Sorry I am a day late. You can read about what took up my afternoon in Personal Tid-Bits.
(Last week was short, but I made up for it this week. Sorry. Don't miss the last two paragraphs.)
Read Acts 10:1-48
Title in NIV: Cornelius’s call for Peter and Peter’s vision.
Very briefly, verses 1-8, describe the angel of God coming to see Cornelius. He was a centurion in the Italian Regiment. He and his family were devout, God-fearing, givers to those in need and regular prayers. (Wow! What a glowing explanation of this man. I hope someone can look at me and my family and say they see evidence of God in our life.) The angel told him to send men to get Peter in Joppa and Cornelius immediately obeyed. (We’ll get back to Cornelius in verse 17.)
Verse 9-. Meanwhile, up on a roof, Peter prayed. He was hungry and fell into a trance. He saw heaven open and a sheet coming toward him. It held all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles and birds. The voice told him to, “Kill and eat.” Peter said, “I have never eaten anything impure of unclean.”
I think Peter was still concerned about the old law in Leviticus 11:4-11: There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. The coney (badger) though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for your. The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not heave a split hoof; it is unclean for you. And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, it does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their neat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
(Lev 20:25; Deut 14:3-21)
This happened three times and the sheet was taken back to heaven. (Interesting how Peter denied Jesus three times and three times he was told to kill and eat and he did not obey here either. The never ending grace and mercy of the Lord is awe-some!! God knew we would need reminding over and over to understand His Word....and we still only know in part. His mercies are new every morning.)
[Enter stage left: the men sent by Cornelius] They explained that Cornelius wanted him to go to him so he could hear what he had to say. Peter obeyed and went with them. When Cornelius saw Peter, he fell at his feet in reverence, but Peter made him get up saying he was only a man himself.
Peter explained this concept to them using what he had learned on the roof: You are aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him, but God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. I realize that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. There is peace through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all.
Peter continued with the story of Jesus and ended with the Holy Spirit coming upon all who heard the message. The circumcised believers were astonished that even the Holy Spirit would be poured out even on the Gentiles (they still did not get it). Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit." They received the Holy Spirit because they believed. Then they got baptized to show their outward dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lesson: I realize Peter was talking about a race of people the Jews did not associate with, but he is explaining that Jesus dies for all. I think this concept is much broader. God accepts AND Jesus died for: white/black, Africans/Muslims, poor/rich, educated/illiterate, tattoos or not, polished/tattered, boots/flip-flops, Sunday best/holey jeans, educated/drop-outs, the haters, the murderers, the rapist, the bitter lady who can't let hurt go, the man who hits his wife. I could go on and on, but you get the point.
Show compassion and love one another. We are ALL His creation and we are all special and we can all be forgiven and live a full life for Jesus Christ. We may need to be the one to show Jesus to someone NOT like us on that list above. ARE YOU UP FOR THE TASK? The Jews had trouble with this concept, will you?
Lesson: I realize Peter was talking about a race of people the Jews did not associate with, but he is explaining that Jesus dies for all. I think this concept is much broader. God accepts AND Jesus died for: white/black, Africans/Muslims, poor/rich, educated/illiterate, tattoos or not, polished/tattered, boots/flip-flops, Sunday best/holey jeans, educated/drop-outs, the haters, the murderers, the rapist, the bitter lady who can't let hurt go, the man who hits his wife. I could go on and on, but you get the point.
Show compassion and love one another. We are ALL His creation and we are all special and we can all be forgiven and live a full life for Jesus Christ. We may need to be the one to show Jesus to someone NOT like us on that list above. ARE YOU UP FOR THE TASK? The Jews had trouble with this concept, will you?
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