(Read Acts 10:1 – 11:18)
It’s comforting to know that really significant events are sometimes carried out by people who were pretty shaky about what they were doing!
The meeting of Peter and Cornelius was a very small event involving maybe 3 dozen people in a home, but it was, in fact, a huge kingdom shift, bringing the non-Jewish world spilling into the great redemptive life-boat that is the gospel! But it’s a great people story too!
Until that afternoon, the gospel was exclusively Jewish as far as the Apostles were concerned; strict, confined, and privileged. The ‘Gentiles’ were outside, with no perceivable movement to invite them in.
48 hours can make a big difference in people’s lives! Peter settled into the home of Simon the Tanner on the seashore outside Joppa. He’d been brought there by some disciples who sent for him at Lydda, hoping his reputation for miraculous healing could perhaps help a woman named Dorcas, who had just passed away. Amazingly, Peter’s prayers led to her being raised from the dead! That excited folks quite a bit and they prevailed on him to stay in Joppa for a time.
The Spirit of God was setting the stage for something dramatic, and He began it by tampering a little bit with Peter. Simon, a tanner, lived outside town because folks who handled the bodies of dead animals were ‘unclean’ to the Jews. For Peter to stay in his house was a compromise of the law. But under his new-found administration of the Holy Spirit, Peter discovered in himself permission to do what had previously been unthinkable.
One day Peter went onto the rooftop of Simon’s house to pray, and while lunch was being prepared he had a vision involving all kinds of animals and birds, both clean and unclean, in the Jewish sense. “Kill and eat,” a voice directed Peter. He protested vigorously. “I’ve never eaten unclean food!” Back came a heavenly reply, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” Three times this was repeated, with no details or explanation, leaving Peter very perplexed about the meaning and implications of such a vision.
In the meantime, Cornelius, a Centurion (Roman Army’s rough equivalent of a company commander) was praying when “a man stood before me in bright clothing,” and the angel first assured him his prayers had been heard, and then told him to send people to Joppa to fetch a man named Simon (with the surname Peter) who was lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner. “When he comes, he will speak to you,” the angel said.
Now here’s a military man, tired of the craziness and immorality of Greek and Roman religion, who had embraced Judaism for its monotheism and morality, which made more sense. “God fearers” these people were called, and there was quite a population of them throughout the region. They didn’t observe the law or circumcision, but they frequented the synagogues and were often very devout. Such a man was Cornelius, very generous to the Jewish community, and given to prayer. So, one afternoon, this angel shows up.
So, here’s the picture: God is staging one of the most significant events in the chronicles of the early church, and the two principal players in this drama, Simon Peter and Cornelius, total strangers, are both reeling from the things that had just happened to them, and unsteady in mind and heart. Neither man knew what to expect.
Well, as the events unfolded, men arrived at Simon’s house at the precise time Peter was trying to wrap his brain around the vision he’d seen. The Spirit spoke to him; “There are three men downstairs looking for you. I have sent them. Have no doubts; go with them.” When the men stated their business he invited them in (again, contrary to Jewish law, lodging a Gentile) and the next morning he gathered up a half-dozen Jewish believers to go with his escorts to Caesarea, the Roman district headquarters, and Cornelius’ hometown.
Cornelius had gathered relatives and friends, so when Peter entered the house there was a crowd, and much anticipation. Peter addressed them; “You know it’s unlawful for a Jew to company with non-Jews, but just yesterday God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Then Peter asked again why he had been summoned, though the men who sought him in Joppa told him in detail why they had come. Clearly he’s perplexed about how things are shaping up in this very unfamiliar, uncomfortable setting.
Cornelius rehearsed again his angelic visitation and concluded, “Now we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.” So, Peter began speaking things by the Spirit that probably sounded outrageous to his own ears; “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by Him . . .”
And so began a rather brief message about Jesus Christ, including the great statement, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Peter told them of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and that he was among the eyewitnesses to it, and shared with them Jesus command to preach that He was the One appointed to judge the living and the dead, and that through His name “whoever believes . . . will receive the remission of sins!”
One can only wonder what those folks were thinking as they heard the incredible story surrounding Jesus Christ. Peter was laying it out there as he did at Pentecost, but for him these Gentiles were a strange and very problematic audience. Neither Peter nor Cornelius were certain of the outcome; they were just trying hard to respond rightly to the amazing things flooding over them during the last 48 hours! What an environment!
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.”
For Peter, Cornelius, and everyone gathered on that day (and indeed for you and me as well) it is the touch of the Holy Spirit on the matter that confirms what God is doing! They didn’t have to ‘have it all together,’ or even understand much of what was going on. Their willingness to listen, and trust, and courageously obey, ushered in a new era for this glorious gospel. Wow!
That sure comforts me, because I’m still a bit shaky with my stuff sometimes, how about you?