Welcome to Acts 11, this one is shorter! Yet the first part is fairly long due to the recounting of the story in Acts 10. But you can do it! Study with me. It’s worth it. Today: vision report, the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, I love how you do this, how the things are restated and re-reported and consistent and gives us another chance to hear it, learn it and see what we missed the first time around. You are so good, Lord. Please lead us today. Amen.
Please read Acts 11:1-18
Peter Reports (Vision Recounting) at Jerusalem
1 Now the apostles and the believers who were throughout Judea heard [with astonishment] that the Gentiles also had received and accepted the word of God [the message concerning salvation through Christ]. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision [certain Jewish believers who followed the Law] took issue with him [for violating Jewish customs], 3 saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and [even] ate with them!”
Horrors! This was something in their Law that God didn’t prohibit, but they did. God’s Law is a Law of Love. And Love does this, not argue about how unlawful it is or how it violates customs. Granted, Love also asked them to not marry unbelievers, but they often did that. I just find it astonishing that people jump to conclusions and throw up arguments without realizing we are all part of one another and we all know what Love expects of us.
The story of the Vision
4 But Peter began [at the beginning] and explained [the events] to them step by step, saying, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision of an object coming down from heaven, like a huge sheet being lowered by the four corners; and [it descended until] it came right down to me, 6 and looking closely at it, I saw all kinds of the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air [both clean and unclean according to the Law], 7 and I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not at all, Lord; for nothing common (unholy) or [ceremonially] unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, no longer consider common (unholy).’ 10 This happened three times, and everything was drawn up again into heaven.
11 And right then the three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them without the slightest hesitation. So these six brothers also went with me and we went to the man’s house. 13 And Cornelius told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying, ‘Send word to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; 14 he will bring a message to you by which you will be saved [and granted eternal life], you and all your household.’
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
15 When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as He did on us at the beginning [at Pentecost]. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So, if God gave Gentiles the same gift [equally] as He gave us after we accepted and believed and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ [as Savior], who was I to interfere or stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified and praised God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance that leads to eternal life [that is, real life after earthly death].”
Accept, believe, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and you too will get the gift. He is the gift. And He’s the absolute best gift you can receive. The Vision Giver.
Take me to Part 2! I need to go back to the Menu first.
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