Sermon Title: Peter Eating Pigs 彼得吃山豬
Scriptures 經文: Acts 使徒行傳10: 1-35
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" 4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." 7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." 14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." 15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. 17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." 21Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?" 22The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself." 27Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"
30Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us." 34Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
10:1 在凱撒利亞有一個人，名叫哥尼流，是意大利營的百夫長。10:2 他是個虔誠人，他和全家都敬畏神，多多賙濟百姓，常 常禱告神。10:3 有一天，約在申初，他在異象中明明看見神的一個使者進去，到他那裡，說：哥尼流。10:4 哥 尼流定睛看他，驚怕說：主啊，甚麼事呢？天使說：你的禱告和你的賙濟達到神面前，已蒙記念了。 10:5 現 在你當打發人往約帕去，請那稱呼彼得的西門來10:6 他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裡，房子在海邊上。 10:7 向他說話的天使去後，哥 尼流叫了兩個家人和常伺候他的一個虔誠兵來， 10:8 把這事都述說給他們聽，就打發他們往約帕去。 10:9 第二天，他們行路將近那城。彼得約 在午正，上房頂去禱告，
10:10 覺得餓了，想要吃。那家的人正預備飯的時候，彼得魂遊象外10:11 看見天開了，有一物降下，好像一塊大 布，繫著四角，縋在地上， 10:12 裡面有地上各樣四足的走獸和昆蟲，並天上的飛鳥； 10:13 又有聲音向他說：彼得， 起來，宰了吃！ 10:14 彼得卻說：主啊，這是不可的！凡俗物和不潔淨的物，我從來沒有吃過。 10:15 第 二次有聲音向他說：神所潔淨的，你不可當作俗物。10:16 這樣一連三次，那物隨即收回天上去了。 10:17 彼 得心裡正在猜疑之間，不知所看見的異象是甚麼意思。哥尼流所差來的人已經訪問到西門的家，站在門外， 10:18 喊 著問：有稱呼彼得的西門住在這裡沒有？ 10:19 彼得還思想那異象的時候，聖靈向他說：有三個人來找你。 10:20 起來，下去，和他們同 往，不要疑惑，因為是我差他們來的。 10:21 於是彼得下去見那些人，說：我就是你們所找的人。你們來是為甚麼緣故？ 10:22 他們說：百夫長哥尼流是個義人，敬畏神，為猶太通國所稱讚。他蒙一位聖天使指示，叫他請你到他家裡去，聽你的話 10:23 彼得就請他們進去，住了一宿。次日，起身和他們同去，還有約帕的幾個弟兄同著他去； 10:24 又 次日，他們進入凱撒利亞，哥尼流已經請了他的親屬密友等候他們。10:25 彼得一進去，哥尼流就迎接他，俯伏在他腳前拜他。 10:26 彼得拉他，說：你起來，我也是人。
10:27 彼得和他說著話進去，見有好些人在那裡聚集， 10:28 就對他們說：你們知道，猶太人和別國的人親近來 往本是不合例的，但神已經指示我，無論甚麼人都不可看作俗而不潔淨的。
10:29 所以我被請的時候，就不推辭而來。現在請問：你們叫我來有甚麼意思呢？
10:30 哥尼流說：前四天，這個時候，我在家中守著申初的禱告，忽然有一個人穿著光明的衣裳，站在我面前， 10:31 說：哥尼流，你的禱告已蒙垂聽，你的賙濟達到神面前已蒙記念了。 10:32 你當打發人往約帕去，請那稱呼彼 得的西門來，他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裡。 10:33 所以我立時打發人去請你。你來了很好；現今我們都在神面前，要 聽主所吩咐你的一切話。 10:34 彼得就開口說：我真看出神是不偏待人。 10:35 原來，各國中那敬畏主、行義的人 都為主所悅納。
Sermon Outline:
- In chapter 11 of Leviticus, God clearly commanded his chosen people not to eat unclean food from unclean animal.
在利未記第11章，神明確吩咐他的選民不要從不潔淨的動物吃不 潔淨食物。
- However, in Acts chapter 10, Peter was asked by God in a vision to eat ‘all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air’ (v.12). Let us call them ‘wild pigs’.
然而，在使徒行傳第10章，彼得得異象被神要求吃地上各 樣四足的走獸和昆蟲，並天上的飛鳥(v.12）。現讓我們統稱這為 “山豬”。
- Three times Peter was commanded to eat wild pigs, three times he resisted. The critical point of this passage is Peter’s internal struggle of eating pigs, an action that he interpreted as meeting the Gentiles.
彼得被要求吃山豬三次，他三次都拒絕。這段經文的關鍵點是在彼得對吃山豬一事的 內心爭扎，吃豬，這個動作，他詮釋為面見外邦人。
- Every true disciples of Christ and every authentic leaders of the Church will eventually be asked by God to go out into the world to be with people who make us uncomfortable. Let us call them ‘eating your own wild pigs’.
每一個真正的基督徒和真正的教會領袖，終會被上帝要求去外面的世界與人建立關 係，這的確使我們感到不舒服、不自在。就讓我們稱這為 “吃你的山豬”。
- Just like Peter, we might find that when we get out into the world that God is already there – Cornelius was a God-fearer before Peter arrived.
誠如彼得一樣，我們可能會發現，當我們走出去融入世界，上帝已經在那兒了 -在彼得 尚未與哥尼流見面前，他就已是敬畏上帝的人。
- Peter was taught a lesson in that encounter, “[He] now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (v.34-35)
彼得在這種遇見裡學到一個功課 - [他]現在認識 到，上帝不偏袒，接受來自各界敬畏祂的人，做正確的事是多麼真實。”(v34-35)
Questions for Discussion
- Have you ever been asked to do something uncomfortable in order to bring the Gospel to others? Please explain.
你是否曾經被要求做一些克服心中不自在的事，以便給他人帶來福音？請說明。
- Have you ever been surprised by the Spirit of God working in people you least expect? Please explain.
你是否曾見識聖靈在人身上做工所顯出的大能，比你所預期要來的驚人？請說明。
- Which ‘wild pig’ is God asking our church to kill and eat?
哪種 “山豬” 是上帝要求我們教會去殺去吃？
Translated in Mandarin by Teresa Yang
