Acts 11:4-18 – Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ 8 “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. 11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
“Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story.” The writer of Acts told the whole story in the previous chapter. Here he tells the story again. In those days they wrote on scrolls and the scripture was written on scrolls up to about thirty-five feet long. Any longer than that and they became hard to handle and possibly, to protect. So scripture was thrifty with words. So why did Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tell the story twice. Since he had just told the story he could have just stopped with V4. Jon Courson (Applegate Christian Fellowship) offers that it is because of the importance of the subject matter. Family, even today, in all nations, and certainly among the most materially prosperous nations, it is easy to harden our hearts to those outside our borders, not only physical borders but the borders of our church property. But as many Believers still do, we reach out beyond our borders with missionaries, evangelism and by supporting God’s work in other nations. Still, it is a lesson of vast importance. God welcomes all (Titus 2:11, John 3:16, Romans 10:13, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9). It is not as some suppose that God has made some to be destined for hell with no way of escape. The Word of God is clear, there is no favoritism as the offer of salvation through the Gospel is meant for all. Oh the evil doctrine that says otherwise. Oh the evil that it proposes to put upon the very heart of God! It is anathema that the Holy Spirit addressed way back then. Let us purge it from all Christianity. God welcomes all.
Vs 5-17 Peter recounts what we reviewed in Chapter 10.
““I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord!” Peter knew that He was speaking with Jesus. He would call no other man or being Lord. Only God was his Lord. So it is Jesus Himself who was expressing God’s will that salvation through Jesus is offered to all men.
“The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them.” The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our guide, our caretaker and helper as we walk this earth (John 14:26, Jude 1:20, Romans 8:26-27). Peter clearly states that the Spirit of God told him not to hesitate. Yes, he talked with God. Family, it is a shame that talking with the Holy Spirit is so infrequently taught. Today when one mentions what God “said” to them people think that the person who says such things is crazy. Even many Christians think so. What, talk to God? Yes, we talk to God! We carry on conversations with God. 2 Corinthians 13:14 states “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Now we are quick to acknowledge that grace of Jesus applies to all of us, and that the love of God applies to us all, yet some who teach would like to erase the part about the fellowship we have with the Holy Spirit. Family, those teaching anyone, no matter their supposed erudition, that we cannot speak with God and hear from Him, are telling lies from the devil. The first thing that the devil did in the Garden of Eden was to attack the communication between mankind and God. We would not say that we have fellowship with anyone without talking to them. It is absurd. It is a great blessing to fellowship with God the Holy Spirit. He “mothers” us. He gives us wise advice, steers us away from evil, comforts us in times of need, He always wants to spend time with us and He is the seal of God’s love to us. Much of the work of God the Holy Spirit is like a mother to us, it is so kind, loving and forgiving. Godly mamas teach us the love, kindness and care of the God the Holy Spirit. Now we know that mamas want to “fellowship” with us. It is a purpose and the desire of the Holy Spirit to talk with us. The love of God is shown to us through Jesus. The fellowship of God is given through the Holy Spirit. Yet remember that God is three in one and one in three. No degree of separation. No mixing together as only one. Family, if we have never had a close, intimate relationship with God the Holy Spirit then we have been cheated. Start today, He is waiting, so to speak, for the phone to ring. Just like our mamas always do, or did.
““As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.” As previously noted in our studying Chapter 10, Peter now confirms that what happened to the Apostles and disciples at Pentecost happened to the Gentiles. God gave these gentiles the same power to be His witnesses as He gave the Apostles. Family, the Apostles who wrote the scriptures were a unique group. But God did not empower them to minister and then leave us to do it on our own (Zechariah 4:6). He also gave us the Holy Spirit. Let’s fellowship with Him daily and let Him guide and empower us to live the life that God has crafted for us as individuals and as members of the Body of Christ.
“When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”” Peter did as God told him to do. He gave the Gospel to the Gentiles and taught that they are full recipients of it. This Jewish man overcame false teachings of his family and religious beliefs to fully embrace the Truth of the love and full acceptance of all who come to God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we read the Word of God, as we do so while in full fellowship with the Holy Spirit of God, He will reveal God’s Word to us and then let us embrace the Truth of it and let that Truth forever change our lives to lead lives of God’s love, which is the basis for any walk with Christ. Family, fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Let Him teach, guide and prepare us. Who but God knows how He will use us? What a great adventure! Oh the mysteries and wonders of God! God is good all the time and He loves us!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.