Out of the Box
2 March 2003
Acts 11:1-18
fellowship community
INTRODUCTION: Comedian Emo Philips used to tell this story:
In conversation with a person I had recently met, I asked, "Are you Protestant or Catholic?"
My new acquaintance replied, "Protestant."
I said, "Me too! What franchise?"
He answered, "Baptist."
"Me too!" I said. "Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
"Northern Baptist," he replied.
"Me too!" I shouted.
We continued to go back and forth. Finally I asked, "Northern conservative fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1879 or Northern conservative fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1912?"
He replied, "Northern conservative fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic!"
Conflicts are part of life. And as we end this short series on God’s plan for his church, it is fitting to have a message on this very subject. Why, you ask?
“Someone once said, Christians are like porcupines in a snowstorm. We need each other to keep warm but we prick each other if we get too close.”
How do we keep conflicts from destroying the church? By allowing God to have the last word!
Today, we are going to witness a conflict between Jewish Believers and Peter. Jews believed they wer following Gods’ plan to set up his kingdom. As long as they beleiverd the kingdom was still being offered to the themselves, Peter’s actions were wrong. These Jewish believers were those who held to the Law of Moses (Acts 15:5; 21:20; Gal 2:12). These Jewish believers believed God’s message was to the Jew first (Acts 1-7). In that they were right. Christ even commanded them to begin in Jerusalem (Lk 24:47; Acts 1:8). And when Jerusalem fully believed in Christ, the nation of Israel would receive the Messiah and He would return to earth to take his throne (Acts 3:25-26).
The problem with this thinking was it misunderstood Gods’ Plan. For Christ commands not only to begin in Jerusalem, but to extend the message to the uttermost part (Acts 1:8), even to all “ethos” (Mt. 28:18-20). This was the same error of Jonah, and ironically, Peter was in the very town where Jonah decided to take a ship – Joppa. The irony in this account is too funny.
The Jewish believers thought they had the corner on God’s plan. But in essence their view of God was in a box. Peter’s experience with Cornelius takes the Jewish believer’s thinking and turns it on its head. In a phrase, they had to get out of their box – in thinking!
Let’s look at how a conflict arose in the early church (read vs 1-3).
1. They caught wind of the news (1)
2. They criticized the person who led this new movement (2) – notice they didn’t rejoice over the event. Legalists always strain gnats.
3. They started a conflict that had the potential of causing Northern Christians and southern Christians (3)
Let’s repeat our big idea again: we will keep conflicts from destroying the church by allowing God to have the last word.
1A. WE WILL KEEP CONFLICTS FROM SPLITTING THE CHURCH BY BECOMING INTIMATE WITH GOD (4-10)
I want us to notice how Peter responds (4). This isn’t the same man we knew from the gospels accounts. Peter has learned the lesson of thinking before opening his mouth. He’s learned the principle from Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
In the following verses, we see how Peter told what occurred to him in the first person, giving it vitality and vivid description. Peter emphasizes the sheet and the various animals on the sheet. Although Peter does not use the word, “God,” he does mention a voice he heard from heaven – a clear indication it was the voice of God. Next, Peter relates to his audience by repeating his objection to the voice’s directions to kill and eat such animals, both clean and unclean.
But Peter relates to his audience how this voice told him, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” Peter then said, this all occurred three times and then the sheet was taken up into heaven.
All this occurred, because Peter was becoming more intimate with the Lord. Intimate means: proceeding from within, inward, internal. Lloyd John Olgivie writes: “The intimacy between the Lord and I relationship we were all created to experience with God requires the opening of our innermost thoughts to the Lord just as He revealed His innermost nature to us.”
Peter was growing as a follower of Christ. He was opening his life to the Almighty and the Lord was now showing Peter more of His plan for the church. And, he was revealing to Peter a greater purpose for his existence.
Illustration: right now, we have been praying for God to show us his purpose for fellowship community. We have been asking for God to show us what He would like us to do. But this week, it has struck me that God isn’t so much concerned about telling me what to do as he is interested in knowing, do I want to know him, more than I do now? That is the key to knowing our purpose as a church, and as individuals.
Are you finding yourself drifting in a spiritual ocean, wondering what is God’s purpose for your life? Do you find yourself frustrated that everything you attempt to do for God appears to fail? Take courage, beloved. Intimacy with God is the way to allow God to have the last word in your life. And prayer is the avenue through which we will find God’s purpose.
But once we begin to see God move in a direction, we need to become alert. Watch how Peter became alert to God’s purpose for him in verses 12-15. What we will learn is…
2A. WE WILL KEEP CONFLICTS FROM SPLITTING THE CHURCH BY FOLLOWING THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (12-15)
Peter picks up his experience and says at this moment, three men came to the house he was staying. Peter relates how the Spirit told him to go with these men without any misgivings – no excuses Peter, just go with them. Peter, probably pointing to the six other Jews who went with him, relates what happened next. When they went into Cornelius’ house, he told Peter how an angel told him to go to Joppa and send for a man named Peter who would tell him how to be saved.
Finally, Peter recalls what occurred when he began to speak the gospel to the household of Cornelius (15). The wonderful thing about this verse and the events inside of Cornelius’ house is this: I don’t see anyone praying a prayer to receive Christ. I don’t see anyone lifting their hands or walking an aisle or having people close their eyes. I just see the Holy Spirit moving and working and Peter responding. The other thing I notice about this event is how Peter reflects the parallel between what occurred to them in Jerusalem and what had occurred to Cornelius’ household in Caesarea. He linked them together, saying, “the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as (literally) upon us at the beginning.” Beginning of what? The beginning of the church in Acts 2. Peter is telling the Jewish believers in Jerusalem that this event is equivalent to what occurred to us. In other words, Gentiles are part of God’s plan. Wow! Can you imagine the impact in the hearts of these Jewish believers? The Gentiles were not circumcised. They didn’t adhere to Jewish customs. They didn’t mention Moses or the ten commandments.
Nor did they walk an aisle or raise their hands, nor did they say a prayer.
The Jews were flabbergasted. The room must have silenced as that old commercial of E.F. Hutton – when they speak, people listen. Well, when Peter spoke that day, people listened.
Wouldn’t you have enjoyed being there that day? Wouldn’t it be great to see that event in the house of Cornelius? Wouldn’t it be great to see the Holy Spirit work like this today? He does. He really does, but are we watching for His movement? Are we growing more intimate with God, so we can recognize the movement of His Spirit? And if we are, then are we joining the Spirit in his work? Or are we content to remain in our box, because that’s where we are comfortable?
Illustration:
When you’re dealing with people who live in a box, they may be able to corner you on your experience, but when you begin to reflect to them how you were obeying the voice of God and now the Spirit of God, that puts a whole new perspective in their minds. It’s difficult to argue with that, unless they have the gumption to deny your experience.
So, stick to your pathway of obedience to God’s Spirit. When others criticize you, review your obedience to God as well as your motives.
But there is one more thing you can do in order to prevent further conflicts.
3A. WE WILL KEEP CONFLICTS FROM SPLITTING THE CHURCH BY SUBMITTING TO THE WORD OF GOD (16-18)
After Peter recounted the events that led to the Holy Spirit, he recites a verse from the Lord Jesus (16). Notice how the chain of events. Peter remembered; he reasoned; the conflict was resolved. Now let’s look at these more closely. Peter remembered what the Lord had said (16). When did the Lord say this? In Acts 1:5 – just before the Lord ascended into heaven and just days before Pentecost. I would call that a significant event – and at significant events, words are often recalled. Question: what is the difference between John’s Baptism and being baptized by the Holy Spirit? John’s baptism was a baptism of preparation – preparing the people for the coming of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit’s baptism was a baptism of identification – identifying those who have placed their faith in Christ into the body, i.e., the church. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord. The second thing he did was he reasoned (17). Peter reasoned, seeing the same occurrence of the Holy Spirit happened in Cornelius household as it did with us in Jerusalem, I took this as a cue from God this was his doing. So, and here is the crux of the matter for those who have God in a box, Peter did the only intelligent thing: he got out of the way and allowed God to do what he was doing.
The third thing that occurred was the conflict was resolved (read v. 18). They began to praise and glorify God, admitting “…God had granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”
After hearing Peter’s account, they quieted down – literally, they became silent. They shut up. They closed their mouths. Ladies and gentlemen, the conflict was resolved. In a phrase, the conflict was resolved, because they allowed God to have the last word.
And beloved, your conflicts will be resolved as well, when we allow God to have the last word.
We need to give some credit to the Jewish believers. They didn’t interrupt Peter all the while he explained the events to them. The importance of listening to someone in the midst of a conflict does at least three things:
1. it obeys God’s word (James 1:19,20)
2. It shows honor to the other person (Phil 2:3)
3. It may be God’s way of teaching us something about Himself (as in this text).
Principles:
1. Peter uses the feel, felt, found principle with the Jews. It’s a good principle when you are trying to diffuse a volatile situation or when you are trying to persuade someone to see your viewpoint.
2. for those of you in the work force, you may learn something from Peter’s explanation. While this was fresh in his mind, often times our lives are so busy, it’s hard to keep facts straight. That’s why it might be good to keep what I call “Memo to File.” It is a file with the subject matter at the top. I include who was involved with the meeting, what was said, who said what and who is responsible for what including dates. This prevents any misunderstandings along the way. It also clears you from anything someone may have wrongfully accused you of saying or doing.
3. Peter didn’t go to Cornelius because he fully grasped God’s program to reach the world; he went to Cornelius’ home out of obedience to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
4. God’s plan is to reach lost people through the church. The question is does the church desire follow His plan?
5. Peter had to defend his position alone. Neither the apostles nor the six men who went with him defended Peter.
6. God doesn’t work through man’s perfect programs; He works through imperfect people. He desires to work through you!
What God Has Cleansed
One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the>pastor’s son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans.
This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting.
As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor’s son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be.
He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancee’s past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin." "Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?"
The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble.
What can wash away my sins?... Nothing but the blood of Jesus! End of case!!!!
IN ESSENTIALS, UNITY; IN NONESSENTIALS, LIBERTY; IN EVERYTHING, LOVE.
