Changing Minds and Changing Hearts

Acts 11:1-18

Acts 11:1–18 CSB

The apostles and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Peter began to explain to them step by step, “I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a trance, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me. When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ “ ‘No, Lord!’ I said. ‘For nothing impure or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call impure.’ “Now this happened three times, and everything was drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we went into the man’s house. He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. He will speak a message to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?” When they heard this they became silent. And they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles.”

The Accusation

Acts 11:1-3

Acts 11:1–3 CSB

The apostles and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

1. What is the real objection?

You hung out with “those people?” It was a form of discrimination and racism. They saw the gentiles as lesser than because that is what they were taught from an early age…and these guys were believers in Jesus! Notice though that a difference was made. These folks were the party of circumcision or they stressed circumcision. There were people in the early church that had been baptized by the Holy Spirit ans water, recieved redemption from their sins, were saved…and were kind of bigots. They wanted and recieved the gift from God through Jesus of salvation but did not want to let go of their pre-christian thinking…they needed their minds changed…which is what leads to a heart change.

Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 CSB

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

An extra Biblical writing by Jewish leaders. Jubilees 22:16 was often cited as reason to disassociate with non-Jews.

And do thou, my son Jacob, remember my words, And observe the commandments of Abraham, thy father:

Separate thyself from the nations, And eat not with them:

And do not according to their works, And become not their associate;

For their works are unclean, And all their ways are a Pollution and an abomination and uncleanness.

This goes in contradiction to what the Bible actually says. The prophet Isaiah wrote about this very event hundreds of years earlier. Isaiah 11:10

Isaiah 11:10 CSB

On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will look to him for guidance, and his resting place will be glorious.

That is the Old testament and there are other passages but let’s look at what Jesus said. These believers claimed salvation in His name but needed a better understanding.

John 3:16

John 3:16 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Mark 16:15-16

Mark 16:15–16 CSB

Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:16–20 CSB

The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Luke 5:31-32

Luke 5:31–32 CSB

Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 CSB

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

2. What is Peter’s response? How do we respond?

a. Humility

Acts 11:4

Acts 11:4 CSB

Peter began to explain to them step by step,

Peter felt the same as these guys did just a while back. It took the spirit of the Lord and a miraculous situation to change his mind and his heart on this matter. He also had apostolic authority. He was the man. He walked with Jesus, was mentioned more than anyone else by Jesus. More conversations were recorded between Jesus and Peter than anyone else. He was listed first an all apostle lists…He could simply say…this is how it is because I have apostolic authority. I am Peter! Who are you to question me.

Peter changed. Peter learned a lesson that the rest needed to learn and he went about telling them exactly what happened…and guess what…they listened and respected his authority without him having to flex!

b. Evidence

Acts 11:5-10

Acts 11:5–10 CSB

“I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a trance, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me. When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ “ ‘No, Lord!’ I said. ‘For nothing impure or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call impure.’ “Now this happened three times, and everything was drawn up again into heaven.

We need to present evidence, not emotions. Peter did not try to give his opinion about the matter. A few days ago, he had the same opinion that they do now. In humility, he just laid out the facts as to what happened to change his heart and mind about gentiles.

c. Wisdom

Acts 11:12-16

Acts 11:12–16 CSB

The Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we went into the man’s house. He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. He will speak a message to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

Peter is speaking to jews who have a beef with something the gentiles are doing and Peter uses wisdom in presenting the evidence.

Deuteronomy 19:15

Deuteronomy 19:15 CSB

“One witness cannot establish any iniquity or sin against a person, whatever that person has done. A fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

John 8:17

John 8:17 CSB

Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.

Peter is letting them know that I went with these 6 other guys…more than enough to confirm what had happened and to justify the results. He is using wisdom to speak their language…again…the language He speaks…or spoke until this vision! Also worth noting in v. 13, the angel visited Cornelius in his house…if it is good enough for an angel, it should be good enough for Peter...

d. Authority

Acts 11:17

Acts 11:17 CSB

If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?”

This is where changing minds turns to changing hearts…Peter in humility, lays down the events with evidence and wisdom…and enforces the reality with the authority of God. This is not some plan that Peter conjured up to get more Facebook and Instagram followers and twitter likes …he wasn’t boosting his resume’ to get a better position in the church. He was telling the truth because his mind and heart had been changed because he allowed them to conform to God’s will. Not his own. Because he first submitted to God’s authority, which is why he can ask this of the others.

It had to be Peter. He was the one who they would listen to. He was the one that wouldn’t get run out of town. He was the one that could have skipped these 4 steps and went right to his own authority, yet he did not. This is not the end of this debate within the church and even within Peter himself…but because of how it started, we see how it can and should end...

3. What is the Jewish response (This time)

Acts 11:18

Acts 11:18 CSB

When they heard this they became silent. And they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles.”