Acts Chapter 11

Background Information

Peter is led to Cornelius’ house where he preaches the Word and the Holy Spirit falls upon Cornelius and the whole household. So this Gentiles family along with their friends experience salvation and they began to speak in tongues. And the word “tongue” there is the same word used for the tongues in Acts 2 which we knew meant a foreign language. And so what God was doing was replicating what happened to the Jews on Pentecost happened to the Gentiles in Acts 10. So, I said we can describe this as the Gentiles Pentecost. Peter has now used the third key to open Heaven for the Gentiles.

Points

Verses 1-3

Acts 11:1–3 NKJV

Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

God’s originally plan was to have a relationship with all the nations. We saw that it Genesis 12 when God called Abraham out and told him that he will be a great nations and through him all the nations of the world would be blessed.

Isaiah 49:6 NKJV

Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Isaiah 42:6 NKJV

“I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,

God was going to use Israel to spread the news about God but they didn’t do it. They had no desire to reach out to the Gentile nation. And we talked about why last time. The Jews saw themselves as the favorites; God saw them as an instrument to accomplish His purpose. So they had nothing to do with the Gentiles. The Jews would never want to do anything to put the Gentiles on equal footing.

So now imagine the Jewish leaders reaction in Jerusalem when they hear that Peter has gone into a Gentile household , stayed with them a few days and now has eaten with them. Notice what the leaders did not confront Peter about: Peter preached to them; they received the Holy Spirit; and received the gift of tongues like at Pentecost. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem heard about this too(as we see in vs 1)- but could not bring themselves to even confront Peter about that. That would be just too absurd.

Jonah 3:10–4:3 NKJV

Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

Those of the circumcision contended with Peter. They did not like this at all. That is exactly what Jonah was worried about.

Verses 4-9

Acts 11:4–9 NKJV

But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’

Peter goes into an explanation from the beginning. He described the sheet coming down from heaven with clean and unclean animal. He was told rise kill and eat. And God was not just talking about the clean animals but even the unclean. Peter responds I have never eaten anything unclean. God sets the rules what is unclean; and God can change the rules. Even if the rules has been in place 3000 years.

And he gets it that God is calling the Gentiles clean.

Acts 10:28–29 NKJV

Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

Verses 11-12

Acts 11:11–12 NKJV

At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

He tells about three men who were sent to bring him back to Cornelius’ house and he went because the Holy Spirit said to go with out doubting. And he brings six brethren . Their purpose: Matthew 18:16 (NKJV)

16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ So Peter bring twice the number to establish a legitimate witness of the events.

So, Peter is saying at this point: you are coming against me but the Spirit told me to go without any doubting.

Verses 13-14

Acts 11:13–14 NKJV

And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’

That is very interesting.because in Acts 10:4–6 (NKJV)

4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”

So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”

The angel did not say anything about being saved.

And then when Peter goes to Cornelius’ home and Cornelius recounts the story he does not say anything about being saved. Acts 10:31–32 (NKJV)

31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’

Peter is saying what he must say is about salvation. The holy Spirit showed him by the sheet and told him as he began to speak.

Verses 15-16

Acts 11:15–16 NKJV

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 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.’

As I was speaking about salvation, the Holy Spirit fell upon them. The Holy Spirit was authenticating that was the words to speak. And then Peter quotes 1:8 talking about the Jew’s Pentecost and he is relating what is happening to the Gentiles as their Pentecost.

Verse 17

Acts 11:17 NKJV

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?”

He gave us the Holy Spirit ; He gave them the Holy Spirit. He gave us tongues at Pentecost. He gave the Gentiles tongues. So Peter says who am I to question God.

Verse 18

Acts 11:18 NKJV

When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

There was silence; and then they glorified God . So then God has also granted Gentiles salvation.

Why did God repeat it. It is here for emphasis. Salvation is for everyone.

Verse 19

Acts 11:19 NKJV

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.

So from the death of Stephen in Acts 7 to this very point . we are told who they have been preaching to. It is the Jews only.

Verse 20

Acts 11:20 NKJV

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.

And some men began to witness to the Hellenists. These were the Jews that adopted to the culture of the Greeks. And so the half breeds are ministered to

Verse 21

Acts 11:21 NKJV

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

Turned to the lord was referring to the gentiles. Turning to the Lord refers to Gentiles.

Acts 14:15 NKJV

and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,

Acts 15:3 NKJV

So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.

the word conversion is the same word turned

Acts 15:18–19 NKJV

“Known to God from eternity are all His works. Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,

Acts 26:20–21 NKJV

but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.