Who Was I to Stand in God's Way?

In one paragraph

Acts 11:1-18 was the text for this message, a passage that retells the story of Peter and Cornelius from the previous chapter, but now from the angle of Peter defending himself before the Jewish believers back in Jerusalem. Pastor Ray walked through how the Jerusalem church responded to the news that Gentiles had received the word of God, and what it took to move them from criticism to praise. He...

Read together

1. Psalm 103 opening call to worship, bless the Lord oh my soul
2. Psalm 147 quoted as how good it is to sing praises to our God
3. Isaiah 40 the grass withers, the flowers fade, the word of God stands forever
4. Acts 1:8 you will receive power from on high, used to connect the Spirit falling at Pentecost to what happened at Cornelius's house
5. Acts 10 prior week's sermon covering Peter's vision and visit to Cornelius
6. Acts 11:1-18 main preaching text, Peter defends the Gentile mission to the Jerusalem believers
7. Romans 10:9-10 benediction, if you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe God raised him you will be saved

Talk about it

1. Peter's critics in Jerusalem objected to him eating with Gentiles before they even heard what happened. When have you found yourself reacting to someone's choices before you understood the full story, and what changed your mind?
2. Peter told the Jerusalem believers the story 'exactly as it happened,' sticking to the facts rather than his own feelings and interpretations. Why do you think that approach was more persuasive, and how might that shape the way we share what God has done in our own lives?
3. Ray pointed out that the Jerusalem believers called repentance a privilege, and asked whether we think of it that way. What would it look like in practice to treat the ability to recognize and turn from sin as a gift rather than a burden?
4. Some of the scattered believers in Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch were already preaching to Gentiles spontaneously, even before Peter's experience with Cornelius became widely known. What does that tell us about how the Holy Spirit moves, and have you ever seen something like that happen in your own experience?
5. Ray talked about leaving space in the middle of the Africa trip for interruptions, saying he sees interruptions in Jesus' ministry as opportunities rather than problems. Is there an area of your life right now where you might be resisting an interruption that God is using?
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