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Running from Nineveh – Week Five
What is Prejudice?
My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? —James 2:1-4 (NLT)
Two men standing at the same location 800 years apart receive a calling from God to serve Him… where Jonah went the wrong way… Peter goes the right way.
Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord. There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. —Acts 9:32-37 (NLT)
Mark 5 - “Talitha (little girl) get up!”
Acts 9 - “Tabitha get up!”
The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides. —Acts 9:42-43 (NLT)
But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” —Acts 10:15 (NLT)
As we collectively work to fight our prejudice, it shifts the culture of our church from BELIEVE – BEHAVE – BELONG to BELONG – BELIEVE – BEHAVE which is the heart of God.
Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.” —Acts 10:28-29 (NLT)
Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.” —Acts 10:34-35 (NLT)
Peter repeatedly found cultural differences as a reason to pursue others, not an excuse to ignore them.
As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” —Romans 10:11-13 (NLT)
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