"No Longer Unclean" | July 20, 2025

Follow Along with the Message

Take Home Notes: No Longer Unclean
Scripture: Acts 11:1-18
Preacher: Rev. David Hockett

God’s Love Is for All
We are welcomed into God’s family not because of our background, behavior, or beliefs—but because God is love (1 John 4:8). That’s the only reason.

Peter’s Vision Wasn’t About Food
The vision of the sheet filled with animals wasn’t about dietary rules—it was about people. It was a call to break down boundaries and redefine who is “in.”

Radical Inclusion Is Not New—It’s Gospel
Peter baptized Gentiles without requiring them to become Jewish first. This act of radical hospitality and trust in the Holy Spirit reshaped the church forever.

God Shows No Partiality
The Spirit falls where it will. We are not in control of who God includes—and we’re called to welcome whomever God welcomes.

We Still Struggle with This Today
The early church wrestled with inclusion. So do we. Who are the modern “Gentiles” in your life? Who have you deemed unclean or unworthy?

In Christ, There Are No Dividing Lines
“In Christ there is no longer Jew or Greek…slave or free…” (Gal. 3:28). That extends today: no red vs. blue, us vs. them. Only God’s beloved children.

This Is Personal
We are all recipients of this radical love. The story of Cornelius is our story, too. We are here because God includes us.

Challenge:
This week, name one “boundary” you hold—whether cultural, political, racial, or religious—and ask God to help you see that person/group through the eyes of grace.

Thanks be to God.