Acts 11

http://www.esvbible.org/Acts+11/

When Peter returned to Jerusalem from Cornelius's house, the Christians who believed only Jews could convert to Christianity could not believe that Peter had stayed at the home of a gentile and eaten his food with him. Peter, however, knew he completed a task the Lord set before him, so he told the people who had been criticizing him everything that happened. First, he told them about the dream with all of the animals that the voice in heaven told him the Lord and cleaned. Then, he talked about how as soon as he came out of the trance, the men from Cornelius arrived to take Peter with them. Finally, he told how Cornelius heard an angel tell him that he needed to fetch Peter so that Peter could tell him and his family and friends a message that would save their lives. After Peter spoke to them, they received the Holy Spirit just like the Jews who came to believe. In the end, no one doubted that Peter had done what the Lord intended for him to do. If the Lord sets up a situation in your life where he wants you to act, you will usually have no doubt that He has set this up for you. Peter realized this at Cornelius's house, and the other believers in Jerusalem realized this after Peter told his story. They all began to praise the Lord because he accepts all people. They did not know this before cornelius because in the Old Testament, the Jews were God's chosen people, and He favored and protected them above all others. Now, it is up to us to choose Him to be treated that way.

Following Stephen's execution, some of the believers scattered as far as Antioch. Once there, they began preaching the Good News to the Jews who lived there. Later, others joined them and spoke to the Greeks about Jesus. A large number of people believed there, and in Antioch, the believers were called Christians for the first time. When word about the church in Antioch reached Barnabas, he travelled to Antioch to see what had happened. He was pleased by what God had done in kindness. He encouraged them to remain faithful to the Lord, and then he left to find Saul. He and Saul taught at the Church in Antioch for a year. Finally, some prophets came from Jerusalem and predicted famine throughout the world. The believers in Antioch gathered up everything they could afford and sent it with Barnabas and Saul when they left for Jerusalem. The early church sets a really good example of giving. We should give whatever we can honestly afford to the church or to those in need. Here, the people in Antioch do both since the church is in need.