# Acts Chapter 11
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## Summarrium
Peter returns to Jerusalem following his visit to the house of Cornelius the centurion. Upon his arrival he is criticised by those who perceive themselves as being part of the old covenant for associating with Gentiles. Peter give an account as to what has happened and 'the circumcision' then fell silent glorifying God "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life".

Now those that had been scattered because of the persecution that had begun with Stephen some had travelled as far as Antioch and here the grace of God was present and many believed and turned to the Lord. Barnabas is sent to Antioch and travels to Tarsus to fetch Saul and they meet and teach the Church at Antioch for a whole year. Agabus one of the prophets came down from Jerusalem and predict a famine and so the disciples coordinate effort to send relief to brothers in Judea by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

## Meditatio
Within this chapter we begin to see the important role that leadership plays within providing the framework and structure for belief for the early Church. Peter is *accountable* to the church for his actions. He faces *criticism* for his behaviour and as a disciple is held to a higher standard than say a new convert. Peter is honest an accurate in his recitation of the events that led him to the present position. He does not embellish or elaborate just the facts is enough.

What happens in this passage is something that frankly seems more unnatural than the resurrection[^1]. One of the factions within the Church begins with criticism and ends in glorifying God for leading the Gentiles also to repentance that leads to life. Within many contemporary communities there is division about matters of form and custom. Yet this is not a matter of should we have wine or grape juice. This is a major theological crisis. Peter has been, for all intents and purposes, galavanting with the gentiles and the Jewish community is going to take him to task on this. Old prejudices die hard.

Equally we see that Barnabas is sent to where the Lord is working to equip the new believers there and takes along Saul to assist him. They reside there for a year before they are sent on with relief aid to the brothers in Judea. What has struck me so much about Acts is that the leadership is constantly playing catchup to what God is doing. The Lord is converting Paul, whisking individuals off to a place they did not expect to be, leading revivals. The leaderships is not trying to manifest these things but to identify where God is at work and bring structure around it to preserve and develop further the work God has begun.

[^1]: I am using unnatural in the naturalist sense of the word. Further explanation is available [here](https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Flew-Impossible-Carlos-Eire-ebook/dp/B0CF2BKDPC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=).