Walls Fall, Doors Open, and the Gospel Runs
Thru the Bible in a Year
Walking through Acts 10–12 on this day of our journey reminds me just how unstoppable the Gospel truly is. These chapters capture a turning point—not only in church history, but in the very imagination of God’s people. What began as a movement rooted in Jewish soil now begins to take its place on the world stage. As we step into this portion of Scripture, we witness the early church experiencing remarkable progress, heartbreaking persecution, supernatural intervention, and unexpected expansion. God is at work in every scene, teaching us that His mission cannot be hindered by human borders, fears, traditions, or enemies.
Acts 10–11:18 tells the story of the first major breakthrough—the Gospel opening fully to the Gentiles. Until this moment, the church’s ministry had focused primarily on the Jews, even though Jesus had clearly commanded His disciples to carry the message to “all nations.” Yet barriers of culture, tradition, and long-standing religious identity were slow to fall. So God intervenes through visions—two of them. The first comes to Cornelius, a Roman centurion, a man whose faith and generosity God had noticed. Cornelius is instructed to send for Peter, who will explain the Gospel to him. The second vision comes to Peter, a startling revelation in which God presents him with a variety of animals considered unclean in Jewish dietary law. When God commands Peter to eat, Peter resists, but the Lord replies, “What God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts 10:15). God uses this moment to prepare Peter for something larger: the breaking down of the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile.
When Peter arrives at Cornelius’s home, Scripture shows us the beautiful humility in Cornelius’s heart. He bows before Peter, but Peter immediately lifts him up. “Stand up; I am only a man myself.” In that simple correction, Peter reminds us that the Gospel levels us all. No one is exalted except Christ, and no one is excluded except by rejecting Him. Peter then proclaims the Gospel to the gathered household, and what happens is so unmistakably divine that Peter and the Jewish believers with him are stunned—the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles exactly as He had fallen upon the Jews at Pentecost. They are saved, baptized, and welcomed into the body of Christ.
But this new movement did not come without questions and concern. When word of these events reached Jerusalem, some believers were troubled. Could Gentiles really be embraced without first becoming Jewish? Peter explains everything he witnessed—the visions, the Spirit’s work, the unmistakable evidence of God’s approval—and the leaders in Jerusalem respond with acceptance. “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life.” This moment in the early church stands as one of the greatest affirmations of the breadth of God’s mercy. Salvation is not tribal, not cultural, not national—it is the gift of God for all humanity.
Acts 11:19–30 shifts our attention northward to Antioch, a city that would become one of the most significant centers of early Christianity. The church begins here because persecution scattered believers from Jerusalem. What looked like tragedy becomes the means of expansion. These scattered believers carry the Gospel with them, planting seeds wherever they go. The church in Jerusalem responds by sending Barnabas—a man known for his encouragement—to strengthen and support the growing community. What Barnabas finds is something deeply encouraging: God’s grace flourishing in unexpected places. Seeing the need, Barnabas travels to Tarsus to recruit Saul (Paul), who joins in shaping and teaching this vibrant new congregation.
We also learn that it was in Antioch that believers were first called “Christians.” The name was originally spoken in scorn, a way to dismiss or mock these followers of Jesus. Yet the term eventually became a badge of identity and honor. Even today, we bear the name that was once intended as an insult—a reminder that discipleship sometimes invites ridicule, but faithfulness turns ridicule into witness. In Antioch we also see compassion in action. When famine looms over Judea, the believers in Antioch send aid through Barnabas and Saul. The church becomes not only a recipient of grace but a conduit of generosity.
Acts 12 brings us from the expansion of the Gospel back to the reality of persecution, introducing us to the brutality of Herod Agrippa I, a grandson of the Herod who tried to kill the infant Jesus and a nephew of the Herod who executed John the Baptist. This Herod continues the family legacy of cruelty. He executes James, the brother of John, becoming the first ruler to kill one of the apostles. When he sees how this pleases certain Jewish leaders, he arrests Peter as well, placing him in chains under heavy guard.
But chains and guards are nothing to God. While Peter sleeps, the church prays. While Herod plans, God intervenes. An angel enters the prison, strikes Peter on the side to wake him, and leads him past guards who never notice. Peter, thinking it is a dream, follows until he reaches the street and the angel disappears. Scripture tells us that when Peter finally realizes what has happened, he goes to the house where believers are praying. Their reaction is almost humorous in its humanity. A servant girl recognizes Peter’s voice but leaves him standing at the door while she runs to tell the others. The believers, still praying for Peter’s rescue, cannot believe the news. Their prayers had been filled with faith, but their minds struggled to accept God’s swift answer. How often we do the same—we pray for God to act, yet we are surprised when He does.
The chapter ends with Herod facing divine judgment. Proud of his influence and intoxicated by flattery, he accepts the people’s praise when they shout that his voice is the voice of a god. In that moment of arrogance, God strikes him down. History is filled with rulers who imagine themselves untouchable. Yet Acts reminds us that God’s kingdom has no competitors. Earthly power is temporary. Divine authority is eternal. And Luke ends the chapter with a quiet but triumphant declaration: “But the word of God increased and multiplied.” All the repression in the world cannot stop the Gospel from advancing.
As I walk through these chapters with you today, I am reminded of several insights that speak directly into our lives:
God prepares us for change before He brings change. Peter needed a vision before he could accept God’s new direction. We often need the same kind of softening before we can truly obey.
Persecution cannot stop the Gospel; in fact, it often spreads it. What scattered believers from Jerusalem planted seeds in Antioch.
God’s grace is not bound by our expectations. He will save whom He wills, and His mercy will reach further than our traditions.
Prayer is powerful, even when our faith wavers. The early church prayed fervently, but still struggled to believe God’s answer. God responds to the prayers of His people, even when they are imperfect.
Earthly rulers rise and fall, but God’s Word endures. Herod falls, but the Gospel rises.
Perhaps the most insightful truth from Acts 10–12 is this: God’s mission cannot be stopped. Walls fall. Doors open. Chains break. Hearts change. The Spirit moves. And the Gospel runs free.
As you continue your year-long journey through Scripture, remember that the same God who guided the early church guides you today. He is not hindered by circumstances, fear, opposition, or doubt. He is writing a story that reaches all nations—even to us.
A Blessing for Your Journey
May the God who opened the Gospel to all people open your heart anew to His Word. May He give you courage where you feel hesitant, joy where you feel weary, and hope where you feel uncertain. Thank you for committing yourself to the study of God’s living Word. May it strengthen you, anchor you, and remind you daily that His truth will never return void.
Related Reading:
A helpful article on the expansion of the early church can be found at Christianity Today:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-72/how-we-got-our-bible.html
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