It’s A Jungle Up There!
(Acts 10:9-29)
1. Since the 2nd century, Christians and Jews began thinking of themselves as two separate religious systems. Christianity was for gentiles, but if a Jew became a believer in Jesus, he was considered an outcast.
2. It is still that way today. Here is a recent example:
"I was visiting a local conservative synagogue with my family. At the break, I met some longtime friends, including my former chazzan (cantor, worship leader), who had recently moved to Israel. The chazzan was now working for an organization that promoted Orthodox Judaism among secular Israeli Jews. He was glad to see me ...until I told him I was a Messianic Jew. The rabbi motioned for everyone to be seated, but the chazzan, outraged at my confession, kept turning in his seat to accuse me of betraying my people. I tried answering his accusations, but he grew only more furious— and meanwhile, the service was starting. People seated in front of us were looking back. I felt very embarrassed. I also felt afraid. I had never encountered such hostility in a synagogue.
"I didn’t know what to do, so I silently prayed for the Lord’s help. Just then, I heard the rabbi say, "Please turn to Psalms 27." The Scripture served as an anchor for my soul. As I repeated the words, along with the rest of the congregation, my embarrassment left and my fear disappeared. Strength filled my soul. After the service, the chazzan argued even more intensely with me for several hours. He pushed me, spat on me and insulted me in front of my family, but I was able to maintain peace in my heart and respond to him with gentleness and self control." ’The Voice of the Lord’ - Daily Devotional for Elul 15
3. But the simplicity of all those saved by faith in Jesus Christ being in one body seemed an unthinkable concept in the early 40’s A.D. To some, it still does.
4. Today’s incident involving the vision of Peter helped the church to understand her inclusion of the gentiles into full fellowship.
5. Jewish ethics were in conflict. On the one hand, they had a concern to love alien residents, particularly God-fearing ones. On the other hand, they wanted to remain Kosher.
6. Two tracks of being "clean." One was being obedient to Kosher standards, which is the issue in our text. The other is to be clean to celebrate a festival. Lots of normal biological functions, touching a dead body, etc., could make one unclean in this way.
I Samuel 20:25-27 takes place during a New Moon festival; the issue here is being "clean" to celebrate a festival.
He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, "Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean." But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, "Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?"
7. But Kosher cleanness was a lifelong pursuit; the rabbis put "fences" around the Kosher laws so that a Jew might not accidentally eat something that wasn’t kosher. Perhaps the blood was not completely drained out of the beef, or milk and meat were mixed together. Or perhaps some pork or lobster or squid was added to the pot. Or the pot may have been used to cook crab beforehand, and a miniscule bit of it might remain.
8. The Mishna says, "The dwelling places of Gentiles are ritually unclean (Ohalot 18:7). David Stern summarizes other passages in the Mishna,"…Jews may not remain alone with Gentiles, leave cattle at their inns, assist them in childbirth, suckle their children, do business with them when they are traveling to idolatrous festivals, drink their milk or vinegar or wine…or eat their bread or oil or pickled vegetables or…their cooked food."
[Source: Jewish New Testament Commentary by David Stern, p. 258.]
Leviticus 19:34, "The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."
Main Idea: Not matter what the ethnic background, those who trust in Christ for salvation are our equals; we should seek to relate to all people groups.
I. God OPENED Peter’s Mind Toward Associating With Gentiles (10:9-29)
A. Peter’s VISION (9-16)
1. Let me summarize the vision
2. Note it took 3 times to get through to Peter; he was resistant
• 3 denials
• 3 "do you love Me?" questions
• 3 times the sheet comes down
• Peter made changes against his will & found it easy to revert back to his upbringing; later, he confronted by Paul (documented in Galatians)
3. Although the main teaching of this vision is not about food, but about people, still, it involves food
Midrash Tehillim in regard to Ps. 146:7, "The Lord allows the forbidden … and will one day allow the eating of all animals now forbidden to be eaten … In the time to come he will allow every thing that he has forbidden."
Lev. Rabbah 13:3, "A new Torah shall go forth from me."
Yalkut in regard to Isa 26:2, "the messiah himself will teach it" (the new Torah)
[source: http://hadavar.org/lawofmoses.html]
B. Peter’s CONFUSION (17-23)
1. If you are going to try to understand the deep things of God, confusion goes with the territory…he cannot seem to harmonize his vision with the Torah…
2. The men arrive, and Peter houses them
3. Many Jews had no trouble housing a gentile…other way was the problem.
4. Peter agrees to make the trip to visit Cornelius because God had told him to do so.
5. Six others go with Peter (11:12); serve as witnesses to what happened.
C. Peter’s REBUKE to the erring Cornelius (24-26)
1. Cornelius does this in front of all his extended family and friends
2. It is human nature to created semi-deities; people beyond human; Cornelius erred, though God was top priority in his life.
3. Only God is to be worshipped. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness…
4. If Peter had allowed Cornelius to continue, aiding and abetting;
5. Peter was just a man; so everyone human being is just a human, except for Jesus
D. The MEANING of Peter’s Vision (27-29)
1. "….a parable about people, rather than animals" (Ben Witherington III)
2. Peter learned to accept repentant gentiles; this is the main focus of this entire chapter: God is no respecter of persons.
3. Did Peter begin eating food that wasn’t kosher? I think he did, but he knew he did not have to do so; he did so to identify with Israel.
4.
Not matter what the ethnic background, those who trust in Christ for salvation are our equals; we should seek to relate to all people groups.
II. Peter Teaches Us About OURSELVES
A. We cannot LEARN everything at once
1. Peter had studied under Jesus for over 3 years
2. He had been teaching the church, studying and learning
3. I’ve graduated Bible college, been an expository-preaching pastor for 30 years, and yet I am learning stuff all the time!
4. Being a disciple of Jesus means being an ongoing learner
B. Sometimes we must be patiently CONFUSED
1. When we are confused, we must learn to wait on the Lord
2. Jewish saying, "Patience is half of wisdom."
C. God wants us to be spiritually PERCEPTIVE
D. People we DETEST may one day become good friends
Right now, there are probably a few folks here who are bitter at the Chinese people. The Chinese are trying to quietly earn a living and improve their lot. Their government is evil, but beyond the control of the people. Fifty years from now, the Chinese Church will probably be the dominant church in the world, leading the way. They’ll be good friends to the Kingdom of God.
E. God wants us to get over the MONOLITHIC syndrome
1. We are more concerned that the people like our kind of music, enjoy our kind of hobbies, or speak with our kind of accent.
2. " exhibiting or characterized by often rigidly fixed uniformity"
• Question: Do you resist God?
• Do you gravitate to the familiar and shun the different, like Peter?
• Do you keep reverting back to the familiar, even after you have embraced new ideas, like Peter?
a. Ask God to help you overcome the monolithic syndrome; ask Him to help you become more comfortable with people who differ from your culture.
b. Ask God to help you value doctrinal unity and dedication to the Lord above superficial unity.
F. People we meet NEED Jesus!
1. People in countries around the world need Jesus; so do Americans
2. Impoverished and ignorant people need Jesus
3. Wealthy country-club members need Jesus
4. And so does everyone in-between.
Not matter what the ethnic background, those who trust in Christ for salvation are our equals; we should seek to relate to all people groups
