WRECKING CREW
Text: Acts 11:1 -18
Act 11:1-18 Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. (2) So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, (3) saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" (4) Then 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. (6) As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. (7) I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' (8) But I replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' (9) But a second time the voice answered from heaven, 'What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' (10) This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. (11) At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. (12) The 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. (13) He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; (14) he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' (15) And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. (16) And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' (17) If 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?" (18) When 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."
“Once upon a time, the colors of the world started to quarrel. All claimed to be the best, the most important.
Green said: "Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope, the color of grass, trees, and leaves. Without my life, there would be no plants or creatures."
Blue interrupted: "You only think of the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is water that is the basis of life, and the sky gives peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing." https://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-preaching-journal/once-upon-time How many people are arguing today about what is important?
Nothing in all the world is more important to the world but the Blood of Jesus! Nothing but the blood of Jesus matters because [our own] “ … flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 15:50 NIV). It is only through Jesus Christ that “…. we have redemption through His blood, for the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7 NIV). Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood (Hebrews 13:12 NIV). Jesus said that there are many rooms in the [Heavenly] Father’s house and that He was going to the Father to prepare our place [our future heavenly home] (John 14:2 paraphrased). That is why Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can go to God our Heavenly Father except through the sacrifice of what Jesus has done (John 14:6 paraphrased). How does that relate to our text for today?
There were religious people who resisted Peter and the other six who were with him in that day. There are people in every age who witness to those who may resist them.
We will focus on resistance and witnessing.
RESISTANCE
Is there such a thing as religious objectors?
1) Complaints: The group that confronted Peter complained because he ate with gentiles (Acts 11:2). Isn’t this the same kind of complaint that the Pharisees made to Jesus? If you go back to Acts 10:45 you will begin to see that there was a cultural divide between the Jews and the Gentiles that was being torn down because of the Gospel!
2) Christians: Today, we want to explore God’s kingdom and God’s plans for unity among all believers. It was in this chapter that all “Followers of the Way” became known as Christians (Acts 11:26) in spite of their native country. Jesus Christ died on the cross for all of us because we are all sinners!
3) Bless me clubs?: Our world today is a lot like the post-resurrection world to which God called Peter to be a missionary. We face a lot of the same obstacles that Peter did. We too, have distinctions, and dystopia. Someone (Christian Scharen) once critiqued and labeled how the church today often falls short of its goal to make disciples by referring to how the church is sometimes a “bless me club”. He bases this viewpoint and how he has observed Bono, the lead singer’s perception of the church. (Christian Scharen. One Step Closer: Why U2 Matters to Those Seeking God. Grand Rapids: Brasoz Press, 2006, pp. 57 - 58). When the Church is in a “Bless me club” mode it will always fall short of Christ’s goal of the kingdom to go and make disciples!
4) Wrecking Crew: Christ calls us to be fishers of people who help others tear down the walls the kept them from having Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
What is it that creates resistance or barriers when people need to hear the Gospel? There are always going to be familial, theological, political, spiritual, cultural, geographical and contemporary barriers in every age. Is it because of a “Bless me club” comfort zone? Is it because we would rather have only those just like us in the church?
1) Distinctions: There are several different factors in the distinctions.
(a) Generations: We like to distinguish ourselves and mark ourselves as separate but not always as equals. We call ourselves by titles such as the Silent Generation (1928 - 1945), Baby boomers (1946 - 64), Generation X (1965 - 1979), Millennials (1981 - 1996). https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=what%20are%20the%20generation%20names%20and%20years&s_it=loki-tb-sb
(b) Race: White, black, brown, red, yellow.
(c) Cultural: Morals, values, political stance, social class.
(d) Gender: Going with the original labels …Male and female.
(e) Tastes: music, food, literature, movies, decoration, brand names.
In the end, none of these distinctions matter. Again, nothing but the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:7) the sacrificial lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) matters!
2) The thief’s agenda: Satan is the thief, who comes only to deceive( John 8:44), to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a). Satan subtracts and divides and God adds and multiplies!
3) Comfort Zones: Factor in all the things distinctions that we use to define our comfort zones. We do not often want changes so we resist change! How many will be lost if we stay in our comfort zone?
4) Hospital: Is the church just for those who don’t need a physician or is it only for the sick (Matthew 9: 11 - 12)? All my life I have heard that the church is supposed to be a hospital for sinners and not a rest home for saints! Or, members of the “Bless me club”!
Do we consider others separate but equal?
1) Agreement: Do we agree with only those just like us? Do we agree to disagree or do we seek to silence those who oppose us?
2) Exceptions: Do we make any exceptions for those who are different than us? If we do, then we are not being true to our calling to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Jesus said that we are to make disciples of all nations which includes people who are not just like us. John 3:16 reminds us that God does not make exceptions because Jesus Christ died and shed His own blood for all sinners in every age!
3) Walls: How often have we created walls that have divided us? Or, torn down walls that once divided us?
On April 15, 1947, a twenty-eight-year-old Jackie Robison became the first African American player in Major League Baseball when he stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson broke the color barrier in a sport that had been segregated for more than fifty years. Most baseball fans are aware of this bit of history. Jackie Robinson’s number 42 has been retired and honored across Major League Baseball. https://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-preaching-journal/sermon-illustrations-easter-5-2022 If only we could retire the things that divide as well a they retired Jackie Robinson’s jersey number!
4) The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man: Consider Galatians 3:28 - 29: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise”(NRSV).
WITNESSES
How often do we catch flack for being witnesses of the Gospel?
1) Objections: If someone raises objection, then perhaps we have provoked an unbeliever or a person who thinks that the church is a rest home for saints! Or maybe we offended someone in the “Bless me club” who thought that the church was for members only!
2) Compliments: Can compliments be a bad thing? Consider what Jesus said in Luke 6:26: "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets” (NRSV). Does that means that false prophets told people with “itching ears” what they wanted to hear? Paul once said “For the time is Another coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3 NRSV).
3) Seven witnesses: Customarily, prior to Saul's (aka Paul, see Acts 13:9) call to be a missionary to the Gentiles (see Acts 9:15) and Peter's call in Acts 10, Jews and Gentiles would have nothing to do with each other. Peter plus six witnesses equals seven witnesses (Acts 11:12) which is culturally significant because according to William Barclay having seven witnesses according to Roman law (seven seals … a thought echoed in Revelation 5 & 6) and Egyptian law it took seven witnesses to authenticate a case. (William Barclay. The Daily Study Bible Series: The Acts of the Apostles. (Revised Edition). Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1976, p. 87). Peter was doing exactly what the Lord had instructed him to do in reaching out to the Gentiles in Acts 10. The Gentiles who were present began speaking in tongues (Acts 10:44 - 46) which is the same thing that happened on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. It is also evidence of the fact that the Holy Spirit was bearing with their spirit that they were being included as God’s adopted children, making them also” heirs and co-heirs with Christ” (see Romans 8:16).
What does our witness say about us?
1) Risk takers: How often do we take risks of offending someone to share the Gospel? Author and preacher, Tony Compolo once said, “Most of us are tiptoeing through life in order to arrive at death as safely as possible.” (From a sermon by Al Meredith, Wedgewood Baptist Church, Fort Worth, TX, October 25, 2003. [as quoted by Chuck Holton. Bullet Proof. Colororado Springs, CO, 2005, p. 70]). How much time do we spend tiptoeing versus how much time we spend sharing the Gospel?
2) Ashamed?: Are we ashamed of the Gospel? Paul boldly said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew then for the Gentile (Romans 1:16 NRSV). It is said of Dwight Moody that he made it his daily mission not to let a day go by without sharing the Gospel. How often do we share the Gospel?
3) Birthday: A pastor by the name of Bob Buchanan told the story about how Tony Comoplo went to Hawaii and could not sleep because he was out of sync with his native time zone. So he went to a local place and ordered coffee and a doughnut. While he was there eight or nine prostitutes walked in. They ended up sitting on both sides of him because it was a small diner. Their talk was loud and crude. He felt uncomfortable and was getting ready to leave when he overheard one of the prostitutes say that her 39th birthday was the next day. Another prostitute was asking if she wanted a birthday party. Although, he felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave, it had to be obvious that the Lord planned this meeting and the dialogue through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. The birthday girl said she had never had a party in her life.
Tony found out that they came there every night and then asked about throwing her a birthday party. They even decorated the place with crepe paper and a sign that said “Happy Birthday Agnes”. Word got around and the next night they came in and everybody screamed “Happy Birthday!”
Agnes was stunned, shaken and her mouth dropped open. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” as one of her friends led her to a stool. There was a birthday cake with 39 candles and Agnes began to cry like a child.
The party came to a close and Agnes walked out the door when Tony Compolo suggested that they pray for her. He prayed for her salvation. When he got through praying, a guy in the crowd said, “Hey! You never told me you were a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to?” Tony answered that he belonged to a church that threw birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning. The guy sneered and said, “No you don’t. There’s no church like that and if there was I would join it.” (David N. Mosser. ed. The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2004 Edition. Bob Buchanan. Sermon: “Rubbing Shoulders With the Wrong People”. Nashville, Abingdon Press, 2003, pp. 172 -173). Tony was obviously hoping that she would have a new birthday and be born again and have her name in the Lamb’s book of Life!
4) Wrecking Crew members needed: How good are we at witnessing to others and helping them tear down the walls that kept them from having Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
