Acts 11:1-30
Q.1. Did the Jerusalem Church endorse Peter’s sharing with Gentiles? How did Peter convince them that God included Gentiles into His church? – (Acts 11:1-18)
When the other apostles and brethren heard that the Gentiles had received the Word of God through Peter, they took issue with him. Jews did not associate with Gentiles! (Acts 11:1-3 c.f. Jn.4:9). However, Peter was able to share in sequence the way God had intervened supernaturally, in order to open the door to the Gentiles. He recalled the words of Jesus that He would baptize with the Holy Spirit, and related – And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning … Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way? (Acts 11:15 & 17). His testimony quietened them down. They glorified God, for His grace even extended to these ‘outsiders’ (Acts 11:18).
Q.2. When did revival attend the scattered believers? What did the Jerusalem Church do about it? How did Barnabas bring about success? – (Acts 11:19-26) … [NOTE: This passage connects to Acts 8:4]
Like the other Jewish believers, those scattered by the persecution continued their focus on Jews alone (Acts 11:19). However, some Greek (Cypress) and north African (Cyrene) Jews of the dispersion – 20 began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord (Acts 11:20-21). Revival broke out when these people followed Christ’s blueprint (Mt.28:19-20; Acts 1:8). Again we observe the role of the Jerusalem Church (where the apostles were located) in maintaining unity and the purity of the Gospel (Acts 11:22 c.f. 8:1; 15:2, 6, 22-23). They dispatched Barnabas to oversee the church at Antioch. He was successful, because he was a genuinely godly leader – for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord (Acts 11:24). When the church grew, Barnabas realized that he needed a competent co-worker. He sought out Saul (later known as Paul). So great was their impact that the believers were given a nickname that we bear to this day – and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26).
Q.3. How did the churches stay connected? Was Agabus a true prophet? How did the Antioch Church respond to his prophecy? – (Acts 11:27-30 c.f. Dt.18:22)
There seemed to have been ongoing connection between the churches. This included the visit of a group of prophets from Jerusalem (Acts 11:27). One of the prophets, named Agabus, was influential in the church because his predictions came to pass (Acts 11:28; 21:10 c.f. Dt.18:22). In response to his prophecy about – a great famine all over the world … the believers at Antioch decided to take relief to their brethren living in Judea (Acts 11:29-30). This indicated that they were effectively connected to the ‘mother’ church, and that they had taken to heart the practical implication of embracing the Gospel.