God setting up a meeting: Part 2

Acts 10 :9-23

9 About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 Then he heard a voice saying, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 14 But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.’ 15 The voice said to him again, a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ 16 This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.

17 Now 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. 18 They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Look, three men are searching for you. 20 Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.’ 21 So Peter went down to the men and said, ‘I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?’ 22 They 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.’ 23 So 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.

If Cornelius had to be willing to obey God – that is to participate with God in what God is doing in the world – Peter as well had to be willing to obey God.

To this point in the history of the church, everyone who wanted to be a follower of Jesus had been required to become a Jew. Anyone who was not ethnically Jewish had to adopted Jewish practices – and then they could be recognized as followers of Jesus. In the minds of Jews, Gentiles were unclean.

Before Peter knew anything about Cornelius, Peter had the same vision 3 times. Notice the threes in the story – 3 messengers from Cornelius, Peter sees the same vision 3 times. Three is an important factor in Peter’s life – he denied Jesus three time, he was forgiven by Jesus three times. In the vision, unclean, by Jewish standards, animals were put in front of a hungry Peter and a voice said, “kill and eat.” But Peter would not eat an animal declared unclean by the Jewish law. The vision left Peter puzzled.

Puzzled until Peter realizes there are 3 messengers at the door asking him to go to the house of a Gentile. This was the crucial moment: Peter needed to decide what to do. It would not have been an easy decision to go and be with a Gentile, to enter a Gentile’s house. Peter would be criticized and ridiculed for doing such a thing – would he do it or not? It was a long walk. Was it worth the effort for what was a controversial action? God appeared to be in it – so Peter went.

Peter had in fact made the decision the moment he invited the 3 messengers into Simon’s house to stay overnight. He had crossed the cultural line – allowing Gentiles to stay overnight in the home of Jewish household. (Notice it is not Peter’s house, but Peter invites the 3 to stay anyways.)

God was in it, so Peter joined in. Is God in it? This is the question that is important. Many things compete for our energy and commitment, as we evaluate what to do, we are invited to ask: Is God in it? If God is in it we have our answer.

PRAYER:

Lord God, you are at work in the world. At times what you are doing catches us by surprise, and we wonder if you are in what we see. The surprises cause us to question if we should be involved, as we wonder if you are in it. Help us to see clearly those places where you are at work so that when you invite us we might with glad and willing hearts join you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.