Perspective Shift

Justin Turney

Thy Kingdom Come • Sermon • Submitted 8 months ago • Presented 8 months ago

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A Christians we do not live in a vacuum. We have lots of influences in our lives that help to shape who we are, how we see the world, and how we see our place in the world. One of the greatest blessings and challenges in our lives to is to shift our priorities and our worldview to be defined by God. As Christians, we must always be sensitive to changing our worldview to better align with the Kingdom perspective.

Notes

Transcript

INTRO

What are some of the things that have helped to shape how you view your life, people around you, what is meaningful and purposeful and the struggles and issues we face everyday?

Who you are and how you think about everything is constantly being shaped by influences around you.

For many of us, our parents had and still have a great influence.

For many, our media intake helps to shape their points of view.

For all of us, our experiences help to influence how we see the world and our place in the world.

For Christ-followers, our greatest source of influence needs to be God.

God communicates to us through His Word, through His Holy Spirit, and through His people.

This is why it is vital to be in church weekly, to be actively participating in a small group, and daily spending time in God’s Word and conversational prayer.

This morning we are going to look at a great example of God changing and shaping preconceived worldviews to more closely align with His Kingdom Perspective.

Acts 11:1–18 ESV

1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

1) Priority of Cultural Significance (v.1-3)

Jews, accustomed to Jewish laws and culture, have great concern for Peter’s actions of fellowshipping with Gentiles

Though they are Christ-followers, they still have past influences that shape how they view the world.

For every one of them, their concern feels extremely valid and serious.

We all have worldviews that have some influence by the culture in which we live and in which we were raised.

Though we are Christ-followers, we still have past influences that shape how we view the world.

For every one of us, our concerns feel extremely valid and serious.

Like our 1st Century brothers and sisters we should always be aware of how we think and feel about things.

Likewise, we must also make sure that what we thinking and feeling is shaped by re-explored biblical truth, rather than ideas and concepts.

It’s healthy to always refresh ourselves on biblical perspectives through prayer and Bible study.

2) Establishment of Kingdom Perspective (v.4-17)

As the Jewish brothers, share their concerns, Peter revisits his own journey of learning a new Kingdom Perspective.

Peter walks through, step by step, how he came to his new understanding of God’s priorities and purposes.

For Peter, it starts with prayer and seeking God, then Peter hears from God, and follows the Spirit’s leading.

He then is open to and obedient and following God’s direction.

As a result, He gains a new understanding a perspective to what God is doing and a new conviction about Kingdom Purposes.

You and I can learn a great deal from Peter’s journey in how God wants to establish a Kingdom Perspective our lives.

We need to be expectantly seeking God daily through prayer and God’s Word.

As we do, be aware of what God is saying to us about Himself, about our own lives and ideas, and about what specific areas His Spirit wants to help shape us.

As God works in our lives, evaluate your own personal convictions and ask God shape those convictions align with His Kingdom Purposes.

3) New, Spirit-driven Convictions (v.18)

When the Jewish believers heard from Peter it says they fell silent (ceased all objections), glorified God, and then embraced their new convictions.

When God gives us new convictions that align with His Word and His purposes, we should embrace them and let them change how we see the world.

CLOSING

What are you letting take priority in shaping your worldview?

When you see something unsettling, do you automatically jump to conclusions or do you stop and seek out a Kingdom Perspective through prayer?

When you are faced with biblical truth do you embrace it or try and explain it away?

We all have some work to do to align ourselves with Kingdom Priorities. Let’s pray for God’s Word to take root in our hearts this morning and to start producing God-glorifying, Christ-honoring, life-shaping fruit in our lives.