彼得和其他六人在哥尼流家里见证了圣灵浇灌在外邦人身上。但回到耶路撒冷后，他们有许多问题要面对，比如：“你们做了什么？”“你们怎么能那样做呢？”他们因为和“那种”人同吃同住而被批评和与人争辩。
所以，彼得总结了整个事件，他一步步地解释说，神给了他一个异象，又让他与哥尼流见面。
彼得指出，他正在哥尼流家里说话时，圣灵就降临在那些外邦人身上。对彼得来说，就好像又经历了一次“圣灵降临节”（参徒 2）。
至此，彼得一幕一幕地讲完了这个故事。但他又扩大了焦点，说他记得耶稣曾应许他们要受圣灵的洗，而这在哥尼流——一个外邦人家里成了事实。
彼得讲述完这件事以后，转向那里的每个人说：“我是谁，能拦阻神呢？”
就这样，包括那些批评他的人都开始赞美神，再没有异议了！
赐好消息的神啊，感谢你藉着圣灵的大能分享你的恩典。求你使我们避免拦阻你，帮助我们随时赞美你！阿们。
使徒行传 11:1-18
1使徒和在犹太的众弟兄听说外邦人也领受了神的道。
2及至彼得上了耶路撒冷，那些奉割礼的门徒和他争辩，说：
3“你进入未受割礼之人的家，和他们一同吃饭了！”
4彼得就开口把这事挨次给他们讲解，说：
5“我在约帕城里祷告的时候，魂游象外，看见异象：有一物降下，好像一块大布，系着四角，从天缒下，直来到我跟前。
6我定睛观看，见内中有地上四足的牲畜和野兽、昆虫并天上的飞鸟。
7我且听见有声音向我说：‘彼得，起来，宰了吃！’
8我说：‘主啊，这是不可的！凡俗而不洁净的物从来没有入过我的口。’
9第二次有声音从天上说：‘神所洁净的，你不可当做俗物。’
10这样一连三次，就都收回天上去了。
11正当那时，有三个人站在我们所住的房门前，是从恺撒利亚差来见我的。
12圣灵吩咐我和他们同去，不要疑惑。同着我去的，还有这六位弟兄，我们都进了那人的家。
13那人就告诉我们他如何看见一位天使站在他屋里，说：‘你打发人往约帕去，请那称呼彼得的西门来，
14他有话告诉你，可以叫你和你的全家得救。’
15我一开讲，圣灵便降在他们身上，正像当初降在我们身上一样。
16我就想起主的话说：‘约翰是用水施洗，但你们要受圣灵的洗。’
17神既然给他们恩赐，像在我们信主耶稣基督的时候给了我们一样，我是谁，能拦阻神呢？”
18众人听见这话，就不言语了，只归荣耀于神，说：“这样看来，神也赐恩给外邦人，叫他们悔改得生命了。”
“Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” — Acts 11:16
Is good news ever not good news?
Peter and six others had witnessed how the Holy Spirit was poured out on Gentiles in the home of Cornelius. But when they returned to Jerusalem, they faced a lot of questions, like “What did you do?” and “How could you have done that?” They were criticized and called out for eating and staying with “those” people.
So, in a summary of what had happened, Peter explained step by step that God had shown him a vision and that God had wanted him to meet with Cornelius.
Peter pointed out that when he began to speak at Cornelius’s house, the Holy Spirit came on the Gentiles who were there. To Peter, it had felt like Pentecost all over again (see Acts 2).
Up to this point, Peter told the story frame by frame. But now he widened the focus and said he remembered that Jesus had promised they would baptize with the Holy Spirit. And that had come true in the home of Cornelius—a Gentile!
As Peter finished describing this event, he turned to everyone gathered there and said, “Who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
And the people—including the ones who were critical—praised God. No further objections!
God of good news, thank you for sharing your grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. Prevent us from ever opposing you; help us to be ready to give you praise! Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
