There’s a famous experiment from the 1960s called the “blue eyes/brown eyes exercise.” After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., educator Jane Elliott wanted to help her third-grade class understand the arbitrary nature of discrimination. She divided her all-white classroom into two groups based on eye color but didn’t tell them the purpose behind the experiment. She said that people with blue eyes were smarter and more civilized than brown-eyed people, and gave the blue-eyed students special privileges. The second day, the roles were reversed. On both days, the behavior of the “superior” group of students soured toward their “inferior” classmates. It’s amazing how quickly humans will form our identities around something arbitrary—how fast we embrace the idea of our own superiority.
The early church was not immune to these sins. In Acts 11, we see that while Jewish men and women who had become Christians loved Jesus, they still emphasized their identity as primarily Jews. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit led the apostles to other cities—cities like Antioch, which was full of people who were devoted to their Greek culture and heritage. As more and more Jewish people and more and more non-Jewish people became Christians, the two groups were bound to collide. Concerned that their identity and culture would be watered down, lost, or changed, the Jewish believers began creating litmus tests for new believers, focusing on certain Jewish rites like circumcision and clean eating. You can be a Christian, they said. But first, you have to be Jewish.
With love and gentleness, in today’s reading Peter explains how he came to understand that this was a culturally limited view of what God was doing in the world. He tells them how the Holy Spirit showed him, step by step, that God’s grace is for everyone. New believers do not first have to become Jewish to be followers of Jesus.
Miracles abound in this passage: Peter’s dream, the visitation he had by Conelius, the vast number of people who came to believe in the Lord. But the greatest miracle of all, in my view, was the beautiful response that occurred in the hearts of both Jewish Christians and the non-Jewish Christians in Antioch. The world would have them as enemies. But rather than double-down on their tribal differences, they were called to embrace one another fully.
After hearing Peter’s explanation, Jewish Christians didn’t double down on their beliefs. They became silent, and then “glorified God” (Acts 11:18) Christians in Antioch, when told of the financial and material distress of fellow believers, didn’t sit back idly and let them suffer. They didn’t say “not my people, not my problem.” They moved to action, sending money and food to their Christian brothers and sisters in Judea.
The Lord loves us all, and calls us to love one another without reservation. Praise be to God!
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47 thoughts on "The Church in Antioch"
I love the idea of loving one another without reservation. I need to hear that as I often have people in my life that I am deemed hard to love. Thank you, Lord, for showing me what true love looks like so I can extend that same love to others.
I love this bright light of women here. It’s not much, but it makes me feel connected to a group of women when I often feel isolated. Thank you all for sharing in Christ together- and including us all. ❤️❤️❤️
I am so glad I joined this Bible study. I never read Acts until this and I feel like a big gap I had in my Bible knowledges is being filled. So much makes sense now. Continued prayers and blessings to the SRT team for providing us opportunities to become more familiar with the Bible, but more importantly, understand it. Be blessed!
Oh my goodness— what a bittersweet situation to be in. Will definitely add your mom to our prayers. That she finds joy in your father’s salvation. Much love.
Amen and Amen!
I needed to read your comment today. Thank you.
This passage reminds me of my family right now. My father was recently baptized and is going to church for the fiest time in his life. I have bene praying for him to know the Lord for a decade, since I became Christian. Praise be to God! However, my mother has taken this news with such judgment. My parents are divorced and she is deeply saddened my dad didn’t ever go to church with her. She said “it’s like I wasn’t worth it.” There is a lot of hurt going on, but I am so sad to see my mother only had judgment for something so good – that my father is saved. Please pray for my mother that she would repent of her self centered views and realize that God’s timing is absolutely perfect. I hope one day she can be joyous that my father did come to Christ at all, even if it was not within their marriage.
I am proud to be a Christian, or a “Jesus Person.” To be a part of “the party of Jesus” is a wonderful thing.
You are right.. God does love us all! We have to let go of our superiority and pride.. or else it will be the downfall of us all.
What spoke to me today was the last little section in 1 Peter 4: 16-19.
It says “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
Ever since I started to really get into God’s word, and have a more closer relationship with Him, my complete mindset on suffering has been changed. I now think of sufferings as one saint has called them: “But the kiss of Jesus.” I find it to be a beautiful thing, because in the midst of our sufferings is an opportunity, a chance, to cling onto Jesus as tight as we can, and never let go. I now see every problem, or challenges I face as a chance to cling to Jesus… and I hope that all of you would too!
Have a great night!
Kathy A – Your whole comment resonates with me today, and you said perfectly what my heart has been feeling throughout this study of Acts! My church studied this book in depth (we spent over a year in it) about two years ago, but it feels so fresh and new and exciting to be reading it again. This is my first ever study with She Reads Truth, and it has been soooooo good. I’ve been in God’s word every single day for the first time in years, and I can feel the difference in all areas of my life. So thankful for this community! I’m also excited to begin the Advent study soon.
I pray I would love those around me, especially those in the body of Christ, the way God has called me to.
And I typed too fast… uPdate not uOdate! Thanks for praying, sisters!
UODATE… young friend was reported as missing and has been located. I have no more details than that. My friend/her mom just messaged me that she is so tired. I can’t imagine how she must feel.
Dear Traci, please don’t give up. God wants Tanner well. I hope you will watch this testimony of a little girl and the exhausting journey they went through ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbfgxDwMoJk&ab_channel=AndrewWommack) and I hope you can find strength on this journey to see your son completely whole. I also highly recommend the teaching series “God wants you well” from this ministry. It corrected a lot of wrong thinking for me in the area of healing, and I started seeing miracles when I aligned my understanding with the goodness of God in healing. Jesus healed the paralyzed man at Bethesda pool, who suffered 38 years of being crippled. I pray what God did for that man, He will do it to Tanner. Please DON’t DON’T quit ok. Much love and hugs to you.
Claire’s devotion leaves me saying WOW!!! and AMEN!!!. We Christians have so many different denominations that it’s ridiculous. And each denomination might have it’s own set of governing regulations. Why can’t we worship God, Christ and the Holy Spirit the way it was in the beginning of Christianity, the way God showed Peter it needed to be. I feel Claire said it all when she said, “The Lord loves us all, and calls us to love one another without reservation. Praise be to God!”
Sisters have a glorious, bless and wonderful day. Let’s spread the Good News — the GREAT NEWS!!!
Adrienne-
God surely has His eyes on this girl. I pray that her family would have peace knowing He sees and can restore her. I pray for her to truly know God’s heart for her and her horrible traumatic experience. May He heal her brokenness and show her how much He hurts with her. May she know she is deeply loved in Jesus’s name. May she be brought back to family, as well.
Traci G– that is so tough. I am praying for you, still. God, please bless and keep Traci, Tanner, and family. May you continue to provide your perfect peace and wisdom to their hearts, individually. Please help the whole family be unified in Spirit, regardless of different vaccination choices or restrictions. May your Spirit of unity and peace dwell in each heart. Please help them understand how to love and care for one another in this time. If there are people resistant to your Spirit, please make yourself very known to them. Pleas give Traci continued love and affection. Help her know You see her and her family. ❤️
Lexi– I pray you find time to rest! That you are able to create windows of time in your busy schedule to take care of yourself. To do things you need to do that help you feel rested and at peace. God, please give Lexi your patience and direction. Help her have balance in this time of new business! I believe God will bless you continually! He is good ☺️
Love all you SRT girls! May God bless your hearts and help those who have not voiced prayer requests to feel seen and known.
Yes, I also wonder where churchmouse went. I have seen her posts here for a while. May God bless her and keep her. In Jesus’s name.
Thank you all for your prayers and perspectives. Praying for your requests.
Has anyone heard anything about ‘Churchmouse’ who we loved?
SEARCHING – Thank you for your prayers. I know God’s plane has a purpose. Thank you for reminding me that it will be the right one. XO
I sit here in tears today. I had a very hard conversation with Tanner last night. He is tired of isolating because of covid. We have members of our family that did not want to get vaccinated and we cannot have Tanner in their presence. It has changed our life so drastically. Holidays are not being celebrated with everyone. I find that so sad, because I never know when it will be Tanner’s last. He feels his body failing. Sometimes I pray that God would take him swiftly and then I panic. I want God’s grace on him and to end his suffering, but what does that mean for me?? I cannot imagine my life without him, but that is selfish. I want to thank all of you that are praying for us. It truly means so so much. 1 Peter 4:19 So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good. I need to find the good in the season of my life.
As for the study, I find it so relative to today. We live in such a divided world. Even in our own country. So many different denominations searching for the same God. Claire said the With love and gentleness Peter explains how he came to understand that this was a culturally limited view of what God was doing in the world. God’s grace is for everyone. The Lord calls us all, and calls us to love one another without reservation. Lord help me to see others as YOU see them. Someone told me yesterday, that it is “in” to not believe in God amongst the millennials. How sad is that? We need to be living examples to this young group. It seems we have failed as the generation that raised them, taught them, were their bosses, etc.
These verses stood out to me today from Acts 11: 17 If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?” I love this and I love Peter’s response to submit to God’s will and share the gospel with everyone; not just the Jews.
Guys I have a praise and a prayer request: Praise- I secured my first paying client!!! I named my price (which seemed high to me but God said to offer this price) and the client accepted! I am so excited and nervous- this makes my business a real business!
Prayer: I am worn out with business building and having a full time job at the same time. I am starting to feel it in my body. I need to find time to find more rest…instead of finding more caffiene… so I can be fully present.
Here here ! To Love without distinction!
As I read the devotion today, I was thinking about the Christian church today and how we are being divided during this time, vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated. Both sides have strong beliefs for their position and consider the other side wrong. I can become defensive and eliminate those people from my life or choose to love my sisters and brothers in Christ. We can’t let these issues divide us. Lord help me to love people the way You want me to love and care for them.
Good morning, sisters! Can I request prayer for a friend’s family? Her daughter was raped as a young teen. Now a couple years later, they are dealing with “fallout” from it. The girl has run away again. (She did a couple months ago.) This time, she did not take their car and the family cannot ping her phone. (The phone company will not do it w/o a subpoena.) They have no idea where she is. Thank you.
@SEARCHING, thank you for praying for me. I appreciate that more than you know.And I got a good laugh about too many cooks in the kitchen. Thank you. Laughter is good.
Joining Taylor to look for ways to love all without reservation. And boy did I need to hear this, this. I love my job! But sometimes working with unbelievers can be challenging. I do my best to say nothing because as an ambassador for Christ I don’t want mess it up.
Great insights today friends ! And every day. Angie thank you for sharing. And thank you to those who brought attention to the missionaries in Haiti, I pray for them. Love you all!
In high school I was a part of the blue eyes/brown eyes experiment. It was eye opening.
Loving this book, I have heard many of these stories through my years of being a Christian, yet this month they feel fresh and new as the exciting sequel to the gospels. I feel more excited than ever to celebrate the birth of Christ, seeing the miraculous beginnings of the church. Jesus feels bigger having read the book of Acts. I know we’ve said it before here, but the power of the Holy Spirit we are reading about, it is in us. May we listen more closely this week to the leading of the Spirit. May we all be known like Barnabas, as good women, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Amen
Claire Gibson’s devotional today was insightful. Added depth to a familiar story and made it new. So appropriate for our current times. Dedication to heritage and tribes when God had something entirely different in mind. Love. Open to all. Unreservedly.
What a wonderful devotion today. It’s a good reminder of God’s love, mercy and grace.
Such Love, not just for the Jewish people praise God but for all. In church this past Sunday our Pastor spoke of how you can see the purpose of the book by looking at the ending, which is what is a habit his son has whenever he reads a novel. Then he took us to Revelation chapter 7. Here are vs 7-9 “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”Revelation 7:9-10 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/rev.7.9-10.NIV This was God’s plan and how very beautiful, that we are loved and included, because that is the love of our God for every one of us.
Donna Walcott joining your prayers for the 17 missionaries in Haiti and the people in Haiti. May we be His light dear Sisters His beacon that others would find His salvation, His open arms, His forgivenes and grace through us. Praying.
WHITNEY – Although I also could not read your post, God knows your needs. Praying for you and your daughter
Missionaries taken hostage in Haiti – praying for safety and release
ANGIE and other teachers – praying as you work through parent conferences and as you teach to reach your students daily.
KRISTEN – praying for Jim Burns
TAYLOR – I was once in similar circumstances – looking at where are my boundaries and where should they be now that I’m a child of God?
praying for wisdom and guidance as you examine and realign your boundaries, and for your new relationship
KIMBERLY FERRUGIA – praying for you
TRACI GENDRON – praying for you, Tanner and for your husband. I can’t begin to imagine your (and Tanner’s) pain of his illness and was thankful to read there were some good years among the painful ones. When it feels like God isn’t listening to or isn’t answering my prayers, I have to remind myself again and again and again that in the end, His plan will prove to be the right one – even when I can’t even see a glimmer of how that is possible, when I have to ask Him to help me hold on to my faith.
MICHELLE PATIRE – praying for your car/transportation needs and more income
MARI V – praying for you and your mom! I love my mom dearly but when we spend more than a day together … wow, too many cooks in the kitchen and everywhere else in the house.
NANCY SINGLETON – praying for Chris and for your traveling safety & health, comfort for you and your family.
JULIA BELO – praying for your friend Linda
BROOKE P and KARRIE – continuing to pray
Angie, what a lovely analogy.
Great analogy Angie and loved your closing thoughts – that was a beautiful picture of what happens when God brings us together. Thanks for sharing that!
What a beautiful devotion to accompany today’s Scripture. May God cause this response in all our hearts….to love without distinction!
May we become like the early church and rejoice over all who follow Jesus. There are so many splintered pieces within the church. There are voices who say (at least with their actions) that their way is the only way. God forgive me for not always standing with those who claim the sacrifice of your Son as their salvation. You are the ultimate judge of hearts. May I offer grace and love.
1 Peter 4:16-19. As I read this verse this morning, I thought of the 17 Christian missionaries kidnapped in Haiti. I will be praying for them to be returned safely.
Father God, help me to see others as You do and love all. In Jesus name, Amen
Love the last line of today’s devotion. I will be looking for ways I can love without reservation to those I interact with today!
In our community it is Amish and English.
The Amish teach their families the attitude of being set apart (reminding me of the Jewish nation). Many of their “rules” are founded upon traditions, (which reminds me some of the Jews also). Those “rules” are often altered by the district’s bishop.
The English in our community remind me of gentiles. Like the gentiles of Paul’s day, we are all over the place in our beliefs. There are Christians and non-christians. Among the Christians there are various denominations, effecting the “rules” or standards followed. Among the non-Christians there are the “there is no God” people on one end, and more and more of those vacillating somewhere between belief and salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord.
I’m thankful to say we also have those from both sides that come together. Amish and English who recognize the Jesus in each other. We break down the walls and love Him, serve Him, and, I believe, honor Him together. I have been blessed to have many Amish friends, from the 90 year old former Amish preacher that I sat and talked scripture with many times (and love dearly) to my middle-age neighbor, to the little children and their parents who are a part of our class each year. We don’t always share the exact same beliefs. We do believe Jesus is the Son of God and came to save us from our sin. We do love and serve the same Savior.
In the kingdom of God I do not believe it is about Amish/English, Jew/Gentile, American/African/Canadian/…etc. It is about people given the breath of life by God their creator. Created for purpose, on purpose, to serve the One True and Holy God. We together are His fragrant bouquet of beauty. We are so much more beautiful brought together, held in the vase of His heart.
Today’s reading is a good reminder – we are all given the the grace of God. Praise the Lord!
They were moved to action, sending money and food to their Christian brothers and sisters in Judea.
The Lord loves us all, and calls us to love one another without reservation. Praise be to God!
@ Arina. You are so right. They probably never knew those they were helping, but were moved to act and respond. This lead others to Jesus!!! There are so many trustworthy organizations that help people in need today and share the Gospel and give the people basic needs, but also hope. My former pastor would say to pray, give, and go. His wife has a big heart for missions, and would be brought to tears as she spoke. Of course they knew that some may never serve in another country, but there were opportunities to serve here. Some may have given a lot in the form of cash or time, but we were definitely reminded to pray. Basically, they were telling us we can all do something. I like what you wrote. It wasn’t because they were special it was because they were filled with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit was at work through them! Such a reminder that the same Holy Spirit is still at work today.
We just had missionaries visit the church this weekend. I was reminded to pray for them. I pray that God would give them whatever they need at the time and for them to be encouraged and strengthened, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work that they are called to. May they be used to help many in tangible ways, but may all they encounter come to Jesus as they do the work God empowers them to do. Then, may those people be used to tell others about Jesus and may many more be added! Amen.
God’s mercy and grace is unstoppable. He still moves in mighty ways in this earth you just have to dig a bit to find the news.
God moves through His people. If we want to see the results of the early church, we need to go and tell like they did. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few…
On a tangent, Peter wrote “So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.” Pray for those who are suffering according to God’s will in this world, that He would sustain them with His peace. Pray that you and I will entrust ourselves to God when it is our turn.
This early church is such an example to us. How they let nothing stop them from sharing the gospel, even in persecution. Their humility, how they glorified God when realizing salvation is for everyone. How they cared for each other, sending relief to brothers and sisters they probably didn’t know. And then seeing the fruit of their attitude, of their love to God and people. Large numbers of people being added to the Lord. It’s something to get jealous of. What a time it would have been to be a Christian. Not because they were such special people, but because the Holy Spirit was so powerfully at work in them and through them.
God told Peter 3 times about the sheet, perhaps God used this as an additional indicator to Peter that it was God speaking to him. In a hungry trance Peter could have dismissed the vision but he was faith filled and spirit filled. I pray for the same
I have just noticed that was told 3 times about the sheet. Perhaps God used this three times to gelp
Praise be to God indeed!