Read: Acts 10
Prayers, conflict, confusion, reliance, listening, directions. Peter was confronted with it all in this encounter. Peter was a good Jew, never eating anything impure or unclean. He followed all the old ways and lived a wholesome Jewish existence. This trance confused him. He pondered it. He didn’t have all the answers right away. When Cornelius’s attendants arrived, Peter showed them hospitality and then went with them the next day.
Fear, Prayers, Gifts, Offerings. Cornelius lived in an upright manner and was wondering what this direction was all about. When Peter arrived, Cornelius recounted his story and had gathered a group to listen to what God commanded.
Verses 34-43 is Peter’s speech where he focuses on the key points: God doesn’t show favoritism, Jesus Christ is Lord of all, God anointed Jesus, There are witnesses to all this, Jesus was killed on the cross, God raised Jesus from the dead, There are witnesses to Jesus after He was raised, We are commanded to preach.
An outpouring of the Holy Spirit into Gentile believers happened because of this encounter and then they were baptized in Jesus’s name. Today, we are able to live fully in Christ Jesus because of this historical event. God doesn’t show favoritism.
An outpouring of the Holy Spirit into Gentile believers happened because of this encounter and then they were baptized in Jesus’s name. Today, we are able to live fully in Christ Jesus because of this historical event. God doesn’t show favoritism.
Make It Personal
Do you show favoritism? Would you be open to God’s changing of that? Are you willing to act in the midst of confusion? Are you prepared to preach (or speak) in an uncomfortable spot?
Do you show favoritism? Would you be open to God’s changing of that? Are you willing to act in the midst of confusion? Are you prepared to preach (or speak) in an uncomfortable spot?
Prayer
God, Thank you for this passage, for showing us different ways that you speak and act in history and how that links to us today. May you allow us, your disciples, to speak boldly what we hear the Holy Spirit share, even if we are confused or fearful, let us be faithful! Amen.
God, Thank you for this passage, for showing us different ways that you speak and act in history and how that links to us today. May you allow us, your disciples, to speak boldly what we hear the Holy Spirit share, even if we are confused or fearful, let us be faithful! Amen.
~ written by Jenni Marner
