Outsiders and insiders

Outline for conversation at the weekend retreat of North Hill Adventist Fellowship

Acts 10.

In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer* named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. One afternoon about three o'clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. "Cornelius!" the angel said. Cornelius stared at him in terror. "What is it, sir?" he asked the angel. And the angel replied, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore. And he will tell you what to do."

(Last phrase not in “preferred” manuscripts.)

Note that in this story the angel visits Cornelius because of his goodness not in spite of his badness. He had learning to do. His life was going to change. Still, the place where he enters the story is a good place. He moves from good to better, not bad to good.

Acts 19

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers (Gk: disciples). "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

These guys had never even heard of the Holy Spirit, but they are called “disciples.” There was more for them, but what they had was not condemned or ridiculed. Where they were was good. Paul had something better. The "something better" included the good stuff they already possessed.

Have you been part of a religious community other than Seventh-day Adventist? If so, name it (them).

What commendable elements are there in that (those) communities?

Jesus make a startling statement about the relative goodness of pagan societies:

"What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. Matthew 11:21

"The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen. Matthew 12:41-42

Luke 10: The Good Samaritan. The good guy in the story is not Jewish.

Some Lessons: God is active across the world, not in just one single “right” community. Belonging to the right group is not enough. Evangelism--declaring truth as we see it and inviting others to join us-- is a good thing. It does not require us to condemn everything believed and practiced by others. God is pleased with people who still have growing and learning to do--including them and us. God is pleased with you.