Precisely as It had Happened

Acts 11:1-30

Key Verse 11:4

“Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened”

Look at verses 1-3. Who contended with Peter? Why?

—The “circumcised believers” criticized Peter because he had broken a cultural belief that Jews should not eat with Gentiles. Eating was considered a nearly sacred act of fellowship and union so many Jews abstained and even abhorred the idea of eating with “unclean” Gentiles. In the minds of “circumcised believers” Peter had tainted himself and corrupted his leadership by doing what many believed to be sinful.

—The problem was that God never commanded his people to isolate themselves from Gentiles like this. The Jews of that time added to God’s commands and propagated “rules taught by men”. In trying to please God with their ideas they unintentionally were going the opposite direction from God. In this passage God removes the confusion and clears the way for his work to move forward.

Look at verses 4-18. When Peter was questioned, why did he “explain everything to them precisely as it had happened”? What effect did this have on the apostles and the brothers? Why is testifying to what God has done important? Based on this passage how should believers develop plans for the future?

—Peter retold the events of the previous chapter “precisely” as they had happened. He makes a point to those who are “criticizing” him that he felt the same way as they did about Gentiles, but that God had clearly revealed that he sees the Gentiles differently. Peter’s intention in telling things “precisely as it had happened” was to show that this was the work of God not the work of man.

—Everyone who heard Peter’s testimony was surprised and yet was fully convinced that God had revealed his thoughts and will to Peter. They couldn’t make any theological argument or argue their point of view because God had revealed his opinion so clearly through the events surrounding Peter and Cornelius.

—It is by testifying to God’s work that we are able to show others what God has done and what God thinks. For instance, if we seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness we will surely have a testimony of how God miraculously provided day by day and year by year. When we can testify that God provided for us, it gives convincing proof to others that God is real, that God is faithful and that God’s will is for everyone to depend on Him. This type of personal testimony is weighty and cannot be argued against because it proves to people what God has done and what he wants of them. Of course the Bible is the best testimony of God’s work and what God’s mind is. The Bible covers God’s work through all of history from the beginning to the end. It reveals to us God’s mind and His will. It guides us in how we should live our lives because God made it apparent through the revelations and words spoken through His prophets and servants.

—Believers should look for God’s work in their life and follow it. Believers should study the testimony of God’s work in the Bible and prayerfully emulate it. We should seek to have a testimony of God’s work in everything we do in life. This way we know that our life has been the work of God and not the work of man.

Look at verses 19-21. Why were believers in Jerusalem persecuted and scattered? What did some men do that was different from other Christians? How might they have known to do this?

—The death of Stephen caused persecution to break out in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1). Many Christians left Jerusalem and Judea and traveled far throughout the Roman world. Although it was a terrible event, the stoning of Stephen and the ensuing persecution served God’s plan to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth.

—The Jewish Christians who left Judea mostly shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with fellow Jews. However, some men who went to Antioch told the gospel message to Gentiles.

—This is speculation but it probably wasn’t merely an accident that they did this. It is possible that these men came to understand God’s will to go to the Gentiles in a similar way that Peter did. Or, they could have taken to heart Jesus words, “go and make disciples of all nations” and “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth". Either way these men were doing the very thing God was most concerned about and so the “Lord’s hand was with them and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”

Look at verses 22-26. What did the church in Jerusalem do when they heard about Antioch? What “evidence” did Barnabas find there? What did Barnabas do soon after finding this evidence? What can we learn from Barnabas in working together for Jesus Christ?

—They sent Barnabas to check things out. They didn’t send just an average guy but a top-notch servant of God who could see clearly if the work was genuinely God’s.

—Barnabas found evidence of the grace of God. This was exactly what he was looking for. This evidence came in the form of God’s grace to change lives and convert sinners into children of God. When he arrived, Barnabas probably began to hear story after story about what God did in each Gentile’s life. Since God’s work cannot be imitated or forged it was evident to him that God was doing a great work among the Gentiles.

—Barnabas brought Saul into God’s work at Antioch. Since God was working so powerfully Saul was blessed to join in. 

—Like Barnabas we need to be filled with God’s Spirit and see where God is working. We should also encourage our fellow workmen to join in with us when God does such a great work. It is always good to labor and bring in fellow workers to places God is working mightily.

Look at verses 27-30. How did God communicate with the church in Antioch? How does this incident relate to the prior events of this passage? What can we learn here about how to better work together?

—God sent a prophet from Jerusalem to Antioch. This prophet foretold that a famine would soon be hitting the Roman world. This information from the Spirit revealed important information that helped the disciples in Antioch to give generously to the poorer brothers.

—This event is similar to the story surrounding Peter because it deals in part with the Spirit of God showing and revealing important information to the church of Christ.

—The Spirit is the best source of inspiration to help one another and to bless one another in Christ. When we listen to the Spirit of God and those whom the Spirit speaks through we can know how to build up the body of Christ in a truly blessed way.