Monday, July 24, 2006
Acts 11
I find it very interesting what happened when a major shift in theology took place in the Early Church - that of the inclusion of uncircumcised Gentiles (story in Acts 11) - and the leaders “took issue” with Peter about this, saying “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them”.
I don’t know about you, but perhaps when you’re accused of doing something “unbiblical” you would choose to defend yourself theologically with argument about how this and that doctrine matched up with your actions. Maybe even to your church leaders this is the only way they would respect your answer.
How did Peter respond? Interestingly enough he chose to tell two stories: 1) the story of the dream in which God told him (three times!) “what God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy”, and 2) the story of how “the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning”.
His conclusion in verses 16 and 17 was interesting. Firstly he pointed to remembering Jesus’ words (“John baptised with water; you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”) and secondly he spoke one short sentence, asking his hearers (the Church leadership in Jerusalem) about how they could object to God pouring out His Spirit on those who believed (among the uncircumcision).
Fascinating!
And the response from leadership? Dissatisfaction with Peter’s simple apologetics? No. As the Message puts it (in verse 18) you have a response that I have seen many times as people hear a story embedded with truth (via oral communication!): “Hearing it all laid out like that, they quieted down. And then, as it sank in, they started praising God. ‘It’s really happened! God has broken through to the other nations, opened them up to Life!’”
It was “laid out” by a story. And ... it “sank in“. Result? Praise to God, and the truth of the inclusion of the uncircumcised (who believe, into the Body of Christ) was received.
I don’t know about you, but perhaps when you’re accused of doing something “unbiblical” you would choose to defend yourself theologically with argument about how this and that doctrine matched up with your actions. Maybe even to your church leaders this is the only way they would respect your answer.
How did Peter respond? Interestingly enough he chose to tell two stories: 1) the story of the dream in which God told him (three times!) “what God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy”, and 2) the story of how “the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning”.
His conclusion in verses 16 and 17 was interesting. Firstly he pointed to remembering Jesus’ words (“John baptised with water; you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”) and secondly he spoke one short sentence, asking his hearers (the Church leadership in Jerusalem) about how they could object to God pouring out His Spirit on those who believed (among the uncircumcision).
Fascinating!
And the response from leadership? Dissatisfaction with Peter’s simple apologetics? No. As the Message puts it (in verse 18) you have a response that I have seen many times as people hear a story embedded with truth (via oral communication!): “Hearing it all laid out like that, they quieted down. And then, as it sank in, they started praising God. ‘It’s really happened! God has broken through to the other nations, opened them up to Life!’”
It was “laid out” by a story. And ... it “sank in“. Result? Praise to God, and the truth of the inclusion of the uncircumcised (who believe, into the Body of Christ) was received.