Sermon Texts:

Joshua 9:1-27

Acts 15:1-20

Today’s sermon looks at the Gibeonites, a Canaanite people who use deception to force a covenant with the Israelites. We examine the dilemma this covenant with the Gibeonites poses and how it is resolved. In doing so we see that the Gibeonites, though outsiders, are portrayed as insiders and like the story of Rahab, expands the definition of God’s people to those who should be excluded. In examining issues of identity and inclusion we look at the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 and see what principles determine who is in and who is out.