_THE CATHOLICITY OF THE GOSPEL_ ‘What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.’ Acts 11:9 What a beautiful instance we have here of the Saviour speaking from heaven. Therefore it has peculiar force. It testifies as to what Jesus had done: ‘what God hath _ cleansed_’; and it speaks to those w... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE SPIRITUAL HISTORY OF CORNELIUS_ ‘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; who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.’ Acts 11:13 Of the various characters p... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE NATURE OF REPENTANCE_ ‘Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.’ Acts 11:18 There is a repentance which is not unto life. ‘Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death.’ I. WHAT IS TRUE REPENTANCE?—Th... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE SUBJECT OF ALL PREACHING_ ‘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.’ Acts 11:20 At the very beginning of Christian history we find the Church gaining greatly from persecution. I. THE FIRST RESU... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE DEPUTATION TO ANTIOCH_ ‘They sent forth Barnabas.’ Acts 11:22 Immediately after the death of Stephen the disciples were scattered abroad away from Jerusalem all over the country, and wherever they went they told the story of the love of Jesus. Some of these disciples had come to Antioch, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_CLEAVING UNTO THE LORD_ “The … exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.’ Acts 11:23 Of this ‘_ cleaving unto the Lord_’—what it is—we have a picture every day. The limpet cleaves to the rock. It is very hard to get it away; for the little creature in the she... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHARACTERISTICS OF ST. BARNABAS_ ‘He was a good man, and full of the holy Ghost and of faith.’ Acts 11:24 No better man could be sent to Antioch to ascertain the truth or otherwise of what the Apostles had heard. The writer of the Acts describes his characteristics. I. ‘HE WAS A GOOD MAN.’—‘Goo... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE NAME ‘CHRISTIAN’_ ‘And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.’ Acts 11:26 This is an interesting fact for all of us, since, whatever our differences, we are all proud of the name of Christians—more proud of that name than of any other name. Let us inquire (1) When, (2) Where,... [ Continue Reading ]