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Acts 11:1-18 – Preconceptions Undone

by Gary Sims
05/02/04
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The Scriptures
Acts 11:1-18 – Preconceptions Undone



Key Verses: (NCV)
  • 1: “The apostles and the believers in Judea heard that some who were not Jewish had accepted God’s teaching too.” – This was big news. Even though Jesus had taught that the Gospel was all inclusive, the idea that people without the foundation of Jewish history and tradition could become Christians was a surprise.

  • 5: “I had a vision. I saw something that looked like a big sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners.” – Peter begins to explain a vision that came to him during prayer.

  • 7-8: “I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ 8But I said, ‘No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is unholy or unclean.’” – The voice in the vision was challenging Peter’s comfort zone. It was asking Peter to look beyond the boundaries of his traditions to see what new opportunities lay in store.

  • 9: “But the voice from heaven spoke again, ‘God has made these things clean, so don’t call them unholy.’” – “God looked at everything He had made, and it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31)

  • 11-12: “Right then three men who were sent to me from Caesarea came to the house where I was staying. 12The Spirit told me to go with them without doubting.” – Emerging from this moment of prayer, Peter is sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

  • 15: “When I began my speech, the Holy Spirit came on them just as He came on us at the beginning.” – Cornelius had been told by an angel of God to bring Peter to his home and listen to what he had to say. In so doing, he and his household would be saved.

  • 17: “Since God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stop the work of God?” – Peter was responding to God’s call and doing God’s ministry. Whatever established thought patterns were trampled along the way was done so by the will of God.

  • 18: “When the believers heard this, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, ‘So God is allowing even other nations to turn to Him and live.’” – Christ, the Risen Lord, came to earth for all of mankind.
Points to Contemplate:
  • Do you disagree with other Christians? Today’s story is about a disagreement among believers. The people in Jerusalem were shocked at the news coming from Caesarea. Preaching to Gentiles was not the way things were supposed to go. How do you handle disagreements within your faith community? Do you judge and dismiss ideas that are different from your own beliefs? Do you isolate yourself from those with different inspirations or ministry styles? Or do you meet, discuss, pray, and learn from one another? Is it possible that the Holy Spirit might be using these situations to grow and teach everyone involved?
  • What biases to your ministry is God trying to overcome? In your studies and ministry development are there certain messages or concepts that you have overlooked? God had been telling the Hebrews since the time of Abraham that He was a God of the universe. And, yet, it came as a surprise to them that the Holy Spirit would enter the hearts of Gentiles. What blinders are you wearing that limit your ministry? Are they blinders of race? Religion? Creed? Ethnicity? Wealth? Age? Sex? Sexual orientation? Is it possible to expose self-imposed barriers by evaluating who is not involved in your faith community?
  • How do you create an “open door” approach to ministry? What steps can you take that will allow God to reveal the new horizons and opportunities that He has in store for you? Peter’s first step was to travel. He left Jerusalem. Would it help if you were to venture outside your normal geographical bounds in order to get a new perspective of the world around you? His next step was to pray. Have you taken this issue of limitations to God in prayer? Are you asking Him to expand your territories and grow your horizons? While praying, God spoke to Peter and Peter listened. Are your hearing God’s responses to your prayers? Do you give Him ample opportunity to break through the busyness of your day and the cacophony of noise in your mind? And, finally, Peter acted. He did not sit back, evaluate, and filter God’s message through the established biases of his upbringing. Are you willing to step forward into ministry even though you may not understand where you are going or why?

    Promises of the Gospel:

    Peter, by following God’s lead, brought the gift of the Holy Spirit to an unexpected group of seekers. The surprise registered by Peter and other believers indicated that this event had broadened their limited perspectives of God and the plans He has for mankind. As we step out into ministry in response to God’s calling, we have to be careful that we are not creating boundaries and limitations to God’s intentions through our biases and limited viewpoints. To do so is a very human trait but Peter provides a model that will enhance our sensitivity and enable us to be ready for any and every opportunity to build God’s kingdom that He sends our way.

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