How can Acts 11:7 inspire us to overcome cultural biases in evangelism today? The Command That Shattered Boundaries “Then I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’ ” (Acts 11:7) From Peter’s Rooftop to Our Streets • Peter’s lifelong dietary convictions represented deep-seated cultural identity. • God’s audible directive overturned those convictions, signaling that “what God has made clean, you must not call impure” (Acts 10:15). • The vision was never just about food; it prepared Peter to welcome Cornelius, a Gentile, into the family of faith (Acts 10:28,34-35). Why This Matters for Evangelism Today • God’s voice still challenges inherited prejudices—racial, social, political, or stylistic—and calls us to see every person as a candidate for grace. • If Peter needed supernatural prompting to cross a cultural line, we should expect the Spirit to press us past our comfort zones too. Practical Steps to Overcome Biases 1. Examine Your “Unclean Lists” – Ask: Whom have I subconsciously labeled unreachable? – Compare that list with John 3:16—“For God so loved the world.” 2. Let Scripture Re-define Your Categories – Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Ephesians 2:14: Christ “has made both one and has torn down the dividing wall.” 3. Listen for the Spirit’s Nudge – Daily prayerful openness: “Lord, whom are You sending me to today?” – Stay alert for divine appointments that stretch you, just as Cornelius’ messengers stretched Peter. 4. Take Immediate, Obedient Action – Peter “went without objection” (Acts 11:12). Delay often resurrects prejudice. – Share a meal, start a conversation, accept the invitation that feels awkward. 5. Celebrate God’s Wider Family – When Gentiles believed, Jewish believers “glorified God” (Acts 11:18). – Rejoice publicly when people unlike you come to Christ; it nurtures a bias-breaking culture in the church. Encouragement for Modern Witnesses • The same authoritative voice that spoke to Peter speaks through Scripture today. • The Great Commission (“make disciples of all nations,” Matthew 28:19) is incompatible with cultural favoritism. • As we obey, we participate in Revelation 7:9’s vision of “a great multitude… from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue.” Key Takeaway Acts 11:7 invites us to rise, risk, and reach—trusting that God has already declared every repentant heart “clean” through Christ. |
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