Today’s passage: Acts 11:1-18
Helpful thoughts:
- When others heard of this new realm of ministry opportunity, they found fault and brought accusations.
- Their unbelief was met with the same testimony and sign as Peter saw with his own eyes.
- The Gentiles were not cleansed when the Jews started to feel comfortable with the idea. God brought the cleansing, then He graciously gave the believing Jews awareness of what was already true.
- Who are we that we could withstand God?
- God has granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!
- My guess is most of the readers of this devotional are benefactors of this truth.
Questions to consider:
- Who all was included in the “all your household” of verse 14? (See 10:44) Would infants have been included in that number? Who were the people who were baptized?
- In what way did the sign of tongues prove useful in this instance? Did they need to occur once again or were the reports from eye-witnesses sufficient? As we read this account, how are we still benefiting from the same eye-witnesses today?
- What habits, comforts, cultural norms might we hold dear that could interfere with our ability to be involved in God’s work? None of us want to withstand God…how can we stand with Him in our day?