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。1
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:
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，
10:29 所以我被請的時候，就不推辭而來。現在請問：
10:30 哥尼流說：前四天，這個時候，我在家中守著申初的禱告，
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，
- 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，
- 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。
- 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，
- 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，
- 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，
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，
- 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，
- 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
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