Lesson #7 (Chapters 11 & 12) Peter Explains Baptizing Gentiles and the Church Grows

Peter Reports to the Jerusalem Church: Acts 11 1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” The Church is Scattered into Antioch of Syria 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. I. Saul of Tarsus RE-ENTERS the Acts narrative HERE in chapter 11; He had been “waiting for God’s direction … II. The Biblical Principle of Waiting

A. Moses tended sheep on the plains of Midian for 40 years (until age 80)

B. David was anointed King by Samuel, then David waited 13 years before he reigned as King

C. Elijah confronted the “evil empire” then stayed at the brook Cherith for 1½ years; then he moved to obscure Zarephath

D. Joseph, would-be- Prime-Minister of Egypt: but first he would be slave, house-boy, accused rapist, and prison dweller

E. Esther would courageously face her husband to King (Persia); but she first spent years in the shadows --- waiting

F. How does your resume read? … Typically God’s way has a lot of “waiting in it”

Psalms 27:14 NIV Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalms 37:7 NIV Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.

Psalms 37:34 NIV Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you.

Psalms 62:5 NIV Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

Psalms 91:1 NIV He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the

Almighty.

Psalms 94:17-19 NIV Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. Isaiah 40:31 NIV Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 49:23 NIV Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.

Hosea 12:6 NIV You must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.

G. “Hurry” is rarely in scriptures; “hurry up” is more in our vocabulary because WAITING goes against human nature

III. Finding Saul in the Shadows

A. Saul in Tarsus for 5 or 6 years; Paul will later reflect on what he learned

Romans 8:25 NIV But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

B. Our culture says just the opposite: “If you’ve got it, FLAUNT it” … “Go for it”

… “You deserve it” … “Name recognition is everything” (no reference to the depth of your character or motive of your actions)

IV. Meanwhile, A Revival is Happening among Gentiles without Saul’s Help\

V. Church was growing by leaps and bounds:

Acts 11:19-21 NIV Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:22 NIV News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

A. Barnabas (from Cyprus – Acts 4:36) knew culture, people, an encourager

B. “Saul will fit right in” … and he did! The Church MULTIPLIED

Acts 11:23,24 NIV When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy

Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

C. If you want to grow the church, bring people to the Lord

VI. Meanwhile, Saul of Tarsus was likely hunkered down in a cave near Tarsus!

(Much later, Paul will recall what was happening to him! … 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NIV I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know — God knows. And I know that this man — whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows — was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

2 Corinthians 12:7,9-10 NIV To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me … But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

VII. The Time for Saul to Emerge from the Shadows

A. Antioch is swelling with new converts to Christ and Barnabas needs help

Acts 11:25-26 NIV Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

B. Saul made a difference because Saul was DIFFERENT … in the shadow of the Almighty he had been humbled

Four Principles for Waiting:

1st: When God prepares a person for effective ministry, He includes what the person would rather omit – (a period of WAITING!)

2nd: As God makes a person wait, He shows that person is that he/she is not indispensable – that’s humbling!

3rd: While hiding the person away, He reveals new dimensions the Word (The Bible)– giving understanding!

4th: When God finally chooses to use the person, it comes at a time least expected, when he/she feels least qualified (more effective!) 27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. James is Killed and Peter is Imprisoned Acts 12 1About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Peter Is Rescued by An Angel 6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place. 18 Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

The Death of Herod 20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. 24 But the word of God increased and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.