Paul's notes and questions from his week 3 sermon at Blackford and Wedmore

First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Disciples

Sermon Three (Holy Trinity and St Mary’s) – Peter’s dream (Acts 11v1-18)

Summary of Sermon:

·         The unfolding challenges if the 1^st century church from reading Acts –  e.g. leadership and persecution

·         Also the great challenge of ‘inclusivity’. Who’s ‘in’ and on what terms. Who’s saved?

·         Peter being asked to justify the baptism of Roman centurion Cornelius and his household by apostles back in Jerusalem.

·         Are they concerned about trying to hold the community together?

·         Or are they letting a narrow parochial vision hinder God’s saving purpose?

·         ‘Tuning in’ to God’s saving purpose takes time and needs prayer, reflection, listening and experience of the ‘other’.

·         Caution over reading the Bible in a narrow literal way but in the light of God’s prompting through experiences – as with Peter.

·         The only judge is Jesus, we can never determine who’s ‘in’ or who’s ‘out’.

·         The Book of Acts is full of the diversity of those called to be God’s people.

Resources: www.inclusive-church.org

Questions for Reflection or Discussion

1.       Should a desire for Christian unity and communion across denominations or different cultures influence our church’s views on ‘inclusivity’?

2.       In what ways might our church try to ‘tune in’ to God’s saving purpose for the community in which we are called to serve?

3.       Do our experiences and encounters with others influence the way we interpret and use Scripture? If so, in what way?

4.       Be honest, how judgemental of others are you? When was the last time you made a judgment about someone you then regretted?

5.       ‘Inclusivity’ of churches is a massive topic ranging from disabled access to church buildings to provision of hearing loops to the attitude to people with learning difficulties to welcoming of a convicted paedophile to whether the church would ‘permit’ a gay youth worker. Try listing the different questions you may ask in considering ‘Is my church inclusive?’ [Think of all the possible ways individuals or groups may feel excluded or even just ‘uncomfortable’]

6.       Is seeking to be ‘inclusive’ always a Gospel imperative? When might it not be?

7.       Can being too ‘inclusive’ lead to some feeling ‘excluded’? Think how this might occur.

Acts 11.1-18

Peter’s Report to the Church at Jerusalem

11Now the apostles and the believers^* who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. ²So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers^* criticized him, ³saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ ⁴Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ⁵‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. ⁶As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. ⁷I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” ⁸But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” ⁹But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” ¹⁰This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. ¹¹At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. ¹²The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; ¹⁴he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” ¹⁵And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁷If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ ¹⁸When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’