Sceptics in the Church Acts 11:1-18

Introduction

Isn’t it amazing how anytime God does something that we thought was impossible, there are always skeptics.

I think about one year at church camp a man by the name of Rick Dawsen who was preaching that week, at one of the morning sessions got up and gave his testimony. His testimony was powerful, and the Holy Spirit used him that day. Somewhere around 50 people got saved that day, which was an amazing thing to see. You could feel and see the Holy Spirit moving in that chapel. I think about the skeptics who thought things like “oh this is just a fad, its not going to last.” and thoughts along those lines.

That wasn’t a new thing and this morning we are going to see there were some skeptics at the Church in Jerusalem. Peter does a great job at silencing the skeptics by showing the marvelous works Christ had done in Caesarea.

The Questioning of Peter vs. 1-3

The apostles and the brethren (members of the church) heard that the gentiles had recieved the word of God.

Jerusalem and Caesarea were only around 50 miles aways, and there would have been many people coming and going between the cities. The news that the Gospel reached the Gentiles had reached Jerusalem before Peter and I am sure there were some distraught people in the church, as there were still many prejudices against the Gentiles.

How many times do we have prejudices when it comes to sharing the Gospel? Jesus had no prejudices and neither should we! The Gospel is for any one and we should share it everyone!

As Peter comes into Jerusalem, it seems as though, those of the circumcision who were a group of Jews who had become believers, later this group would become known as Judaizers who were mixing Jewish beliefs and Christian practice, were waiting for him to get back.

How many of you ever got in trouble in school and you thought your parents didn’t know about it until you got home and your mom was sitting there waiting for you. And you know that disapproving look she gives and you know almost immediately that you were in trouble.

Thats almost the look I see when I read this story, the mom look as Peter arrives back in town from an amazing trip where the Gospel was preached and souls were saved.

Notice what the Bible says they did to Peter in the last part of verse 2, they contended

The word contented means “Urged in argument or debate; disputed; contested.”

They were arguing with him for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the outcasts known as the gentiles. They were still blinded by religion that they missed the mission, to seek and to save that which was lost. I think its interesting that the other apostles were there for this dispute but the remained silent. They were apart of a religious system that had a deep grip on them and they were still trying to overcome it.

In verse 3 we see the skeptics were so focused on a little thing that they missed the main thing.

Look at the accusation they made against Peter “Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them”

I’m sure there was some pride and fear that went into this statement.

Peter was the first to be disputed for going and eating with people the Jews didn’t get along with

Look at Jesus in Matthew 9:10–13 “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Just as Jesus did Peter went to those who needed the Gospel. The Gospel is the only cure for our nation. Our city needs the Gospel, our state needs the Gospel, our nation needs the Gospel, and the world needs the Gospel, and if we truly want to be a church on mission we must tell others the good news of Jesus Christ, even if the skeptics want to dispute what we are doing.

The methods to get the gospel out have changed! We have things to get the gospel out today that didn’t even exist 50 years ago and we should do our best to adapt so we can reach more people for Christ.

While the methods have changed the message has not, the message of our church has been and as long as the Lord tarries his coming will always be the Gospel, which is the death, burial and ressurection of Jesus Christ.

Reminder; whenever you do something for the Lord there will always be naysayers, no matter what they say we must still follow Jesus.

Peter silences the skeptics vs 4-17

Peter is going to present four pieces of evidence to disprove the skeptics

The vision from God vs. 5-11

Here we see Peter relive the vision he had on the rooftop in Joppa.

Remember he was on the roof of Simon the Tanners house praying and waiting for lunch and he fell into a trance.

In that trance he saw a vessel that looked like a great sheet that was let down from heaven by its four corners; and it came to him

As he was looking at the vessel he saw four footed beasts of the earth, wild beast, creeping things, and fowls of the air.

As he was looking at all these animals I’m sure he was noticing the sheep with the pigs and the ravens with the doves and different clean and unclean animals together and as he sees this a voice from heaven tells him “Arise, Peter; slay and eat.”

Peter admits to the church here that he told the Lord “Not so, lord” and then he even gave the Lord a good reason “Nothing common or unclean has at anytime entered into my mouth”

I imagine those questioning are now on their seats waiting to see what the Lord told Peter after this. Maybe they were thinking the Lord is testing Peters loyalty, but I’m sure the next statement left them speechless.

Peter tells them what the voice from heaven told him “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” Peter goes on to tell them this wasn’t just said once but rather 3 times and then went back to heaven.

Repetition is the best teacher.

John Phillips said this “Even the dullest scholar in the school of God could hardly miss the point of a lesson that was gone over three times by the teacher.”

Isaiah 28:13 “But the word of the Lord was unto them Precept upon precept, precept upon precept; Line upon line, line upon line; Here a little, and there a little; That they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, And snared, and taken.”

When the vessel returned to heaven immediately there were three people waiting for me from Caesarea.

The Witness of the Spirit vs. 12-15

Peter continues his rebuttal by telling these men about how the Spirit led him to go with the three men from Caesarea.

The spirit bade him or commanded him to go and to not doubt.

You can’t argue with the Holy Spirit commands you to do something, you either say yes like Peter or you disobey the Spirit

Peter tells them how he went with six men, the three sent from Cornelius and three others who accompanied Peter from Joppa and they entered into this mans house.

He tells them of Cornelius’ vision that he had.

An angel came to his house and told him to send three men to Joppa to bring Peter to share the word of God with them so that they can get saved.

Peter then tells them how he was preaching and the Holy Ghost fell on them and then he gives an interesting reference back to Acts 2 when the Apostles and brethren were baptized by the Holy Spirit. This would have been a light bulb moment for these believers.

Acts 2:1–4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

The Witness of the Word vs. 16

There is no more sure witness than the Word of God and here we see Peter recall Christs words as another proof that the Gentiles truly got saved

Jesus as he is getting ready to ascend to heaven tells the Apostles that John baptized with water but they were going to get baptized with the Holy Ghost

Acts 1:5 “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

John the Baptist told us this as well

Matthew 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”

The gentiles receiving the Holy Ghost was yet another proof that the Gentiles received true salvation

The Surety of the Spirit vs. 17

The last proof I see Peter us is the surety of Spirit

Paul starts by giving them one last proof and the proof he uses is them.

We received the gift (The Holy Spirit) when we believed on the Lord and they also received that gift when they believed on the Lord.

Then he ends his mini sermon with a question that we must all answer or we will become skeptics as well

“what was I, that I could withstand (or oppose) God?”

Peter at first was skeptical of what God was calling him to do, but when he saw the Spirit move he realized it truly was of God.

Its hard to question God when you see him move

The response of the skeptics vs. 18

The arguments stopped- They held their peace

They glorified God “Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance (a turning) unto life.

While Peter silenced the skeptics here as we read the different Epistles Paul wrote he was still dealing with some of these same issues.

Conclusion

I think its safe to say that at some point in our life we are either a skeptic or we have some skeptics. Lets do our best to trust what God is doing through his people and his church.

Maybe today you’re a skeptic of the change that the Gospel can bring to your life, I’m here to testify that the Gospel has the power to change the trajectory of not only your life, but your family as well. If you have never placed your faith and trust in Jesus come this morning and we can show you from the Bible how you can be saved.