Acts 11:1-30
This chapter gives us the history of some very significant event and developments in the life of the church. In this chapter we see believers referred to as Christians for the first time and we see Gentile believers beginning to take a prominent role the the life and leadership on the church. Here is the progression of events.
PETER DEFENDS HIS PREACHING TO GENTILES: As expected Peter was "called on the carpet" for his relationship with Cornelius and company. Peter recounts not only his vision but what he saw the Holy Spirit do in these Gentile believers. The evidence is undeniable so they confer with one another and rejoice at their conclusion that God had granted repentance to Gentiles as well. This is a significant conclusion that officially paved the way for the church to become what it is today.
BELIEVERS DISPERSE FROM PERSECUTION IN JERUSALEM: Once again, God uses persecution to speed the spread of the Gospel through the lives of His children. We must always keep in mind that the spread of the Gospel is a far greater priority than our own comfort. However, even after their meeting with Peter and the decision made, they only share the Gospel with Jews. This pattern holds true until some unnamed men begin to preach to Gentiles in Antioch and the Word of God begins to transform their lives as well. I am anxious to meet these missionaries in heaven.
DISCIPLES ARE DESCRIBED AS CHRISTIANS IN ANTIOCH: The new believers in Antioch give us the name by which we are still called today. God is doing such a work in their lives that people are reminded of Christ because of their actions and Christ is at the center of their message. This is the testimony that we must strive to maintain today. The world should see Christ in us and they should hear all about Christ from us. Christ should be the central focus of our lives and the subject of our speech.
BARNABAS DISCIPLES PAUL AND OTHERS IN ANTIOCH: When Barnabas sees the work of God in Antioch he quickly concludes that this is the best place to begin to train Paul in the ministry, so he goes to find him and brings him here. Paul and Barnabas spend a year building up this church through evangelism and discipleship. We need more men like Barnabas who are constantly looking for new believers in whom they can invest their lives in an effort to prepare them the the task of reaching the world with the Gospel.
CHRISTIANS DECIDE TO BLESS OTHERS IN JUDEA: When a famine hits the land, the Gentile led church in Antioch begins to contribute to those in Judea who are suffering. Notice the outward focus that this church has. They are not looking in but looking out. They are "Christ centered" and "other centered" I seem to remember Jesus talking about loving God and others on several occasions too. It is no wonder they were called Christians for they were living just like Christ. This marks a shift toward Gentile prominence in the church and it also sets an example that every church today should follow. We must stop having such an inward focus that causes us to fight over what color the carpet in the church should be and have an outward focus so we can come together to plan how we can serve other brothers and sisters in other places and work to spread the fame of Christ to the nations of the world.
PETER DEFENDS HIS PREACHING TO GENTILES: As expected Peter was "called on the carpet" for his relationship with Cornelius and company. Peter recounts not only his vision but what he saw the Holy Spirit do in these Gentile believers. The evidence is undeniable so they confer with one another and rejoice at their conclusion that God had granted repentance to Gentiles as well. This is a significant conclusion that officially paved the way for the church to become what it is today.
BELIEVERS DISPERSE FROM PERSECUTION IN JERUSALEM: Once again, God uses persecution to speed the spread of the Gospel through the lives of His children. We must always keep in mind that the spread of the Gospel is a far greater priority than our own comfort. However, even after their meeting with Peter and the decision made, they only share the Gospel with Jews. This pattern holds true until some unnamed men begin to preach to Gentiles in Antioch and the Word of God begins to transform their lives as well. I am anxious to meet these missionaries in heaven.
DISCIPLES ARE DESCRIBED AS CHRISTIANS IN ANTIOCH: The new believers in Antioch give us the name by which we are still called today. God is doing such a work in their lives that people are reminded of Christ because of their actions and Christ is at the center of their message. This is the testimony that we must strive to maintain today. The world should see Christ in us and they should hear all about Christ from us. Christ should be the central focus of our lives and the subject of our speech.
BARNABAS DISCIPLES PAUL AND OTHERS IN ANTIOCH: When Barnabas sees the work of God in Antioch he quickly concludes that this is the best place to begin to train Paul in the ministry, so he goes to find him and brings him here. Paul and Barnabas spend a year building up this church through evangelism and discipleship. We need more men like Barnabas who are constantly looking for new believers in whom they can invest their lives in an effort to prepare them the the task of reaching the world with the Gospel.
CHRISTIANS DECIDE TO BLESS OTHERS IN JUDEA: When a famine hits the land, the Gentile led church in Antioch begins to contribute to those in Judea who are suffering. Notice the outward focus that this church has. They are not looking in but looking out. They are "Christ centered" and "other centered" I seem to remember Jesus talking about loving God and others on several occasions too. It is no wonder they were called Christians for they were living just like Christ. This marks a shift toward Gentile prominence in the church and it also sets an example that every church today should follow. We must stop having such an inward focus that causes us to fight over what color the carpet in the church should be and have an outward focus so we can come together to plan how we can serve other brothers and sisters in other places and work to spread the fame of Christ to the nations of the world.
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