“The Welcoming”

Scripture: Acts 10:1-48

Last week, we saw how the Holy Spirit was beginning to change the face of faith. Saul, the great persecutor of people of the Way, a Pharisee who was totally committed to the Law of Moses, a man who believed that all who refused his understanding of the Law were worthless. But by the power of Jesus and the working of the Holy Spirit, he came to a new understanding of what his Jehovah God was about, and what he wanted from him, and in his change, everything became new, including his name.
And not only was this man changed, but the one who God sent to pray over him was also made new. Ananias, a man of faith, but one who was frightened of the power that the world could bring against him, discovered that the God of Salvation who was for him, was also the God of Confidence within him.

Today, we are about to see another change happen, and it would be in a man who had already experienced the difference that faith in Jesus could bring about. Simon, a fisherman of the Galilee – crude, arrogant, and ignorant, at best - had become Peter, the powerful, faithful, Spirit-filled preacher of Pentecost. He had known Jesus as a great and gifted teacher, and later, had come to know him as his Messiah, but now, his God was about to reveal the fact that He was Lord of not only Israel, but of the entire world.

And this change would be monumental – not only for Peter and Paul, but for all the people of earth – then, and for thousands of years to come.

Read Acts 10:1-6

Cornelius was not only a Gentile, but he was a Roman soldier who was commander over 100 men. But this man was different from most Roman soldiers – while he owed allegiance to his emperor and senior officers, he was also a believer in the God of Israel. He had never become a Jew, as that would have required circumcision – a change that would have given his new found faith away, and would have put an end to, not only his military career, but very possibly to his and his family’s lives. But this soldier and his entire household had become believers in Jesus Christ, in spite of the risk.

They were “devout and God-fearing”, which tells us that they, to the best of their ability, followed the teachings of Jesus, and they worshipped him. This would have been, out of necessity, within their own home, and probably included their household staff. We aren’t told how they came to Christ, or what they had to do to keep their faith from discovery by the military leadership, but for this family, it was all about God and the grace he showed for anyone who would love him.
And in their faith, they shared whatever they had with others, and they were faithful in prayer. Jesus had taught them that a generous heart would bring honor to Almighty God (Psalm 37:21-22), and that prayer would strengthen their relationship in the Lord. (Romans 12:11-13) And it was in prayer that the Lord’s message came to Cornelius that afternoon, a message that acknowledged his gift of faithful obedience to God, and that the Lord was about to give him a gift of immeasurably greater value.

Read Acts 10:9-14

Joppa was a city many miles south of Caesarea, so the two servants and one attendant of Cornelius had quite a journey before they could deliver their master’s invitation to come to visit him. The problem though, was that Peter was a Jew, and the Law required that he avoid entering the house of a Gentile – it would be a sin, it would make him “unclean”! And the entourage that was approaching Joppa would know this. What would they say to convince the apostle to honor their master’s request?

But God “had their back”, and he was already putting his plan in motion - He was giving Peter a vision that would change his understanding of what being “unclean” was all about. He would show Peter many types of animals and reptiles and birds, and would tell him to eat them. For some of these, the Law declared them unfit – unclean – for human consumption, while others were perfectly acceptable as food. But Peter, the obedient servant of God, had always known that some things just weren’t right as far as the Lord was concerned. And even though the disciple had discovered a whole new way in Jesus, he was still a faithful Jew at heart!

The truth about our Almighty God, a truth that we seem to forget from time to time, is that He never changes. He may change our lives, but that is because we have failed to stay in step with him, and not because His Steps have taken on a new direction! Peter thought that the Law of Moses was the Law of Jehovah, but the simple fact is that humanity is always trying to clarify and improve on God’s way, but how can we ever improve on Perfection?

In truth, we can’t and never will!

Read Acts 10:15-16

I like Peter, and in some ways, I’m a lot like him. The truth is that the Lord usually has to tell Peter, and me, what He wants from us more than once! Neither of us seems to get it the first time! But praise the Lord, He is patient, and is willing to spend the time humoring us until we finally understand what it is He is trying to say to us.

On this day, the Lord would have to teach our friend Peter about cleanliness three times, and he finally got it. The Law that prevented a Jew from entering the home of a Gentile, as it turns out, was wrong, and the man was about to discover why he was learning this lesson at this time.

Cornelius’ servants arrive while Peter is trying to figure out why this vision has come to him now. They offer the invitation to come to the centurion’s home, and not only is it accepted, but Peter invites the three into the house where he is staying. God’s truth is finally his, and after spending the night in the same place, they leave for the rest of the trip to Caesarea, along with some other believers. God’s way is already beginning to spread to others.

The Lord’s truth isn’t always easy to accept or understand. It doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t fit with what we have always believed, it doesn’t match with our lifestyle, it just can’t be true – we must have misunderstood! But Peter had been following Jesus long enough to know that he never makes a mistake, and that his way is always right.
So Peter enters the house, finding that Cornelius has invited many other people to come and hear what the Lord has to say through him. And the first thing he does is to set the record straight, that he is a Jew, and they are Gentiles, and his Law says that he shouldn’t be there, but that the Lord God Almighty has told him that it is right, and that it is proper that he should be there. And he asks why it is that he was sent for – is there illness or some other issue that needs the Lord’s attention?

But Cornelius gives him the truth, that he had been praying to God, and he was told to send for Peter! No illness, no infirmity, no death, no demons, no reason other than he was to come to share the Lord with this entire household. And he begins to preach, with these words – “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (Acts 10:34-35) Peter has taken a huge step in faith, and it takes so little time for it to become his own truth. He continues to share the message of Jesus Christ with everyone who has come, and before he finishes, the Holy Spirit falls fresh upon all who have heard.

The Jewish believers who had come with the apostle were amazed at all they were seeing and hearing – that even Gentiles could know the love and power of the Lord. And he decides that all who have received should be baptized.

Faith and service in the name of Jesus Christ has just had its door blown wide open – that the only caveat remaining is that they fear Him and are willing to follow His ways. So the question for each of us is this – who do we share the love of Christ with? Are we selective, do we make the decision as to who is worthy and who isn’t? Are we reluctant to tell others about Jesus and what he means to us? Are we that judgmental of others? Why aren’t we telling everyone about the Savior who left heaven, who suffered the judgement of earth’s hatred, who died as a sacrifice to free us from our sin, who only asks that we repent of those old ways, and begin following the perfect ways of Almighty God?

We need the same unifying changes that came over Peter and Cornelius, and over Paul and Ananias, and over every person who has ever loved Jesus Christ. And until we give up our ways, and accept the full truth and way of Christ, the Church will continue to struggle, and distrust each other, and be fragmented, and will never know God’s healing for our brokenness. Today, just as it was for Peter and Paul, must be the first day of our new understanding of what the Lord Jesus Christ wants for our lives.

Are we willing to accept His changes, or will we continue to live this life by our own way and means? Jesus will always be ready and willing to welcome those who love him into his life, but how ready are we to welcome him?
The decision is always before us. Choose wisely.