Acts 11:1-30 “The Danger of False Teaching”
“…‘what must I do to be saved?’ They said,
‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Acts 16:30-31 (NASB)
Key Verses – Change is ALWAYS hard – That’s why it often takes time (see Acts 15)
Acts 11:2-3 (NASB) *Some people find it hard to admit that they’ve been wrong! “And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, 3 saying, ‘You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.’”
Acts 11:13-17 (NASB) *Christianity is primarily propositional – precepts to be believed “And he [Cornelius] reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;
14 and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. 16 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.’
17 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?”
*Peter’s recounting of this event in Acts 11 contains significant details not recorded in Acts 10
Key x-References – The danger of false teaching – But God’s truth can be tested Matthew 16:6-12 (excerpts NASB) *“Leaven” is a biblical picture of sin
“And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ 7 They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, ‘He said that because we did not bring any bread…” 11 ‘How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ 12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Luke 12:1 (NASB) *Jewish religious leaders tended to be legalistic – often leads to sin “Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered togeth- er that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.’” *Note: see Matt. 23:13-36
Galatians 5:9 (NASB) *A little sin can have for-reaching consequences!
“A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.” *Note: Even for those around us!
Luke 8:10 *”granted” – the normal word for “give” but sometimes not strong enough “And He said, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.’” *Note: cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14; John 3:1-5
2 Timothy 1:8-9 (excerpts NASB) *God’S grace is “granted” according to His purpose “…the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity…” *Note: “from all eternity!
2 Timothy 2:25 (NASB) *Here “repentance” seems to imply a new openness to Truth “…with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.”
“…and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”
Acts 13:48
The Book of Acts Series #24 2/27/22
The Birth and Expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ “…you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NASB)
Introduction – The transitional nature of the Book of Acts 1:1-5 I. Christian witness in Jerusalem 1:6-8:3
A. The Risen Lord – The 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection & ascension 1:6-26 B. Pentecost – Outpouring of the Holy Spirit – The birthday of the Church 2:1-47 C. Healing the lame man in the Temple, Peter’s 2nd Sermon 3:1-26
D. The beginning of persecution 4:1-37
E. Purging from within, more persecution from without 5:1-41 F. Choosing co-laborers – The first deacons 6:1-7
G. Stephen – a deacon and the first Christian martyr 6:8-8:3
II. Christian witness in Palestine and Syria 8:4-12:25
A. The Church Scattered by persecution 8:4-40
B. The Conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus 9:1-31
C. Peter’s ministry – The “grafting in” of the Gentiles 9:32-10:48
- Peter’s healing ministry 9:32-43
- Peter’s ‘bridge-building’ ministry – Peter and Cornelius 10:1-48
D. Breaking down prejudice and social barriers takes time 11:1-30 - The “leaven” of the Pharisees—The danger of false doctrine 11:1-18 a. The legalism of the self-righteous Jews threatened division 11:1-3 b. Peter’s testimony of what God did in Joppa and Caesarea 11:4-16
- The result—The authenticated Gospel breaks down social barriers 11:17-18 a. Peter’s conclusion—Since God gave them the same gift 11:17
b. Then God has granted to Gentiles “the repentance that leads to life” 11:18 - The controversy over the inclusion of the Gentiles continues 11:19-30 E. The Christians Persecuted by Herod 12:1-25
III. Christian witness to the uttermost part of the earth 13:1-28:31 A. The First Missionary Journey 13:1-14:28
B. The Council at Jerusalem 15:1-35
C. The Second Missionary Journey 15:36-18:22
D. The Third Missionary Journey 18:23-21:26 E. The Journey to Rome 21:27-28:27
Key Verse(s) – God’s plan for the Salvation of mankind has ALWAYS been inclusive Acts 11: 17-18 (NASB) *Salvation is ALWAYS “granted” as a sovereign gift of grace “’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.’”
“…God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:36 (NASB)