following even if we don't know where we're going

Good morning friends,
Yesterday we read about Peter's vision of a sheet full of animals lowered from heaven and a voice telling him to kill and eat. Peter is shocked because many of the animals are off limits for Jews, but a voice from heaven tells Peter that we should never call something unclean if God made it clean. As soon as the vision is over, men sent by Cornelius appear at the door and the voice tells Peter to go with them. We see where the story goes from there.

I love that throughout the story people really listen, even if they have no idea what is happening. Peter sets off on a two day journey because God told him to go. Cornelius has assembled all his friends and family to hear a message, even though he doesn't know what the message is or even if Peter will show up. God is full of surprises, and I am so grateful for that. I pray that I would listen to God's voice too.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 10:21-33

²¹So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?” ²²They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” ²³So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him.

²⁴The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshiped him. ²⁶But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a mortal.” ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; ²⁸and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. ²⁹So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. ³¹He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ ³³Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.”

a rightous gentile

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Yesterday we read a sample of the biblical purity law. That's to give us a sense for some of the divisions that kept Jews and gentiles separate in the first century. It's important to appreciate what a divide there was because we are starting the story of how the gospel came to gentiles for the first time. This is a favorite passage of mine. Notice that while Cornelius is a gentile, he worships the God of Israel. There seems to have been a significant number of gentiles who were attracted to Israel's faith; this group was important in the spread of the gospel.

God bless,
Sam

 Acts 10:1-9

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.