ACTS 11.
1And Yahusha’s Followers and the believers in Judea heard that the Gentiles (NON-JEWISH NATIONS) had accepted YAHUAH’s teaching too. 2But when Peter came to Yerushalim, some Jewish believers argued with him, 3saying, “You went into the homes of people who are not Jews and are not circumcised, and you even ate with them!” (MAKING HIM RITUALLY IMPURE ACCORDING TO THEIR LAWS)
4So Peter explained the whole story to them. 5He said, “I was in the city of Joppa. While I was praying, I had a vision. I saw something coming down from Heaven. It looked like a big sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners. It came down close to me, 6and I looked inside. I saw all kinds of animals, including wild ones, as well as reptiles and birds. 7I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill anything here and eat it!’ 8But I said, ‘I can’t do that, Master! I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.’ 9But the voice from Heaven answered again, 'What I've cleansed you don't call common!”
10This happened three times, before the whole thing was taken back into Heaven. 11Suddenly there were three men from Caesarea standing outside the house where I was staying. They'd been sent to get me.
12YAHUSHA’S Spirit told me to go with them without doubting or wondering if it was right or not. These six brothers here also went with me, and we went to the house of Cornelius. 13He told us about the Angel he had seen standing in his house. The Angel had told him, ‘Send some men to Joppa to get Simon, the one who is also called Peter. 14He will speak to you, and what he tells you will deliver you and everyone living in your house.’
15After I began speaking to them, YAHUSHA’S Set-Apart Spirit rushed down upon them just as He came on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered the words of the Master YAHUSHA: ‘John immersed people in water, but you will be immersed in the Set-Apart Spirit.’17So if YAHUAH gave these people the same gift He gave us who believe in the Master YAHUSHA Messiah, how could I object and stand in the way of what YAHUAH wanted to do?”
18And when the Jewish believers heard this, they stopped arguing and praised YAHUAH, saying, “WOW! YAHUAH has also allowed all the nations to change their hearts through repentance, for the Eternal Life He gives!”
THIS DID NOT MEAN THAT THE ISSUE OF RITUAL PURITY BETWEEN JEWS AND GENTILES (THE FACT THAT JEWS WERE CLEAN AND EVERYONE ELSE IS UNCLEAN) WAS NOW RESOLVED. LUKE INFORMS US OF A SUB-GROUP WITHIN `THE WAY’ THAT (ON THE SURFACE) GRUDGINGLY ACCEPTED THAT GENTILES COULD RECEIVE DELIVERANCE, BUT ONLY IF THE NEXT STEP WAS FOR THESE NEW GENTILE BELIEVERS TO BE CIRCUMCISED AND OFFICIALLY BECOME JEWS TO FORMALISE THEIR CONVERSION !?! . . . but don't worry, this ridiculous issue will be dealt with by Yahusha's Followers at the Jerusalem Council in a few chapters !
19The believers were scattered by the great pressure and persecution that had begun when Stephen was stoned to death. Some of them went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They told the Good News of YAHUSHA in these places, but only to Jews!
20Some of these believers were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, and when these men came to Antioch, they began speaking to people who were not Jews, but Hellenists (JEWISH BELIEVERS INFLUENCED BY THE GREEK CULTURE). They told them the Good News about the Master YAHUSHA. 21And the Master was helping these men, and a large number of people believed and decided to follow the Master YAHUSHA.
HAD THEY HEARD ABOUT PETER’S SHEET VISION AND HIS ADVENTURE WITH CORNELIUS ALREADY? NOT LIKELY! THEY FIGURED OUT FOR THEMSELVES THAT IF GENTILES IN LARGE NUMBERS WERE ACCEPTING THE ALAHIM OF YISHARAL THAT THEY JUST MIGHT ALSO BE OPEN TO ACCEPTING YAHUSHA (THE MESSIAH OF YISHARAL) TOO.
22When the Fellowship in Yerushalim heard about this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23-24Barnabas was a good man, full of the Set-Apart Spirit and belief. When he went to Antioch and saw how YAHUAH had blessed the believers there, he was very happy and glad, and he encouraged them all, saying, “Always cling to the Master and serve Him with all your heart.” And many more people became followers of the Master YAHUSHA.
25Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul. 26When he found him, he brought him to Antioch. They stayed there a whole year. Every time the Fellowship came together, Barnabas and Saul met with them and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the followers of the Master YAHUSHA were first called 'christianous'.
[THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD CHRISTIAN/CRETIN; DULL, IDIOT, UNEDUCATED - A TERM OF SCORN & INSULT] !!!
. . . . QUOTED FROM FOSSILIZEDCUSTOMS.COM
27About that same time some prophets went from Yerushalim to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and spoke with the help of the Spirit. He said, “A very bad time is coming to the whole world, where there will be no food for people to eat.” (This time of famine happened when Claudius was emperor.)
29The Master’s followers decided that they would each send as much as they could to help their Brothers and Sisters who lived in Judea. 30They gathered the food-supplies and relief and gave it to Barnabas and Saul, who took it to the elders in Judea.
THIS TEXT IS OFTEN HELD UP AS A REASON TO PAY MONEY TO ORGANISATIONS, HOWEVER FOOD SUPPLIES IS THE CONTEXT HERE, NOT TITHES AND OFFERINGS.
SO JUST AS THE FIRST PART OF ACTS DEALS WITH YAHUSHA'S GOSPEL MESSAGE AND SPIRIT GOING FORTH TO THE JEWS THROUGH PETER AND JOHN etc ... THE REMAINDER OF ACTS DEALS WITH PAUL, TAKING THE SAME MESSAGE TO THE SURROUNDING GENTILE NATIONS.
BUT THE MAIN WAY YAHUSHA GOT ANYTHING DONE WAS TO ALLOW GREAT PRESSURE TO BEFALL HIS FOLLOWERS ... THIS VEHICLE OF IRRITATION AND UNCOMFORTABLENESS AND EVEN THREAT OF LIFE & SAFETY ... CONSTANTLY SCATTERED AND SPREAD HIS PEOPLE, PUSHING THEM AWAY FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES AND OUT INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD ... TAKING THE MESSAGE OF DELIVERANCE WITH THEM ...
HEBREW UNDERSTANDING :
Search results for "TRIBULATION"
H6862 narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
H6869 tightness (i.e. figuratively, trouble); transitively, a female rival:--adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble.
G2347 pressure, a pressing together, oppression, affliction, distress, straits.
SCRIPTURE UNDERSTANDING :
JOHN 16 ~ "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart - I have overcome the world.”
PHIL 4 ~ "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication (with thanksgiving) let your requests be made known to Yahuah. And His peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Yahusha".
ROM 8 ~ "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the esteem that is to be revealed to us".
2 TIM 3 ~ "Indeed, all who desire to live a righteous life in Yahusha will be persecuted".
JOHN 15 ~ “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you".
1 PET 4 ~ "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Yahusha's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his esteem is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Yahusha, you are blessed, because the Spirit of esteem and of Yahuah rests upon you".
MATT 5 ~ "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you".
2 COR 12 ~ "For the sake of Yahusha then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong".
LUKE 6 ~ “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!"
IF WE FACE THAT THE WORLD HATES YAHUSHA'S SPIRIT THEN WE NEED NOT BE SURPRISED OR CONFUSED WHEN THAT HATRED GETS DISHED OUT AT US. WE SHOULD EXPECT IT, AND (PARTICULARLY AFTER THE FIRST FEW SHOCKS) WE SHOULD BE READY AND RESPOND WITH REJOICING, KNOWING THAT YAHUSHA IS DOING EVERYTHING AND ... THE VERY TRIBULATION THAT IS HURTFUL AND UNCOMFORTABLE ... IS THE VERY THING THAT YAHUSHA IS USING TO MATURE US, FIRMLY ESTABLISH US IN HIS REIGN AND PLACE HIMSELF IN A PLACE WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY OTHER DESIRE OR PLAN OUTSIDE OF WHAT HE IS DOING EACH DAY ...