Two Small Fish
January 9, 2006
Bible
Study: Acts
Chapter 11Introduction:
Our last Bible study revealed Peter’s call to the Gentile Cornelius. When Peter returned to the believers in Jerusalem, he received an unexpected reprimand for entering a Gentile’s house and eating with them. Letting go of tradition can be difficult. The Jewish Christians assumed that Christ died for Israel and many never considered the Gentiles or heathen nations worthy of God’s love.
Throughout the Old Testament, God revealed that salvation would come through the Jews, but was not exclusively for Israel. God intended the Jews to be His witnesses that all nations would know and worship the true Living God. The Lord intended salvation for all peoples. Psalms 18:43-44 reads, You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and you have made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. Also read: Isaiah 42:6, 52:15, 55:5, and 60:1-4.
Luke recorded Simon’s prophecy about Jesus, “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (2:32). On numerous occasions during His earthly ministry, Jesus commented that if any man confessed Him as Lord, repented, and followed Him, he would be His disciple. Perhaps the Jews considered themselves the only men, but Jesus did not. Jesus was not speaking of a gender or a nation. He was speaking of the entire human race – male and female, Jew and Gentile, free and slaves (Galatians 3:28). Luke recorded Jesus’ commission “go to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And Matthew stated it this way, “go and make disciple of all nations” (28:19).
Ignorance and pride led the Jewish believers to criticize Paul. According to Jewish law, Jews were forbidden to enter the house of a Gentile. They also were not permitted to eat at the same table with non-Jews. At this point, the Jewish believers had little understanding of God’s new covenant. It was God’s plan from the beginning.
Peter begins to explain his actions by stating that while praying he was in a trance and saw a vision. Before we move onto the vision, let us note the meaning of the word trance and the implications here.
$ Meditation in Scripture always denotes deep or intense thought. We are always encouraged to meditate on God’s laws (Psalms 119), His character (Philippians 4:8), and on Jesus Christ and His work at Calvary. We are commissioned to enter into God’s presence through praise (Psalms 100 – Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know that the Lord he is God: it is he that has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations. [emphasis mine]).
$ Trance in Greek ĕkstasis literally means a standing out, ecstasy and was said of any displacement, and especially, with reference to the mind, of that alteration of the normal condition by which the person is thrown into a state of surprise or fear, or both.
Because the Bible warns us not to follow pagan practices of mind alteration, we can be sure that Peter elevated to a trance-like state through filling his mind with thoughts of his wonderful Lord and Savior. This form of meditation and ecstasy is very different from Eastern religions that encourage people to empty their minds of all conscience thought to reach a “higher level and connect with a higher power.”
$
The Vision Peter had consisted of animals, birds, and
creeping things on a sheet let down from heaven. A voice told him to eat, but
Peter refused claiming that he had never eaten anything common or unclean
according to Jewish custom. It took Peter three tries before he realized that
the Lord was not referring to food when He said, “What God has cleansed, that
call not common.” At that point, those sent from Cornelius entered and Peter
went with them without any reservations.
When Peter entered Cornelius house, he found the room full of people who wanted to know and serve the Living God. As he began to preach the name of Jesus Christ, they repented and the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles the same way He came on the Jews in the beginning. How was that? Chapter 10 verse 46 tells us, “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” Since the Holy Spirit entered the believers at Cornelius’ house at the time of conversion without any other stipulations such as laying on of hands, we know that He enters every believer at the time of conversion.
In regards to speaking in tongues as a sign of receiving the Holy Spirit, Paul had much to say to the Corinthian church. First Corinthians 12: The same Holy Spirit baptizes us all into the body of Christ. The same Spirit verifies His baptism through the gifts He imparts – words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, working miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues. Paul listed the functions of the body in order of importance in verse 28 first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. He concluded with these questions: Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I you a more excellent way (verses 29-31). In the next two chapters of I Corinthians, Paul speaks of the importance of love and the edifying of the body of believers.
After the apostles and other Jewish believers heard Peter’s testimony, they rejoiced and glorified God, Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life (Acts 11:18). Notice that salvation is twofold: believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and repentance from our sinful nature to total submission to Jesus Christ. Belief in Jesus is only half the truth. And as our mothers taught us half a truth is a lie. Salvation comes to those who repent from their sins and believe. To teach anything else is to teach another gospel. James wrote You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe and tremble (2:19). What is the difference between the trembling devils and the trembling sinner? Repentance with leads to obedience.
As Peter was prepared to give an answer, we too must be ready to give an intelligent answer for our hope to anyone who asks. Let us keep our focus and thoughts on Jesus Christ. Pray reverently with great expectation to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit has for us, to recognize them, and to utilize them for the building of God’s kingdom.
Prayer
Requests:
Tammy, Melinda & Barry and family, Jenn, Jordan, Joey, Phyllis and husband, Barb, Aaron, J.J., Joyce, Donna, Jackie, Nora, Karen and Raph, Ann, Trinity, Ayden, Nick, Darlene, Cassi, Wyatt, Johanna, Irene, Harriet, Carol, our Monday Bible Study, special unspoken needs, and remember me, Brenda Hendricks.
Read Acts 12. We will see how the Lord set prisoner free.
Although we have not chosen to be, we are all born into sin because of the fall of man. Sounds hopeless and unfair, but God in His infinite wisdom and abundant love has provided a choice for us. We can choose to repent of our sinful nature and believe in Jesus Christ. He is faithful and will cleanse us from sin and give us His Holy Spirit to equip us to live for Him. If you’ve made your choice to repent and believe in Jesus, we’d like to hear about it.
If you are a Christian, meditate on the joy of the Lord’s salvation.
A special reminder: to find out what other readers have to say check out the comment page.
All Bible quotes are
from the "Comfort-able KJV"
Brenda Hendricks.