Getting Out of the Way

An Inward Mindset

From the very beginning, the church has had to deal with the question on what to do with outsiders.

Inward Mindset: People behave in ways that are calculated to benefit themselves. (Arbinger Institute)

An Outward Mindset: People are able to consider and behave in ways that further the collective results that they are committed to achieve. (Arbinger Institute)

Peter Encounters Criticism (11:1-3)

Church members (all Jewish) zealous for the Law. Peter had made himself ritually unclean by dining with the gentiles.

Table fellowship created a covenant between host and guests.

Fear of persecution by unbelieving Jews

Note: No one objected to Peter preaching Christ to the Gentiles; the issue was that he ate with them even though as Gentiles they were ritually unclean.

Jewish Roman tensions under Caligula

Peter may have jeopordized his own heritage as a Jew and his identity in the messianic community.

The church had developed a myopic view of what God was doing.

Peter Defends His Actions (11:4-15)

From Peter’s report we learn that the real hero of this narrative is God. Will Willimon calls God, “The gracious prodding One who makes bold promises and keeps them, who finds a way even in the midst of human distinctions and partiality between persons.”

The divine origin of his vision

Peter’s method shows that “the proof of Christianity always lies in the facts.” (Barclay)

the prov

An Interpretive Case for God at Work (11:16-17)

An Outward Mindset: People are able to consider and behave in ways that further the collective results that they are committed to achieve. (Arbinger Institute)

The Church Responds in Praise (11:18)

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Acts The Church Responds in Praise (11:18)

What then should convince us that God is at work even in ways that cut across the grain of our prejudices? A plain hearing of the facts and their interpretation, judged by the promises of God’s Word, is where we start. And when we keep in mind that salvation begins with the gift of repentance, our prejudices, which will always demand that the outsider meet certain performance standards, will melt away. In their place will come wonder and praise to God that his salvation has touched people whom we, left to ourselves, would not.