11 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
The circumcision party was a group of devout Jews who converted to Christianity (the Way). In viewing Jesus as the Messiah, they viewed that his coming was the next step forward in the Jewish faith. Which lead them to feel that in order to be a true follower of Jesus one must first follow the Jewish laws and teachings (part of which is Circumcision, this issue becomes a major area conflict which is addressed in future chapters). The charges they brought against Peter was that he broke the Jewish laws by going with and eating with uncircumcised men. This action also was showing full acceptance of the Gentile Christians. Let us remember that a few short verses ago, Peter was having this same argument with God. Now it is time for Peter to teach this group what God had shown him. When God teaches you something, it is meant for you to pass on to other.
4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
With this testimony Peter validated a new chapter in history by showing that God had opened the Jewish-Christian faith to everyone. Looking backwards in time it seems clear to us, but to the people of that time it was revolutionary. As the book of Acts proceeds, this Jewish-Gentile divide continues to be a source of division within the early churches.
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 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.
The Jewish-Gentile divide was far and wide, yet God was working. The Hellenists were a group of Greek speaking Christians and seemed to be divided from the church in Jerusalem who were mainly Aramaic speaking. The church in Jerusalem was considered the Mother church because of the Apostles direction connection to the church. Division among churches has always been an issue, but God continues to call us to come together to advance the Gospel message. The church in Jerusalem is open to the change and validates the new working of the Lord by sending Barnabas. Barnabas blesses the work and encourages to remain faithful.
25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
While the term Christian is common to the modern reader it is only used three times in the Bible. During the formative years of the early church Christians were called followers, believers, disciples and other general names. Pinpointing the time this name originated is believed to a be a stamp of validity upon the movement. Now there was a name they were united under. Followers of Christ. Christians.
27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
God sends a warning about future events and the early church starts a giving campaign. The early church gathered their resource and gave to those in need even though they would be going through the same famine. When trouble is coming do you always seek to make sure you are taken care of first? Or do you seek to make sure others are cared for first?
Pastor Mark
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