Lesson #16

• MEMORY VERSE: JOH 3:27

• IN ACTS 10 WE STUDIED THE ACCOUNT OF THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS, A GENTILE. SUDDENLY GOD HAS OPENED THE DOOR TO A WHOLE NEW MINISTRY, BUT ALL CHRISTIANS WERE NOT PLEASED.

• READ ACT 11:1-18 PETER’S REVIEW OF HIS EXPERIENCES
• NEWS ABOUT CORNELIUS AND PETER SPREAD LIKE FIRE AMONG THE CHRISTIANS ALL THE WAY BACK TO JERUSALEM.
• THOSE WHO WERE NOT PLEASED WITH THE CONVERSION OF GENTILES:
• JEWISH CHRISTIANS IN JERUSALEM WERE NOT PLEASED, SOME OF WHICH MAY EVEN HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE 12 ORIGINAL DISCIPLES.
• NOTICE THE FORM OF THEIR DISPLEASURE: (3)
• THEY DID NOT VOICE THEIR OBJECTION TO GENTILES BECOMING CHRISTIANS. THEY VOICED THEIR TRADITIONAL PREJUDICE ABOUT HAVING TO GO INTO GENTILE HOUSES AND HAVING TO EAT WITH GENTILES.
• THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD HAVE TO SHARE CHURCH COMMUNION AND MEALS OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GENTILE BELIEVERS.
• THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD HAVE TO COPY PETER’S ACTIVITY AND GO INTO GENTILE HOUSES TO PREACH THE WORD TO THEM.
• PETER’S DEFENSE OF HIS MINISTRY:
• PETER EXPLAINS HIS VISION EXPERIENCE. (3-10)
• PETER EXPLAINS HIS EXPERIENCE CONCERNING THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN PUTTING TOGETHER CORNELIUS AND PETER. (11-14)
• WAS CORNELIUS A CHRISTIAN BEFORE HE MET PETER? HOW DO YOU KNOW?
• GOD REVEALED TO PETER THAT CORNELIUS WAS NOT SAVED UNTIL PETER PREACHED TO HIM. (14)
• PETER EXPLAINS THE GENTILE EXPERIENCE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. (15-18)
• WHAT CONVINCED PETER THAT THE GOSPEL WAS FOR THE GENTILES, TOO? (15-17)
• A BELIEVER SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK FOR A CONFIRMATION OF THE MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. PETER CONSIDERED A CONFIRMATION OF THE VISION. NOTICE THAT JUST THE SUPERNATURAL VISION WAS NOT ENOUGH. HOW DOES THE CHRISTIAN CONFIRM THE HOLY SPIRIT’S DIRECTION?
• NOTICE THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:
• PETER RECEIVES A SUPERNATURAL VISION.
• CIRCUMSTANCES SUPERNATURALLY FALL INTO PLACE PUTTING PETER AND CORNELIUS TOGETHER.
• THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT’S MOVE IS EVIDENT WHEN THE GENTILES RECEIVE THE GIFT OF TONGUES.
• PETER CONFIRMS THE NEW MOVE OF THE SPIRIT WITH THE WORD OF GOD.
• CONFIRMATION FROM THE WORD OF GOD CONVINCED PETER THAT GOD WANTED THE GOSPEL TO GO TO THE GENTILES. (16)
• CONFIRMATION IN THE WORD OF GOD IS VERY IMPORTANT. DO NOT MISS THIS POINT! GOD WILL ALWAYS CONFIRM A TRUTH BY HIS WORD.
• THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GENTILES IS ALMOST THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT HAPPENED TO THE 120 IN THE UPPER ROOM ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. MANY PEOPLE CALL ACT 10 THE GENTILE PENTECOST.
• HOWEVER, REMEMBER WHEN WE STUDIED THE DAY OF PENTECOST I SAID THAT THE DAY OF PENTECOST WAS NOT REPEATABLE IN THE CHURCH AGE.
• WHAT IS DIFFERENT HERE IN ACT 10 FROM THE EXPERIENCE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST?
• IN ACT 10 THERE IS NO SOUND LIKE A RUSHING MIGHTY WIND.
• IN ACT 10 THERE ARE NO CLOVEN TONGUES OF FIRE.
• IN ACT 10 THE SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS NOT MENTIONED AS BEING IN OTHER EARTHLY LANGUAGES (dialekto) AS WAS ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
• HOW DO WE KNOW?
• ALL CORNELIUS’ FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE OF ONE LANGUAGE. THERE WAS NO NEED FOR OTHER EARTHLY LANGUAGES AS ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
• THEN, WHAT IS THE SPEAKING IN TONGUES IN ACT 10?
• IT IS PROBABLY A HEAVENLY LANGUAGE (glossa) UNLIKE ANY EARTHLY LANGUAGE. IT IS GIVEN AS A GIFT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. (1COR 12, 14)
• WHAT DOES THE PASSAGE IN ACT 11 TEACH ABOUT THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?
• NOTICE THAT PETER SAYS THE HOLY SPIRIT “FELL ON THEM”.
• THE MENTAL PICTURE IS LIKE A LARGE BLANKET FALLING FROM THE CEILING TO COVER ALL THOSE IN THE ROOM.
• IT IS A SUPERNATURAL ACT OF BEING ENGULFED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A GIFT GIVEN BY GOD TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.
• PETER’S MINISTRY TO THE GENTILES IS JUSTIFIED. (18)
• THOSE WHO WERE OBJECTING TO PETER’S MINISTRY IN CORNELIUS’ HOUSE ACCEPTED PETER’S EXPLANATION AS BEING A NEW WORK OF GOD.
• GOD SPOKE TO PETER CONCERNING CORNELIUS’ SPIRITUAL NEEDS. WHY DID GOD CHOOSE PETER TO GO TO CORNELIUS INSTEAD OF ANY OF THE OTHER APOSTLES?
• REMEMBER THAT PETER IS THE LEADER OF THE APOSTLES. GOD KNEW THERE WOULD BE OPPOSITION TO EXTENDING SALVATION TO THE GENTILES. HOWEVER, IF PETER COULD BE CONVINCED, THE REST OF THEM WOULD FALL INTO LINE.
• REMEMBER THAT JESUS GAVE PETER THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM. PETER IS UNLOCKING THE DOOR TO THE GENTILES. (MAT 16:19)

• READ ACT 11:19-30 SCATTERED MINISTRY TO THE JEWS AND GENTILES
• THOSE SCATTERED GREEK-SPEAKING, CHRISTIAN JEWS ARE PREACHING AND MINISTERING TO THEIR FELLOW JEWS. (19)
• HOWEVER, THOSE GREEK SPEAKING JEWS FROM CYPRUS AND CYRENE ARE PREACHING TO GENTILE GREEKS. (20).
• THEREFORE, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE A MIXED CHURCH OF JEWS AND GENTILES.
• A GREAT MOVE OF GOD IN ANTIOCH:
• THERE IS SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TURNING TO CHRIST IN ANTIOCH THAT THE JERUSALEM CHURCH SENDS BARNABAS THERE TO HELP WITH THE MINISTRY.
• WHO WAS BARNABAS?
• THE NAME, BARNABAS, MEANS = SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
• HE WAS A GREEK-SPEAKING JEW FROM THE ISLAND OF CYRUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.
• HE WAS A GOOD MAN, FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT AND FAITH. (24)
• HE BECAME THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH.
• LATER WE WILL SEE HIM ON PAUL’S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS.
• WHAT WAS THE EMPHASIS OF MINISTRY IN ANTIOCH? (25-26)
• BARNABAS ENCOURAGES THE NEW BELIEVERS TO “CLEAVE TO THE LORD”. (23)
• THE WORD, “CLEAVE” MEANS = TO JOIN FAST TOGETHER; TO GLUE.
• IT PRESENTS US WITH A GOOD MENTAL PICTURE OF BEING GLUED TO THE LORD.
• BARNABAS AND PAUL (SAUL) TEACH THE WORD OF GOD TO THESE PEOPLE IN ANTIOCH FOR A WHOLE YEAR SO AS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GLUE IS SET.
• IT IS INTERESTING THAT PAUL WAS SITTING IN TARSUS FOR FROM 6-9 YEARS ON THE SIDELINES WAITING FOR GOD TO GET HIM INVOLVED IN THE SPREADING OF THE GOSPEL.
• IT IS BARNABAS, LED THE SPIRIT, THAT TAKES PAUL UNDER HIS WINGS INTO THE MINISTRY.
• NOTICE THAT BARNABAS IS MENTIONED FIRST IN VERSE 30.
• THE NAME THAT IS MENTIONED FIRST IN A SERIES IS THE ONE WHO IS MORE IMPORTANT, OF HIGHER RANK, OR OF GREATER RENOWN.
• BELIEVERS ARE CALLED “CHRISTIANS” FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ANTIOCH. (26)
• PREVIOUS TO THIS, BELIEVERS WERE CALLED, FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY.
• THE NAME, CHRISTIAN, MEANS = CHRIST PEOPLE.
• IT ORIGINATED AMONG THE GENTILE BELIEVERS HERE IN ANTIOCH.
• THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH:
• ANTIOCH WAS A VERY LARGE CITY. IT WAS THE CAPITOL OF SYRIA.
• THIS CITY OF ANTIOCH RANKED THIRD IN SIZE NEXT TO ROME AND ALEXANDRIA IN EGYPT.
• ANTIOCH WAS A GENTILE CITY THAT TOLERATED ALL RELIGIONS AND ETHNIC IDENTITIES. THAT IS WHY MANY OF THE JERUSALEM JEWS FLED TO ANTIOCH.
• THERE WAS A LARGE GROUP OF JEWS IN ANTIOCH.
• BARNABAS BECOMES THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH AND PAUL BECOMES THE ASSISTANT PASTOR.
• AGABUS, A PROPHET, GAVE A WORD OF PROPHECY IN THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH ABOUT A GREAT FAMINE THAT WAS TO COME. (28)
• A WORD OF PROPHECY IS ONE OF THE GIFTS GIVEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE CHURCH. (1COR 12, 14)
• BECAUSE OF A SERIES OF FAMINES (41-54 AD) THROUGHOUT THE ROMAN EMPIRE, AND BECAUSE OF SEVERE PERSECUTION IN JERUSALEM, THE CHRISTIANS WHO REMAINED IN JERUSALEM WERE IN VERY POOR ECONOMIC CONDITION.
• THE EMPEROR CALIGULA DIED SUDDENLY AND WAS REPLACED BY EMPEROR CLAUDIUS. AT THE SAME TIME HEROD AGRIPPA WAS MADE KING OVER ISRAEL. (41 AD)
• DESPITE THE SLOW COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS OF THAT DAY, CHURCHES KEPT IN CONTACT AND HAD A BOND OF LOVE. THEY HELPED EACH OTHER IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
• THEY COLLECTED MONEY IN ANTIOCH TO SEND TO THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM. (29)
• MONEY FROM A PREDOMINATELY GENTILE CHURCH TO A PREDOMINATELY JEWISH CHURCH SERVED TO BRING UNITY BETWEEN THE TWO CONGREGATIONS.
• THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH BECOMES VERY SUCCESSFUL UNDER THE MINISTRY OF BARNABAS AND PAUL. WITHIN A YEAR, THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH BECOMES A MAJOR CENTER OF CHRISTIANITY REPLACING JERUSALEM AS THE CENTER.
• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• WHAT DOES THE PASSAGE TELL YOU ABOUT EACH MEMBER OF THE HOLY TRINITY?
• GOD, THE FATHER:
• GOD, THE FATHER, DECIDES WHO OR WHAT IS CLEAN OR UNCLEAN. (9)
• GOD, THE FATHER, GRANTS REPENTANCE AND GIVES THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE. (17-18)
• BELIEVERS SHOULD GLORIFY GOD FOR THE MARVELOUS THINGS GOD, THE FATHER, DOES. (18)
• SALVATION IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE FATHER. (23)
• JESUS CHRIST, THE SON:
• JESUS CHRIST, THE SON, SENDS THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. (16)
• WHEN JESUS CHRIST, THE SON, IS PREACHED, PEOPLE GET SAVED. (20-21)
• THE PRESENCE OF THE JESUS CHRIST, THE SON, IS ALWAYS WITH THE BELIEVER. (21)
• THE HOLY SPIRIT:
• THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDES THE BELIEVER. (12)
• IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FAITH LIKE BARNABAS. (24)
• THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES WORDS OF PROPHECY OF THINGS TO COME. (28)
• WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS CHAPTER OF ACTS?
• WE NEED TO BE OPEN TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. LIKE PETER WE NEED TO DISCERN IF THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TRULY FROM GOD AND CONFORMS TO THE WORD OF GOD. THEN WE NEED TO BE OBEDIENT TO THE SPIRIT’S CALL. AFTER THAT, BY FAITH WE CAN EXPECT A GREAT HARVEST FROM OUR WORK.

HOMEWORK
ACTS 12
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 11
• HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT OPENED AN EXPECTED DOOR OF MINISTRY AS HE DID FOR PETER?
• MAKE A LIST OF STEPS THAT A BELIEVER SHOULD FOLLOW TO DETERMINE IF IT IS REALLY GOD OPENING THAT DOOR?

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 12
• READ ACT 12:1-25
• WHAT WERE THE PERSECUTIONS ENDURED BY THE CHRISTIANS UNDER KING HEROD?

• WHY DO YOU THINK GOD DELIVERED PETER BUT HE DID NOT DELIVER JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JOHN.

• THEREFORE, WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT PERSECUTION IN THIS CHAPTER?

• WHAT WAS THE EXPECTATION OF THE PRAYING CHRISTIANS IN THE HOUSE OF MARY, THE MOTHER OF JOHN MARK?

• WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE TEACH YOU ABOUT PRAYER?

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 66:19-20