Grace Christian Fellowship: Christian Teachings from Acts

Acts 11 "How to Defend Truth"

Last week we saw how Peter shared the gospel with the Roman centurian Cornelius in Ceasarea. Especially we saw how God had to work with him to get him past his racial prejudice so that he could share the love of Jesus with Gentiles.
This week we will see what the response of the rest of the church was to this new move of the Holy Spirit.

"Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!" (Acts 11:1-3)

This was an unfortunate response on the part of the Jerusalem church, but not a surprising one. Because ultimately the sin of prejudice is not just an individual sin, but a community sin. It is reinforced by the community and must be repented of, not only on the individual level but also on the community level. When Peter got back to Jerusalem he had to face criticism of his actions towards the Gentiles. He was put under pressure to continue the status quo. Peter's response to this pressure is instructive. "Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning" The basic cause of prejudice is ignorance and the fear that ignorance breeds. Peter has learned different, stands up for what he believes and shines light into the ignorance of their hearts.

saying: "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. "When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. "And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' "But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.' "But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'what God has cleansed you must not call common.' "Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. "At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. "Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing, Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. "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, 'who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.' "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. "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.' "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?" (Acts 11:4-17)

My natural tendency is to blow people away with my superior logic, or blast people with my moral indignation. Argue the point until they are defeated in the arena of intellect or storm in and shame them into submission. But as I have mentioned to you before. "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still" These kind of tactics only gratify myself and those who I am trying to persuade are only convinced of my temper.
Peter bases his arguement on three things. And I think we will be well advised to follow his example. There are times when we should stand up for what we believe in. But follow the road that Peter took.
First, begin with humility. Peter does this by showing how he first had to be instructed by God in the same matter. How he too was reluctant to believe that the Gentiles could be saved. This puts him into the position of his attackers, rather than perched above them. Before he can instruct them in their prejudice he needs to show his own weakness in that area. He tells them about how God needed to command him three times about the unclean food and how this prepared him for the gentile visitors.
Perhaps you want to share your faith with friends. Do you know that few non-Christians know how to be saved? Most people assume that Christians were always such. That they were born into Christian families or that they have a natural inclination toward religion or they come from a Christian country. One of the most powerful expressions of your faith is to tell your friend how you came to know Christ. What your life was like before and how it has changed. Sometimes it is humbling to tell about the mistakes of your past, but these testimonies go much farther to attract people to Christ than any sermon on their sinfulness compared to the holiness of God.
Second, Peter shares his direct experience. What has God done? Well, the little bit that I know is this. He directed me out of my prejudice and directed Cornelius to me. And not only that but He poured out the Holy Spirit on them just like He did when we first believed. Peter shares what He has been witness to. What he knows well. You know I have noticed just by preaching to you, that as I share this truth or that truth out of the scriptures you listen politely, but when I start to talk about something that has happened in my own life, your heads snap up and you listen much more carefully. You see, as long as we are sharing general scriptural truths, we are really talking philosophy. But when we switch to experience, it becomes real life.
You probably have all answered a knock on your door to the sight of two well dressed men or women at your door who would like to talk with you about religion. And even though you are already a member of a Christian church they would still like to talk. They usually want to talk the philosophy. And they have been trained well in how to poke holes in the logic of the Bible. Their spiritual mission is confusion. Satan uses these well meaning people, to shake your faith, to stir up doubts. Like those who contended with Peter they wish to strip you of the belief that you have gained. But do you know the best way to talk to people like this? A dear professor in seminary taught me how. He told me that he used to rub his hands with glee when the cults came knocking on his door, because he is a trained theologian. It is like the spider inviting the fly into the parlor. The cultists would present their arguments and then he could blow it away with the truth of the Bible. But he realised that though he could win every argument, he never won a soul. So then he switched to a different tactic, instead of reaching for the Greek New Testament, he would counter their attack, with "That may be so, but let me tell you what Jesus Christ has done for me." And then he would share practical examples of the peace and joy and love that has entered his life since he met Jesus. You see we can argue back and forth about the philosophy, but the experience is rooted in deep. Peter's attackers could give this reason and that why he should not eat and fellowship with gentiles, but when Peter told them how God poured out the Holy Spirit upon them, there was nothing that they could say.
Third, Peter backed up his experience with God with the Scripture. This is important, because there are many imposters out there who would try to convince people that they know what God's will is. Jesus warned that there are wolves who would come in to prey on the sheep. But not only are there predators, but we also want to keep ourselves from being misled. All of us have had experiences with the church or with Christians that are surely not what God had in mind. Especially when God is guiding into something new, it is time for us as Christians to go to the word of God. Peter checked the Word of God after this radical experience with Cornelius. "God, am I out of your will here?" And "Then he remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
When we share our faith with others it is important to back up our words with the Word of God. We are not just making it up. I talked with a woman last week who has been far from God but would like to renew her Christian faith. And I shared with her how God is faithful to us even though we are unfaithful to Him. How in my life even though sometimes I feel as if He is far away, it is usually I who has left God behind. And if I turn back to Him, He is right there willing to accept me back. "Oh, Is this really true?" Yes, look with me at II Timothy 2:12 "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." This woman was so eager to write down the chapter and number of the verse!
Three ways that Peter shared his faith that God has no prejudice against the gentiles; First he started with humility, sharing his own need to be taught in the matter. Second, he shared his own experience with God. Third, he backed up that experience with the Word of God.
"When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." (Acts 11:18)

Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of the God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people.

And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. And in these days prophets come from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

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