Acts - Week 5 / Thursday

Reading for today: Acts 10:1-23

When God chose the Jews in the person of Abraham, He wanted a people through whom He could work, in order to demonstrate to the world that what He did with the Jews He could do with any nation that walked with Him. The Jews, therefore, became the chosen race. But as time passed, they began to see themselves as superior to all other nations, and tradition and prejudice caused the Jews to see the Gentiles as inferior.

Peter had made some progress in this matter. He accepted the Lord's work in saving the Samaritans. But they were circumcised and kept the Law about as well as many of the Jews did. Peter was also willing to stay in the home of an "unclean" tanner who was a believer. (Acts 9:43)

But he had not faced the biggest barrier yet, and that was the chasm between the Jew and the Gentile. So God gives him an opportunity to change his heart and his attitude. God works through Cornelius, a God-fearing Gentile, to bring this change about. While God spoke to Cornelius through an angel, He was also speaking to Peter through a "vision," in which He shows him all these animals that Peter had never eaten. But God said to "kill and eat."

Peter's response is interesting. He said, in essence, "No way, Lord." On the one hand, Peter calls him "Lord," but on the other hand, he says, "No way!" I sometimes wonder if that is how I sound to God. "Lord (master)---forget it!"

Even as Peter is trying to understand this vision, the men sent from Cornelius came for him. Peter was faced with a decision and he didn't have time to think much about it. Would he respond to the vision he had, or would he ignore it and bow to tradition and prejudice? Luke gives us Peter's response in 12 words: "Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests."

Tomorrow: The proof is in the pudding!