Reading for today: Acts 10:23-48
Peter has been impacted by the "vision" he received from God in which it was declared to him in no uncertain terms how wrong it was to call unclean that which God called clean---even when it came to people! For a Jew raised in the prejudiced environment of Jewish tradition and customs, God was viewed as partial since He demonstrated "favoritism" toward Israel. But Peter discovered in this amazing story that God is not partial, that grace cannot coexist with prejudice.
This was a major breakthrough. The Jews traditionally looked upon the Gentiles with scorn because, among other things, they ate food the Jews viewed as unclean. In fact, the Jews looked upon Gentiles as dogs. Hatred ran deep. But when God captured Peter's attention. Peter responded in a very un-Jewish manner. He was willing to set aside his prejudices, and do his best to view these people as God viewed them.
To bring about this change in the thinking of this new church, God simultaneously worked in Peter's heart in Joppa, while at the same time He sent an angel to speak to Cornelius in Caesarea. Peter took some steps that were way out of his normal comfort zone. First, he took in for the night the 3 men whom Cornelius had sent to fetch Peter. Secondly, he became the guest of a non-Jew, when he entered Cornelius' house.
What a surprise to see the house full of interested people! As Peter begins to speak to them about Jesus, it truly dawns on him: God in no respector of persons, He is not partial, He shows no favoritism. Everyone has an equal opportunity with God.
In the middle of Peter's talk, an incredible thing happened! The Holy Spirit fell on that Gentile crowd, and they were heard speaking in tongues and praising God. Imagine that! They had the identical experience as that of the Jewish Christian community. This was precisely what the prophet Joel, hundreds of years earlier, had prophesied would happen.
And thus began a whole new chapter for this new church. Acts 1:8 was becoming more and more clear.
Next: The blog will be on hold next week, and will resume on July 7th.
Friday, June 27, 2008
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