Call to Commitment

  

Chapter 13, part 1

 

Paul's 1st missionary journey

The New Church at Antioch

        1.     Now in the church that was at Antioch     there were certain prophets and teachers:  Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,  Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been  brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and   Saul. 

        2.      As they ministered to the Lord and    fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate  to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to  which I have called them." 

3.      Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. 

In chapter 11 of Acts, we began to learn of the new church at Antioch. Luke said that after the martyrdom of Stephen, persecution broke out in Jerusalem and some Christians arrived at Antioch, preaching only to Jews (Ac. 11:19). However, after Peter´s experience in Caesaria with the Roman centurion, Cornelius, a great breakthrough came and evangelists, from the isle of Cyprus and from the African nation of Cyrene, began to preach to Greek-speaking Gentile people (Ac. 11:20). Luke records that a great number of Gentiles turned to the Lord (Ac. 11:21). There began the history of the church in Antioch, after the salvation of Jews and Gentiles.

 We learned that Barnabas was sent to Antioch from Jerusalem (Ac. 11:22). He encouraged the new believers (Ac. 11:23) and, through his anointed evangelism, many more were added to the Antioch church (Ac. 11:24). Soon, Barnabas left for Tarsus, looking for Saul, as Tarsus was Saul’s native city (Ac. 11:25), and Saul joined him in the edification of the Antioch church (Ac. 11:26). In chapter 11, in fact, in the closing verse, we learned that they had returned to Jerusalem from Antioch, bringing with them an offering for the believers there (Ac. 11:30).  Then, they returned to Antioch and took John Mark, who is Barnabas’ nephew, with them. Mary, Mark’s mother, is probably Barnabas’ sister, for had she been his sister-in-law, his father, being Barnabas’ brother, would be mentioned (Ac. 12:25).

 Besides Barnabas and Saul, prophets from Jerusalem began to gather in Antioch (Ac. 11:27). The first verse of this chapter 13, mentions also Simeon Niger, Lucius from Cyrene (possibly, one who evangelized Antioch earlier… 11:20), and Manaen, interestingly a close acquaintance of Herod Antipas, who assassinated John the Baptist and joined with Pilate in Christ’s trial. Manaen is now a Christian and leader in the church at Antioch, along with these four others, who were prophets and teachers. It is another verse that shows that prophecy was a ministry in the New Testament church, composed of Jews and Gentiles (see also Acts 2:17, 18; 1 Co. 14:1; Eph. 4:11, 12).

 

Rhoda ran to tell that Peter was knocking

 

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

1.      Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 

2.      Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 

3.      And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 

4.      So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 

5.      Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 

 There are several kings named Herod in the Gospels and the book of Acts, so let us distinguish this one in Acts 12. This is Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great, who met the wise men and killed the babies from two years old and under, in and around Bethlehem. Herod Agrippa was the nephew of Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist. He was brother to Herodias, wife of Antipas and father to Agrippa, to whom Paul, the apostle, made his defense in Caesarea.

 Having identified this king, we can see the cruelty and godlessness that ran in this family. David’s prophecy in Psalms 2, pointed especially to the two men, who participated in the unjust judgment of Christ… Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas, the murderer of John the Baptist. The disciples identified these two, when they prayed, according to the will of God, by the word of God in Acts 4: “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate” (Ac. 4:27), and then, they added, “with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together.”  The common Roman soldiers and the common Jewish people joined with their leaders against the word and will of God.

 However, Herod Agrippa certainly fulfills David’s prophecy in Psalms 2 also and took his stand “against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bands in pieces and cast away Their cords from us’” (Ps. 2:2, 3).  He comes on the scene later, “to harass some from the church,” and to attack the church, is to attack the Lord and His Anointed (v. 1). He killed James the brother of John, the first of the original disciples to magnify in his body the Lord Jesus, by martyrdom (Ph. 1:20). Apparently, he was beheaded with a sword. James, along with John, were two of the first disciples called by Jesus, when they were with their father and his boat, repairing their nets (Mt. 4:21). He was one of three, who was often separated by the Lord, to more closely observe His works. He was so assured of the truth of the gospel that he was willing to lay down his life for it (v. 2).  

  

 

             Peter’s defense accepted in the Jerusalem church        

1.      Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 

2.      And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,

3.      saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!" 

4.      But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 

5.        "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 

6.      When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 

7.      And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' 

8.      But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.' 

9.      But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' 

10.  Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 

11.  At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 

12.  Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 

13.  And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 

14.  who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.' 

15.  And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 

16.  Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 

17.  If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" 

18.  When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."  

Peter was a member of the church of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. When he went back to Jerusalem, after the excellent time passed among the Gentiles in Caesaria, he returned to an unpleasant controversy. He had been rejoicing in the will of God and in the liberty of the Holy Spirit, but now he faced head-on religious zeal and fleshly opinions. In chapter 15, we will see the same spring up for the second time, because of the ministry of Paul and Barnabas.

 The book of Acts is a kind of genesis for the church and we learn of things, which keep repeating throughout its history. Peter, and later Paul and Barnabas, began to walk in a pure and fresh movement, opened to them by the Holy Spirit. There was a certain innocence about it, because it never entered their mind that fellow believers would take offense with what they were experiencing. They thought that all Christians would rejoice with them at the new ground that is gained for the cause of Christ. However, opposition formed in the church, which was not unlike the resistance by Pharisees and Sadducees in the time of Christ. 

 

 

Peter enters Cornelius' - a Gentile - house

 

Peter enters a Gentile House

       24. And the following day they entered                            Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting                          for them,  and had called together his                            relatives and close friends. 

      25. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him                and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

      26. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man." 

      27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 

      28. Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep

            company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not   

            call any man common or unclean. 

29. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what

       reason have you sent for me?" 

30. So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I

       prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 

31. and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in

       the sight of God. 

32. Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in

       the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.' 

33. So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are

        all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God." 

 In the first part of this chapter, I referred to the return trip to Caesarea and that Jewish brethren from Joppa accompanied Peter (v. 23). People spend thousands of dollars on higher education, but Cornelius is going to receive teaching from a higher source and Peter is the messenger, who will bring it to him. He had been busy gathering his relatives and friends into his house to hear the gospel, the most wonderful news that has ever entered human ears (v. 24).

Cornelius met Peter and fell down to worship him (v. 25). Now, we know that his action must be corrected immediately, but let us not be too harsh with the man. Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah, who saw people going into all the world, and he said this about them, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things” (Ro. 10:15). People are known for handsome figures and faces, but Cornelius saw something more beautiful… beautiful feet that carried the gospel to his home!

 

What God has cleansed is not common

Acts 10, Part 1

 

God works in a Roman centurion  

         1.      There was a certain man in Caesarea called           Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the             Italian Regiment, 

         2.      a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 

3.      About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" 

4.      And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 

5.      Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 

6.      He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do." 

7.      And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 

8.      So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.  

A paralytic was healed in Lydda and Dorcas was raised from the dead in Joppa. Many people came to the Lord through these miracles. One would think that Peter’s journey from Jerusalem to these two cities would have been a total success and his mission had been fulfilled. But no, God had something else in mind, as the main purpose, for which the apostle was called out of Jerusalem. There is something to be learned from this: God’s will has not been fully accomplished, because we see obvious miracles and success before our eyes. From the beginning of the journey, God had Caesaria in mind and a Roman centurion. There are workers, who can tell of many years of successful ministry, before realizing the great central purpose, for which the Lord had called them.

 We have reached a crucial point in Luke’s account of the spreading of the gospel. Gradually, it has unfolded, as the initial church formed in Jerusalem. We saw it spread throughout Judea and Samaria. The half-breed and despised Samaritans received the gospel and an Ethiopian proselyte to the Jewish faith, as well. Next, we saw the conversion, the preparation and the beginning of the ministry of Saul of Tarsis. He is to called by God to be the apostle to the Gentiles.