Reading: Acts Chapter 10 verse 1-23.
Ill:
• In his autobiography the political and spiritual leader of India;
• And the Indian independence movement.
• Mahatma Gandhi wrote that during his student days;
• He read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity.
• He believed that in the teachings of Jesus
• He could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India.
• So one Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby church;
• And afterwards talk to the minister about becoming a Christian.
• When he entered the sanctuary, however,
• The usher refused to give him a seat & suggested that he go worship with his own people.
• Gandhi left the church and never returned.
• He wrote: "If Christians have caste differences also, "I might as well remain a Hindu."
• That usher's prejudice not only betrayed Jesus;
• It robbed the Church of a great influential voice;
• And even sadder than that,
• It turned away a person away from trusting Jesus Christ as Saviour.
Sadly prejudice is found all over the world:
• In South Africa it’s black & white.
• In Sri Lanka it is Tamil & Singhalese.
• In Northern Ireland it is Catholic & Protestant.
• In North India it is Muslim and Hindu.
• In Europe if often seems to be Britain verses the rest.
• Even in Britain we boast:
• Four nationalities; English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish.
• Then there is local prejudice e.g. you find in places like Cornwall or Yorkshire.
Quote:
• "An unprejudiced mind is the rarest thing in the world"
• Unless you happen to be like the man who said: "I am not prejudiced, I hate everyone !"
All of us if we are honest are prejudiced:
• And your prejudice may not be mine.
• And my prejudice may not be yours.
• But if we are honest,
• Even as Christians we can at times still be very prejudiced.
Peter may have been an apostle, but he had a lot to learn about:
• His own prejudices,
• His own biases.
• Because it was essential for Peter to admit (And us),
• That when prejudice is in operation:
• It will always collide with God's grace.
• For God has no favourites, we are all equal in his sight.
Quote:
• Webster's dictionary:
• Simply defines prejudice as: "Preconceived judgement".
question: Do you see in yourself a tendency to be prejudice against others?
Don't give me an answer:
• Think about it!
• To help you, I want to do a quick prejudice test:
WHAT IMAGES COME TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF:
(a).
• Africans, Asians, Europeans?
• What if a family of them, they moved in next door as your new neighbours?
(b).
• How about the poor?
• Or those who are wealthy?
(c).
• Do you write off people by their age?
• Too old or too young!
(d).
• Do you categorize people by the Length or the shortness of their hair?
• By the cosmetics they wear or don't wear?
(e).
• Politically:
• What about Socialists? Or Conservatives or Liberals?
(f).
• How do you feel about people who have failed? People who are divorced?
• People who have had breakdowns? People who have been in psychiatric hospitals?
(g). What about your religious prejudices?
• How do you view those who attend a different denomination, church?
• Who worship differently than you do? Those charismatic’s or those who are reformed.
Question: Am I making you feel uncomfortable?
Answer: Yes then good!!!
When prejudice is in operation, it will always collide with God's grace.
• In this chapter Peter is forced to come to terms with his own pride,
• Which is the bottom line reason for his struggle.
And through Peter's example we can learn:
• Just how entrenched our prejudices really are.
• And how difficult it is to pry ourselves lose from them.
(1). A Brief Introduction.
(A). Chronologically - the time.
• These events probably took place about six years after the crucifixion;
• In Acts chapters 1-7 the church was born and established in Jerusalem:
• Opposition to the message of Jesus Christ soon grew,
• i.e. Stephen was killed (the first Christian martyr) in Acts chapter 8.
• Then a wave of persecution scattered the believers into Judea and Samaria:
• And as they went, they preached and gossiped the gospel everywhere,
• And as a result of their witness,
• The church grew even more.
Note: Up to now there has always been a Jewish connection with the Gospel:
• (6:1) Jews with a Hebrew or Greek background.
• (8:1) The half-Jews of Samaria believed.
• (8:27) We read about an African Jewish convert (he had been worshipping in Jerusalem).
• Up to now there has always been a Jewish connection with the Gospel:
• But now the TIME has come for the gospel to go, even wider - to the Gentiles.
(B). Geographically - the places.
• Two cities are mentioned:
• Joppa (verse 8) and Caesarea (verse 1);
• Joppa was a seaside town, Northwest of Jerusalem.
• Peter was staying here; in the house of Simon the tanner (verse 32).
• Caesarea was about 30 miles up the coast from Joppa.
• Caesarea was where Cornelius lived (verse 1).
• The two towns were about a days journey apart.
• BUT it was more than miles that separated Peter and Cornelius.
(C). Theologically - the issues.
• God chose the Jewish nation in the person of Abraham;
• Because he wanted a people through whom he could work.
• To demonstrate to the world that what he did with the Jewish nation,
• He could do with any nation that walked with him.
The Jews became therefore the chosen people:
• They were not chosen because they were special (mistake!).
• They were chosen and that made them special, unique.
• But as time went on they began to see themselves as superior to other nations.
• Believed that they were chosen because they were special.
THEIR traditions and prejudices, caused the Jews to see the Gentiles as inferior.
• Quote Albert Edersheim.
• The Life and times of Jesus the Messiah.
“Every gentile child, so soon as born, was to be regarded as unclean…….
The Mishnah goes so far as to forbid aid to a (Gentile) mother in the hour of her need, or nourishment to her babe, in order not to bring up a child in idolatry!
…..it was not safe to leave cattle in their charge, to allow their women to nurse infants, or their physicians to attend the sick, nor to walk in their company……
They and theirs were defiled; their house unclean, as containing idols or things dedicated to them; their feasts, their joyous occasions, their very contact, was polluted by idolatry; and there was no security, if a heathen were left alone in a room, that he might not…. Defile the wine or meat on the table, or the oil and wheat in the store…. Milk drawn by heathens, if a Jew had not been present to watch it, bread and oil prepared by them, was unlawful. Their wine was wholly interdicted-the mere touch of a heathen polluted a whole cask; nay, even to put one’s nose to heathen wine was strictly prohibited!”
• Remember Peter's Jewish background:
• Peter had these same prejudicial sentiments lingering like a foul odour in his mind.
• Only a fresh breath of God's grace, could clear the air,
• And open up the door to a world of Gentiles who were waiting to follow Christ.
That refreshing breeze came unexpectedly:
• When God brought Cornelius and Peter face to face,
• In a supernatural way.
(2). God's Intervention:
• Cornelius was the first to experience:
• The divine nudge, that brought the two men together.
(A). A Gentile Named Cornelius (Verse 1-8).
(1). The Man (Vs 1-2). He was a military leader:
1”At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”
• As a centurion, Cornelius would have commanded a ‘centuria’ of 80 men;
• But senior centurions commanded cohorts (480 men).
Ill:
• Cornelius was based at the port of Caesarea,
• Which was the Roman capitol of Judea:
• It needed a Roman cohort to protect the harbour area,
• To protect the city’s administrative buildings,
• And to protect the vital water supply brought by aqueduct into the city.
Cornelius was neither:
• A Jew or a Jewish convert, he was not yet a Christian:
• But he was a seeker of the true God.
Unlike the majority of Romans who were:
• Polytheistic - worshipping many Gods.
• Cornelius was monotheistic - worshipped only one God.
• He worshipped not only in word, but in deed:
• His search for God, gave him a concern for men. He gave money to the Jewish people.
(2). He had a vision (Vs 3-6).
Ill:
• Christians today have never had so much vision;
• Trouble is it is telly vision!
3”One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."”
• Cornelius was a deeply religious man:
• He prayed to God on a regular basis,
• During his mid afternoon prayers,
• He saw an angelic being who addressed him by name,
• He was given orders by the angelic being;
• He was told to dispatch some men to Joppa and send for Peter.
(3). He made a Response (Vs 7-8):
7”When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa”.
• As soon as the angel departed;
• Cornelius the well trained soldier immediately obeys;
• There was no time wasted, the instructions were precisely followed.
• He sends three men off on an errand to find Peter.
• Two servants and a soldier,
• The soldiers presence was probably for physical protection.
Meanwhile:
• Peter knew nothing of Cornelius' vision,
• That is until God gave him a vision of his own.
(B). A Jew Named Peter (Verse 9-16).
(1). The Man.
• Peter was one of the 12 disciples.
• An Apostle in the church.
• Yet even though he was a pillar in the church.
• He was not without deep-seated prejudice.
Around noon the next day:
• The Apostle went up to the house-top to pray.
• While praying he falls into a trance,
• Peter was famished, and God gives to him a vision of food!
• God uses his hunger to teach Peter a life-changing lesson.
(2). The Vision (Vs 10-13).
10”He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."”
• The diet of the Jewish people was exceedingly rigid:
• It excluded a number of things we eat regularly.
• A number of these forbidden foods appeared in the sheet.
• Up to this point in time;
• Peter’s food preferences were governed by the Law of Moses in the Old Testament:
• You can find the list in Leviticus 11 vs 1-47.
• All his life Peter has never eaten any of those animals that appeared in the sheet.
• Yet now in this vision,
• Verse 13: God tells him to: “Get up, kill and eat”.
(3). The Response (Vs 14).
“Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied.
"I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."”
• Remember the struggle for Peter,
• All his life he has been told this food was unclean,
• Now he is being told to kill and eat all these things.
• Unlike Cornelius who obeyed right away, Peter blurts out an objection.
Peter's response is actually a contradiction in terms: "Surely not, Lord!"
• On the one hand he calls him "Lord".
• On the other hand he says, "No way".
Ill:
Jesus “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do the things I say”
• If Christ was truly his Lord then Peter would never had said; "No" to him.
• Peter's pride was spoiling his devotion to his Master.
Verse 14: In fact, Peter lectures the Lord:
• "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean".
• To paraphrase it:
• "Lord, this gentile eats pigs".
• Your book says, "Don't eat pigs".
• "I never go near people who eat pigs".
• "That's what your book says".
True:
• But the same book also says;” You should have nothing to do with dead bodies":
• Verse 32: Says he is staying with Simon the tanner, What does he do for a living?
• He stripped the Hyde of dead bodies, he has been touching dead pig skins all day long.
• He earns his money of dead bodies.
Inconsistency:
• But that's Peter! Blinkered in his outlook.
• Justifying his actions,
• Despite the clear unmistakable command of God,
• Verse 15:”Don’t call anything unpure that God has made clean”
Verse 16: Peter was not easily convinced:
• The vision was repeated 3 times and even then Peter was perplexed.
• His heart was right he was praying:
• But tradition and prejudice were so deeply engrained that,
• Peter had a difficult time accepting anything new.
God's message sometimes stings us:
• Our prejudges are so deep and ugly, But for us to benefit and change for the better;
• God must expose and even force them out into the open.
• God provided such an opportunity for Peter,
• When three men came knocking on the door.
(C). The Gentile - Jew Encounter (Vs 17-23a).
• The Lord's vision to Peter was not just to result in theory (i.e. knowing the truth):
• He gives Peter an opportunity to exercise, to put into practice this new insight.
(1). Peters Hospitality (Vs 23-24).
23”Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.”
• Even as Peter was trying to understand the vision:
• The men sent by Cornelius came knocking at the door.
Note: It's worth noting their words of introduction (vs 22).
"We have come from Cornelius the centurion.
He is a righteous and God fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people.
A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say".
Peter was faced with a choice:
• Would he respond to the vision?
• Or would he ignore it?
• Well we saw in the DVD that Peter obeyed the vision!
• And as we noted this morning, he brought the message of salvation to Cornelius.
Note:
• Peter has been called the ‘patron saint of failures’
• Because he made lots of mistakes.
• But never forget Peter was also a very quick learner;
• And the Peter who finishes this chapter is different to the one who started it!
• Peter learnt three valuable truths through this incident;
• Three principles that still apply today.
• The tough question is;
• Peter leant to apply these principles will we!
(3). The Practical Reaction: 3 things to learn.
(A). The root of prejudice is pride.
• Prejudice is thinking you are superior to someone else;
• Your colour or country of origin makes you better.
• Your social status or your good morals lifts you above the others;
• Your……. You can fill in the blanks!
The Bible is very clear that:
• Showing partiality is a sin,
• And should be recognized as such!
• (James chapter 2 verse 9).
• "But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as law-breakers".
The first essential element in dealing with prejudice is: Acceptance of ALL:
• In Acts chapter 10 Peter had a choice to make:
• To hold onto his traditions and pride ;
• He was a chosen one, a Jew!
• Or to apply the new truths that Jesus had shown to him in his vision.
Ill:
D.L. Moody:
• "The biggest argument against Christianity is Christians".
• "The biggest argument for Christianity is Christians".
Only when we act like Jesus, that is:
• We become available for people (Like Jesus.......)
• We accept people (Like Jesus.......)
• May be then we will win people (Like Jesus......)
ill:
This is what we preach in our gospel, "Whosoever".
• Question: Do we believe it?
• Question: Do we just preach it?
(B). Resistance in prejudice is brought on by tradition not scripture.
• Our prejudices are very stubborn:
• And they are strengthened by our traditions and personal preference.
• But not by the Bible
• All of us are created equal!
Ill:
Sign on the wall in a children’s play room which read:
“Nobody act big,
Nobody act small,
Everybody act medium”.
To deal with prejudice we have to be honest and humble:
• Honest enough to admit that we might have a problem.
• Humble enough to be willing to deal with it!
Ill:
Peter had to humble himself:
• To accept, give shelter,
• Go on a journey with and enter the home of gentiles.
• There would have been a scandal back home,
• His reputation among his contemporise was now shot! But not with God!
• All Peter is doing in Acts chapter 10;
• Is following in the footsteps of his master!
ill:
• Jesus!
• "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”
(C). Facing the wrong in prejudice is painful.
Quote: Leo Tolstoy:
“Everybody thinks of changing Humanity and nobody thinks of changing Himself”.
• Change is always difficult.... but it is so liberating.
• Just ask Peter!
