向耶路撒冷教會報告
1使徒和在猶太的眾弟兄聽說外邦人也領受了神的道。 2及至彼得上了耶路撒冷，那些奉割禮的門徒和他爭辯說： 3「你進入未受割禮之人的家和他們一同吃飯了。」 4彼得就開口把這事挨次給他們講解說： 5「我在約帕城裏禱告的時候，魂遊象外，看見異象，有一物降下，好像一塊大布，繫着四角，從天縋下，直來到我跟前。 6我定睛觀看，見內中有地上四足的牲畜和野獸、昆蟲，並天上的飛鳥。 7我且聽見有聲音向我說：『彼得，起來，宰了吃！』 8我說：『主啊，這是不可的！凡俗而不潔淨的物從來沒有入過我的口。』 9第二次，有聲音從天上說：『神所潔淨的，你不可當作俗物。』 10這樣一連三次，就都收回天上去了。 11正當那時，有三個人站在我們所住的房門前，是從凱撒利亞差來見我的。 12聖靈吩咐我和他們同去，不要疑惑。同着我去的，還有這六位弟兄，我們都進了那人的家。 13那人就告訴我們，他如何看見一位天使站在他屋裏，說：『你打發人往約帕去，請那稱呼彼得的西門來， 14他有話告訴你，可以叫你和你的全家得救。』 15我一開講，聖靈便降在他們身上，正像當初降在我們身上一樣。 16我就想起主的話說：『約翰是用水施洗，但你們要受聖靈的洗。』 17神既然給他們恩賜，像在我們信主耶穌基督的時候給了我們一樣；我是誰，能攔阻神呢？」 18眾人聽見這話，就不言語了，只歸榮耀與神，說：「這樣看來，神也賜恩給外邦人，叫他們悔改得生命了。」
各位平安，我們今天讀的是《使徒行傳》第11章的前半段。我們看到了路加不厭其煩地又把外邦人得救的故事再記錄了一遍。要知道，在那個時代，寫書的成本是很高的，不管是墨水或者是寫作的材料，都不像今天這麼簡單。為什麼路加用這麼大的篇幅又寫了一遍這件事情呢？這代表了這件事情在新約中的重要性和關鍵性。
首先，我們看看這時彼得在向猶太人解釋的事情。他並不是在辯解或想要守護自己的作為，而是在陳述一件事實：聖靈真的帶領他來到外邦人中間，也看見聖靈降下在這些未受割禮、非猶太人身上。我們兩天前說過，對猶太人來說，與外邦人相處以及與未受割禮的人相處是猶太人的大忌，是他們非常不能接受的事情。彼得今天在解釋的是說，我們沒有資格定義上帝的作為。今天上帝要外邦人得救，就是要外邦人得救，而這福音本來就是要給全世界所有的萬國萬民的，所以我不能攔阻神，我只是在陳述一個事實。
同樣的，他也說他帶了六個弟兄去，連他在內總共有七個人。這是一個很重要的證據、證人的狀態。如果只有他一個人的話，可能很難解釋清楚、讓別人相信。但不只他一個人，還有另外六個人，共有七個人都看見、經歷了這件事情。這樣在律法上、法律上這件事情就成為一個事實，因為這麼多的見證人講同一個故事，就算在法庭上也是站得住腳的。
所以對於路加這個外邦人來說，這是一個歷史的里程碑。福音從猶太人中間傳出來，開始大範圍地傳給外邦人，並且定義要傳給外邦人。對於猶太人來說，這件事情很不可思議，但對外邦人來說，這是福音開始傳向萬國萬民的開始。上帝的心意在耶穌基督的復活裡面彰顯出來，萬國萬民都要得救，不再受限於某一個民族或區域，只要能聽見福音的人都有得救的機會。這真是教會史上的頭等大事啊！
我們還記得耶穌起初所說的：“你們要在耶路撒冷、猶太全地、撒瑪利亞直到地極作我的見證。”我們現在看到他們已經開始在猶太全地這一帶開始宣揚了。最初耶路撒冷教會建立了三千個信徒，接著到了撒瑪利亞，開始分享給所謂的半猶太人。現在到了猶太全地，福音開始傳給完全的外邦人，如同菲力向衣索比亞的太監分享的福音一樣，現在彼得也分享給羅馬的軍官。
這裡有一個很重要的教會建立原則。教會的福音運動從被動變成主動，從等待變成外展。所以我們看到教會的擴張不是只有人來聽，而是教會必須主動地走出去。當我們跟隨聖靈的時候，聖靈必定帶我們走出教會，而不是等人走進教會。這是一個很關鍵的概念，歷史上的教會凡是能夠增長的，一定是主動走出去宣教，而不是在教會裡等待有人來到我們中間。
感謝上帝，我們看到外邦人得救，也看到彼得和很多猶太人開始了解並且悔改，知道上帝定意萬國萬民都得救，不再只是屬於猶太人。他們開始改變，這件事情在猶太人中間不斷地被接受。雖然有些猶太人一直都不理解也不願意接受，但我們看到上帝的工作不被任何人阻止。明天我們會看到11章後半段安提阿教會發生的更多精彩故事，感謝各位的聆聽。
Peter Explains His Actions
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 sheet 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, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 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 us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that 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.”
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, we are reading the first half of Acts Chapter 11. We see that Luke painstakingly records the story of the salvation of the Gentiles once again. It is important to note that in those times, writing a book was very costly. Whether it was ink or writing materials, it was not as simple to obtain as it is today. So why did Luke devote such a large portion of his writing to this event again? This indicates the importance and significance of this event in the New Testament.
First, let's look at Peter explaining to the Jews. He is not defending or trying to justify his actions but simply stating a fact: the Holy Spirit truly led him to the Gentiles, and he witnessed the Holy Spirit coming down on these uncircumcised, non-Jewish people. As we mentioned two days ago, for Jews, associating with Gentiles and those who are not circumcised was a major taboo. It was something they could not accept. Peter explains that we do not have the right to define God's actions. If God wants the Gentiles to be saved, then the Gentiles will be saved. The gospel is meant for all nations and peoples of the world, so we cannot hinder God. We are simply stating a fact.
Similarly, he mentioned that he brought six brothers with him, making a total of seven people. This is a very important proof and state of witnesses. If it were only him, it might be hard to explain and convince others. But it was not just him; there were six other people. Seven people saw and experienced this event. This makes it a fact both in terms of law and legality. With so many witnesses telling the same story, it would hold up even in a court of law.
Therefore, for Luke, who was a Gentile, this was a historic milestone. The gospel spread from the Jews to a broad range of Gentiles, defining the mission to the Gentiles. For the Jews, this was unimaginable, but for the Gentiles, it marked the beginning of the gospel reaching all nations. God's intent in Jesus Christ's resurrection is revealed—salvation for all nations and peoples, no longer confined to a specific ethnic group or region. Anyone who hears the gospel has the chance to be saved. This is truly a monumental event in church history!
We also remember Jesus’ initial command: "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Now we see that they have started spreading the gospel in Judea. Initially, the Jerusalem church was established with three thousand believers, then it spread to Samaria, sharing with the so-called half-Jews. Now in Judea, the gospel is starting to reach complete Gentiles, just as Philip shared the gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch, and now Peter with the Roman officer.
This highlights an important principle for church establishment. The gospel movement of the church transitions from being passive to active, from waiting to outreach. So, we see that the expansion of the church is not just about people coming to listen, but the church must actively go out. When we follow the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will lead us out of the church rather than waiting for people to come in. This is a critical concept. Throughout history, churches that grow are those that actively go out to evangelize, not those that wait inside the church for people to come.
Thank God, we see Gentiles being saved, and we see Peter and many Jews beginning to understand and repent, realizing that God's intention is for all nations and peoples to be saved, not just the Jews. They began to change, and this idea started to be accepted among the Jews. Although some Jews still do not understand or accept it, we see that God's work is not hindered by anyone. Tomorrow we will see more exciting stories in the second half of Chapter 11, from the church in Antioch. Thank you for listening.
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