Lesson Notes

Introduction

• Studying the Book of Acts to see how the Holy Spirit empowered and propelled the early church out into a hostile world that it turned “upside down”
  • I pray that will happen again now and that we’ll be part of it!
  • We’ve looked at the early church in Jerusalem, particularly the apostles transformed by the Holy Spirit
  • But the church still hasn’t gone anywhere! That’s about to change!
• Key verse – Acts 1: 8 – the structure and plot of the book of Acts
• We come to a key story that unlocks the rest of Acts – the definitive inclusion of Gentiles into God’s Kingdom
• Focus returns to Peter, for the final time in Acts.
• The last few verses of chapter 9 reveal Peter working miracles in the name of Jesus comparable to those Jesus did – healing someone long paralyzed and raising the dead.
• This builds Peter’s credibility for the remarkable events of chapters 10-11!
• First – a few notes about the Epistle of Barnabas – because Angie asked last week
  • 3 ancient writings labelled with Barnabas – Epistle, Acts, and Gospel of Barnabas
  • Acts of Barnabas (5th century, concerned with church politics and Cypriot church)
  • Gospel of Barnabas (written in medieval times, Spanish or Italian) with significant false content influenced by Muslim interpretation of Christianity
  • Epistle of Barnabas is an ancient writing of the “Apostolic Fathers” – the first generation of writings after the New Testament, until around 150 AD
    • Somewhere in the 70-140 AD timeframe and circulated widely
    • Attributed to Barnabas in late 2nd, early 3rd centuries, though unlikely
    • Popular and useful in the day, but understood it wasn’t Scriptural
    • Probably written in Alexandria, Egypt
    • Teaches an allegorical interpretation of the Old Testament – that because it all points to Christ it was never meant to be taken literally by the Jews

Cornelius’ Vision

Read Acts 10: 1-8

• Verse 1 – Introduced to Cornelius – a centurion – officer over 100 men
• Verse 2 – A good man – devout and God-fearing, generous, a man of prayer
  • A God-fearer loved Israel’s God, but didn’t convert to Judaism – connected with a synagogue to some degree
  • His household was also God-fearing
• Verse 3-6 – The vision at 3 pm
  • An angel commends his faithfulness – God has received his gifts and prayers
  • Send men to Joppa (31 miles south) to bring Peter
• Verses 7-8 – He sends two servants, presumably Jewish, plus a God-fearing soldier to Joppa

Peter’s Vision & Meeting with Cornelius

Read Acts 10: 9-33

• Here we’ll see once again the key activity of the Holy Spirit
• Verses 9-16 – Peter’s vision at noon
  • Verse 10 – Peter has a vision while hungry and praying
  • Verse 12 – sees all sort of “unclean” animals forbidden to be eaten by the Law
  • Verse 13 – Hears the voice to rise, kill, and eat
  • Verse 14 – Peter rejects the command, despite knowing it’s from God – I’ve never eaten something uncommon or unclean
  • Verse 15 – Key verse, “What God has made clean, do not call common”
    • Combined with the events at the end of the chapter 10, this turns aside Old Testament food laws, ceremonial laws about clean and unclean things, etc.
  • Verse 16 – 3-fold repetition for emphasis – Jesus talks to Peter in 3s after the denial
• Verse 17 – All of these events are God’s perfect timing!
  • As Peter is confused about this vision, the men sent by Cornelius arrived!
  • Verse 19 – The Spirit tells Peter to go with them WITHOUT hesitation – He sent them
  • Verse 22 – They introduce Cornelius and explain his worthiness and angelic encounter
• Verse 23 – After giving hospitality they set out the next morning, with some witnesses
• Verse 24 – I love this – Cornelius was waiting and had invited friends and relatives!!!
• Verse 25 – Cornelius tries to worship Peter and Peter picks him up
• Verse 28 – Peter emphasizes how against the Mosaic Law it was for him to be in this house
  • But he learned the lesson of the vision – don’t call anyone common or unclean
  • Everyone is created in God’s image and worthy of respect, love, and the gospel!
• Verse 29 – Peter asks why he’s here and Cornelius explains his vision
• Verse 33 – Climactic moment – “we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.“

Gentiles Hear & Respond to the Gospel

Read Acts 10: 34-48

• Verses 34-35 – Peter’s learned his lesson well – God shows no partiality based on race or ethnicity! Anyone who loves and obeys Him and acceptable
• Verses 36-43 – Peter’s Gospel presentation
  • Preaching good news of peace through Jesus, the Christ, the Lord of all – statement of authority and divinity
  • His miracles, His death by crucifixion as a curse (hanging on a tree), His resurrection, and His appearances to them
  • The gospel needs to incorporate Christ’s divinity, death, and bodily resurrection
  • Verse 41 emphasizes the bodily resurrection – eating and drinking
  • Verse 42 – commission to the apostles to preach – Jesus will be judge of all life
  • Verse 43 – all the prophets – Old Testament Scripture points to Jesus
  • Offer of forgiveness of sins – salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone
• Verse 44 – As Peter was still speaking – the Holy Spirit falls on everyone who was listening
  • They’ve put their faith in Christ even before Peter finishes
  • The Spirit visibly comes on them – immediately upon faith, preceding baptism
• Verse 45 – Key point – why is the falling of the Spirit so obvious in this case?
  • It blows the mind of the Jewish Christians with Peter that Gentiles could receive the Holy Spirit
  • Without having converted to Judaism first!
  • They were used to Gentiles being able to come somewhat close to God, but no further; viewed the Holy Spirit as reserved for Jews
  • No! Holy Spirit is for every believer in Christ – “even on the Gentiles”
  • Verse 46 – The witnesses from Joppa heard them speaking in tongues – clear, indisputable evidence from multiple witnesses that God has included Gentiles in His plan of salvation
• Verses 47-48 – Like Philip with the eunuch – any reason not to baptize them? No! And they were immediately baptized
  • Verse 48 – Peter stayed a few more days, presumably to teach

Reporting to the Church

Read Acts 11: 1-18

• Verse 1 – the rest of the church, especially leadership, throughout Judea heard about this group of Gentiles being preached to by Peter
• Verses 2-3 – as is sadly very common when there is evangelistic success, a group back in the church – “the circumcision party” was ready to criticize you for associating with the wrong sort of people rather than delighting in their salvation
  • This was a group demanding strict observance of Judaism for Christians – we’ll deal with them again in chapter 15 and Paul talks about them in Galatians
  • Don’t let it discourage you, but be prepared – you’re in good company!!!
• Verse 4 – Peter then recapped everything we just talked about in chapter 10
• Verse 15-17 – the central importance of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit
  • The point I’ve been making about these unusual appearances of the Spirit in early Acts – specifically to convince established Christians that a new class of believers were actually believers
• Verse 18 – and the church listened and glorified God for what He did for Gentiles!
  • Gentile inclusion is HUGE! The great prophecies are fulfilled  – blessings for all nations, a light to the gentiles

The Church at Antioch

Read Acts 11: 19-30

• Verse 19 – picks up on the scattering that took place at the beginning of chapter 8
  • After Stephens’ death, most of the church scattered throughout the Empire
  • As they scattered, most only preached to Jews (except for Philip)
  • We know that the message was meant for all people, so other than the eunuch and Cornelius, how does the church begin to spread and bless all nations?
  • It begins here at Antioch!
• Verse 20 – Antioch was probably the 3rd largest city in the Roman Empire, it was a very cosmopolitan place in modern day Syria
  
  • Christians there shared Christ with Greek-speaking Gentiles
  • A great many believed by the power of God!
• Verse 22 – the Jerusalem church heard and sent Barnabas to check things out
• Barnabas saw this was a legitimate Christ movement and preached and encouraged
  • We see his qualifications, which don’t relate to any particular skill set or training, but his character and that he is Spirit-filled and faithful -> and encouraging!
  • The church in Antioch continued to grow
  • The first truly multi-ethnic church – Jews and Gentiles, plus various nationalities
  • When faced with a rapidly growing church, Barnabas wisely recognized he needed help pastoring and discipling them all
• Verse 25 – Travels to Tarsus to find Saul – who’s likely been there for about 7 years since Barnabas vouched for his faith in Jerusalem
• Verse 26 – Barnabas and Saul teach/pastor the church for a year
  • Important preparation for them as the Holy Spirit will soon send them on mission to fulfill Christ’s purpose for Saul, to preach Christ to gentiles, Jews, and kings
  • People started to call them “Christians” – an outsider term vs. “The Way”
  • Prior to this, Christianity was largely understood to be a sect within Judaism – now outsiders are beginning to realize it’s a distinct religion and not just for Jews
• Verses 27-30 – the prophecy of coming famine and the church sends relief to Jerusalem
  • Barnabas and Saul take the gift to the church leaders in Jerusalem
  • Elders are leading the church – a transition away from the Apostles specifically leading day-to-day church operations
  • Probably sometime between 45-47 AD
    • Galatians says altogether 14 years from when Saul encountered Christ

Homework

Read Acts 13-15 in preparation for Ends of the Earth: Paul’s Mission to Asia