Faith Matters
The Faith Matters Podcast explores everyday faith in a complex world. Our goal is to strengthen and equip followers of Jesus just like you through practical and theological discussions and resources.
In this podcast, we are diving deep into the practices of prayer and study. Each week, we’ll release two episodes featuring voices from our congregation reading a chapter from a book of the Bible, followed with a few reflection questions. Each episode will begin with a short introduction to help set the context of the passage.
Faith Matters
Acts 11: Peter Explains His Actions
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Alongside our Sunday teachings, we’re keeping things simple. We’ll be reading through the book of Acts, featuring the many unique voices of the ClearView Church congregation. Each week, we’ll release two chapters, followed by a few reflection questions.
In this episode, you’ll hear a brief introduction from Pastor Phil, followed by a reading of Acts 11 and some reflection questions from a member of our congregation.
Read along with the following reflection:
Perhaps listen to the scripture again…how has God’s Word moved you? Ponder and meditate what has connected with your heart or mind…pray to God what it is that has moved you today…turn your thoughts to God and quietly enjoy being with him.
Faith Matters is a ministry of Clearview Church, Oakville, On.
https://clearviewchurch.com/
You are listening to the Faith Matters Podcast from Clearview Church, where we explore everyday faith in a complex world. Our goal is to strengthen and equip followers of Jesus just like you through practical and theological discussions and resources. In this season of the podcast, we're diving deeper into the practices of prayer and study. Each week, we'll release two episodes featuring voices from our congregation reading a chapter from the book of Acts, along with a few reflection questions. Each episode will begin with a short introduction to help set the context of the passage. As you listen, we encourage you to go slow. There will be built-in pauses with gentle background music, giving you space to reflect and wonder about what you're hearing. You might choose to follow along in your Bible or use a Bible app as the passage is read aloud. Above all, invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you and reveal what you need from the text. Our hope is that this practice would nurture and deepen your faith as you continue to grow your life with Christ. Now, onto the book of Acts and the passage of the day.
SPEAKER_02Acts chapter 10 opens with two men who have had separate visions that are really part of one divine plan. Cornelius, a Roman centurion, is told to stand for Peter. At the same time, Peter is confronted with a pretty shocking vision about God's welcome. And when those two finally meet, the gospel crosses yet one more boundary as the Holy Spirit falls on Gentiles just as he did on the Jews, and the church realizes that God is doing something remarkable, making one people out of many. And so now in chapter 11, it begins with the church wrestling with what just happened.
SPEAKER_01Acts 11. The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them. Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story. I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheep being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, Get up, Peter, kill and eat. I replied, Surely not, Lord, nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth. The voice spoke from heaven a second time. This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. Right then, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, Send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved. As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come 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. So if God gave them the same gift he gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think I could stand in God's way? When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, So then even to Gentiles, God has granted repentance that leads to life. Now those that had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. During this time, some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabas, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. This happened during the reign of Claudius. The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. Perhaps listen again to the scripture. How has God's word moved you? Ponder and meditate what has connected with your heart or mind. Pray to God what it is that has moved you today. Turn your thoughts to God and quietly enjoy being with Him.
SPEAKER_00Join us again for our next episode as we continue through the book of Acts together. Go in peace and may you continue to grow your life with Christ.