Lesson ▪ 1997 Tags: Cultures; The world; Missions; God; Acts 17:24-27; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:1-16; Revelation 5:9-10 IntroductionAnthropologists estimate that there are at least 1,500 distinct people groups in the world today. One source identifies 161 immigrant cultures present in the United States alone. Over 6,000 languages are spoken across the globe.
BodyI. God Is the Sovereign Lord of All CulturesA. Biblical Text Acts 17.24-2724 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth [Present Active Participle] to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations [ethnos] of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined [horizo] the times [kairos] before appointed, and the bounds [horothesia] of their habitation [katoikia]; ethnos: race, nation, people group horizo: to limit, mark out, fix, appoint kairos: a measure of time horothesia: a setting of boundaries katoikia: dwelling 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after [pselaphao] him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: pserophao: to handle, touch and feel B. Exegesis & Application
II. God Is the Impartial Judge of All CulturesA. Biblical TextsActs 10.34-3534 Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons [prosopoleptes]:
prosopoleptes: one who discriminates 35 But in every nation [ethnos] he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. ethnos: race, nation, people group Rom 2.1-16, esp. vv 6, 9-116 [God] will render [apodidomi] to every man according to his deeds: apodidomi: to pay off, discharge what is due 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons [prosopolepsia] with God. prosopolepsia: partiality B. Exegesis & Application
III. God Is the Gracious Redeemer of All CulturesA. Biblical TextRev 5.9-109 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art
worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain,
and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred [phule], and tongue [glossa], and people [laos],
and nation [ethnos];
phule: tribe, race, nation, people glossa: language laos: people, tribe, nation ethnos: race, nation, people group 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. B. Exegesis & Application
Conclusion“Although we refer to Christianity as biblical Christianity, we must realize that it is never found apart from a culture; it is always a part of a culture. The Christianity of the New Testament was a part of the culture of the Greco-Roman world of the first century. Today we find American Christianity, Colombian Christianity, and Nigerian Christianity. There is no such thing as plain Christianity. Christianity always expresses itself through a culture. It is unique in that it can be expressed equally well in any culture. It is the one religion that can meet people’s needs in any society” (Grunlan & Mayers, 1988, p. 230). Cultural diversity is a reality which God appears to have
designed for the world. Yet we must realize that God is not a prisoner of our
own culture. His hand governs all cultures; his laws apply to all cultures; his
love extends to all cultures. In eternity, representatives of all the world’s
people groups will stand in unity before God to worship him. Work CitedGrunlan,
Stephen A., & Mayers, Marvin K. (1988). Cultural
anthropology: A Christian perspective (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Academie
Books. Download This Resource
|