I am continuing my journey in Acts chapter 11 verses 1-30, "The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the Word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. " Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
What a BEAUTIFUL passage. The beginning of Spreading the Good News to all the world through the disciples that Christ chose. God through Christ took 11 men and spent time with them so that they could be changed and then inspired to continue His work of salvation long after the death and resurrection of Christ. He, the Lord, was able to use them because they (the disciples and other converts) had turned their hearts and thus their lives to Christ. They were not perfect; they had real human flaws as you can see from this chapter. The Christian Jews questioned why uncircumcised people were being given the gift of eternal life. These Jews were still steeped in the tradition of the Law and yet God was able to use them because they had surrendered their hearts and minds to Christ. It is likewise with us. We are human 100% of the time and God understands that. We have hopes, aspirations and fears; that's our human nature. God does not fault us for our human nature and He knows even before we do how easy it is to fall prey to it. What He works with us on is the miracle of FAITH that elevates us above our human nature. He takes ordinary people and performs extra ordinary miracles all made possible because of our faith. Never doubt the power of your Faith! It is working to effect the change that you have prayed for. You may not see it now but it doesn't mean that your Faith has not set things into motion to bring about the change that God will make perfect through you. Just as David impetuously selected the 5 smooth stones from the river bed to slay Goliath, we too should act impetuously when God's hand touches our heart.
As a devout Jew, Peter was taught not to mingle, not to dine with those who were not circumcised according to the Law of Moses. Yet he too was witness to the new dispensation revealed through Christ. You can speak boldly because this Faith that is talked about in Acts 11 is the same faith that took Christ to the Cross and the same faith that brought Christ from the dead. When you have the opportunity you should share this faith with others so that their eternity can be secured just as the eternity of the Gentiles because of the faith and obedience of this band of 11.
To know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to serve Him. To serve Him is to love You. Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
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