A Church That Learns to Welcome All (Acts 11:1–18)
Have you ever had to explain yourself for doing something people didn’t understand—even though you knew it was the right thing to do? That’s exactly what happened to Peter in Acts 11:1–18. After sharing the good news of Jesus with people who weren’t Jewish, some believers were confused and upset. But what came next was a powerful reminder that God’s love is for everyone.
Peter Faces Questions
Word spread quickly. The Jewish believers in Judea heard that Peter had visited Gentiles (non-Jews) and even shared meals with them. This shocked many of them. At that time, Jewish people often followed strict rules about food and who they associated with, especially Gentiles.
So when Peter returned to Jerusalem, some believers confronted him, saying, “Why did you go into a Gentile home and eat with them?”
Peter Tells the Whole Story
Peter didn’t get defensive. Instead, he calmly explained everything that had happened:
- He told them about the vision he had in Joppa—how he saw a large sheet with different animals and heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
- He explained how he refused at first, because the animals were considered “unclean” by Jewish law.
- But the voice replied, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and then the vision ended.
Right after that, three men from Caesarea arrived, sent by a man named Cornelius, who had also seen a vision from God. Peter said the Holy Spirit told him to go with them—and he did.
God’s Spirit Makes It Clear
Peter went to Cornelius’s house and shared the message of Jesus. And while he was still speaking, something amazing happened: the Holy Spirit came on the Gentiles, just like He had come on the Jewish believers at the beginning.
Peter realized this was God’s doing. So he asked, “Who was I to stand in God’s way?” In other words, if God had accepted them, Peter had to accept them too.
A Change of Heart
After hearing Peter’s story, the believers in Jerusalem stopped arguing. Instead, they praised God, saying, “So then, God has given even the Gentiles the chance to turn to Him and live.”
This moment was a big turning point in the early church. It helped the believers realize that the message of Jesus was not just for one group of people—it was for everyone, everywhere.
What We Can Learn from This Story
- God’s love is for all people – No matter where you’re from, what your background is, or what you look like, God wants you in His family.
- Sometimes we need to change our thinking – The early believers had to let go of old ideas and see things the way God sees them.
- When God moves, we shouldn’t stand in His way – Peter didn’t fully understand everything at first, but he followed God’s leading.
- Listening matters – Peter took the time to explain, and the believers were willing to listen and learn.
Final Thought:
This part of Acts reminds us that the church is not meant to be a closed group—it’s meant to be open to all people who want to know and follow Jesus. When we listen to God and each other with open hearts, we’ll see just how big and welcoming His love really is.
Acts 11:1-18 (WEB)
11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”4 But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. 6 When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ 9 But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’ 10 This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, who is called Peter, 14 who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 16 I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave to them the same gift as us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?”18 When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”