Sermon Tone Analysis

Public Reading of Scripture

[A prayer of Psalm 25:4-5 for the congregation:]

Make [us] to know your ways, O LORD; teach [us] your paths.

Lead [us] in your truth and teach [us], for you are the God of [our] salvation; for you [we] wait all the day long.

Grant that with our eyes we might see, that with our ears we might hear, and that with our hearts we might obey your Word and your Ways.

We ask this in the authority and power of the name of Jesus, and by Your Holy Spirit, Amen.

Introduction to Theme

God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.

God’s ways are not our ways.

God’s ways are higher than our ways.

God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

(Isaiah 55:89)

We can either humble ourselves before the Lord, trusting His thoughts and His ways, AND (here’s the key…) we can follow Him!

— or —

We can allow that ancient sin of pride to take control, to harden our hearts to the winds of God’s changing work,

and we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we have it all figured out, and that we know better than God —

and we may in reality find ourselves in a position where we may hinder (or prevent) God from working!

God’s work cannot be hindered, but we can hinder God’s working through us.

And if we prevent the work God wants to do in us, God will do His work in someone else!

When God reveals what he wants to do, we must decide — will we follow him?

Or stand in his way?

Will we be known as ambassadors of His Kingdom, or obstacles?

Introduction to Text

Hear again what Peter said in verse 17:

Literally: “Who was I to hinder (or prevent) God?”

Peter doesn’t step aside and move out of God’s way.

Peter gets on board!

And he follows the leading of God, even into something new and previously unknown.

With these words, Peter concludes his defense of the activities that took place in Acts 10.

But what is he defending?

What had he done?

Or better yet — as we’ve come to learn in the book of Acts — what had God done?

I. Acts 11:1

You might circle that phrase “Gentiles also” because it is found again at the end of this passage in verse 18.

It bookends the point of this passage.

“Gentiles” is the word ἔθνος — the nations — pagans — a way to describe those who believe in other gods.

The Gentiles also had now heard the word of the one and only God, just as the Samaritans had done according to Acts 8:14, and not only did they hear, but they received (or accepted) it!

The word “received (accepted)” is the same word used of the Thessalonians later in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 that says they heard the word of God and accepted it not as the word of men but as it truly is, the word of God which is at work in you who believe.

This was a praise!

This was God’s doing!

This was what Jesus said would happen, when he said “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the end of the earth”!

And it is happening!

But the church in Jerusalem had a problem they were uncomfortable with.

The problem was not that the word of God was accepted by the Gentiles, but what made them uncomfortable was that in order to allow the word of God to work unhindered, as the word had worked in them, the living out of that word would now have to cross the cultural divide.

It would require “breaking bread in their homes” too (Acts 2:46).

Christianity was becoming what it always was — multi-ethnic!

God was setting in motion the seeds that would germinate and produce the scene of Revelation 7:9 when a great multitude that cannot be numbered will be witnessed standing before the throne and before the Lamb from all nations, tribes, and peoples and languages (Rev 7:9).

It is a beautiful scene, but do realize that scene doesn’t materialize on its own out of thin air.

God uses His Church to bring that unity of worship, by a diversity of cultures about through the Gospel witness of His Church.

We have a part in that.

It is a direct result of God’s working a salvation for all people, through the death of Jesus for all, and a Church that takes the gospel and welcomes into the fellowship — ALL in Jesus.

The idea of being a “Jewish-Christian” or a “Gentile-Christian” was going away.

Those of “The Way” would soon only be known as “Christians.”

Acts 11:36 (ESV)

“…And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

This is what this is leading up to!

A new name.

Not Hellenists, proselytes, or Jews — but Christians — brought together and known as one in the Lord.

And this required a work of God!

This would disrupt the habits, teachings, and traditions of the Jews — God’s chosen people for thousands of years!

In their minds, it must be the case that any who would come to Jesus must also become a Jew and follow the traditions of the Jews in order to be a Christian.

But God makes no such requirement for His salvation.

II.

Acts 11:2-3

Instead of celebration, there is criticism.

“Those of the circumcision” had a problem with what Peter had done.

Circumcision was a physical sign of the covenant God had made with Abraham and his offspring.

Circumcision was a definite mark of being a Jew.

Circumcision gives us a clue as to why there was criticism.

Verse 3 says that those of the circumcision, Jews, criticized Peter saying:

Acts 11:3 ESV

3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

Peter associated closely with people that were different than him.

In the events that had transpired, even Peter did not know what to do with this!

Peter had said to these uncircumcised men upon meeting them:

Acts 10:28 ESV

28 … “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

Those who criticized Peter did not see what Peter had seen.

They had not seen what God had shown him or all that God had done in his positioning and timing.

These criticizers only heard in part, so they were quick to form a judgment.

If you had not read Chapter 10, which details how God worked to bring salvation in Jesus to a Gentile named Cornelius and his household, you too would have questions.

You too, may be quick to criticize.

Very applicable in our day is the way in which we receive news.

We only know what we hear, and what we hear is only as good as the source we are hearing.

And that source can have firsthand knowledge, or second-hand knowledge, or even no knowledge of what actually took place!

And by this method of receiving information, we form our judgments and take our sides.

Christians should be, as James 1:19-20 says,

James 1:19-20 (ESV)

“quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

The circumcision party was upset that Peter ate with the Gentiles.

The word “ate” in verse 3 — the charge against Peter — is not just the word “to eat”, but it is the word “to eat with.”

“To eat together with.”

Peter was not just a guest in a Gentile’s home, but he ate with them!

He broke bread together with them!

He enjoyed close fellowship with them…

And the food Peter would have eaten, would have been the Gentile’s own food — which was likely unclean too!

Already Peter had stayed at the home of Simon a Tanner (Acts 9:43), an occupation that was ceremonially unclean according to Jewish law because tanners handled dead animals, and it was there where Peter was found by men from Cornelius’ house —- and now he’s eating with and associating with these uncircumcised Gentiles!

One thing leads to another, and it sure appears as if Peter’s theology and practice is drifting loose!

Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and a best selling author, has experienced a large amount of criticism in his ministry.

Criticism can come from outside the Church or inside the Church.