How does Acts 11:4 connect with Matthew 28:19-20 on making disciples? Opening the Texts Acts 11:4: “But Peter began and explained to them in order, saying:” Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The Same Heartbeat: Intentional Teaching • Both passages spotlight deliberate, orderly instruction. • Jesus commands “teaching them to observe”; Peter models “explained … in order.” • Disciple-making is never random; it unfolds step by step so every listener grasps the gospel and its implications (cf. Nehemiah 8:8; 2 Timothy 2:2). Peter Living Out the Great Commission 1. Audience: • Matthew 28 looks outward to “all nations.” • Acts 11 shows the first bridge between Jewish believers and Gentiles—Cornelius’s household (Acts 10). 2. Action: • Jesus says “go … baptizing … teaching.” • Peter “went” to Caesarea, witnessed baptisms (Acts 10:47-48), then returned to Jerusalem to “teach” skeptics what God had done. 3. Authority & Presence: • Jesus promises, “I am with you always.” • Peter speaks with confidence that the Spirit directed the vision (Acts 11:12), proving Christ’s abiding presence (Acts 1:8). 4. Outcome: • Great Commission aims at obedient disciples. • Peter’s orderly account leads the Jerusalem church to praise God and accept Gentile believers (Acts 11:18)—obedience in action. Practical Disciple-Making Lessons • Explain the gospel “in order.” Share the storyline: creation, fall, redemption, restoration. • Use narrative testimony, as Peter did, to illustrate doctrine with real events. • Address objections patiently; questions are opportunities to teach. • Keep baptism and teaching inseparable—conversion followed by grounded instruction (Acts 2:38; Colossians 2:6-7). • Depend on Christ’s promised presence; the Spirit opens hearts (John 16:13-14). • Celebrate every step of obedience in new believers, affirming God’s work among all peoples (Psalm 96:3). Further Scriptural Echoes • Acts 1:8—power to witness “to the ends of the earth.” • 1 Peter 3:15—“always be ready to give a defense,” mirroring Peter’s own practice. • Deuteronomy 6:6-7—teach diligently “when you sit … walk … lie down … rise,” the Old Testament rhythm behind the Great Commission’s call to constant instruction. Putting It Together Acts 11:4 is a living illustration of Matthew 28:19-20: an apostle goes, baptizes, and then carefully teaches, ensuring the church understands and obeys Christ’s expanding mission. Ordered explanation fuels obedient multiplication—then and now. |
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