UNDERSTANDING THE CHURCH ENLARGED

Peter talked with the Jewish believers about the Gentiles. Peter told of his vision of the sheet let down from heaven. Peter pleaded for the Jewish believers to understand that God had shown him that now there was no religious difference between circumcised and uncircumcised. The Jewish believers should not think the Gentiles were unclean. God did not consider one person better than another person. Peter told of God's command for him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Peter told of the messengers who came to him from Cornelius. Peter told of meeting Cornelius and the group of people there. Peter told of the vision God had given Cornelius with directions for finding Peter.SRme 1.1332

The Jewish believers realized how careful Peter had been to take six witnesses to Cornelius' house. Peter brought these six men with him to Jerusalem to report about everything Peter did.SRme 1.1333

Peter told about all the events of the first meeting with Gentiles, saying, "'And when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them just as on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." It is clear that God gave those Gentiles the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, then, to try to stop God!'" (Acts 11:15-17).SRme 1.1334

The Jewish believers said no more when they heard Peter's experience with the Gentiles. The Jewish believers realized that Peter's actions were fulfillment of the plan of God. The Jewish believers saw that their separation from, and their dislike for, the Gentiles were to be completely destroyed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. "They stopped their criticism and praised God, saying, 'Then God has given to the Gentiles the opportunity to repent and live!'" (Acts 11:18, TEV).SRme 1.1335