How can Acts 9:43 inspire us to break social barriers in our communities? The Context of Acts 9:43 • Acts 9 records Saul’s conversion, Peter’s healing of Aeneas, and the raising of Tabitha. • Verse 43 concludes: “And Peter stayed for many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.” A Radical Lodging Choice • Jewish law considered contact with a dead body unclean (Numbers 19:11-13). Tanners handled carcasses daily, so their homes were avoided by devout Jews. • Peter, an apostle committed to ceremonial purity, deliberately accepts hospitality from this socially avoided man. • God positions Peter here to prepare him for the Gentile mission in Acts 10; breaking one barrier leads to breaking the next. What Barriers Did Peter Cross? • Religious Barrier—choosing fellowship over ritual separation. • Occupational Barrier—valuing a man despite a stigmatized trade. • Cultural Barrier—entering a house that respectable society shunned. • Geographic Barrier—remaining “many days,” not a quick visit but sustained presence. Practical Ways We Can Follow Peter Today • Be present where polite society hesitates: visit halfway houses, nursing homes, or shelters. • Share meals across economic lines: invite coworkers, neighbors, or church visitors others overlook. • Value people before professions: encourage those in low-status or “messy” jobs. • Refuse partiality in gatherings: rotate small-group locations so every home is honored. • Cultivate long-term relationships, not token gestures—Peter stayed “many days.” Scripture Reinforcement • Jesus modeled table fellowship: “Many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and His disciples.” (Matthew 9:10) • “For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14) • “If you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2:9) • “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) Next Steps for Our Communities • Identify modern “Simons” whose homes or company Christians often avoid. • Intentionally invest time—“many days”—with them, expecting God to open wider doors. • Celebrate testimonies of broken barriers, encouraging the church to continue moving outward. |
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