Thoughts

Cornelius

In Acts 10, we are introduced to Cornelius, a Roman centurion, an officer in the Roman army. This was not a typical Roman, though. He was a devout believer in the God of the Jews, even though, being a Gentile, the average Jew would have very little to do with him. As a matter of fact, most Jews would have a strong dislike, or even hate him. After all, Rome was an occupying force in Israel, and they treated the Jews with disdain.

But Cornelius was what the Jews of the time called a God-fearer, a Gentile who loved the God of Israel, but who did not become Jews in how they lived their lives or in circumcision. Jews came to respect them, but they could not fully embrace them because they were Gentiles, and had not become Jewish converts.

Now, we know that God loved and heard Cornelius' prayers, because God gave him a vision of an angel while he is in prayer, with a message telling him to send some men to Joppa to bring Peter to speak to him.

Peter

And the next day, while Peter is praying God speaks to him in a vision. Peter is shown a large sheet filled with all kinds of animals, some which Peter would consider kosher and some that were not. God tells Peter to kill and eat some of them. And then, in typical Peter fashion, he says, "No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that wasn't kosher!" God tells him, "What I have made clean you must not call unclean." This happens three times, and then the sheet with the animals was taken back up to heaven.

Peter had pretty much put God in a box of limitations, and now God was going to shake Peter up to change his thinking. He can do the same for us. “Shake yourself up a little, my brother. If you are too precise may the Lord set you on fire, and consume your bonds of red tape! If you have become so improperly proper that you cannot commit a proper impropriety, then pray God to help you be less proper, for there are many who will never be saved by your instrumentality while you study propriety.”Charles Spurgeon

Isn't is interesting that at this point in his life, God had used Peter mightily for His kingdom. Remember Peter's first sermon? About three thousand souls believed and were saved. And every day, souls were added to the church because of how God was using him. But Peter was still Peter. God uses us despite our own imperfections. If we are willing to follow, He is willing to use us.

When God Repeats Himself

So this vision was shown to Peter three times. Reminds me of the three times Peter denied Jesus on the night He was betrayed. I believe God repeated this three times so that Peter would get the idea that God was serious. And to make him see that He was not just talking about food.

And while Peter was thinking about this, the men sent by Cornelius show up looking for him. And the Holy Spirit tells him to go to them, doubting nothing, because He (the Holy Spirit) were sent by Him.

A Changed Man

By now, Peter seems to have gotten the larger message about what God declares clean, Peter should not call unclean. He invites these Gentiles into his home, which is something no Jew would have done. Remember, Peter is now a Christian, but he is also a Jew. And God, on this day, has enlarged Peter's heart to embrace the Gentiles.

The next day, Peter goes with these men to the home of Cornelius, who is waiting and prepared to meet him. He has even invited guests to hear what Peter has to say. When he arrives, Cornelius falls at his feet and begins to worship him, but Peter stops him and lifts him up, saying, "Stand up. I'm a man just like you."

Wow.