Things to keep in
mind as Jesus began to call the Gentiles. |
The Holy Spirit was carrying out God
and Jesus’ orders from heaven to people on earth. |
The church
outside Jerusalem |
Peter’s mission outside Jerusalem in Palestine
9:32-35. He healed Aeneas and preached in Lydda and Sharon. A church was planted. 9:36-43. He raised a dead woman named Tabitha (Dorcas) and many people believed in Joppa. |
11:1-18. Peter
prepared the “apostles and brothers throughout Judea” to accept the Gentiles. |
The Lord was on the “second leg” of His evangelism
program. 1:8. |
The apostles were
baptized with the Holy Spirit, 1:5, 2:4. Others filled, 6:3. |
Jesus had taught in
Samaria, John 4:41. Philip taught and baptized there. 8:12. |
10:1-8. God prepared Cornelius and his house-
hold to be the first Gentiles to receive the full gospel of Jesus Christ. See Eph. 2:11-13. The messenger from God was an angel. |
11:19-26. Church at Antioch. Jews only had been taught. |
Jesus is reigning at the right hand of God.2:36; 7:56. | Miraculous signs,
healing, driving out evil spirits, 5:12-16 |
The eunuch went
home to Ethiopia as a Christian, 8:39. |
10:9-16. God prepared Peter to associate with
Gentiles. God used a vision to make His point. “Do not call anything impure God has made clean.” |
Later, preachers from offshore
taught Greeks. |
God is fulfilling
promises to: Abraham, Moses, David. 2:16, 34; 3:22-26. |
Angels and the Spirit
guided Philip, 8:26, 39. Language prob-lems eliminated, 2:6-8. Gave message, 4:8. |
Ananias, a Christian,
was already in Damascus when Saul arrived, 9:10. |
10:17-26. The Holy Spirit intervened to guide
Peter to Cornelius’ house in Caesarea. The first scene we see is a Roman Centurion falling at a fisherman’s feet. “Stand up,” Peter said, “I am only a man myself.” 10:26. |
Barnabas and Saul arrived in Antioch. Taught one year.
Great numbers called Christians. |
The Jewish rulers
were resisting Jesus’ as Prince and Savior. They flogged the apostles, 5:40. Stephen was stoned to death, 7:57-59. Disciples were put in prison, 8:3. Still the number of the saved increased to thousands: In Jerusalem, 6:7. In Judea, Galilee, Samaria, 9:31.
|
Believers who had
their sins removed in the processes of the new birth had fellowship and help of the Holy Spirit – if they remained faithfully obedient. See 2:38, 39; 4:31; 5:32. Two people lied to the Holy Spirit. They both died Instantly, 5:1-11. One tried to buy the apostles’ gift, 8:18-24. Told to repent and pray. |
Jews from many
nations heard Peter and the apostles preach Jesus on Pentecost. 2:5ff. Many were converted before they were scattered, 2:41; 8:1. Saul preached Jesus was the Christ In Damascus (9:22) and Arabia for three years (Gal. 1:17, 18). Then he was sent home to Tarsus, 9:30. He taught in Cilicia and Syria. Gal. 1:21-23. |
10:27-48. Peter spoke after Cornelius said, “Now
we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Note: Peter’s message was from Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit. He was not Reverend Peter, or a holy man, cardinal or a pope. The message: Point one. “God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.” Vs. 34, 35. Point two. “You know.” The audience knew every thing about Jesus’ life ministry. Peter finished the rest of the story for them. The Jews killed Jesus but God raised Him up as judge of the living and dead. The Holy Spirit manifested His presence to assure everyone present of God’s approval. Point three. “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? V. 47. |
12:1-19. The persecution of
the church was now from King Herod. James, the apostle, was put to death. Peter was put in prison. Jesus sent an angel to free him 12:19-25. Jesus sent an angel to strike Herod dead with worms. “The word of God continued to increase and spread.”12:24. |
The chart on the foregoing page consists of five columns. They should be read from the top of the page down. Please read the heading of the first three column and read down on each. The last two columns are designed to lead the reader through the narratives in the text. Start at the top of column four and following the numbering of the scriptures down. Return to the top of column five and proceed.
Then the church thoughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. Acts 9:31
In this narrative Jesus Christ was ready to start taking the gospel about His roles as Prince and Savior in the kingdom of God “to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8. Even though He had already appointed the Apostle Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles, He will send Peter to invite the first Gentile in Palestine into the fellowship of the church (10:14, 47, 48). His name was , Cornelius. Jesus’ wisdom for using Peter may be understood as follows:
- Saul, who had become the Apostle Paul had returned from Damascus and Arabia, not with Christian prisioners, but as a powerful preacher of the gospel (9:19, 20). However, since “the Jews conspired to kill him,” he would have made the welcoming of the Gentiles more difficult (9:23).
- Jesus did not build a church with the Jews and Gentiles in a separate fellowship (Rom. 15:5-9). Paul could have been viewed as a rebel who had lost his high position with the Jews and turned to the Gentiles for followers (Phil. 3:4-6). Consequently, Jesus sent Peter, a devout Jew, to the Gentiles.
In fact, Jesus’ church is not divided (John 17:20, 21; I Cor. 1:10-13). The presence of the Holy Spirit’s work in Jesus’