Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Acts Chapter Eleven

Acts Chapter Eleven (NIV)
Acts Chapter Eleven (NASB)

I. SYNOPSIS

Verses 1-18: Peter reports the conversion of the Gentiles to the believers in Jerusalem.

Verses 19-30: Gentiles in Antioch accept the Gospel.

II. KEY PASSAGES

(A) Acts 11:15--Peter says, "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning." This is Peter's response to those who objected to his fellowship with non-Jews. If God had accepted the Gentiles (without first converting to Judaism), who was Peter to reject them?

(B) Acts 11:19--"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." The persecution of Christians led to Christian preachers being scattered across the Roman world. But wherever they went, they preached the Gospel!

(C) Acts 11:20-21--"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. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord." These Jewish Christians were preaching to Greeks without being aware of the news from Jerusalem.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

David, I read the post about your home address being revealed. As an unbeliever, I disagree with your religious views but I do not want the safety of you and your family to be threatened. In fact, I wouldn't wish that for anyone, regardless of what faith they adhere to.

On a lighter subject, I can't help but notice that for all the talk among Christians about the bible being the inerrant word of God and being so important, there really isn't much interest in discussing it here on this site. I've noticed this on your site since you started this acts commentary. This isn't a criticism. It's just an observation. When I was a hard-core evangelical/fundamentalist bible-believing Christian, I was amazed at how few
Christians read the Bible regularly despite all the talk of how important it was.

Tizita said...

Mike.....What r u suggesting we discuses abt? I have been following the Acts study, Jesus hasn't spoken to me to make a comment yet. When the Lord has spoken, i assure u i will comment.
You said u were once a believer? A believer in what? That Jesus exists & is God? Well the Bible says even the demons believe in Jesus and shudder at the mention of His name!
Mike, if u were truly born again u would have never abandoned Jesus for satan, NEVER! U thought u were saved but truly u weren't.
U should actually read Acts, the disciples actually talk abt those who followed them around & pretended to be believers in Christ but when those followers abandoned the walk, the disciples said They were among us but were never of us.
Same goes for Judas, he walked w/ Jesus, ate w/ Jesus, Spent every moment & time w/ Jesus and yet he was a wolf in sheep clothing.
I don't want u to take any offense to my comment. But going around & telling ppl that u were once a follower of Christ but now u r not, is being deceitful, lien, and keeping others away from the Gospel.
You know that whether u r born again or not u will give an answer to every action and deed u did on judgment day to Christ Jesus.
I get very offended w/ those who use the "I was once a Christian" to deceive others and give the true followers of Jesus a bad name. The world is comming to an end and the Bible says there will be a lot of apostasy from so called Christians in the last days, but leading others into apostasy when u should know better is a sin!
you said, "When I was a hard-core evangelical/fundamentalist bible-believing Christian, I was amazed at how few
Christians read the Bible regularly despite all the talk of how important it was."
Well maybe u were never around true born again Christians (Like Jesus said) but rather people like you who pretended to be followers of Christ that's why u never saw them reading the Bible.
I'm actually studying Bible prophecy w/ three different pastors online & it's one of the many best moves i have made (U should try it actually.
I didn't write any of this to offend u but rather to stop u from deceiving not only others but also urself. Salvation isn't a joke, it's a serious matter, we r talking abt heaven and hell & everyone will spend in either of those, u choose.


P.S. What is it exactly u disagree w/ David Wood. U said u disagree w/ his religious views, first thing is first David doesn't follow a religion but rather Christ Jesus. Now we got that clear what is it u disagree with?
Take care, & will be in my prayers, there is still hope for u as long as u r alive.

Anonymous said...

Tizita, I don't know why I'm bothering to respond to your post but here it goes. I find it interesting that you claim to know my heart and whether I was truly a Christian or not, yet you don't know me from a hole in the wall. Nice judgement on your part. I believed and trusted in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and believed all of what is regarded as "essential Christian doctrine." In fact, I would actively evangelize muslims in my community because I was so convinced Jesus is the way, truth and the life. I could go on and on about what I believed and how my faith expressed itself, but I'm secure in knowing that I know what I was and I don't need to prove anything to you, regardless of your opinion.

Who knows? You may be right about me, but if someone like me was never truly saved, how do you know you are? I'm sure you have an answer to that, but I've heard them all. If you feel led to, go ahead and pray for me but I could care less one way or the other.

Zack_Tiang said...

There is a difference between what you know in your mind.. and what you believe in your spirit.

Jesus Himself said that even the demons know Him...
Just knowing someone or knowing the gospel doesn't mean you are in His saving grace...
And what's more.. the demons does something more than just know... they shudder in fear of His Name and presence.
Our beliefs need to go beyond our head knowledge... but into our spirit.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit?

I don't know your spirit, Mike, and I do not know why you chose to disown Jesus... but know that Jesus is willing to wait and welcome you back if you choose to return to Him.

Anonymous said...

Zack, actually the verse says that the demons believe in God, and shudder. And it wasn't Jesus who said that. It was the person who wrote the book of James who said that.

That being said, thank you for your kind note and concern.

Tizita said...

Come one Mike, If u were truly once a-hard-core-Christian u should know that Jesus is God, so it doesn't matter whether Zack_Tiang says Jesus. Also think abt this when the apostles casted out demons they did so in the name of Jesus, not God. one reason i believe this to be is b/c there are so many gods out there that they wanted to be more specific which God they r talking abt. Also Jesus said ask in my name and I'll do it.

And again if were once a-hard-core-Christian u should also know that the writers of the Bible wrote those books w/ the Holy Spirit as their guide (in another words Jesus).

Still praying u will return back to Christ Jesus, He is the true God and there is non like Him. Take care

Zack_Tiang said...

Oh, I'm sorry, Mike. Thanks for correcting me for my wrong associating.

Nevertheless, the statement holds true. You may have know that God is there or that Jesus is Lord... you may have believed it... but did/do you realize the significance of that belief?

The demons believed in God and not only that, they shudder or tremble in fear of Him. (It needs not be explicitly stated why they shudder, since the context speaks of why they shudder/tremble in fear)
You and I may believe Jesus is Lord or that there is only one God and He is Lord. But is that all there is to God? That He's just some Being up there that we acknowledge?

Jesus told us in Matthew 17 (hopefully my memory versing is improving) that not everyone, who comes to Him saying 'Lord, Lord' or having done great miracles in His name, will enter the kingdom of God... why? Because He did not know them, and He will command them, "Begone, you evildoers."