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!

Acts - Week 5 / Wednesday

Reading for today: Acts 9:32-43

The Acts story now shifts from Saul, and reverts back to Peter, who has traveled to Lydda to visit the believers there. While there, he finds Aeneas, who for 8 years has needed someone to dress him, move him about, take him from bed and put him back at the end of the day, and help him with all his needs of personal hygiene. His was a very difficult situation.

Peter spoke these words, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Miraculously, Aeneas is instantly healed. Many people who saw this miracle turned to the Lord, not to Peter. That is a mark of genuine healing: when the Lord gets the glory, and not any man.

Then Peter found himself being dispastched 10 miles further toward the Mediterranean coast to the city of Joppa, where a woman named Tabitha had died. This was a special lady who had given of herself to meet the needs of the poor around her. Peter dismissed all the mourning widows who surrounded her dead body, and went to his knees in prayer, and then turned to the body in faith and said, "Tabitha, arise!"

Another miracle took place as Tabitha opened her eyes and sat up. Imagine the joy Peter had in presenting her alive to all the mourners. Again, this miracle resulted in many people coming to faith in Jesus Christ.

You can't help but notice that Peter refuses to take any credit for these miracles. The spotlight was kept on Jesus Christ as the healer. God has a wonderful way of using miraculous events to draw people into a relationship with Jesus Christ. God can use a miracle as the entering wedge for evangelism.

That's precisely why we pray for miracles to take place around here. The purpose of a miracle is not to draw attention to a person, or a church. The purpose of miracles is to draw peoples' attention towards Jesus Christ. We pray for miracles so that the door of evangelism is opened wider and wider.

What miracles do you find yourself praying for? Why do you want to see that miracle take place?

Tomorrow: Prejudice rears its ugly head!