The First Gentile Church – part 2
Acts 11:1-30 (19-30)
September 16, 2012
Last time we met we covered the first part of this very important chapter.
We find here the beginning of the very first ever Gentile church.
And as we said this is significant to us, because we are Gentiles.
• We are thankful that while the gospel was for the Jew first, it is also for the Gentile.
• We are thankful that Jesus had other sheep, not of the original fold, that He also desired to bring.
• We are thankful that we, although a wild olive branch, could be grafted in to the domestic olive tree of Israel.
And while this truth was alluded to many times in the Old Testament
And even through the statements that Jesus made,
We are thankful for Acts chapter 11,
Because here those promises became a reality.
Galatians 3:26-29 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”
Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Ephesians 2:19 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,”
We are also eager to see the formation of this new Gentile church
Because they were used of God to be a missionary church.
As we noted last Sunday night, it was literally under compulsion
That the Jerusalem church ventured out on mission.
It took the persecuting hand of Saul to motivate those Jerusalem believers
To leave the city and spread the gospel.
But not this church.
This church answered the call of missions to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Acts 13:1-3 “Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
We all owe a debt of thanks to the church at Antioch.
They were the first to actually seek to reach the world for Christ.
And in Acts chapter 11 we see their beginning.
Now one of the things we noticed last week is that
This church was founded amid much prejudice.
We studied the first 18 verses and were reminded of the events
That actually led to Gentile conversion.
• Cornelius had an angelic visitor that told him to send for Peter.
• Peter had a trance that told him to no longer consider unholy what God cleanses.
• And the result of the story was Peter went to Caesarea, spoke to Cornelius and God poured out the Holy Spirit on them.
And that that should have been a cause for great rejoicing.
After all, there is much rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents.
But there wasn’t.
In fact by the time Peter returned from this little trip
He already had a fight waiting for him.
Acts 11:1-3 “Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
And so we find that far from being excited,
The Jews were actually prejudice.
• They didn’t want the Gentiles saved.
• They didn’t want the Gentiles to be fellow heirs.
• In many regards they were like Jonah whose disdain far outweighed his compassion.
And we talked about making sure we examine our own lives
For the exact same type of prejudice.
Just because a person is of a different race, or different economic level, or
Different political belief, doesn’t mean God won’t save him.
Just because a man has done unthinkable and morally horrific things
Doesn’t mean that God won’t save him.
In fact, let me kind of illustrate this point a little further for you.
TURN TO: LUKE 15
READ VS. 1-2
Does that look like a familiar mindset?
It was the exact same mindset the circumcised believers hit Peter with.
How could you go and associate with those people?
In Matthew’s gospel we remember Jesus saying, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.”
But in Luke’s gospel Jesus answers it a completely different way.
(3) “So He told them this parable,”
These parables were to answer those who had issue
With the salvation of someone who seemed unworthy.
These parables show how different the prejudice reaction is
From the heavenly reaction.
Jesus is here confronting that same prejudice mindset
We see on hand in Acts chapter 11.
VERSES 3–7 – (The parable of the lost sheep)
VERSES 8-10 – (The parable of the lost coin)
And then the familiar one:
VERSES 11-32 – (The parable of the lost son)
Now to make sure you understand,
Know that the first two parables were really meant to lead up to the third,
For in the third is where Jesus makes the point.
Now, we don’t have time to talk about this parable in its entirety,
• But you recognize the insult the younger brother gave to his
father.
• And you know the story about how the young man went off and
squandered his wealth and made every bad decision we would
expect.
• And you also know how the son finally saw his filth and was
compelled to return to the Father.
• And you know about the tremendous mercy of the father to forgive
the son, and the grace of the father to make him a son and even
throw him a banquet.
The point of the story begins in verse 25.
READ 25-32
I know we often make the story about the rejoicing over salvation,
And we certainly don’t want to overlook that,
But the story was given to address the prejudice of the Pharisees.
Remember verses 1-2?
And because of that we know who the characters represent.
• Jesus is the Father.
• The younger brother is the tax collectors and sinners.
• This older brother is the Pharisees.
He is a picture of a man full of hatred and prejudice
Who could not even rejoice that a sinner was saved.
Now if you’ve read John MacArthur’s book “A Tale of Two Sons”
You know that this parable does not have a written ending.
It ends with the father pleading for the older son to come in and rejoice,
But we aren’t told what the older brother does.
At least we aren’t told in this parable.
The gospels do reveal what the end of the story is.
The gospels finish the story and it goes like this.
I’ll quote from MacArthur’s book.
“Since the father figure in the parable represents Christ and the elder brother is a symbol of Israel’s religious elite, in effect, the true ending to the story, as written by the scribes and Pharisees themselves, ought to read something like this: ‘The elder son was outraged at his father. He picked up a piece of lumber and beat him to death in front of everyone.’”
(MacArthur, John [“A Tale of Two Sons”, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, 2008] pg. 194-195)
That is what they did to Jesus.
They hated His compassion so much that they killed Him.
And yet we find hints of the exact same mentality
Already working in the minds and hearts of the circumcision.
They took issue with Peter because he did the same thing Jesus did.
He went to men who were sinners and ate with them.
We have to watch out for prejudice in our lives don’t we?
• No one is beyond the loving reach of God.
• There is no race…
• There is no league of sinner…
• There is no economic level…
That Jesus has deemed too filthy, or sinful, or undeserving of salvation.
And we can’t have an attitude of prejudice either.
If you do, you’ll find yourself on opposite sides with Jesus.
And that is what Peter ended up saying
After recounting what the Lord had done.
Acts 11:17 “Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”
“What did you expect me to oppose God?”
And fortunately the believers quieted down.
Unlike the Pharisees before them, these men decided to go ahead and attend the banquet.
Acts 11:18 “When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”
So the Gentile church was starting, but not without prejudice.
Last time I gave you the first four points to this text, here they are again.
1) THE INITIAL REACTION (1-3)
2) THE INFORMATIVE RETELLING (4-14)
3) THE IMPORTANT RECOLLECTION (15-16)
4) THE INTELLIGENT RESPONSE (17-18)
Now let’s move on in our story.
#5 THE INEVITABLE REVIVAL
Acts 11:19-21
Now I told you that this first Gentile church was at the very onset
Met with prejudice and we have talked about that.
But that apparently isn’t all they were met with.
They were also met with stubbornness.
• Now we just had this tremendous testimony by Peter, through which he clearly articulated how God had sent him and ultimately saved these Gentiles.
• And the early church heard that testimony and came to the obvious conclusion that “God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”
But then look at we instantly read in verse 19.
“So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antiock, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.”
It’s enough to drive a person crazy isn’t it?
You just reach this amazing epiphany that
God is in the business of saving Gentiles too,
And you are so excited about it that you don’t tell a single one of them.
DO YOU WANT A LITTLE APPLICATION HERE?
You can know prejudice is wrong in your mind
And still let it dwell in your heart.
These Jews knew it was ok to go to the Gentiles, but they still didn’t do it.
It was a real prejudice, and they had difficulty getting past it.
In fact, can I show you how much difficulty they had getting past it?
Galatians 2:11-13 “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.”
They just wouldn’t let their heart follow what their mind knew to be true.
Even later when Paul was on trial in Jerusalem and was giving his defense, he was fine until he mentioned this one thing:
Acts 22:17-22 “It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, and I saw Him saying to me, ‘ Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. ‘And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’ “And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, ” Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!”
Jews hated the notion so much
That even saved Jews had difficulty implementing it.
And let me show you how dangerous this was.
Their stubbornness to accept this truth
Eventually opened the door for the people we call the Judaizers.
The Judaizers were those who went around to the Gentiles
And tried to force them to be circumcised.
If you’ll remember, Paul’s entire letter to the Galatians
Was an attack on the Judaizers.
Galatians 6:12-13 “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.”
BUT YOU GET THE POINT.
They knew it was ok in their mind (just like Peter with the meat),
But they had trouble living it in their lives.
You can see that prejudice
Was stubbornly hanging on in the Jerusalem church.
BUT THAT WOULDN’T STOP GOD
That is why I called this “The Inevitable Revival”
The Jerusalem church may have had difficulty accepting this new reality,
But that wasn’t going to stop God.
(20) “But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.”
WHO WAS THIS?
These were the converts of the people in verse 19 who went to Cyprus.
That first group wouldn’t witness to Gentiles, but their converts did.
And notice what God did.
(21) “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.”
Now we rejoice in verse 21, but it doesn’t surprise us.
After all God has done to send Peter to Cornelius and correct the thinking of the Jerusalem church, we had no doubt God was going to save Gentiles.
And I just continually rejoice in the sovereign hand of God.
The Gentiles were not saved:
• Because the Jews were so concerned – they weren’t
• Because the Jews were so obedient – they weren’t
• Because the Jews were such great evangelists
Gentiles were saved because God wanted them saved,
And He wanted them when no one else did.
This revival was inevitable.
God wanted it, and it happened.
#6 THE INVESTIGATING REPORTER
Acts 11:22-26
At this point the prejudice of the Jews almost becomes humorous.
They just had a tough time believing that Gentiles could be saved.
(22) “The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.”
We know what this is, it is a spy
But here is the good news, and the evidence
That God has really delivered these people from sin.
(23) “Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced…”
And I fully understand what happened there.
You can walk in a church in Africa on the other side of the world.
• They may not have lights.
• They may not have cushions on their pews.
• They may not have backs on their pews.
• They may not have carpet.
• They may not have air conditioning.
• They may not speak your language.
But you can tell when God’s grace has been there,
And it is impossible not to rejoice with them.
That is what Barnabas saw.
• He saw people different from him,
• Maybe even worshiping different from him,
• But he saw the grace of God and “he rejoiced”
And finally some of that prejudice and skepticism is coming down.
But rejoicing isn’t all that Barnabas did.
“he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.”
Barnabas told them what mattered most,
And we are thankful for his message.
• He didn’t tell them to get circumcised.
• He didn’t tell them to observe dietary restrictions.
• He didn’t tell them how to have a more Jewish friendly worship service.
• He told them only what was necessary: “remain true to the Lord”
He simply told them to abide in Jesus.
He told them to continue with Jesus.
He told them to hold on to Jesus, to be His and His only.
This was always the message for new believers.
Acts 13:43 “Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.”
Acts 14:21-22 “After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
And that is ALL Barnabas told them in Antioch.
(He didn’t try to make them Jewish)
And now we are getting somewhere.
The church is not characterized by being clone copies of one another.
It’s not about the similarity of our worship styles.
What makes us Christians and what makes it church
Is a gathering of people filled with God’s Spirit,
Who love and worship Jesus Christ and abide in Him daily.
That is a church.
And then Barnabas did another wise thing.
(25-26) “And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”
And incidentally the Greek here indicates that it was no quick or easy search.
But why did Barnabas go look for Saul?
Remember Barnabas was the first one back in Jerusalem
To embrace Saul and accept him.
Barnabas knew what Saul’s purpose in the kingdom was.
WHAT WAS HIS PURPOSE?
Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;”
Barnabas remembered that God had already raised up a preacher
For this new Gentile congregation.
He brought Saul back and for a year they pastored that church
And encouraged those believers how to stay true to Jesus.
AND THEN COMES THAT GREAT STATEMENT.
(26b) “and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”
You couldn’t call them Jews.
You couldn’t even call them proselytes.
These men were followers of Christ,
And so they became known as Christians.
It was initially a term of derision, but it became the banner
And God-ordained name of all those who follow Jesus.
1 Peter 4:15-16 “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”
To be called a Christian became the highest form of honor to those who follow Christ, and it was a name that began in Antioch.
And don’t you love that name!
• We aren’t Jehovah’s witnesses
• We aren’t latter day saints
• We aren’t even messianic Jews
We are Christians (little Christs)
And we glory in the name.
Initial Reaction, Informative Retelling, Important Recollection,
Intelligent Response, Inevitable Revival, Investigating Reporter
#7 IMPRESSIVE RESULT
Acts 11:27-30
And what a beautiful event this is.
A prophet named Agabus came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
And undoubtedly he had already delivered this message at Jerusalem,
But by God’s prompting he would deliver it to all believers.
And he told the church at Antioch that a famine was coming.
And notice what they did, it is extremely significant.
(29-30) “And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.”
And so we are blown away by their generosity
And touched by their love and willingness to have unity.
And we know that this is a fruit of salvation.
1 John 3:17-18 “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
BUT WHY IS THAT SIGNIFICANT?
DO YOU REMEMBER THE CHIEF WAY THE JERUSALEM CHURCH SHOWED LOVE FOR THEIR OWN?
Acts 2:44-45 “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”
Acts 4:34-35 “For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.”
And now on this day the Gentiles
Were speaking a love language that the Jews understood.
(That’s how you overcome someone’s prejudice toward you)
A famine may have been a bad thing,
But this famine helped unify the church!
At last the Gentiles had opportunity to display to the Jews
That they had the same Spirit in them that was alive in Jerusalem.
And we rejoice in this unity.
We also rejoice in a real, Spirit-filled, self-sacrificing;
Gentile church!
It wasn’t an easy beginning, but God did it in spite of the prejudice
And we rejoice that Gentiles are fellow heirs in the kingdom of God.
Isn’t it amazing just to sit back and watch God build His church.
May we continue to be a part of what He is doing.
Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
