“And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?’ When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God saying ‘Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.’ “ Acts 11:16-18
Word traveled fast through all Judea that the
Gentiles also had received the word of God. Peter had done as he was commanded to do. No angel could convey this message. They could be instructed by dreams and visions, but they were unable to relate to the message of redemption, because they didn’t know what it was like to be redeemed.
That is where Peter came in. He knew what it was like to be lost, without hope in this world. : Like all of us redeemed sinners, we have the testimony:
“As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you…..It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you…..through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter 1:10-12)
So angels cannot do our part. If we abnegate our responsibility here, we, like Peter, might be found to be standing in
God’s way. Peter was amazed and elated that Cornelius and all the Gentiles in his house readily received the Word of the Lord and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But in Jerusalem, this miracle was lost on them! If Peter heard it once, he heard a hundred times: “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” It was almost overwhelming, until Peter found reassurance and comfort when he remembered Jesus as He quoted Isaiah:
“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise, they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.”
But blessed are your eyes, because they see;
And your ears, because they hear. (Matt.13:15-16)
So, by faith, Peter again rehearsed his testimony, his vision with the Lord’s admonition: “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” But when they heard how the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit just as they did. Peter’s concluding statement had a quieting effect on circumcised Jews when he said, “Therefore, if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?
A large number of Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord in Antioch. So many that Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to disciple them in the faith. He would need help, and he knew just the one: Saul.
Saul had been living in Tarsus these past ten years, hidden in obscurity. He proclaimed the Gospel and reasoned with others about Jesus Christ —Why He is the chosen Messiah- to anyone who would listen to him, while he made tents for a living.
Perhaps Saul would have agreed with Oswald Chambers, who discerned the way the Lord works: “I feel I shall be buried for a time, hidden away in obscurity, then suddenly, I shall flame on, do my work and be gone.”
The poet captured the essence of it:
“How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How he hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!”
(Anonymous)
Then Saul hears Barnabas at the door. The cries of his heart have been answered! In the words of Oswald Chambers: “ Flame on! “
Questions To Think About:
Word traveled fast through all Judea that the
Gentiles also had received the word of God. Peter had done as he was commanded to do. No angel could convey this message. They could be instructed by dreams and visions, but they were unable to relate to the message of redemption, because they didn’t know what it was like to be redeemed.
That is where Peter came in. He knew what it was like to be lost, without hope in this world. : Like all of us redeemed sinners, we have the testimony:
“As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you…..It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you…..through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter 1:10-12)
So angels cannot do our part. If we abnegate our responsibility here, we, like Peter, might be found to be standing in
God’s way. Peter was amazed and elated that Cornelius and all the Gentiles in his house readily received the Word of the Lord and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But in Jerusalem, this miracle was lost on them! If Peter heard it once, he heard a hundred times: “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” It was almost overwhelming, until Peter found reassurance and comfort when he remembered Jesus as He quoted Isaiah:
“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise, they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.”
But blessed are your eyes, because they see;
And your ears, because they hear. (Matt.13:15-16)
So, by faith, Peter again rehearsed his testimony, his vision with the Lord’s admonition: “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” But when they heard how the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit just as they did. Peter’s concluding statement had a quieting effect on circumcised Jews when he said, “Therefore, if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?
A large number of Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord in Antioch. So many that Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to disciple them in the faith. He would need help, and he knew just the one: Saul.
Saul had been living in Tarsus these past ten years, hidden in obscurity. He proclaimed the Gospel and reasoned with others about Jesus Christ —Why He is the chosen Messiah- to anyone who would listen to him, while he made tents for a living.
Perhaps Saul would have agreed with Oswald Chambers, who discerned the way the Lord works: “I feel I shall be buried for a time, hidden away in obscurity, then suddenly, I shall flame on, do my work and be gone.”
The poet captured the essence of it:
“How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How he hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!”
(Anonymous)
Then Saul hears Barnabas at the door. The cries of his heart have been answered! In the words of Oswald Chambers: “ Flame on! “
Questions To Think About:
- What religious “rules” or cultural expectations cause us to miss seeing God’s work in people?
- Angels cannot share the message of redemption because they have never experienced it. How does the reality of your own past brokenness uniquely position you to reach others?
- Saul spent ten years in obscurity making tents and preaching to anyone who would listen. How do you maintain your zeal for God when you feel forgotten or underutilized?
- Peter faced immediate criticism from his peers for obeying God. How do you handle disapproval from believers when you follow God’s leading?
- Reflect on the quote from Isaiah regarding calloused hearts and closed eyes. What spiritual habits can you practice this week to ensure your heart stays soft and receptive to God’s promptings?
Posted in Standing in God\'s Way