Acts 11 — A Journal of Union and Witness
God’s Spirit does not discriminate—He fills every space into which He’s welcomed.
The events of Acts 11 pivot from narrative to explanation. The miraculous inclusion of Gentiles into the body of Christ now needed defending—and it wasn’t the Gentiles who raised objections, but the circumcision party. Peter carefully recounted the vision and encounter from chapter 10, confirming that the Spirit had come upon the Gentiles just as He had at Pentecost. His logic was airtight: if God gave them the same gift, who are we to stand in the way?
Six witnesses had entered Cornelius’s house with Peter, doubling the Old Testament requirement for testimony. And when Peter declared that God had granted repentance leading to life—even for Gentiles—the objectors fell silent. Praise replaced protest.
The narrative then turns to Antioch, where persecution had scattered believers. At first, they spoke only to Jews, but boldness soon followed. Some preached to Gentiles too, and a great number believed. The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas—a Spirit-filled encourager—to investigate. He rejoiced and exhorted them to remain steadfast, then went to Tarsus to retrieve Saul. Together, they discipled the new church in Antioch for a year. It was there that believers were first called Christians.
Finally, the chapter closes with prophets foretelling a famine during Claudius’s reign. The church at Antioch responded with generosity, sending relief through Barnabas and Saul. We’re reminded again that the Spirit not only forms the body of Christ but also moves it to act.
Journal Entry — In the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I have made no distinction between them and you. I cleansed their hearts by faith, just as I did yours. What I have called clean, do not call unclean. I gave them the same gift I gave you when you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Who are you to stand in My way?
You were once scattered by sorrow, but I used even that to send My Word forth. Some planted among the Jews, others sowed among Gentiles. And I gave the growth. I was with them, and a great number believed and turned to Me. I saw your generosity, your encouragement, your faith—and I filled Barnabas and Saul to build up the body.
In Antioch, you bore a new name—Christian—because you bear My Son’s life. The prophets among you did not merely predict famine; they stirred your hearts to respond in love. You gave according to your ability, each one determined in their heart, and through that offering, My unity was displayed.
You are My people, My temple, My witnesses. I have placed no barrier before you that I have not already removed. So do not rebuild walls I have torn down. I am drawing all nations to Myself. What I began in Jerusalem, I have continued in Judea, Samaria, and now to the ends of the earth. And I will complete it.
(Acts 11:9, 12, 15–17, 21–26, 28–30; 1 Corinthians 3:6; Romans 15:7; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Philippians 1:6)
A Real-Life Analogy
Have you ever sat at a family dinner where someone unexpected was invited—a neighbor, coworker, or even someone from a completely different background? At first, it might feel awkward. Maybe the conversation falters. But as the meal unfolds, laughter begins to fill the room, stories are shared, and a connection is made. It’s in those moments that we realize something beautiful: family isn't always about shared blood or background—it’s about who’s been invited to the table.
That’s what happened in Acts 11. The early believers were learning that God had extended the table—and He was asking them not just to make room, but to embrace those He had already welcomed.
A Fresh Metaphor
When sunlight pours into a room through an open window, it does not discriminate between the antique desk, the old sofa, or the floor strewn with toys. It simply fills the space it’s been allowed to enter. That’s how the Holy Spirit works. He does not ask the room to clean itself first—He fills it, and His presence transforms it from within.
Prayer
Father, thank You for filling even the unlikely places with Your Spirit. You’ve torn down walls I didn’t even know I was building—walls of assumption, of bias, of fear. You are never bound by man’s definitions of who is worthy. And I trust You. I trust You to open my heart just as You opened Peter’s. I trust You to keep drawing others into this marvelous grace we’ve received. I trust You to work in and through me, not just to believe, but to participate in this divine invitation—to love with the same love You have poured out. Let me never forget: I, too, was once on the outside. And now I belong.
Devotional Credit
Insights drawn from the Grace and Truth Study Bible, Zondervan.
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