Issues Facing Society Sunday School Lesson #3: Prejudice Acts 10: 1 - 11:18 Josh Hunt www.joshhunt.com

Acts 10:1 - 11:18

OPEN

• Today we are going to be talking about prejudice. Has anyone here been the victim of a hurtful prejudice? Could you tell us your story?

DIG

1. As we read this passage, look for evidence of prejudice and how God dealt with it.⁽¹⁾
2. Before we get into the details of the lesson, let's make sure we understand this story. Someone tell the story of this long passage as best you can remember it. Briefly recap the story.
3. Where did this all take place? Someone find Caesarea on a map.
4. What do we know about Cornelius?
5. What did God say to Cornelius?
6. What was the timing with Cornelius' vision and Peter's vision?
7. How did Peter respond to God's command in verse 14?⁽²⁾
8. How did God respond to Peter?
9. Do you think believers ever respond to God this way today, saying, "Surely not, Lord"? Do you think any of us every do that?
10. Was this a lesson about diet for Peter?
11. What kind of first impression do you think Peter made? See verse 28.⁽³⁾
12. Someone look up Ephesians 4:32⁽⁴⁾
13. Would you describe Peter's tone as kind?
14. Skim the rest of Peter's message. What else does Peter say?
15. How does the Holy Spirit confirm that the gentiles are acceptable to God, just as the Jews are?
16. On a scale of one to ten, how prejudice was Peter?⁽⁵⁾
17. How did God deal with Peter's prejudice?
18. How does God feel about prejudice?
19. Why is prejudice an issue to God?⁽⁶⁾
20. Why are people prejudice? What are the causes of prejudice?
21. Why are people prejudice? How does it benefit them? Why is being prejudice so much fun?
22. What groups of people are people like us tempted to be prejudice against?⁽⁷⁾
23. How does God change a deeply prejudice person into an open, accepting person?
24. How has God helped some of you deal with prejudices in your life?
25. The Bible says, "Confess your sins one to another." How many of you would admit that you have at least a little tiny bit of prejudice in your life?
26. How many of you would be willing to pray with me just now and tell God that you would be willing right now to cooperate with him in getting rid of that prejudice? Would you pray with me?

1. You might consider several ways of setting the text before the group, as it is a long section. You might read it out loud yourself, having read through it and practiced it enough to read it fluently. As you do so, you may want to stop every 6 - 10 verses and explain and/ or ask what is happening. Another approach might be to ask someone in the group to read it, asking them ahead of time so that they can do so eloquently. If you are really creative, have three or four people put together a dramatization of the reading. This would really be fun. And, you can be sure that the ones who participate will have a thorough understanding of the text. It is very important that we know what the Bible says before we try to attempt to understand what it means and how to apply it. Don't assume that every knows this story. Set the text before them.

2. Notice the irony of these words: "Surely not, Lord."

3. Paraphrased, Peter is saying, "You know I don't normally talk to people like you."

4. Ephesians. 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

5. This is prejudice of the worst kind, because it is prejudice that is rooted in religious piety.

6. Because people matter to God.

7. You might talk about non-ethnic groups, like the elderly, or homosexuals. God calls us to hate the sin but love the sinner.