ACTS

Peter Defends God’s Grace

Pastor Scott Brenner Acts 11:1-18
[11:1] Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
[11:2] And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,
[11:3] saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!"
[11:4] But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:
[11:5] "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.
[11:6] "When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
[11:7] "And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'
[11:8] "But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.'
[11:9] "But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.'
[11:10] "Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
[11:11] "At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.
[11:12] "Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.
[11:13] "And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,
[11:14] 'who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.'
[11:15] "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
[11:16] "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
[11:17] "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"
[11:18] When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."

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