Who was I that I could stand in God's way?

Acts 11 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, ³ saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began speaking and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, saying, ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came right down to me, ⁶ and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air. ⁷ I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky. ¹¹ And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; ¹⁴ and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ ¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

¹⁹ So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. ²⁰ But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. ²² The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. ²³ Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; ²⁴ for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. ²⁵ And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Today’s text begins saying:  Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him,  saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”   This question or accusation is very much like what Jesus Himself encountered from the religious leaders. In Luke 5:29-30 it says: And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”   Even today there is a struggle and debate within the church regarding some who fellowship with those who live in sinful lifestyles. I think the most important thing we, believers today, can do regarding how we relate to, fellowship with, welcome, those who do not live according to what scripture says is right and acceptable, is to know what it is that God is saying to us today. Jesus said:  "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.” (John 12:49)   and  “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. “ (John 5:19)   Jesus though was God in flesh. He knew the Father intimately from eternity past. How do we know that what we see and hear is truly from the Father and not our own thoughts? There are many voices that will try to speak and tell us what is right. The world will speak loudly saying acceptance and tolerance is the way we must relate to those who believe and act differently than ourselves. The religious will question why we would even associate with those who are sinners.

To know what Jesus and the Father would say and do today we need to do two things. First, because they do not change, they are the same yesterday, today and forever, we need to see and hear what they have said, in order to know what they are saying.  When we look at and hear what Jesus said in response to those who questioned and criticized Him for associating with sinners, He said:  “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)  The second thing we need to do is to rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13-14 Jesus says:  “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.”  And     “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (John 14:26)    So the Holy Spirit, along with the written word should be our guide and teach us what Jesus and the Father would say or are saying about things today.

In today’s text, Peter heard a new revelation. It was unprecedented in the doctrine and the theology of the church at the time. Is it possible then that today, we too are to hear a new revelation regarding how we relate to sin and sinners?   Let’s look carefully at today’s text, picking up where Peter describes both what he saw in the vision and what happened regarding those he went to:   … ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’ This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky. And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea. The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house. And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;  and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”        So it really was not a new revelation, but rather it was the Holy Spirit reminding Peter of what Jesus had said:  ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’  Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. (Luke 5:32)  Jesus Himself was calling these people to repentance. The text says:  We entered the man’s house. And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;  and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 

Peter, taking into account all that he saw and heard, all that the Spirit brought to his remembrance, concluded, “…who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”     We too should never stand in the way of what God is doing, of what Jesus wants to do, of who it is that He is calling to repentance. It is not that we should accept, tolerate or condone sin. It is that like Peter we should respond being messengers of Jesus call to repentance. We should hear what God says:  ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’ People may not feel comfortable in our gatherings, but they should always be and feel welcome. In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus says:  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”   We are to be set apart, different from the ways of the world. That might make some people uncomfortable. Romans 12:1-2 says:  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.   There really is no new revelation about what God and Jesus are saying and doing. There is a renewing, a remembering of all that they have said and done, that to the cross, the demonstration of God’s love, sinners are called to repentance, that through the cross they are cleansed. Who are we to stand in God’s way?

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You for Your unchanging love, mercy and grace. May I never stand in the way of what You are doing, but rather may I see and hear what You are saying and doing, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may I become salt and light, Your example and Your messenger as You call sinners to repentance.  Amen