Study in the Acts of the Apostles

1. Study in the Acts of the Apostles Presentation 22

2. Overcoming Prejudice Chapter 10v1-48 Presentation 22

3. Introduction “Prejudices are like rats, and men's minds like traps; prejudice gets in easily but rarely gets out again.” There is a stubborn inflexibility associated with prejudice. God’s work stood at an important watershed. The gospel was poised to spill over into the Gentile world. But the traps of prejudice within the church were preventing the gospel to travel beyond ‘acceptable’ boundaries. For Jewish converts in general, and Peter in particular, it was inconceivable that Gentile outsiders should have an equal standing and share in the kingdom of God. The rats of prejudice are still to be found, whenever we exclude others from the exposure to the gospel that we have enjoyed. But it is equally true that God is determined to deal with prejudice in order to advance his work. Presentation 22

4. The Root Of Prejudice Peter did not think the Gentiles should be offered the gospel. His position wasn't based upon a thoughtful examination of the issues involved. His view was totally irrational. Prejudice can be rooted in different soils. It can grow in the soil of over familiarity with a person or institution; cf. the reaction of Nazareth to Jesus’ ministry, “only in his home town and in his own house is a prophet without honour.” Matt.13v57. Sometimes it grows in the soil of social pride, e.g. the reaction Nathaniel when Philip told him about Jesus, “can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Jn. 1v46 Presentation 22

5. The Root Of Prejudice In Peter's day the Jews had become proud, self-centred and nationalistic. God had intended his people to be a missionary nation drawing other nations to faith in God. But mission was displaced by national arrogance. This contempt for others is seen in the fact that their women were taught not to help a gentile women at childbirth no matter how great the pain, because such a woman would give birth to another ‘Gentile dog’! Peter had absorbed this prejudice from childhood. Religious prejudices can be shaped from our earliest years. Have we prejudices towards others that have been shaped in this way? Presentation 22

6. The Root Of Prejudice How could Peter be so resistant? Was he not converted, transformed by the Holy Spirit? Yes, but the Spirit’s work of transformation is both gradual and progressive This prejudice was deep seated. The conversion of the Samaritan's hadn't dislodged it, nor had the conversion of the Ethiopian. It’s easy to criticise Peter’s prejudice but dare we allow the light of God's Word expose the rats of prejudice lurking in our own minds before they dive for the nearest bolt-hole? Are we prejudiced towards those not raised in our community, or towards those who don't have the same education that we do? Prejudice is so deep seated it is often hard to detect. Presentation 22

7. The Danger Of Prejudice Prejudice is not only deep seated it’s dangerous. Peter’s prejudice stood in the way of God's purposes. He’d been told by Jesus to proclaim the gospel first to the Jew and then the Gentile. This is the significance of Matt.16v19where Jesus said to Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom". Peter had already opened the doors of the kingdom to the Jews on the day of Pentecost but the door to Gentile evangelism he was happy to keep padlocked and unopened. Humanly speaking he was hindering God's work- that's dangerous! Do we possess prejudices that are pushing against God’s will and his work? Presentation 22

8. The Danger Of Prejudice Peter's prejudice was also dangerous because it blinded him, not only to what God wanted him to do, but to what God was already doing. For God was already at work in the heart of a Roman centurion called Cornelius; a man who had rejected Roman idolatry which could not satisfy his spiritual longings. He’d been attracted to the invisible, living God of the Jews. He had lived up to the light he’d been given. Peter may have written off the Gentile world but this man had a greater appetite for God than many Jews. And God always responds to the person who seeks him with all his heart. God was at work but poor, blind, prejudiced Peter was not yet at a point of usefulness to God. Presentation 22

9. The Danger Of Prejudice Does our prejudice blind us to what God is doing? Are we, like Peter, resisting the direction in which God wants to lead his church? The prejudice produced by Peter’s background overruled the clearly published command of the risen Jesus. Does ours? God's plan for his church is to take his gospel to those outside of the kingdom. Are we engaged in outreach? How diligently do we pray for uncommitted friends and neighbours? How many Cornelius's are there in our area who long for God but no one has ever spoken to them? Could our prejudices be endangering the work of God? Presentation 22

10. The Dismantling Of Prejudice We find here both the gentleness and determination of God in dismantling Peter's prejudice. God takes on the role of ‘rat catcher’. First, note God's use of circumstance. The Christians in Joppa arranged for Peter to stay with a tanner! v6. The tanning trade was considered by the Jew to be unclean and so the tanner was obliged to live a certain distance from the town boundary. Peter, who made such a fuss about being ceremonially clean was lodged there! God puts his people into those situations where they can best hear his voice and understand his message. That is why we should never be slow to ask when we find ourselves in strange circumstances, “Why has God placed me here, what does he intend me to learn from this?” Presentation 22

11. Dismantling Of Prejudice God gains Peter's attention through the vision recorded in v9ff. Animals, which for the Jew were ceremonially unclean, are lowered down to hungry Peter. He is told to ‘rise, kill and eat’. Peter replies, “No for I've kept myself free from all that might ceremonially contaminate me” - that included contact with Gentiles! Despite Jesus instruction in Mk.7v14-19, which taught that our hearts are not contaminated by external contact. God was intent upon breaking the emotional hold that ceremonial purity had on Peter. Peter must have been rocked back on his heels when God said, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ Presentation 22

12. Dismantling Of Prejudice On three occasions God had said, "kill and eat- Break with the past and with its hold on you at my command."And we probably think, Peter must have been really stubborn not to obey God immediately! But are we not often like Peter? God might not come to us in visions but he finds other ways to say, "Break with the past, let it go, step into my future".Now ask, how many times does God have to speak before we are prepared to listen to him?’ Presentation 22

13. The Dismantling Of Prejudice At a crucial juncture in God’s dealing with Peter, Cornelius' servants arrive and Peter, for whom the penny has finally dropped, agrees to visit the home of a ceremonially unclean gentile. God’s lesson was to be driven home more deeply. When Cornelius explains God's dealings with him in v30ff the shutters of Peter’s closed mind are opened and he says, "I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” v34. The Spirit of God drives out the rats of prejudice by illuminating our minds. Our perception of things, that for years has been moulded by prejudice, is altered. The mould is broken. Our thinking is liberated. Are we prepared for God to reshape our thinking as we listen to his Word? Presentation 22

14. Dismantling Of Prejudice God does one final thing for Peter. He gives him convincing proof that he can use, not only to persuade other prejudiced minds but, to consolidate all that God had been teaching him personally. While Peter is preaching to this most receptive of congregations, the Holy Spirit fell upon them in such a remarkable manner that we are reminded of what happened to the Jews at Pentecost. Indeed, it has been called the Gentile Pentecost. This sign, settled once and for all the truth that God had been teaching Peter. The gospel embraces men and women from every conceivable background. Presentation 22

15. Conclusion God goes to tremendous lengths to set us free of prejudices. He wants to change our thinking so he can use us. Are we prepared for change? Dwell on this - it was in the process of obeying God and going to speak to Cornelius that Peter discovered the full significance of what God was saying. So with us, Obedience is the opener of the eyes! Presentation 22