this new church.  Paul is younger than Barnabas.

This is when Agabus the prophet comes and prophesies the famine in Jerusalem.

 

Famine had been raging in the northern part of the Roman empire since 43AD. I do not know if this is part of the same famine that spread south, but it occurs in Jerusalem in 47AD. The saints take up an offering for the saints in Jerusalem and Paul and Barnabas return to Jerusalem to present the offering to the Apostles in Jerusalem.

 

I love the activity of the Holy Spirit we have seen thus far, in this study. This period is the one with the greatest growth of the church in history. God fore planed this for the salvation of the world. This new religion had to grow rapidly and spread rapidly. As far as I know we do not see another time of such growth of the church in history.

 

The Holy spirit is busy, leading, guiding, directing the saints in building God’s church. It is now more than the religion of a specific group of Jewish believers but of all peoples. The Holy spirit is saving, healing, restoring people in great numbers during this time period.

 

Ladies, we need to pray for this movement today. We need to pray for this anointing of the Holy spirit on our church today. We must pray for revival, new believers and strength to old believers. We must be a light to all, planting seeds of growth and love, healing and restoration. Showing in word and deed the glories of the Lord. Amen.