Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his disciples they would receive the Holy Spirit and be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Now, in chapter 10, we see a key moment in the spread of God’s Word to the ends of the earth.
Like every act of God we see in the Gospels and church history, God takes the first step. There was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian regiment. He was devout, feared God, gave to those in need, and prayed regularly. God delivered instructions to Cornelius through an angel:
“One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius.’ He stared at him in terror and said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ He answered, ‘…send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter.'” (Acts 10:3-5)
Peter’s Vision
It may be a side story, but the important part is how God shares his will with people. Cornelius is visited by an angel, Peter receives a vision, and the Holy Spirit guides what happens next.
God uses many ways to make his will known. Our positive response of faithful obedience is what is required.
LeRoy Sullivan was a good friend to many preachers in the Kansas City area. When he came to know the Lord, he took God’s Word literally. This passage of Scripture led him to climb onto the roof of his house to pray. He saw Peter do it and believed it would be good for him, too.
“About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.” (Acts 10:9)
While Peter was beginning his prayer time, he became hungry and asked for food to be prepared. As it was being made, he fell into a trance, and God gave him these instructions:
“Then he heard a voice saying, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.'” (Acts 10:13-14)
Bible students rightly note that Peter’s words to God were completely inconsistent. You cannot call God “Lord” and then say, “By no means.” He is either our Lord, or He is not.
God is gracious, and we can be very thankful for that. He did not accept Peter’s refusal as final. Instead, He gave Peter two more chances to understand His revealed will.
The Spirit’s Revelation
When the men arrived from Cornelius, Peter received more direction from God. This time, it was not through a vision or an angel. The Holy Spirit prompted him and helped him understand what was happening:
“The Spirit said to him, ‘Look, three men are searching for you. Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them.'” (Acts 10:19-20)
He welcomed the men and gave them a place to stay. That may not seem important to us today, but it was a big step back then for Gentiles to enter a Jew’s home. Food, lodging, and close fellowship separated Jews from Gentiles. But the vision Peter received from God opened his heart to people who were different from him.
When Peter and Cornelius finally met, they shared how God had led each of them to that moment. They knew He was behind everything that was happening.
Tomorrow’s blog post will share the rest of the story. We will see this important moment when God directed the good news of Jesus beyond the Jewish people to the Gentiles.
Reflections
With all that is happening in the world, it is easy to forget that God is still at work. He is guiding those willing to follow Him and carry out His redemptive purpose for humanity.
God uses many ways—angels, visions, and the Holy Spirit—to share his plans and purposes with us. When we are willing to say yes to him, we can become part of his work in the world.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 10:1-33 on YouTube today.
