Cornelius was a Roman army officer in Caesarea. He was devout, generous and prayerful, but he was a Gentile, and Jews of that day did not enter Gentile homes. God sent an angel to tell Cornelius to call for Peter. At the same time, God was preparing Peter through a strange vision. This passage is a turning point in Acts. The gospel that began among Jews in Jerusalem now opens wide to the nations. For a church made up of many cultures, it is a beautiful picture of who belongs at God’s table.
What God Has Cleansed
About noon, Peter went up on the housetop to pray. He grew hungry, and while food was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw a great sheet let down from heaven, full of all kinds of animals, including ones the law called unclean. A voice said, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. Peter refused, saying he had never eaten anything common or unclean. The voice answered, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This happened three times. At first Peter did not understand. Soon he would see that the vision was really about people. In Christ, the old wall between Jew and Gentile has been broken down (Ephesians 2:14). There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, for we are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
What group of people do you secretly look down on, and what will you do this week to replace that attitude with Christlike love?
Crossing the Threshold
While Peter wondered about the vision, messengers from Cornelius arrived at the gate. The Spirit told Peter to go with them, doubting nothing. The next day he traveled to Caesarea. Cornelius had gathered his relatives and close friends and was waiting. When Peter walked in, he said it was unlawful for a Jew to visit someone of another nation, but God had shown him not to call any man common or unclean. Then Peter said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. Anyone in any nation who fears Him and does what is right is accepted with Him (Acts 10:34-35). Paul makes the same point (Romans 2:11). James warns believers not to hold the faith of Jesus with respect of persons (James 2:1). Peter crossed a threshold that changed the church.
Whose home, table or group have you never stepped into because they are different from you, and how will you take a first step this month?
The Spirit Falls on All
Peter preached Jesus to the household. He told how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power, how He went about doing good, how He was crucified and how God raised Him on the third day. Then he said that all the prophets witness that whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins (Acts 10:43). While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Ghost fell on all who heard the word. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were astonished. They heard these Gentiles speak with tongues and magnify God. Peter asked who could forbid water, and they were baptized. Later he explained that God gave them the same gift, purifying their hearts by faith (Acts 15:8-9). God so loved the world, not one group only (John 3:16).
Who from a different culture or background will you invite to Bible Study Hour or Sunday service in the next two weeks, and how will you invite them?
Conclusion
God prepared both Cornelius and Peter, broke down Peter’s old thinking, and poured out His Spirit on a Gentile household. The lesson is clear: God is no respecter of persons. The cross of Jesus is wide enough for every nation, and faith in Him is the only entry ticket. A church that understands this will be a place of welcome, where Texans, Nigerians, Ghanaians and every other people sit together as one family. Let us open our doors, as God opened His.
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