1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
We are in a very momentous time. I saw one brother explain that the Jewish new year in 2020 is exactly 2050 years according to the Jewish calendar from 3 BC. He picked that date because the alignment of the stars on Rosh Hoshanna in that year appears to have the astrological alignment that was described in the book of Matthew for the star of Bethlehem. That means that this year would be the very first year of the jubilee of the third millennium after Jesus' birth. People want to get ready for the Lord’s return, what can they do? Well, first and foremost you can “receive the word of God”.
2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
Isn’t that interesting? All the brothers and apostles in Judea heard this and they all were Jews. Yet not all of them were “of the circumcision”. Already the church is breaking into sects. If you think about this, it is a funny name for the sect. Can you imagine a political group whose platform included being pro circumcision? So I don’t think that was what it meant, instead the circumcision points to our covenant with God. Today we have “covenant Christians” who emphasize the New Testament is a covenant with God. These ones were emphasizing the covenant we had with God, but talking about the Old Testament, not the new. It probably wasn’t that clear yet since we hadn’t had the ministry of Paul. Notice the issue was not that the uncircumcised came into his house. That was OK, the issue was that he went into their house and ate with them. This would mean that the food was prepared in a kitchen that was not kosher. I don’t have to serve bacon to you, if I simply serve something you can eat but use pans that are also used to cook bacon it would be a violation of the Old Covenant.
4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
This dream has become part of the word of God. It has become part of the fellowship of the apostles. God very clearly can and does speak through dreams.
11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Cornelius dream and testimony have also become part of the word of God and part of the New Testament.
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
The dream of Peter, the dream of Cornelius, and the word of God are all in agreement. Peter listened to his dream and considered it, but it was the word that the Lord spoke which was authoritative.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
This is a very big point. This doesn’t become the word of God because Peter said so, it is not based on him being “an apostle”. Rather, it was based on the Holy Spirit testifying that they had received Jesus Christ. Peter was an apostle, the Lord Jesus said He would give him the keys to the kingdom, yet Peter isn’t here saying “hey, I have the keys to the kingdom and I have just opened the door for the Gentiles”. No, it is based on the word of the Lord Jesus and of the prophets in the Old Testament.
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Isn’t this wonderful? This is how things used to be done. You disagree with someone, you contend with them, they treat you with respect, they tell you the full story, you listen carefully and realize, wow, God is doing something new that I didn’t know about. Can you imagine such a thing happening today on Social media, or between political parties? Today you are not allowed to question them. In January of 2020 Steve Bannon saw the virus in China and felt it had the potential to become a pandemic in the US. As a result he started a podcast called “War Room Pandemic”. He was ridiculed and mocked as being some kind of Tin foil hat conspiracy theorist. Not only so but he had scientist on the program claiming the virus was made in a bioweapons lab. The mainstream media depicted him as looney tunes and fringe right, yet twelve months later we know it did become a pandemic, and the US State department has released their official position that this was made in a bioweapons lab. I don’t mind that people strongly disagreed with this 12 months ago, but the slander and ridicule, that I object to.
19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
There is a verse in a song I used to sing “all he could do, the foe, was just release the flow”. Killing Stephen caused the saints to be dispersed which in turn caused the gospel to spread among the gentiles. Dispersing the believers happened before Peter’s preaching to Cornelius, so hearing that the Gentiles had received the word of God probably spread all the more. This was the move of God in the church when the Apostle Paul was just a new brother. There is a persecution going on today. They are “cancelling” anyone who supported Trump like Mike Lindell. People are getting fired from their jobs because they used Parler and not just Facebook. They aren’t fired for anything they said or did other than having an account on Parler. Trump is being impeached with the express purpose of removing him from office, yet he was already removed from office last month. Others want to make Washington DC a state even though the constitution is clear that it is not to be made a state. Ignoring the constitution, persecuting those who are standing for free and fair elections, we have seen this before. What is different this time around is there are 75 million people being attacked, rather than just 500.
We are in a very momentous time. I saw one brother explain that the Jewish new year in 2020 is exactly 2050 years according to the Jewish calendar from 3 BC. He picked that date because the alignment of the stars on Rosh Hoshanna in that year appears to have the astrological alignment that was described in the book of Matthew for the star of Bethlehem. That means that this year would be the very first year of the jubilee of the third millennium after Jesus' birth. People want to get ready for the Lord’s return, what can they do? Well, first and foremost you can “receive the word of God”.
2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
Isn’t that interesting? All the brothers and apostles in Judea heard this and they all were Jews. Yet not all of them were “of the circumcision”. Already the church is breaking into sects. If you think about this, it is a funny name for the sect. Can you imagine a political group whose platform included being pro circumcision? So I don’t think that was what it meant, instead the circumcision points to our covenant with God. Today we have “covenant Christians” who emphasize the New Testament is a covenant with God. These ones were emphasizing the covenant we had with God, but talking about the Old Testament, not the new. It probably wasn’t that clear yet since we hadn’t had the ministry of Paul. Notice the issue was not that the uncircumcised came into his house. That was OK, the issue was that he went into their house and ate with them. This would mean that the food was prepared in a kitchen that was not kosher. I don’t have to serve bacon to you, if I simply serve something you can eat but use pans that are also used to cook bacon it would be a violation of the Old Covenant.
4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
This dream has become part of the word of God. It has become part of the fellowship of the apostles. God very clearly can and does speak through dreams.
11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Cornelius dream and testimony have also become part of the word of God and part of the New Testament.
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
The dream of Peter, the dream of Cornelius, and the word of God are all in agreement. Peter listened to his dream and considered it, but it was the word that the Lord spoke which was authoritative.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
This is a very big point. This doesn’t become the word of God because Peter said so, it is not based on him being “an apostle”. Rather, it was based on the Holy Spirit testifying that they had received Jesus Christ. Peter was an apostle, the Lord Jesus said He would give him the keys to the kingdom, yet Peter isn’t here saying “hey, I have the keys to the kingdom and I have just opened the door for the Gentiles”. No, it is based on the word of the Lord Jesus and of the prophets in the Old Testament.
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Isn’t this wonderful? This is how things used to be done. You disagree with someone, you contend with them, they treat you with respect, they tell you the full story, you listen carefully and realize, wow, God is doing something new that I didn’t know about. Can you imagine such a thing happening today on Social media, or between political parties? Today you are not allowed to question them. In January of 2020 Steve Bannon saw the virus in China and felt it had the potential to become a pandemic in the US. As a result he started a podcast called “War Room Pandemic”. He was ridiculed and mocked as being some kind of Tin foil hat conspiracy theorist. Not only so but he had scientist on the program claiming the virus was made in a bioweapons lab. The mainstream media depicted him as looney tunes and fringe right, yet twelve months later we know it did become a pandemic, and the US State department has released their official position that this was made in a bioweapons lab. I don’t mind that people strongly disagreed with this 12 months ago, but the slander and ridicule, that I object to.
19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
There is a verse in a song I used to sing “all he could do, the foe, was just release the flow”. Killing Stephen caused the saints to be dispersed which in turn caused the gospel to spread among the gentiles. Dispersing the believers happened before Peter’s preaching to Cornelius, so hearing that the Gentiles had received the word of God probably spread all the more. This was the move of God in the church when the Apostle Paul was just a new brother. There is a persecution going on today. They are “cancelling” anyone who supported Trump like Mike Lindell. People are getting fired from their jobs because they used Parler and not just Facebook. They aren’t fired for anything they said or did other than having an account on Parler. Trump is being impeached with the express purpose of removing him from office, yet he was already removed from office last month. Others want to make Washington DC a state even though the constitution is clear that it is not to be made a state. Ignoring the constitution, persecuting those who are standing for free and fair elections, we have seen this before. What is different this time around is there are 75 million people being attacked, rather than just 500.