Acts 11 (NRSV)
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?”
The Holy Spirit is a gift of grace, not a reward for compliance.
Here are some questions for discussion:
1. How do we wrestle with the idea that God may act in ways that upend our theological categories, traditions, or boundaries? Does this make us uncomfortable? Why or why not?
2. We often talk about how the church has hindered so many of us in our faith journey but have any of us been a hindrance (actively or passively) to a brother or sister? How can we remain vigilant that our impact and our intention both align with Christ’s teachings?
3. Are there people we subconsciously believe are less likely to receive the same gift we have received in Christ? What groups might we need to reimagine as equally beloved and Spirit filled—even before they believe in the way we define belief?
4. In what ways do we as a community nurture the gifts of each other both in this smaller community and the community of faith at large?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, consider the following:
1. If the Spirit fell on the Gentiles, before Peter had even finished preaching, how might that humble us as people who often think we are the one’s bringing God to others? What would ministry look like if we saw ourselves as discovering where the Spirit already IS rather than being the deliverers of it? How might that knowledge reshape our understanding of discipleship?
2. Have you ever witnessed or experienced God moving in a person or place you did not expect? How did it affect your assumptions or deepen your understanding of God’s grace?
3. Throughout scripture Jesus is found embedded in the margins. Could the Holy Spirit also consistently initiate divine activity among the marginalized not as an anomaly but as a recurring pattern of Gods’ redemptive order and a catalyst for upside down “kin-dom” living? Might it also be a testimony to the all-encompassing reach of God’s love and light? If so, what about our human condition makes us question the light of God in dim places? Why does humanity often seek to make boxes to control the reach His light?
4. If God chose to fill these outsiders without waiting for insider permission what does that say about the sacredness of every person—even before conversion, confession, or comprehension? Who in our world today might already be living “Spirit touched”, even if they’ve never stepped inside a church?
For further contemplation, consider these quotes & prompts:
1. What does it mean to you that the story of Jesus be both proclaimed and embodied? Can either be without the other?
2. Like our children, coming from the same home and the same upbringing, we too find ourselves blessed with a diverse expression of God’s grace in our lives. How does this wonderful tapestry, woven from a cacophony of talents, help us to see the breadth and depth of God’s love for all His children?