clean and unclean, part 1

Good morning sisters and brothers,
If you are an advocate for equality in the church and society this is a chapter you can't do without. In those days the Jewish community kept itself separate from their gentile neighbors. Separation helped to strengthen ties within the community and protected the community from blending in with pagan society. Kosher law forbid Jews to eat food outside the law or share a table with people outside their faith. This outlook naturally became a part of the early church's perspective because it was a Jewish movement. None of the leaders of the church intended to start a new religion; instead they were bringing a new word from God to the faith of their ancestors like the prophets before them.

But God didn't just want to speak to Israel; God wants to bring the whole world into the family. Remember, the mission Jesus gives the apostles was to witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. God knows that Peter and the church are going to have a hard time accepting gentiles into the fellowship. So the Spirit sets up carefully before revealing God's inclusive plan to the church. Cornelius is a gentile who worships Israel's God and clearly takes that seriously. God sets things in motion with a vision for Cornelius and a vision for Peter before bringing these two men together. We'll continue this amazing story tomorrow.

Blessings,
Sam

Acts 10:1-18

In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. 2He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. 3One 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.” 4He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; 6he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” 7When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, 8and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.

9About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. 13Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” 14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” 15The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” 16This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven. 17Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate. 18They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there.