Exposition of Acts: Foreign Church: An Open Door
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A Sermon by Dr Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder of Sovereign Grace Church
I. EXPLANATION
A. REITERATED
>>1. QUESTIONING
Acts 11:1-3 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God. So, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party [of Christians] criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
>>2. CLARIFYING
Acts 11:4-10 But Peter began by explaining it to them precisely: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sail descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Examining it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.
(Acts 10:9-43; Eph 2:11-18)
>>3. PROCLAIMING
Acts 11:11-16 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. The Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 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; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at Pentecost. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
B. REALIZATION
>>1. SUMMARIZING
Acts 11:17 “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?”
(Mk 1:8; Is 49:6)
>>2. GLORIFYING
Acts 11:18 When they heard this, they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
II. EXPECTATION
A. RETURN
>>1. TRAVELING
Acts 11:19a Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch,
>>2. LIMITING
Acts 11:19b speaking the word exclusively to Jews.
B. REVOLUTION
>>1. REMOLDING
Acts 11:20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists as well, preaching the Lord Jesus.
>>2. BELIEVING
Acts 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
III. EXPANSION
A. REJOICE
>>1. REPORTING
Acts 11:22 The news of this came to the attention of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
(Acts 4:36-37; 9:26-38)
>>2. EXHORTING
Acts 11:23-24a When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.
(Eph 4:12)
B. RESPONSE
>>1. UNITING
Acts 11:24b-26a Since a large number of people were added to the Lord, Barnabas went to Tarsus to hunt up Saul, and when he had found him, took him to Antioch.
>>2. NAMING
Acts 11:26b For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
IV. EXPRESSION
A. RECOGNIZED
>>1. STARVING
Acts 11:27-28a Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world.
>>2. IMPACTING
Acts 11:28b This took place in the days of Claudius (AD 41-54).
B. RELIEF
>>1. SYMPATHIZING
Acts 11:29 So the disciples, each according to his means, determined to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
(Gal 2:1-10)
>>2. ACTING
Acts 11:30 They did so, sending it to the elders carried by Barnabas and Saul.