Acts 10:28 – 29 - Peter told them, “You
know it is against the Jewish laws for me to come into a Gentile home like
this. But God has shown me in a vision that I should never think of anyone as
inferior. So I came as soon as I
was sent for. Now tell me what you want.”
Peter had been trying to rest on the roof
of the home he was visiting before lunch when God sent him a life altering vision.
He saw all the animals that Jews had considered unclean lowered in a sheet…and
God told him to get up and kill any of them he wanted for food. The vision went
beyond God erasing Jewish laws about food for the new Christians…it was also a message
to accept and preach the gospel to all people.
Jesus died for the sins of all men…not just the Jewish chosen people of
God.
Peter listened and was obedient….and as a result
he went to the home of an Italian commander and shared the gospel to all who
gathered in his home that evening. It was a moving sermon...and the Holy Spirit
fell in the room….filling many gentile believers with the Holy Spirit…so full
of the Holy Ghost that many of them spoke in tongues and were baptized. It changed the hearts of many Jewish believers
that thought they had God all to themselves. They were amazed at the sight of
these gentiles speaking in tongues and praising God.
There are really three lessons in this
story. The first is that we can be godly…but
not be a believer in God. Cornelius…the Italian commander…prayed….and even saw
visions of angels. The writer called him
a godly man. But God sent him Peter to recognize
his need to believe on Jesus and be baptized. His conversion was so intense the
Holy Spirit gave him the ability to speak in tongues. The second is to be
obedient…even when our hearts are trying to hold on to past rules. God changes things
up in visions and commands us to do things that seem uncomfortable to our past
beliefs. We need to rely on pure faith
in those times…and let God change our hearts as we walk courageously to what he
asked us to do. If the Bible supports the
task we have been called to do…we can be sure it was from God. The third is not
to judge the others God sends us to minister too. It isn’t our job to play a
movie of their past problems and mistakes and judge their worthiness of God’s
love. It is our job to love them with
the power of God’s love in us…so that they can experience him and believe like
we do.
I admit that I struggle with all three
lessons. I know a lot of godly people and have no clue if some of them are
believers because I never ask them. I struggle with being obedient to
everything God asks me to do….sometimes I know I don’t even hear him tell me.
And even though I know I am learning not to judge…I find myself doing it more
than I know is godly. I needed the reminder this morning to let God control all
three of these struggles…so that I can be more of a Peter to others.
Father…thank you for the reminder that your
love is for all people. Forgive me for
the times that I have let godliness be a substitute for faith….been disobedient
because I failed to trust you…and judged others that needed you instead of
loving them with you. Help me to use the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome
these struggles…and draw closer to you so I can hear and listen to what you
need be to do more intently. Amen.
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