Acts 11
February 18, 2022
“So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (v 17-18)
The Gospel cut through the ethnocentrism that was present in the early church (v2-3). After all, if God was giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, too - upon repenting and believing in Jesus (v 17-18), how could the Jews maintain any idea of ethnic or cultural superiority?
Lord, I praise You for Your great love for people of every tribe, tongue and ethnic group! And I thank You that the gospel is the great unifier of the human race - whenever we are willing to acknowledge our common ground of sin and shared need for You as Savior. You are the One who breaks down the wall of hostility between ethnic groups and unites us in Yourself (Eph 2:14)! Show me where I (like the early church) might have any ethnocentric views (even subconsciously) - so that I can surrender them to You, allowing the gospel to cut through any air of superiority!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
