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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

Acts 10:34-43
 

10:34 Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality,

10:35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

10:36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all.

10:37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:

10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

10:39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;

10:40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,

10:41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.

10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

 

Comments:

 

We all are called to be "witnesses" for Jesus. We might examine what it means to be a "witness" for Jesus in 2004. Do we bear witness to the resurrection? PH in OH


Peter's sermon, delivered at the home of Cornelius, a Roman army officer, is a summary of the essential message of Christianity. Everyone who believes in Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the words of the prophets, receives forgiveness of sins through his name.


v. 41 - God allowed Jesus to show himself - "not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead." Isn't that partiality?

Granted, Peter is talking about God including the Gentiles into the fold, but it seems Peter is still a little bit "elitist."

But, I doubt I'll preach THAT - it's just interesting.

I'm pondering the "witness" aspect. Usually we think of "witnessing" in a Christian perspective as a testimony or telling someone about Christ. However, a witness is one who saw.

Our human understanding is so fragile, though, that what we REALLY witness and what we THINK we witness are often quite different events. I recall a car accident we were in once - 4 of us in the car, and we couldn't even agree on what color the other car was.

Is one who persists hard-heartedly in their sin, a witness to Christ?

Sally


We need different witnesses because of different background, personal and corporate histories, we see through different worldviews. Perhaps that is why one author divide theologies into 5 theological worlds. Just musing on that part. Is being a witness basic to faith or is it a gift? "All the prophets tesify about him..." sermon title "2nd Hand witness". Nancy-Wi


Definitely timely in light of continued rage toward people of Arab descent. Yes, Jesus died for the members of Al Qaeda(sp) and other terrorists--of all races--around the world. In Christ, racial and political barriers are destroyed.

Rabb_eye in IL


What I love is the verse that they killed Jesus on a tree, But God raised him. What all in our world seeks to destroy, but God raises us to life instead, sometimes through the very instruments of destruction.

I rejoice in Easter! I can't wait!!

Rachel


This passage ties into the fear theme we're discussing under the Matthew text. "Anyone who fears God and does what is right..." Fearing God is a big jump for the Christmas/Easter folks. How to communicate the meaning and value of fearing God? I'm working on it, even at this late hour... (and it's a georgeous day out, and shouldn't I go out for a walk instead???)

DGinNYC


I am using this text as a call to our common story as people of faith. I am going on the assumption that the basic story of our life dictates our reactions in the present. So, therefore, we need to adopt the common story of Jesus as the basis for what we do and how we act.


Interesting Christological issues here, but I am in my first year of seminary so all these issues are fresh in my mind. I am awed by the fact that Jesus speaks to us in different ways depending on our "nation," and we express that faith in different ways. Maybe we need to focus on harmonizing instead of unifying. Things that catch my attention today is what kind of judge is Jesus? It seems he was pretty hard on the good church people who were self- righteous. Also the last verse on forgiveness is calling to me. I haven't seen a lot of material that I think is good on forgiveness--God's forgiveness of us, or our forgiveness of others. One more thought-- isn't it interesting what Peter is saying in verses 34 and 35 when he later seemed to disagree with Paul about how much Jewish law Gentile Christians should embrace. Ramblings from Carolyn, UMC pastor in NC


The Baptism of our Lord is one of the major Baptismal Days in the Episcopal Church, and we will celebrate three baptisms. I am leaning toward preaching this account from Acts, as I think I can make a stronger connection with our lives today, especially in the context of the baptismal event.

This is what Epiphany means, isn't it? We are witnesses -- not just those folks who happened to actually be there when Jesus lived and breathed. I think this is a common malady: that we are too far removed from it, from when Jesus actually walked the earth livin' and breathin'. It HAS become a memorial rather than anemnesis -- like the difference between being at the live concert or listening to the CD. No matter how good the sound quality, it just doesn't convey the passion and atmosphere of being there as the event happened.

So what does the conversion of Paul tell us? Paul was THE most unlikely person that the risen Christ would target for conversion -- and not only conversion, but as a leader, evangelist, "canon theologian" -- what trust Christ put in him.

Paul would literally be the Hitler of our day. What a conversion. What a turn-around.

And though Jesus had died, it was the risen Christ that appeared to Paul. The experience was just as real as if Jesus was alive. The "grace" conferred, for lack of a better term (and there is no better term for Paul) was the same as those who walked with Jesus had. This same grace is available to us today. We CAN meet the risen Christ today. It WILL pack the same wollop. THis is no "CD experience" but is a front row seat to the concert of a lifetime.

Anyone with me out there? Preacherlady


Preacherlady: Ditto on the power of this text in the context of Baptism. (We are also having three on Sunday!) And since we are a "St. Peter's" parish, I love this account of Peter having the great epiphany ... the great "AHA!" that (drum roll ....) GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY!!! Do right, fear God. Period. No theological litmus test. No Christological final exam. Consider ( I will probably tell my congregation) what the world would look like if we WERE free to "fear God and do right" -- if we could raise these three little children God has blessed us with today -- to show no partiality. No Jew or Greek; male or female; gay or straight; black or white -- just a community of people fearing God and doing what is right ... sounds like the Kingdom to me.

A final point -- check out the verses leading up to this text: did Peter come to this great revelation on his own? No ... Cornelius came banging on his door: an unclean Gentile, by everything Peter had ever been taught. And yet he listened to the Spirit "doing a new thing" and many were baptized because "God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean." A Revisionist! Abandoning the tradition! Why, if we let Gentiles in, what's next? Peter, the poster child for "Universalism"???? Where will it end?

With a redeemed creation comes to mind. Shalom, Susan in SanPedro


I think I will preach this pasage too. Yes, we are celebrating the baptism of Jesus, but this passage represents the culmination of Jesus' baptism and his mission.

I wonder what examples there are in our lives of people being converted when someone came knocking on the door? (i.e. Cornelius) Times when we have been separated from someone by prejudice, ignorance or even good theological conviction. Yet, when we are forced into a real conversation we get an inkling that the Spirit is up to something here. Any good stories?

Thomas in Concord