Acts 11:1‐18

Read Acts 11:1‐18 slowly and prayerfully. What words or phrases stand out for you?



Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” 4Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6As I looked at it closely I saw four‐footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made
clean, you must not call profane.’ 10This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were.  12The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 15And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” 18When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”


Reflect


Consider how extraordinary the inclusion of the Gentiles in the church was. How did it happen?


Are there parallels in your context?


How might you be a more effectively witness to the new things the Holy Spirit might be doing in your midst?


Throughout this study we have been reading about the gospel spreading like wildfire. Yet all this happened without a strategic plan. It often happened unexpectedly, even when there was intense opposition from without and tension from within. How do you explain this? What can you apply from this reflection to your current context?


Respond


Identify a place or a people you God might be calling you to start a fire.


Pray for our Annual Conference Session that will begin in NINE days. That all who gather there will be filled with the Holy Spirit, “catch fire” and contribute to the movement of God’s mission in the world.