"I began telling them the Good News, but just as I was getting started with my sermon, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as He fell on us at the beginning! Then I thought of the Lord’s words when He said, ‘Yes, John baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ And since it was God who gave these Gentiles the same gift He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to argue?” When the others heard this, all their objections were answered and they began praising God! “Yes,” they said, “God has given to the Gentiles, too, the privilege of turning to him and receiving eternal life!” (Acts 11.15-18.)
In Acts 11, we see a significant shift in the early church's understanding of its mission, as it embraces the inclusion of Gentiles and expands beyond its Jewish origins.
At Pentecost the Gospel began with the Jews, but Jesus came to save the world. We are intructed by Jesus in the Great Commission to bring salvation to all people. Jesus told the parable of the Wedding Feast: the invited guests didn't enter into the celebration, so we Gentiles have been invited. During the ministry of Jesus He healed the Centurion's servant; from this we can understand that Jesus came to save the whole world, just as He said in John 3.16, 'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.'
'Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them...
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.' (Matthew 22.)
Peter's Vision: The chapter begins with Peter recounting his vision from God, where he sees a sheet with various animals lowered from heaven and is instructed to eat them, symbolizing God's acceptance of Gentiles (non-Jews) into the Christian community.
Peter's Visit to Cornelius: Peter is summoned to the house of Cornelius, a devout Roman centurion, who had a vision from God instructing him to send for Peter. Peter preaches the gospel to Cornelius and his household, and they become believers. This event marks the inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian faith.
Controversy in Jerusalem: When Peter returns to Jerusalem, he faces criticism from Jewish Christians for associating with Gentiles. Peter explains his vision and the conversion of Cornelius, emphasizing that God's salvation is for all people, regardless of their ethnicity.
Church in Antioch: The chapter concludes with the establishment of a thriving Christian community in Antioch, where both Jews and Gentiles come together. Barnabas and Saul (later known as Paul) are sent from Jerusalem to Antioch to strengthen the church.
When Peter brought the news of Cornelius’s conversion back to Jerusalem, the believers were shocked that Peter had eaten with Gentiles. After they heard the whole story, they praised God (verse 18). Their reactions teach us how to handle disagreements with other Christians. Before judging the behaviour of fellow believers, it is important to hear them out. The Holy Spirit may have something important to teach us through them.
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,” (verse 18): The intellectual questions ended, and the theological discussion stopped with the report that God had given the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles. This was a turning point for the early church. They had to accept those whom God had chosen, even if they were Gentiles. But joy over the conversion of Gentiles was not unanimous. This continued to be a struggle for some Jewish Christians throughout the first century.