Jesus Changes His Church (Acts 11:1-18)

This sermon was preached on 8/7/2012

Sometimes we can receive startling news about a well-known church leader. We hear that he has adopted a new idea or changed his mind about a practice that he once held. From some who speak about it, their comments are little more than gossip, but from others, the comments are expressions of genuine concern in case the individual is making a great mistake. Something similar happened in the church in Jerusalem when the news filtered through regarding what Peter, one of its most important leaders, had done during his preaching tour which had included an unexpected invitation to speak in the home of a Gentile soldier in Caesarea. We can imagine the comments. ‘I never thought Peter would do that.’ ‘It was a mistake to let him away on his own.’ ‘Why did he not wait for another person from the church in Jerusalem to join him before he went off to Caesarea?’ Peter had done something there which was causing repercussions in Jerusalem.

We have an advantage that the people in Jerusalem did not possess at that time. The advantage is that we have a bigger picture regarding the situation. We know the difference that a bigger picture can make. Imagine a photograph of a well-dressed couple. A bigger picture tells us that they are with a group of well-dressed people. An even bigger picture reveals that they are at a wedding, and an even bigger picture will show which wedding they attended.

When we read incidents in the Book of Acts, which type of picture are we using? If we don’t have a big enough picture, we will not understand what is going on. It is essential that our picture is big enough to include the most important fact that the One who is responsible for what went on in Caesarea and what is going on in Jerusalem is Jesus. Sure, there were other secondary contributors and factors, but if our picture stops at them we will misunderstand the developments. So as we look at what took place in this incident in Jerusalem, bear in mind that King Jesus is the Mover and Shaker here.

1. Reacting to Developments

Peter arrived back in Jerusalem and right away he is criticised by a group who Luke calls ‘the circumcision party’ because he ate with uncircumcised Gentiles. Who were this party? It is not sufficient to say that they were men who were circumcised because, at that time, all the males in the church would have been circumcised. Instead the circumcision party were those in the church who wanted everyone who belonged to it to practice the Jewish ceremonial law in a very strict sense. This was how they expressed their devotion to God and it was how they assumed everyone else should express their devotion to God. They could not imagine that it was possible for a church leader to behave differently, so they were surprised and disappointed with Peter.

Why did they have this view? One reason is that it had been handed down to them from their ancestors. Over time, a great number of rituals had been developed and we would call them by the name of tradition. Tradition is a very powerful thing and when kept in its place can be very helpful. But it can also be a hindrance.

There was another reason why they had this view and it was connected to the failure of the leaders to teach them the fullness of what Jesus had taught them when he had been on earth. Jesus had made it very clear to the apostles that the ceremonial law would be done away with and that his followers were not obligated to keep the traditions of their ancestors. But for one reason or another, the apostles had not yet done so. Although they had been commanded by Jesus in the Great Commission to take the gospel to the world, here they were still living in Jerusalem, and living like traditional Jews. And Jesus was going to do something about it from heaven.

I would suggest a third reason for their concern, which we can summarise under the term ‘tensions’. Imagine what life would be like for those Jews once a great number of Gentiles had joined the church without having adopted the forms of religious living that the Jews had practised for a long time. There would be tension, and we can read about some aspects of it in the New Testament letters. The believers who belonged to the circumcised party would be fully aware that difficulties would inevitably arise. Life would be a lot easier if Peter had told the Gentiles to adopt the Jewish traditions, but he had not.

I think we can see these three areas of concern are still present today. We all have traditions that we are comfortable with, we are aware that there are biblical teachings that we either ignore or have not thought through, and we have anticipated some tensions that may appear if people from other backgrounds and cultures become Christians through our evangelism.

So going back to the image of the picture, we could view the situation from the perspective of the circumcision party, or we may widen it and also take in Peter’s explanation. If we only go that far, we will not get the whole truth. We have to extend the picture and see the involvement of Jesus in what is taking place.

In his providence, Jesus allows the circumcision party to ask their question of Peter. We might be surprised at his tolerance. Would it not be better if he silenced them? He is going to silence them, but he is going to do so by answering their question. Jesus here is saying that a church should take seriously all legitimate questions that are asked about its practices. This is how his church, wherever it is, should react to developments in his kingdom. Ask questions, not because one is argumentative, but because one wants increased knowledge of a situation. Accept questions, because it is one way that Jesus uses to bring legitimate change to his church. Answer questions, because that is one way by which the church goes forward. So here is Peter and he had to answer the question of the circumcision party. How does he do it?

2. Rehearsing the details (vv. 5-13)

First, we should note what Peter did not do. Peter did not say to the circumcision group, ‘Look, here. I am an apostle and you are only laypeople who don’t know very much. Who do you think you are, questioning me?’ Many leaders are tempted to respond in this way. Yet if he had responded in such a manner, no progress would have been made, and Jesus would not have been pleased.

What Peter did was convey to them accurate information about how Jesus had led him to take part in the unexpected meeting in Caesarea. He does not conceal anything but informs them that it all began as he was praying. Then he describes the vision that he saw of the sheet containing animals, he mentions his surprise at what God was telling him about his traditions, he points out the exactness of God’s timing concerning the arrival of the men from Caesarea, he states that the Holy Spirit informed him that he must go with them, and he closes by saying that the reason for his going there was to bring to them the message of salvation. So clearly Peter wanted them to have as much information as possible, which could be confirmed by the brothers who had accompanied him.

Are there other reasons why Peter rehearses the details? One is that he wants everyone in the Jerusalem church to understand that what happened had not been at his instigation. Indeed he reminds them that initially he was reluctant to take on board the message of the vision about clean and unclean animals. So he makes it very clear that what happened was brought about by the Lord’s counsel (the vision), the Lord’s commandments (go with the men) and the Lord’s control (the timing and the consequences when Peter preached). He understood the big picture.

Of course, it is easy to respond to Peter’s explanation by saying how wonderful the way was by which Jesus enabled his servant, who until then had not fully passed on what he had been taught by Jesus, to fulfil his instructions. We might say that we would be similarly stimulated if we also received a vision telling us what to do. Yet the fact is we do not need such a means of communication in order to find out what Jesus wants us to do. The reason why we do not need it is because he has already conveyed to us in writing what he wants his church to do. Through the teachings of the New Testament, which also enable us to apply correctly the Old Testament, Jesus has given us all the information we need.

I’m not sure that we fully realise the privileges and the responsibilities that come with the information that we have in the Bible. Peter and his friends in Jerusalem could never be the same again having received the message from heaven. The information changed them regarding their future behaviour as a church. And surely the same should be said about us.

3. Reasoning the difficulties

It was not easy for Peter to take on board what he saw with his own eyes in Caesarea. Yet he was reassured by one important detail. The new behaviour that he observed, which was that the Holy Spirit had fallen on Cornelius and his friends, was what had been predicted by Jesus when he said, ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ The presence of the Spirit was the overwhelming proof that Jesus was at work bringing change into the life of his church in such a dramatic manner. And we, if we are spiritually wise, will want to know whether or not Jesus is at work in our midst.

What signs would indicate to us that the Spirit is present in a special way? Peter had seen such a presence in the home of Cornelius and it was such a presence that he was prepared to admit his previous reluctance to accept Gentiles had been wrong and that he had to change. On that occasion, some of them had spoken with tongues, which was appropriate evidence on that occasion, but there are many other ways by which the presence of the Spirit will be seen. So here are a few suggestions.

First, there will be a burden to pray. We can see from the experience of Peter and of Cornelius that both of them were burdened to pray, although miles apart geographically and culturally. It was Jesus who led each of them to pray, even although they did not understand why they were praying. So that is the first way to see whether or not the Spirit is here with us in a special way. Each of us should look in the mirror and ask the individual that we see, ‘How earnest, how burdened is your prayer life?’ Because if it is not, don’t expect anything to happen.

Second, there will be a focus on Jesus and his salvation. One of the easiest things to happen in a church is distraction. Distraction occurs when something else becomes more important to us that Jesus. It is fairly easy to work out how important he is to us. Again, go back to the mirror and ask the person you see, ‘How often did you think about Jesus and his salvation today, or yesterday?’ If the Spirit is present, we will think about Jesus.

Third, there will be a concern for repentance. Why should we repent? The reason is because we have sinned against God. Why do we repent? The reason is because we see our failures through the willingness of God to forgive us. Repentance is an expression of regret for sinning, of determination to forsake sinning, but it is done in the presence of God by the leading of the Spirit.

Fourth, there will be a longing to share our faith. Surely that is what Jesus had taught the church in Jerusalem. They were reminded of the fields that were white ready for harvest and the Spirit had led Peter to tell the people in Caesarea about Jesus.

Perhaps you will ask, what is new about a burden to pray, a focus on Jesus and his salvation, a desire to repent, and a longing to share the faith? From one point of view, they are as old as the hills. But from a spiritual point of view, they should always have newness about them. And when a church is marked by newness in these areas of life, they are the evidence that the Spirit is present.

4. Rejoicing in the Differences

When Peter had been enabled by Jesus to tell the story of what happened in Caesarea, you could hear a pin drop. They were all silent in amazement, with wonder written all over their hearts. Then they all began to praise God for what he had done. What had seemed potentially divisive had been overcome and unity had been enhanced. What a happy gathering!

Yet we know they did not maintain unity for long, as we shall see in later studies in the Book of Acts. Why did that happen? The answer is because they forgot to look for signs of the Spirit’s presence, such as those we have thought about. And the result was the loss of divine blessing. The church is always at a crossroads, either going down the road of blessing or taking steps away from it. Where are we travelling today?