Scripture: Acts 10:1-17, 34-35 click here for the reading
"I can see clearly that God shows no favoritism." - Acts 10:34
There are a lot of things that we once conceived of as taboo, or unaccepted or prohibited by society. Some of these things are perfectly accepted by society...now. When I was growing up, a few things were unacceptable behaviors or practices. If it helps, think about the things that might make your mother drop dead if she knew about them. My mother would have dropped dead on sight if she knew any of her sons had a tattoo. Well. My mother also would have dropped dead on sight if she saw any of her sons riding a motorcycle or as she kindly referred to them as murdercycles. These are two very taboo things that I just happened to have in my life, and my mother is still living. I laugh about them now because I watched my brother squirm and deceive my mother when he had his motorcycle, just so she wouldn't drop dead. When I told my mother to make room in the garage for two motorcycles I was bring back with me from Michigan, it was my brother who about blew his top not my mother. So, who is really the one perpetuating this prohibited behavior?
We hear a similar story in the book of acts, when Peter has a vision of a man named Cornelius. In this vision Peter sees a blanket of meat being opened to him. In that meat blanket were animals that previously were labeled unclean or taboo. Now, God has given him a vision to go ahead and eat. Things that we thought were unacceptable to God are now available to us. Here is the important part though, this God given vision is not for the benefit of Peter's stomach, it is for the benefit of Cornelius. These restrictive eating laws are a barrier to gentiles who are experiencing God in new ways. This is why Peter's vision opens up an opportunity for a deeper relationship with a man named Cornelius.
What are the taboos that might be getting in the way of our relationship with other people? Family members? Coworkers?
What are the taboos of our society that might be restrictive for people having a deeper relationship with God?
There are a lot of things that we once conceived of as taboo, or unaccepted or prohibited by society. Some of these things are perfectly accepted by society...now. When I was growing up, a few things were unacceptable behaviors or practices. If it helps, think about the things that might make your mother drop dead if she knew about them. My mother would have dropped dead on sight if she knew any of her sons had a tattoo. Well. My mother also would have dropped dead on sight if she saw any of her sons riding a motorcycle or as she kindly referred to them as murdercycles. These are two very taboo things that I just happened to have in my life, and my mother is still living. I laugh about them now because I watched my brother squirm and deceive my mother when he had his motorcycle, just so she wouldn't drop dead. When I told my mother to make room in the garage for two motorcycles I was bring back with me from Michigan, it was my brother who about blew his top not my mother. So, who is really the one perpetuating this prohibited behavior?
We hear a similar story in the book of acts, when Peter has a vision of a man named Cornelius. In this vision Peter sees a blanket of meat being opened to him. In that meat blanket were animals that previously were labeled unclean or taboo. Now, God has given him a vision to go ahead and eat. Things that we thought were unacceptable to God are now available to us. Here is the important part though, this God given vision is not for the benefit of Peter's stomach, it is for the benefit of Cornelius. These restrictive eating laws are a barrier to gentiles who are experiencing God in new ways. This is why Peter's vision opens up an opportunity for a deeper relationship with a man named Cornelius.
What are the taboos that might be getting in the way of our relationship with other people? Family members? Coworkers?
What are the taboos of our society that might be restrictive for people having a deeper relationship with God?
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