Acts Chapter 11
God Receives All Glory
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Whosoever: Gentiles receive Holy Spirit
I. God’s Limitless Grace
1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles
had also received the word of God.
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Jerusalem: Leaders/other believers hear that the Gentiles…
Received the Word of God!
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Peter leaves Cornelius/New Gentile believers in Caesarea
Heads to Jerusalem to meet other Apostles with good news…
2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision
contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and
ate with them!”
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Peter back in Jerusalem:
Those of the circumcision: Jewish believers…
You ate with them?
…sharing a meal together was a special sign of fellowship in that culture. This was
considered to be a significant compromise by these Jewish Christians. [Guzic]
4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5 “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. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed
animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And
I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so,
Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 9
But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you
must not call common.’ 10 Now this was done three times, and all were
drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men stood
before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12
Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these
six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 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, 14 who will
tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 And as
I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the
beginning. 16 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.’
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Recap of Chapter 10: Gentiles…
1. Received the Spirit
2. Spoke in tongues like we did!
3. So I baptized them!
17 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?”
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To not accept the Gentiles would be fighting God’s will!
Peter first stands up to enemies
Acts 4:18 …[Jews told Peter to stop preaching Jesus] But Peter and John answered and
said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to
God, you judge.
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Now Peter is standing up to his friends [harder. Much]
18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified
God…
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First silent…Then glorified God
18b [They said] “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles
repentance to life.”
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Granted repentance…Leading to Life
Grace was also granted to these hearers to…
1. Believe what Peter said
2. Abandon deep-rooted resentment/prejudice toward people who were different
3. Believe the Word of God: OT
Isaiah 49:6b [Speaking of Jesus] I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You
should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
SUMMARY: God’s Limitless Grace: Peter ate with sinners…just like him…
Mark 2:15 … [As Jesus] was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners
also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners,
they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and
sinners?”17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to
repentance.”
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All have sinned…all need a Savior!
II. Barnabas and Saul at Antioch
19 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.
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Scattered after Stephen murdered/ Saul on rampage against “The Way”
Scattered Evangelists: Bringers of Good News
1. Unaware: Peter’s vision/visit to Cornelius and Gentile Salvation
2. Preached the Word to Jews only
20 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.
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Preached Jesus to the Hellenists:
2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed,
for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have
committed to Him until that Day.
21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed
and turned to the Lord.
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Hand of the Lord was with them!
Great numbers believed and turned: 2 Parts
1. Believed in the Lord
2. Turned to the Lord
John 8:10 “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”11
She said, “No one, Lord. ”And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no
more.”
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Believe and Turn [Repent] No Repentance/No Salvation
22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem,
and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
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Leaders in Jerusalem: Send Barnabas to go see what’s going on in Antioch
23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and
encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with
the Lord.
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Barnabas: Jesus likes this guy!
Son of encouragement: Glad when he saw the grace of God
1. Not jealous
2. Not resentful
3. He was GLAD they accepted the Truth of God
2 John 1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth…
1 Corinthians 13:6 [Love] …does not rejoice in iniquity [fall/failure], but rejoices in the
truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
When Barnabas saw the grace of God… he was Glad
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Encouraged new believers:
1. With purpose of heart continue with the Lord
24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great
many people were added to the Lord.
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Holy Spirit wants to talk about Barnabas a little more:
1. Good man
2. Full of the Holy Spirit
3. Great many more people are added to the Lord
This is the plan for church growth spoken of in Ephesians 4:11-16. Leaders in the church
dedicate themselves to building strong, healthy Christians. As the saints are equipped for
the work of the ministry, they grow into maturity, and do their ministry, and it causes
growth of the body. [Guzic]
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had
found him, he brought him to Antioch…
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Barnabas leaves Antioch/searches for Saul in Tarsus
12 Years since Barnabas advocated for Saul
1. Saul preparing for 12 years for what’s next…
26b So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and
taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in
Antioch.
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Barnabas and Saul back in Antioch
1. One full year
2. Assembled with the new church
3. Barnabas and Saul teach
4. Previously called the way, believers now called “Christians”
Jesus People
SUMMARY: Barnabas and Saul at Antioch
III. Bearing Each Others Burden
27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.
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Prophets: Gifting of the Spirit
1. Forth tell: What God did
2. Foretell: What God is going to do
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Sent from Jerusalem to Barnabas and Saul in Antioch
28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit
that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which
also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.
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Agabus the Prophet
1. Stood up
2. Prophesied “great” worldwide famine. Foretell
3. Likens it to a previous famine
29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief
to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the
elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
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New disciple eager to help before the famine even begins
1. Each according to ability
2. Determined: Purposed in heart to do what Jesus would have them do!
3. Send Barnabas and Saul with relief for Jerusalem Church
 Now Saul is a trusted brother
SUMMARY: Bearing Each Others Burden
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone
thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one
examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For each one shall bear his own load.