Acts Chapter Eleven

 Act 11:1  And the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the nations also received the Word of God. 

Act 11:2  And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 

Act 11:3  saying, You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them. 

Act 11:4  But beginning, Peter set out to them in order, saying, 

Act 11:5  I was being in the city of Joppa, praying. And in an ecstasy, I saw a vision: a certain vessel was coming down, like a huge sheet, being let down by four corners out of the heaven; and it came as far as me. 

Act 11:6  Looking intently on this, I observed. And I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the birds of the heaven. 

Act 11:7  And I heard a voice saying to me, Peter, rise up, slay and eat. 

Act 11:8  But I said, Not at all, Lord, because never has anything common or unclean entered into my mouth. 

Act 11:9  But a voice answered me the second time out of the heaven, What God has cleansed, you do not make common. 

Act 11:10  And this took place three times, and all things were pulled up into the heaven again. 

Act 11:11  And, behold, at once three men stood at the house in which I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. 

Act 11:12  And the Spirit said to me to go with them, not discriminating. And these six brothers also were with me, and we went into the man's house. 

Act 11:13  And he told us how he saw an angel in his house, standing and saying to him, Send men to Joppa, and send for Simon who is surnamed Peter, 

Act 11:14  who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved. 

Act 11:15  And in my beginning to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as also on us in the beginning. 

Act 11:16  And I recalled the Word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. 

Act 11:17  Then if God gave the same gift to them as also to us, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, and I, who was I to be able to prevent God? 

Act 11:18  And hearing these things, they kept silent and glorified God, saying, Then God also has granted to the nations repentance unto life. 

Act 11:19  Then, indeed, they who were scattered by the oppression taking place over Stephen passed through to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the Word to no one except only to Jews. 

Act 11:20  But some men from them, Cypriots and Cyrenians, who had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, announcing the gospel of the Lord Jesus. 

Act 11:21  And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believing, they turned to the Lord. 

Act 11:22  And the Word was heard in the ears of the assembly in Jerusalem concerning them. And they sent out Barnabas to go through as far as Antioch; 

Act 11:23  who having come, and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced. And he exhorted all with purpose of heart to abide near the Lord. 

Act 11:24  For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a considerable crowd was added to the Lord. 

Act 11:25  And Barnabas went out to Tarsus to seek Saul. 

Act 11:26  And finding him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened that many of them were gathered to them in the assembly a whole year. And they taught a considerable crowd. And the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. 

Act 11:27  And in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 

Act 11:28  And one of them named Agabus rising up, he signified through the Spirit that a great famine was about to be over all the habitable earth, which also happened on Claudius Caesar's time. 

Act 11:29  And according as any was prospered, the disciples, each of them, determined to send for ministry to those brothers living in Judea, 

Act 11:30  which they also did, sending to the elders through the hand of Barnabas and Saul. 

DEFENSE TO THE JEWS

Verses 1-18: Peter returns to Jerusalem and is confronted by his Jewish counterparts for having fellowship with Gentiles. Peter recounts the vision and directives to go to the house of Cornelius. He relates how the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles while he was preaching. His accusers fall silent and they all realize that the Gospel is for all nations.

1. Compare verses 2&3 with 18. What attitude, or kind of heart must these men have to come to this conclusion? Why? Their hearts and minds were open to God's truths. This is all new for them and it requires a heart for God. Peter's narrative fulfills that. His main points include the angel, God, the Holy Spirit and of course, Jesus. These spiritual events were bigger than all of them and they knew it.

Verses 19-26: Many of the scattered Christians are now teaching in outlaying areas. Barnabas is sent to Antioch. He rejoices in their faith. He gets Saul from Tarsus to help him in the ministry, They stay for a year and establish a church there.

2. Compare verses 20&21 with 9:29., What differences do you see? Not all Hellenists hated Paul. Some were willing to listen with a heart towards God. Perhaps the fact that they were removed physically from Jerusalem helped.

3. Observe the phrases “turned to God” -(21), “continue with the Lord” - (23), “added to the Lord” - (24). What do these phrases mean? It is possible that these souls felt they already "had God." This gospel reveals that hey likely did not "have God" and thus, God did not "have them." It has all to do with the changing of the way they thought about themselves and God (repentance). It is the turning away from the self, turning over our lives to God and walking diligently with Him that adds us to his number. 

4. Who were the disciples in verse 26? What were they called? This was the church in Antioch, where we first see the assigned name 'Christian." The name that assigns us to the son of God.

Additional: Look up the word “called” in verse 26 (called Christians). What is the significance of being called a Christian?
Called - G5537 χρηματίζ  chrēmatizō khray-mat-id'-zo From G5536; to utter an oracle -
The moniker of "Christian" denotes a personification of what Jesus did for us. Thus, the name implies our faith in Him and His ability to make us whole.
As we have seen over and over, the name Jesus is made the authoritative call out for a system implemented by the God-head. The name alone speaks of all that God is and has done.

5. Who was Barnabas, and why was Saul in Tarsus? Saul was from Tarsus. We last saw him being sent there after a plot to kill him was hatched in chapter nine. No doubt he was teaching there and now the Holy Spirit needs him elsewhere.

Verses 27-30: Prophets go to Antioch and prophesy of an impending famine. A movement to send aid to Judea ensues.

6. Look up the word “prophets” in verse 27, use a Bible dictionary. Do we need prophets today?

G4396 προφήτης prophētēs prof-ay'-tace From a compound of G4253 and G5346; a foreteller (“prophet”)

In this context, these were men telling of future events. The Christian has the word to supply all we need from God. Knowing the future is not necessary. We see and hear lots of "religious" leaders pointing to signs that are supposed one thing or another. The important thing for the Christian is just to stay focused on God and stay true to walk we were baptized into.
Either we believe that God has ultimate authority or we can live in fear.