Study of Acts
Acts # 14
Chapter Eleven
In Chapter eleven we see some oppositon to the gospel being preached to the Gentiles. Peter was being accused of fellowshipping with them. We can relate to this by seeing the reaction of some to salvation of others. Some time we can not get past the past life’s of people. We want to hold their past against them. We do not want to forgive people we do not want to give them a chance to grow in the Christian life. That is what is happening in this text of Scripture. Some of the Jewish Christians are having a problem with Gentiles becoming Christians. The reason is because they have been taught the Gentiles were dogs and that God did not care about anybody but the Jewish nation.
In this chapter we will see Peter defend his action and also we will see that salvation also coming to all races in the city of Antioch. Another thing we will see is that Paul will be coming back into the scene and will be taking a major part from this point to the end of the book of Acts.
I. The opposition that arose at because of the Salvation of Gentiles. 11:1-18
NOTE: There will always be opposition when so called undesirable people come to Jesus Christ. People will question the motives. People will say that is not the kind of Person that we want in this group. People will question the motives of the one that presents the Gospel. They might be asked what their agenda.
A. The word was spread that the Gentiles had received the Word of God. 1
B. The Jewish Christians took issue with Peter because he shared the Gospel with undesirable people.
C. Peter told of the events that lead him to do that.
1. Peter re-told the story.
2. Peter remembered the words of Jesus.
3. Peter realized he could not stand in the way of God.
D. The reaction of the others.
1. They quieted down.
2. The glorified God because they understood that God now allowed Gentiles salvation also.
II. The Gospel is spread to other parts of the world. 11:19-24
A. It was spread by those that were fleeing because of the persecution that Started when Stephen was murdered.
B. The Gospel spread to major cities of that Day.
1. Phoenicia: This was a reach sea port city. It was a very wealthy city. It was a narrow strip of land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Lebanon Mountains.
2. Cyprus: Is a large island in the eastern Med. It was and important source for timber and copper. It was am major trade center.
3. Antioch: This was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. It also was a sea port. (Antioch was the second most important city in the spread of Christianity.)
C. The preachers of the Gospel.
1. There was one set of people that were preaching to the Jews only.
2. There were some from Cyprus and Cyrene speaking to the Greeks.
a. They were preaching Jesus.
b. The hand of the Lord was on them.
c. Many people were being Saved.
D. The news spread to Jerusalem and they sent some one to help. Barnabas.
E. The arrival of Barnabas.
1. He witnesses the Grace of God.
2. He rejoiced in what he saw.
3. He began to encourage them to be true.
F. The description of Barnabas.
1. He was a good Man.
2. He was full of the Holy Spirit.
3. He was full of Faith.
4. He was an effective evangelist. (Many people came to the Lord.)
III. The return of Saul.
NOTE: Barnabas needed help so we went to find Saul. Barnabas was Saul discipler. He wanted Saul to be in on the things that were going on. He needed someone that he could really on to help him.
A. Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Saul.
B. Saul returned and they taught considerable numbers about the Lord.
NOTE: If you remember the great commission it tells us to go and make disciples, teaching them about the statues of the Lord. This is what Saul and Barnabas were doing at this time. Many people had become disciples (They had received Christ as their Lord and Savior now they need to be taught.)
The term Christian was first used in Antioch. The term Christian is only found two other times in scripture Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16. In all three instances it is a term used by outsiders to designate followers of Christ. The first Christian writer to use the term to designate Christians was Ignatius, bishop of Antioch around the turn of the second century.
The word Christian the Greek word christos which means Christ or to the Jews Messiah. The ending of the word is Latin ianus which means belonging to, identified by.
IV. The recognition of a Prophet.
A. They came from Jerusalem to Antioch.
B. The prophecy that was made.
1. It was made by Agabus
2. It was a prophecy of Famine.
NOTE: Luke made sure to tell us that this prophecy was fulfilled in a certain time.
C. The result of the Prophecy.
1. If any of the disciples had means they gave.
2. They sent an offering to Judea to help with the church there.
D. The couriers were Saul and Barnabas.
The lessons that we can learn in the church today from what we saw in chapter eleven are simple we see in the first part of the chapter that there will be opposition when so called undesirable people come to Christ, or when some take part in church leadership.
We also can learn from the second part of chapter eleven that God will do great thing if we just give Him the chance.
We saw the biblical example of Evangelism, which is to make disciples then train them in the way of Christ. So they might go out and make more disciples.
We also saw the biblical example of proving a prophet, to see if what they foretold will come true.
