Acts 9:32 - 10:48
Peter becomes the focus of this passage as we see God beginning to work out His plan to reach the world, not just the Jews, with the message of Christ. We saw the Gospel spread to Samaria and to an Ethiopian, and now we will see the Gospel reach into the home of a Roman soldier. Peter is strategic to this entire plan of God.
GOD RESTORES HEALTH THROUGH PETER: We have seen Peter heal many people before this, but now he is out traveling and is used to heal the paralyzed Aeneas and then to bring back to life a devoted female disciple named Dorcas. Peter was clearly following the example of Christ and the Holy Spirit was obviously establishing Peter as a man who would continue to accomplish the work that Christ had started of bringing the world to God. Wherever he travels God uses him to bless others. We may not have these same miraculous powers evidenced in our lives today, but we do still have the ability to bless others and demonstrate our love to those who are in need that they might see Christ in us and know Christ through us.
GOD REVEALS HIS MESSENGER IS PETER: Cornelius is a devout man who has been generous to the Jews and has faithfully sought to know God. God rewards him by reveling to him where and how he can know the truth by instructing him to send for Peter. Cornelius was faithful with the revelation he had been given and God was faithful to provide him with additional revelation. In much the same way God has revealed Himself to all men through creation and conscience. Those who honor God's general revelation will be blessed with additional revelation. However, those who reject God's general revelation are without excuse before Him. Cornelius is hungry for the truth and immediately sends for Peter in obedience to the additional revelation he had been given. We have been blessed abundantly by the special revelation of God in His Word. I wonder if we are as obedient with our vast revelation as Cornelius was with his limited revelation?
GOD REMINDS HIS COMMISSION TO PETER: Peter is given a special vision to prepare him for his mission to this Gentile household. Up until this time, and even after this time Peter had a hard time believing that God would bless the Gentile nations in the same way as He had the Jewish converts. Christ had told His disciples repeatedly that they were to take His message to all nations, but Peter and many of the others had a hard time grasping this concept. Jesus graciously gives Peter a gentle reminder and is about to give him a very graphic object lesson. Do you notice how God used and angel to tell Cornelius to send for Peter to preach the Gospel? Why didn't God just use the angel to preach the Gospel? I can think of two reasons. First, it is not the job of angels to preach the Gospel, that is our job. Second, God wanted Peter to witness what He was doing with Gentiles so that Peter could later defend Paul's expanded ministry to the Gentile nations. Isn't the sovereignty and wisdom of God amazing?
GOD REDEEMS GENTILES USING PETER: When Peter finally arrives, Cornelius is ready to worship him. Peter faithfully lets him know that God and God alone is to be worshiped. Peter then proceeds to announce the message of Christ's deity, death and resurrection to Cornelius and all of his guests. As Peter speaks the hearers believe and as they believe the Holy Spirit comes into their lives and demonstrates this fact to Peter and the other disciples present through the same gift of tongues that Peter had experienced at Pentecost. This was the object lesson that Peter needed and he correctly concludes that God has extended His gracious gift of salvation to all nations. The new believers are baptized and world missions is now underway. May we be faithful to continue this task!
GOD RESTORES HEALTH THROUGH PETER: We have seen Peter heal many people before this, but now he is out traveling and is used to heal the paralyzed Aeneas and then to bring back to life a devoted female disciple named Dorcas. Peter was clearly following the example of Christ and the Holy Spirit was obviously establishing Peter as a man who would continue to accomplish the work that Christ had started of bringing the world to God. Wherever he travels God uses him to bless others. We may not have these same miraculous powers evidenced in our lives today, but we do still have the ability to bless others and demonstrate our love to those who are in need that they might see Christ in us and know Christ through us.
GOD REVEALS HIS MESSENGER IS PETER: Cornelius is a devout man who has been generous to the Jews and has faithfully sought to know God. God rewards him by reveling to him where and how he can know the truth by instructing him to send for Peter. Cornelius was faithful with the revelation he had been given and God was faithful to provide him with additional revelation. In much the same way God has revealed Himself to all men through creation and conscience. Those who honor God's general revelation will be blessed with additional revelation. However, those who reject God's general revelation are without excuse before Him. Cornelius is hungry for the truth and immediately sends for Peter in obedience to the additional revelation he had been given. We have been blessed abundantly by the special revelation of God in His Word. I wonder if we are as obedient with our vast revelation as Cornelius was with his limited revelation?
GOD REMINDS HIS COMMISSION TO PETER: Peter is given a special vision to prepare him for his mission to this Gentile household. Up until this time, and even after this time Peter had a hard time believing that God would bless the Gentile nations in the same way as He had the Jewish converts. Christ had told His disciples repeatedly that they were to take His message to all nations, but Peter and many of the others had a hard time grasping this concept. Jesus graciously gives Peter a gentle reminder and is about to give him a very graphic object lesson. Do you notice how God used and angel to tell Cornelius to send for Peter to preach the Gospel? Why didn't God just use the angel to preach the Gospel? I can think of two reasons. First, it is not the job of angels to preach the Gospel, that is our job. Second, God wanted Peter to witness what He was doing with Gentiles so that Peter could later defend Paul's expanded ministry to the Gentile nations. Isn't the sovereignty and wisdom of God amazing?
GOD REDEEMS GENTILES USING PETER: When Peter finally arrives, Cornelius is ready to worship him. Peter faithfully lets him know that God and God alone is to be worshiped. Peter then proceeds to announce the message of Christ's deity, death and resurrection to Cornelius and all of his guests. As Peter speaks the hearers believe and as they believe the Holy Spirit comes into their lives and demonstrates this fact to Peter and the other disciples present through the same gift of tongues that Peter had experienced at Pentecost. This was the object lesson that Peter needed and he correctly concludes that God has extended His gracious gift of salvation to all nations. The new believers are baptized and world missions is now underway. May we be faithful to continue this task!
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