Acts 11

Acts 11:1

To the Jews living in biblical times, world population was divided into two groups: Jews and Gentiles. In God’s economy, the Jews were to be a testimony to the Gentiles of how to live and in whom to believe (Isa_42:6). But something happened over the years. Instead of seeing themselves as a light unto the Gentiles, the Jews saw Gentiles as despicable, grotesque, and to be avoided at all costs. With this in mind, imagine what a shock it must have been to Jewish Christians when they heard that Peter had the audacity to go into the house of Corneliusa Gentileand actually share a meal with him.

Acts 11:2

In response to the accusations of his Jewish Christian brothers, Peter repeated the vision he was given in chapter 10. This intrigues me. Luke was not writing in a book, but on a scroll. The largest scrolls were thirty-five feet in length. Longer than that, they would have been too big to handle. Thus, with only a limited amount of space, literature in biblical times had to be concise and succinct. Why, then, would the Holy Spirit inspire Luke to take valuable space to repeat the story of chapter 10 almost verbatim in chapter 11? I suggest it’s because it’s real importantas though the Holy Spirit is saying, “Don’t miss this. I want you to grab hold of, and never forget that what the Father calls clean, you are not to call common.” Isaiah wrote, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels” (Isa_61:10). What a fabulous day it is when we say, “I’m righteous because I’m in Christ Jesus and because of what He has done for me on the Cross of Calvary. I’m His bride. I am aware of my uncleanness, my “four-footed beastliness,” and my “fowl” mentalitybut God has cleansed me eternally.” Why is it that we beat ourselves when, in so doing, we only cast aspersions on the work Jesus did on Calvary? Salvation is so wonderful! What the Lord has done for us is incredible! But it’s so hard for us to receive grace graciously because there’s something in us that says, “I don’t deserve that kind of unconditional, unmerited love. I’ve got to earn it. I’ve got to prove myself worthy of it.” Whenever you talk to the Lord freely and cast your care upon Him joyfully, expect Satan to whisper in your ear, “You’re a creep, a four-footed beast, foul and unclean. You don’t deserve to even enter God’s presence, much less stay there!” May your answer always be, “What He has cleansed, don’t call uncommon. And He has cleansed me.”

Acts 11:11

Peter was smart. Called to the house of a Gentile, he took six men with him to witness what would transpire. “Don’t blame me,” Peter said. " I didn’t make this happen. I was just waiting for lunch when I saw a vision wherein the Spirit told me three men would come and escort me. When they showed up at my gate, I went with them and heard about the angelic preparation in Cornelius’ heart and life. Then I started teaching the Word, and the Holy Ghost fell upon them, and they began to speak in tongues. This wasn’t my idea!"

Acts 11:18

“Oy vey!” At last the light began to dawn on the Jewish Christian mentality that the barriers were broken down between clean and unclean, between Jew and Gentile. Finally, they began to realize that the Gospel was indeed to be preached to the entire world.

Acts 11:19

Following the stoning of Stephen, a wave of persecution scattered the church. Phenice was located in the southern part of present-day Israel, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Cyprus was an island off the coast of present-day Syria. The Christians scatteredbut still spoke of salvation only to Jews. In Antioch, that would all change, for it was in Antioch that a base was established for missionary work in Gentile territory. Antioch, the third largest city in the Roman Empire, was dedicated to the Greek goddess, Daphne, who had been seduced by the Greek god, Apollo. With the possible exception of Corinth, immorality abounded in the city of Antioch more so than in any other city of the empire.

Acts 11:20

When the believers in Jerusalem heard folks were being saved in Antioch, they sent Barnabas to check it out.

Acts 11:23

I love this phrase! People say, “Why are you Christians so glad?” “Because of the unmerited, undeserved, unearned grace of God,” I answer. “You see, legalism makes people sour, but grace always produces great gladness.” Barnabas didn’t exhort the Antioch believers to cleave unto the law, but to cleave unto the Lord! He didn’t lay down rules and trips on them. He said, “Cleave to the Lord Jesus. Enjoy Him, hang on to Him, abide in Him, with purpose of heart.” It’s the heart that’s important, folksnot the mind. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness,” (Rom_10:10). Why is the Lord so interested in the heart? Because the mind can change very quickly and very easily. I can change my mind about something a hundred times in a given day. I can go back and forth and back and forth, depending on what I hear, the conclusions I make, the information I have. But the heart does not change easily. Think of that time, guys, when the girl of your dreams told you to pack sandor girls, when your boyfriend walked out of your life. Your mind may have accepted itbut your heart was broken. It didn’t let go that easily. The Lord is not after an intellectual assertion. He desires heartfelt unification. That’s why He says, “Open your heart to Menot your brain, but your heart.” You see, the Lord knows that if my faith is intellectual only, academic arguments about evolution or existentialism will cause me to get confused and to vacillate. But if my heart is His, even though I may not be able to counter intellectual assaults, my relationship with Him will remain secure.

Acts 11:24

Barnabas looked around and said, “Wow, here are all of these Hellenists, Grecians, and pagans being added to the church. Who can really speak to them effectively? I know! The guy I left at Tarsus seven or eight years agoSaul!” The word translated “to seek” is anazeteo, which means “to search up and down, or high and low.” It’s used only one other time by Lukein Luke 2 where he wrote that Mary and Joseph searched diligently for Jesus after Passover. The idea of anazeteo is that of a parent frantically, desperately, energetically searching for a lost child. And that’s exactly what Barnabas, the “son of consolation,” the quintessential discipler, the ultimate encourager, did. He searched high and low for Saul, who had been in Tarsus for seven to ten years, living in obscurity. I know some of you have been gifted and graced by the Lord to be Barnabases. Blessings on youwhat a wonderful calling! You’re encouragers, “sons and daughters of consolation.” You’re one-on-one kind of people. You have no need to be the big gun or the head hog at the trough. Like Barnabas, you’re “good men and womenfull of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” I encourage you to search high and low for that one who, like Paul, is stuck off in obscurityloving the Lord and committed to the Word, but in need of someone to throw an arm around him and strengthen him in the Lord.

Acts 11:26

In verse Act_11:20, men from Cypress “preached the Lord Jesus.” In verse Act_11:23, Barnabas “exhorted them.” In verse Act_11:26, Paul “taught much people.” That’s generally the order of effective ministry: First, there is preaching as we present the gospel evangelistically. Then comes encouragement as we say, “I rejoice with you. Cleave to the Lord.” Finally, there is teaching in order that believers may mature in their faith. Preaching, encouraging, and teachingall three are important and essential for a healthy ministry. What does the word “Christian” mean? It means “Little Christ.” Wouldn’t it be great if someone called you “Little Jesus” because you had so much of Him in you?

Acts 11:27

Into this atmosphere of teaching, exhortation, and preaching came a prophet named Agabus who, given opportunity to declare a prophetic word, said drought would fall upon Jerusalem. This is exciting for me, as it relates to our own Christian community. How important it is that we as a body have opportunity to hear the heart of the Lord through prophecy. I was once asked by a pastor, “How do you maintain a sense of excitement in your fellowship? I know you stress teaching, but so often in my situation, teaching becomes dry and the people lose interest.” My answer? Teaching does indeed become dry when there is not opportunity to hear what the Spirit desires to say personally and directly to the body. So much of what I personally have enjoyed in my walk with the Lord over many years has been the result of hearing something from the heart of the Lord when He speaks to the body through the body as He did here in Acts.

Acts 11:29

It has been wisely said that we make a living by what we get. But we make a life by what we give. There was life in the early church because they gave. After hearing the word of prophecy, they didn’t say, “Wow, there’s going to be a drought, huh? We better store our beans, buy guns, get gold, and build shelters.” No, they said, “There’s a drought? Let’s take an offering. Tough times? How can we help?” I personally have a hard time with the prophecy mentality in our day that says, “Hard times are coming, so get your gold and get your guns, and if anybody tries to get your food, let them have it with both barrels.” I reject that. I don’t think it’s the heart of the Lord.

Acts 11:30

So it was that Barnabas and Saul left Antioch to travel three hundred miles south to share with the body in Jerusalem.