How do you react when God seems to change His plans? How do we stop second-guessing God? Let's dig in to Acts 13 to see how the Jews that Paul speaks to deal with it.
We find ourselves back at Antioch. This is the city known as the "Asian Rome", an important city worldwide. Antioch became the center for Gentile missions.
We meet some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen and Saul. (Note that a prophet is not one who predicts the future, but is an inspired teacher who speaks God's message.) Barnabas we know. Simeon's other name was Niger which means "black". Some say he was African, but some say "black" was a common name. Lucius is mentioned again in Romans 16:21. Manaen seems to have been a child raised with Herod, a playmate for royalty. Saul we know, this is the chapter where his name changes to Paul.
We find the church worshipping, praying and fasting. They are seeking God's direction. The Holy Spirit says to set apart Barnabas and Saul. They were not set apart to be priests, Bishops or any special office. They were set apart to be missionaries. We do this today when we send missionaries out into the field. We set them apart, lay hands on them and pray for them.
Why do you think God picked them? Have you ever felt "called" to do something? Have you thought about what God wants you to set apart for Him?
They sailed from the port at Orontes to Cyprus. This is a large island in the Mediterranean. This was to be their first missionary trip, some say they went there because it was Barnabas' "hometown". There was a large Jewish population there. They have Barnabas' relative, John Mark, along to help.
Could this be an example of when you witness, start with your family and friends? Have you ever tried to talk to your family members about Christ? How do they receive the information?
The island is 130 miles wide by about 50 miles wide. Paphos is the capitol and at the west end of the island. In Greek mythology, it is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Salamis is at the east end of the island. Here Zeus, the king of the gods and father of Aphrodite is worshipped. When Barnabas is here in 61 CE he is stoned to death.
Jewish law forbids sorcery, but some found a way around the law. Today there are Christians who take scripture about fortune telling and mediums out of context to justify their dabbling in the occult.
There were many false prophets and sorcerers who swayed the leadership on this large island.
Cyrpus was ruled by a proconsul (governor) named Sergius Paulus. He was eager to hear what Barnabas and Saul had to say. ("If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." Mark 4:23) There was a sorcerer named Bar-Jesus who already had his ear and did not want to give up his puppet. Little did he know of the power of God and what was going to happen.
Saul (also called Paul) fixed his eyes on this man and rebuked him severely. He pointed out his spiritual blindness and the man was struck blind physically.
Note that two things happened, Saul's name changes to Paul from now on and a man is struck blind.
God uses irony: the one man that would stand in the way of Sergius to receive the Good News is used to bring him to Christ.
We must be careful of who we yoke ourselves with. Who are you receiving advice from? Who are you dating? Who do you allow into your life and make decisions with? If they ever make you choose between them and your God be advised, our God is a jealous God. And nothing will separate you from His love.
We had a good discussion as to why Saul's name changed from Saul to Paul. Saul is his Hebrew name which means "borrowed". Paul is his Latin (Gentile) name which means "small". What it boiled down to is that God called Paul to preach to the Gentiles, so of course he would use his Gentile name.
...I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22b
Paul steps into his leadership role and they sail to Perga on the Asiatic mainland. John departs here, either by an argument, illness or homesickness. (Galatians 4:13)
They arrive in another Antioch-capital of Pisidia. They preach in the synagogues, remember the Gospel is offered to the Jews first.
Each Sabbath the synagogue would follow a sequence of scripture readings throughout the year. With Paul's reference to Deuteronomy 1:31 and Isaiah 1:1-27, we can tell it was the 44th Sabbath of the year which normally landed in July/August. It was customary for guests to speak so Paul stood. Remember, the synagogue is full of Jews and devout Gentiles.
As he speaks, he finds common ground and starts with David--a beloved King of Israel. Then he builds his case for the promised Son of David: Christ.
Do you think if he had preached Christ in the synagogue to start with, would he have been well-received? Remember, he is preaching to Jews and Gentiles who want to be Jews. So calling to their minds scripture referring to David and the Messiah helped to build his point. He even refers to John the Baptist, a prophet who was respected and cousin to Jesus.
When I read verse 26, I could almost hear the crowd's collective gasp.
"Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. Acts 13:26
Check it out, he calls brethren the "sons of Abraham's family"--Jews...AND "those among you who fear God" --Gentiles.
There must have been surprise at both ends of the spectrum...great Joy for the Gentiles, and great shock for the Jews. Because they both believed the Messiah came only for the Jews. He goes on, quoting scripture and calling to their minds prophecy. He reminds them there is a punishment worse than physical death. He has a captive audience and they are hanging on his words. So much so that when he ends, several follow him...asking more questions, wanting to know more.
When you share Christ, there will be some who reject what you are saying. Remember they are not rejecting you, but Christ. The ones that keep asking questions and keep crossing your path are the ones He is calling. When a door opens to share, walk through it.
Paul and Barnabas are the talk of the town. And the next Sabbath, practically the whole town shows up. Immediately the Jews are jealous. They see their control being undermined. They could see their offerings and donations drying up. They see officials who used to ask them for counsel on lawmaking turning a deaf ear to them. They see their livelihood taking a nosedive. All because two men came to town and spoke in their synagogue. They started to back talk Paul, to contradict what he was saying, they heckled him.
Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. Acts 13:46
They reminded them of prophecy in Isaiah:
He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Isaiah 49:6
Many Gentiles came to Christ. But look how the Jewish officials, the ones who thought they knew what God was up to reacted. And we must ask ourselves, how do we avoid shaking our fist at the air when we think God has changed his mind? We must stay in the Word, then we will know His mind and understand when plans seem to go South on us. Like the Gentiles who had studied hard and wanted to be included, they understood when Paul reminded them what the Isaiah had said. But the officials thought they had God figured out and they were in a win-win situation. They forgot all about scripture that pointed to Christ and the Gentiles.
The Jewish officials weren't done yet. They appealed to devout women who were high up in the social ladder. These women worked on their husbands who then drove Paul and Barnabas out of the district.
This is a warning to wives. We have the ear of our husbands. They want to please us...remember that saying, "When momma aint' happy, nobody's happy!" Too many of us are guilty of nagging our husbands to action. Whether it's for good things or bad, we do not honor our husbands by pushing them to action! We do this by pushing him to join that committee, write that check, make that phone call...We sign him up for something or give him the cold shoulder until he submits to what we want him to do. The Bible says to honor our husbands. Where is the honor for a husband who has a wife that "wears the pants" in the family? Too often our husbands do not step up to the task because we've already butted ahead of him.
de·vout (d-vout)
adj. de·vout·er, de·vout·est
1 : devoted to religion or to religious duties or exercises
2 : expressing devotion or piety
3 a : devoted to a pursuit, belief, or mode of behavior
Let this verse speak to us as "devout women".
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these {men} also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes's and Jambres's folly was also. 2 Timothy 3:1-9
My question is this: are you simply devout, religious...always learning but never grasping with your heart? Or are you truly seeking a relationship with Christ through His word? We can be very knowledgeable, but our "devout" self image can trip us up and we fall into a trap just like the devout women in Acts.
The People's New Testament Commentary said of the Gentiles in this chapter, "It is God's ordination that those of humble, teachable, honest hearts, seeking the truth and life, shall come to life when it is offered, and such accepted the gospel on this occasion."
The people who are called to Christ will receive Him. You may just be a sower of seed and never see the harvest. Or, you might be the one who leads another to Christ. It's up to the Holy Spirit, not us, to lead others to Christ.
Whenever you face selfish-willed and contradictory spirits instead of real discussion, it's time to leave. There are those out there who are looking for a good fight. They are either devil-driven, or they're mad at God and will refuse to have a healthy discussion. These ones you need to leave to God. Shake the dust off your sandals...you want no guilt clinging to you for their choice.
Because in the end it is all about free will.
And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Acts 12
During the same time frame as Saul and Barnabas in Antioch, we are told of Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great. Herod the Great was not so great, and we're about to meet his offspring.
Emperor Claudius added Judea and Samaria to his kingdom. Herod ruled Palestine. This king was not a devout Jew, he only observed the ceremonies and customs--a people-pleaser. He was only hostile to Christianity because it affected the Jewish community.
How often do we meet people who observe Christmas, just for the party of the money they can make off of it? Do you dare to share the true reason for Christmas with these?
Herod made James the son of Zebedee and brother of John the first martyr who was an Apostle. This is the only apostle's death recorded in the New Testament besides Judas. The rest where prophesied. When he saw that it pleased the Jewish community, he had Peter seized. Sixteen soldiers kept watch over Peter. They were divided into four watches: two outside the prison door, two inside with Peter chained to them.
The church prayed without ceasing.
Herod intended to bring Peter forward for execution after Passover, but not before. He had to respect the Jewish customs to the letter.
In verses 7 and 8 we see that Peter wasn't awakened by the bright light of the angel...he had to be prodded awake! He was totally relaxed. He wasn't worried. He had total trust in God whether it meant execution or deliverance. He was told to dress...so he wasn't rushed out of there either. And the soldiers sleep through it all.
Have you ever been awakened in the middle of the night and you were sleeping so deeply you forget where you are? Peter is in a daze and follows the instruction. I wonder if he realized what was going on, would he have been more nervous? It was only outside the prison gate that he was sure it wasn't a dream. He goes to the house of Mary, the Mother of Mark who was also related to Barnabas. He seemed to know exactly who would receive him at 3am.
Rhoda was in charge of the door that late at night...she was young an impulsive it seemed. Instead of opening the door after hearing Peter's voice, she runs inside to the prayer session. Rather than go to the door they figure it is Peter's guardian angel, mimicking his voice. When they finally open the door they are overjoyed to see him standing there.
What do you do when prayer is answered? Do you thank God? Do you give credit where it's due?
Again they reported what they saw to James, Jesus' brother, the one who wrote the book of James. It seems he was pastor at Jerusalem's church. The people had to be warned, Herod might come looking for Peter.
The soldiers slept through it all. They were tried and executed for their dereliction of duty. Karen made a point that Herod wanted this to be snuffed out--witnesses and all--before word got around about this miracle. For Herod, it was all about him. And this would take away from his spotlight.
Herod leaves for Ceasarea to conduct games in honor of Emperor Claudius. When the heat is on, people leave the area. They'll go shopping, hit the beach, go to Disney...anything to take their minds off of worry.
Some also believe Herod was there to speak at the games to discredit the ambassadors of Tyre and Sidon. There was some sort of trade problem going on.
So what does Herod do at these games that were to honor Emperor Claudius? He comes out in robes made of silver, in the sunshine, and makes a great speech. He makes it all about him. And the people give him what he wants...praise, adoration, god status. And an angel of the Lord struck him with an illness.
Isn't it interesting...Peter was struck by an angel and was awakened from a deep sleep. Herod was stuck by an angel and died.
Josephus confirms the illness and says Herod lingered for five days in agony. A present-day physician did a report of Herod's death and concluded it was "chronic kidney disease, complicated by a particularly nasty case of gangrene." (Bijal P. Trivedi, National Geographic Today, January 28, 2002)
We must keep in mind a verse from Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Where is your heart today? Have you made it all about you? Is that working for you, or are you getting eaten alive by pride? Time to get your heart checked!
Barnabas and Saul return from Jerusalem and like a good writer, Luke "hooks" us to read the next chapter: The era of Gentile Missions. Mark joins them as an associate.
Emperor Claudius added Judea and Samaria to his kingdom. Herod ruled Palestine. This king was not a devout Jew, he only observed the ceremonies and customs--a people-pleaser. He was only hostile to Christianity because it affected the Jewish community.
How often do we meet people who observe Christmas, just for the party of the money they can make off of it? Do you dare to share the true reason for Christmas with these?
Herod made James the son of Zebedee and brother of John the first martyr who was an Apostle. This is the only apostle's death recorded in the New Testament besides Judas. The rest where prophesied. When he saw that it pleased the Jewish community, he had Peter seized. Sixteen soldiers kept watch over Peter. They were divided into four watches: two outside the prison door, two inside with Peter chained to them.
The church prayed without ceasing.
Herod intended to bring Peter forward for execution after Passover, but not before. He had to respect the Jewish customs to the letter.
In verses 7 and 8 we see that Peter wasn't awakened by the bright light of the angel...he had to be prodded awake! He was totally relaxed. He wasn't worried. He had total trust in God whether it meant execution or deliverance. He was told to dress...so he wasn't rushed out of there either. And the soldiers sleep through it all.
Have you ever been awakened in the middle of the night and you were sleeping so deeply you forget where you are? Peter is in a daze and follows the instruction. I wonder if he realized what was going on, would he have been more nervous? It was only outside the prison gate that he was sure it wasn't a dream. He goes to the house of Mary, the Mother of Mark who was also related to Barnabas. He seemed to know exactly who would receive him at 3am.
Rhoda was in charge of the door that late at night...she was young an impulsive it seemed. Instead of opening the door after hearing Peter's voice, she runs inside to the prayer session. Rather than go to the door they figure it is Peter's guardian angel, mimicking his voice. When they finally open the door they are overjoyed to see him standing there.
What do you do when prayer is answered? Do you thank God? Do you give credit where it's due?
Again they reported what they saw to James, Jesus' brother, the one who wrote the book of James. It seems he was pastor at Jerusalem's church. The people had to be warned, Herod might come looking for Peter.
The soldiers slept through it all. They were tried and executed for their dereliction of duty. Karen made a point that Herod wanted this to be snuffed out--witnesses and all--before word got around about this miracle. For Herod, it was all about him. And this would take away from his spotlight.
Herod leaves for Ceasarea to conduct games in honor of Emperor Claudius. When the heat is on, people leave the area. They'll go shopping, hit the beach, go to Disney...anything to take their minds off of worry.
Some also believe Herod was there to speak at the games to discredit the ambassadors of Tyre and Sidon. There was some sort of trade problem going on.
So what does Herod do at these games that were to honor Emperor Claudius? He comes out in robes made of silver, in the sunshine, and makes a great speech. He makes it all about him. And the people give him what he wants...praise, adoration, god status. And an angel of the Lord struck him with an illness.
Isn't it interesting...Peter was struck by an angel and was awakened from a deep sleep. Herod was stuck by an angel and died.
Josephus confirms the illness and says Herod lingered for five days in agony. A present-day physician did a report of Herod's death and concluded it was "chronic kidney disease, complicated by a particularly nasty case of gangrene." (Bijal P. Trivedi, National Geographic Today, January 28, 2002)
We must keep in mind a verse from Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Where is your heart today? Have you made it all about you? Is that working for you, or are you getting eaten alive by pride? Time to get your heart checked!
Barnabas and Saul return from Jerusalem and like a good writer, Luke "hooks" us to read the next chapter: The era of Gentile Missions. Mark joins them as an associate.
Acts 11
Peter returns to Jerusalem and must give his reasons for the acceptance of Gentiles.
Carolyn thought that Peter must have remembered what Jesus said in John 10:16:
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock {with} one shepherd.
The church at Jerusalem (Jews who became Christians) thought that Gentiles and Samaritans had to convert to Judaism first and be circumcised before they could be Christians.
What are some of the hurdles people find today that should be removed before they come to Christ?
Carolyn thought that Peter must have remembered what Jesus said in John 10:16:
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock {with} one shepherd.
The church at Jerusalem (Jews who became Christians) thought that Gentiles and Samaritans had to convert to Judaism first and be circumcised before they could be Christians.
What are some of the hurdles people find today that should be removed before they come to Christ?
- They often feel they must get their life in order first--get sober, leave that relationship, drop that habit.
- Some think they should wait and sow their wild oats...they'll convert when they're older or worse yet, on their deathbed.
- Some believe they have gone to far with sin and God could never forgive them.
- Others feel they are not welcome in a church, they have been asked to leave because of their dress, race or way that they worship.
- Some church doctrines stand in the way of people coming freely to Christ.
In verse 3 the church accuses Peter of breaking a Jewish orthodox rule, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them."
So Peter makes his case, reporting exactly how it happened. This also helped to reinforce what he learned.
Often when a witness is found to be lying, they mess up the facts...a time is wrong or they forget a key fact. Once tripped up, their story can unravel quickly. Peter stays the course and is found truthful.
v 18: When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance {that leads} to life."
The scene changes to "those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen". These were the Grecian Jews who spoke to the Gentiles without knowing of Peter's experience. They made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch.
Phoenicia is a fertile plain between the Lebanon mountains and the sea--Tyre and Sidon are located there. Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean. Antioch is the capital of the province of Syria, which included Palestine. Antioch was known as the "Asian Rome". It was cultured and corrupt. Cyrene is the Grecian city of North Africa.
Once word of their work reached Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to confirm the reports. Barnabas is a Grecian Jew, his name means encourager. He approved of their work.
Antioch becomes the first church named outside of Palestine. It became a great missionary center for the conversion of the Gentile world.
Barnabas travels on to Tarsus to pick Saul up. This is the first time the term "Christians" is used, and not by disciples but by the people of Antioch. It was customary to call a group of followers after their "Lord". Plato had his Platonists, Epicurus had his Epicureans. This term is used again again in Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16.
Would the people of Antioch recognize you as a follower of Christ? What other labels do people acquire these days?
Agbus comes and has a prophesy of a famine for the Jewish world. Josephus confirms a great famine in the days of Claudius Ceasar, AD 44. This famine lasted 3-4 years. Food had to be imported from Egypt and Cyprus. Do you think the rest of the church believed him? Do you think they remembered the story of Joseph and the famine?
See Acts 2:17, it refers to the passage in Joel that says, "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions." Joel 2:28
The Christians of Antioch were moved to send relief through Barnabas and Saul to the church in Jerusalem. Because being Christians, they would not be able to get support through the temple. They had to survive on their own.
God orchestrated an amazing thing...
- ...If God had not spoken to Peter
- ...If Peter had not spoken to the church
- ...If the Church had not believed Peter
...hundreds could have died of starvation.
So my question for you is, are you listening to God? Are you making yourself available to hear His voice? What is He speaking to you today?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Acts 10
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou My Vision, Ancient Irish hymn, possibly from the 8th Century, tr. by Mary E. Byrne
Vision: a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation. (Webster)
Horama=Greek for vision, an appearance, that which is seen.
In Acts 10 we meet Cornelius (Latin for "of a horn"). He is a Centurion which is like a Captain. They say he was over 600 men, and this was the special Italian cohort. So he was over hundreds of Italian soldiers.
Ceasarea (chez-ah-ree-ah) was the chief seaport of Palestine, a Roman capital and Roman military headquarters. Cornelius is one of three centurions mentioned favorably in the New Testament. There was one at the cross and we will meet another in Acts 27.
Cornelius was known as a "devout man". This meant he was not a pagan. He worshipped God, but was not a Jew. And being a Gentile, was not allowed in synagogues.
In some historical writings, there was a centurion mentioned in that same area who actually built a synagogue for the local Jews. He was well-thought of, and gave freely to help support the less fortunate.
Since Cornelius was not allowed in the synagogues, he would have to worship on his own and this is how we meet him. He is observing regular prayer time at 3pm.
About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" Acts 10:3
We discussed whether or not God speaks to us during prayer with visions or pictures in our mind's eye. It seemed to depend on where our heart was, if we were truly seeking God and an answer.
So God tells him his prayers and alms to the poor had been noticed in heaven. Can you imagine that? He must've been amazed that his Gentile prayers had been heard by Jehovah.
God sends him orders, "Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea." Acts 10:5-6
Note that he does not tell Cornelius to go. God wanted him to remain at his post. He wanted him to "dispatch some men". So he sends two servants and a soldier, (they were all devout) to the seaside home of Simon the Tanner--where Peter was staying.
In the meantime, Peter was on the rooftop of the tanner's home praying before mealtime. He actually went in to a trance.
Trance: a condition in which ordinary consciousness and the perception of natural circumstances were withheld and the soul was susceptible only to the vision imparted by God.
I have some input from my friend Jean LeStourgeon, a Christian counselor.
"Let's make a distinction - Peter's trance (the word used only 3 times in the new testament - 2 times Peter spoke of the trance and 1 time refers to a trance that Paul was in after he was saved. All recorded in Acts) was a vision from God. He did not try to conjure it up, he was praying at first, but then he was actually waiting for his meal when the vision came.
Meditation in the Christian sense is an active contemplation of God's word - like a cow chewing it's cud (Spurgeon). Eastern meditation is seeking after a spiritual experience (in yoga it is a gradual process of "becoming one with Brahman" in the sense of loosing your self. But they don't believe one can really know god personally - they believe everything is illusion (what deception they are under!)
The scriptures do not teach anything like this - it's more like - let the word dwell in you richly (col 3) . Eat it, memorize it and by the Holy Spirit, it will renew your mind and enlighten you to the greatness of God. All the disciplines of the Christian faith will result in greater personal knowledge of Christ, His work, greater love, desire for obedience, personal righteousness and holiness. "
So Peter has this vision during prayer time, and he was hungry. In this vision, a sheet is dropped from heaven and it is filled with all kinds of animals that are considered unclean or "not kosher". God gives him instructions to "kill and eat". Peter is adamant about refusing to eat these unclean animals, but God tells him, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy." Acts 10:15
It's important that you note that God told him three times to do this. As a Jew, when you are seeking forgiveness from someone, it is Jewish tradition that you must ask three times. If the other party does not forgive you, it then becomes their burden and you have done all you can.
The Talmud says when one asks to convert to Judaism, you must ask three times. This shows the rabbi that you are sure of your decision. So could it be that Peter is in essence "converting" from Judaism to Christianity here?
Many commentaries say that God was preparing Peter to accept the Gentiles in Christ's church body. Since they were considered "unclean" by Jewish standards, Peter would have refused the team Cornelius is sending to him. In fact, they are knocking at the door of the tanner's house. Peter comes off the roof top and asks them what they want.
They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you." So he invited them in and gave them lodging. Acts 10:22-23
Do you wonder if he would have been just as gracious if he had not had that vision from God? I doubt it.
So the next day they travel back to Cornelius' home and find him ready to receive whatever Peter has to tell him. He has even gathered friends and family--he does not want them to miss out on the message he knew Peter had for them.
We think Peter is still a bit skeptical because he asks Cornelius why he wanted him there. So Cornelius recounts his vision to Peter. And he finishes with "Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." Acts 10:33b
This was just the opening Peter was looking for, and he shared the Gospel.
I am reminded of instances of family gatherings or friends meeting for dinner. Are you the one they normally ask to pray over the meal? During deep discussions, do people ask you what you think and wait? This is your door to share the Gospel with people! We are not to beat people over the head with our Bibles and force instruction down their throats. We have to make sure the Spirit has already prepared their hearts to receive the Gospel. Or we are just wasting our breath. Watch for these invitations, these doors creaking open. If you are living what you believe, there will be ample opportunities to share the Good News with others. We just have to be obedient to God's leading and listen for that opportunity that comes along.
So Peter simply "opens his mouth" and the Holy Spirit does the rest. Often, we don't know what to say. BUT, if you read your Bible, pray and learn all you can you will be prepared to have answers for people. We just have to trust that God will give us the words to speak. It should be as easy as opening your mouth.
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. Acts 10:44
This was the final confirmation for Peter. This is the only instance recorded of the Spirit falling on unbaptized persons. *Once the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles, he had no doubt that the Good News was for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Note that he didn't have to lay hands on the Gentiles for them to receive the Holy Spirit, he just had to speak.
Bill Graham said in his book, The Holy Spirit:
And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. Acts 10:48
High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
Be Thou My Vision, Ancient Irish hymn, possibly from the 8th Century, tr. by Mary E. Byrne
Be Thou My Vision, Ancient Irish hymn, possibly from the 8th Century, tr. by Mary E. Byrne
Vision: a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation. (Webster)
Horama=Greek for vision, an appearance, that which is seen.
In Acts 10 we meet Cornelius (Latin for "of a horn"). He is a Centurion which is like a Captain. They say he was over 600 men, and this was the special Italian cohort. So he was over hundreds of Italian soldiers.
Ceasarea (chez-ah-ree-ah) was the chief seaport of Palestine, a Roman capital and Roman military headquarters. Cornelius is one of three centurions mentioned favorably in the New Testament. There was one at the cross and we will meet another in Acts 27.
Cornelius was known as a "devout man". This meant he was not a pagan. He worshipped God, but was not a Jew. And being a Gentile, was not allowed in synagogues.
In some historical writings, there was a centurion mentioned in that same area who actually built a synagogue for the local Jews. He was well-thought of, and gave freely to help support the less fortunate.
Since Cornelius was not allowed in the synagogues, he would have to worship on his own and this is how we meet him. He is observing regular prayer time at 3pm.
About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" Acts 10:3
We discussed whether or not God speaks to us during prayer with visions or pictures in our mind's eye. It seemed to depend on where our heart was, if we were truly seeking God and an answer.
So God tells him his prayers and alms to the poor had been noticed in heaven. Can you imagine that? He must've been amazed that his Gentile prayers had been heard by Jehovah.
God sends him orders, "Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea." Acts 10:5-6
Note that he does not tell Cornelius to go. God wanted him to remain at his post. He wanted him to "dispatch some men". So he sends two servants and a soldier, (they were all devout) to the seaside home of Simon the Tanner--where Peter was staying.
In the meantime, Peter was on the rooftop of the tanner's home praying before mealtime. He actually went in to a trance.
Trance: a condition in which ordinary consciousness and the perception of natural circumstances were withheld and the soul was susceptible only to the vision imparted by God.
I have some input from my friend Jean LeStourgeon, a Christian counselor.
"Let's make a distinction - Peter's trance (the word used only 3 times in the new testament - 2 times Peter spoke of the trance and 1 time refers to a trance that Paul was in after he was saved. All recorded in Acts) was a vision from God. He did not try to conjure it up, he was praying at first, but then he was actually waiting for his meal when the vision came.
Meditation in the Christian sense is an active contemplation of God's word - like a cow chewing it's cud (Spurgeon). Eastern meditation is seeking after a spiritual experience (in yoga it is a gradual process of "becoming one with Brahman" in the sense of loosing your self. But they don't believe one can really know god personally - they believe everything is illusion (what deception they are under!)
The scriptures do not teach anything like this - it's more like - let the word dwell in you richly (col 3) . Eat it, memorize it and by the Holy Spirit, it will renew your mind and enlighten you to the greatness of God. All the disciplines of the Christian faith will result in greater personal knowledge of Christ, His work, greater love, desire for obedience, personal righteousness and holiness. "
So Peter has this vision during prayer time, and he was hungry. In this vision, a sheet is dropped from heaven and it is filled with all kinds of animals that are considered unclean or "not kosher". God gives him instructions to "kill and eat". Peter is adamant about refusing to eat these unclean animals, but God tells him, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy." Acts 10:15
It's important that you note that God told him three times to do this. As a Jew, when you are seeking forgiveness from someone, it is Jewish tradition that you must ask three times. If the other party does not forgive you, it then becomes their burden and you have done all you can.
The Talmud says when one asks to convert to Judaism, you must ask three times. This shows the rabbi that you are sure of your decision. So could it be that Peter is in essence "converting" from Judaism to Christianity here?
Many commentaries say that God was preparing Peter to accept the Gentiles in Christ's church body. Since they were considered "unclean" by Jewish standards, Peter would have refused the team Cornelius is sending to him. In fact, they are knocking at the door of the tanner's house. Peter comes off the roof top and asks them what they want.
They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you." So he invited them in and gave them lodging. Acts 10:22-23
Do you wonder if he would have been just as gracious if he had not had that vision from God? I doubt it.
So the next day they travel back to Cornelius' home and find him ready to receive whatever Peter has to tell him. He has even gathered friends and family--he does not want them to miss out on the message he knew Peter had for them.
We think Peter is still a bit skeptical because he asks Cornelius why he wanted him there. So Cornelius recounts his vision to Peter. And he finishes with "Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." Acts 10:33b
This was just the opening Peter was looking for, and he shared the Gospel.
I am reminded of instances of family gatherings or friends meeting for dinner. Are you the one they normally ask to pray over the meal? During deep discussions, do people ask you what you think and wait? This is your door to share the Gospel with people! We are not to beat people over the head with our Bibles and force instruction down their throats. We have to make sure the Spirit has already prepared their hearts to receive the Gospel. Or we are just wasting our breath. Watch for these invitations, these doors creaking open. If you are living what you believe, there will be ample opportunities to share the Good News with others. We just have to be obedient to God's leading and listen for that opportunity that comes along.
So Peter simply "opens his mouth" and the Holy Spirit does the rest. Often, we don't know what to say. BUT, if you read your Bible, pray and learn all you can you will be prepared to have answers for people. We just have to trust that God will give us the words to speak. It should be as easy as opening your mouth.
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. Acts 10:44
This was the final confirmation for Peter. This is the only instance recorded of the Spirit falling on unbaptized persons. *Once the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles, he had no doubt that the Good News was for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Note that he didn't have to lay hands on the Gentiles for them to receive the Holy Spirit, he just had to speak.
Bill Graham said in his book, The Holy Spirit:
"Cornelius was a Gentile, and his conversion marked still another step
in the spread of the Gospel. The baptism of the Spirit which came to him and his
household showed conclusively that God's love extended to the Gentiles as well.
In view of all this, no Christian need strive, wait, or "pray through
to get the Spirit." He has received Him already, not as a result of struggle and
work, agonizing and prayer, but as an unmerited and unearned gift of
grace."
And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. Acts 10:48
High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
Be Thou My Vision, Ancient Irish hymn, possibly from the 8th Century, tr. by Mary E. Byrne
~~~~~~
Be Thou My Vision, Ancient Irish hymn, possibly from the 8th Century, tr. by Mary E. Byrne
Some notes come from People's New Testament, searchgodsword.org.
Billy Graham, The Holy Spirit
Acts 9
Here we find Saul, still breathing murderous threats against anyone who belonged to "The Way", the followers of Christ. It seems he felt he needed abide by the law a bit more this time and he went to the high priest to ask for letters or arrest warrants for the synagogues at Damascus. He was going to travel there to collect more Christians, and drag them back to Jerusalem to be punished. This would mean a six or seven day journey. He was an equal opportunity arrester--he was gathering up Christian women too.
When you study these words, you should ask the Holy Spirit if there is anyone you have been judging lately. Is there a person out there you're holding a grudge against? Is there anyone you know that you feel needs to be spiritually whipped by God? Do you have a mental list like Saul, that you quietly add people to that you feel God should zap a little? Let's read on to see what happens to Saul.
On the road to Damascus, Saul is accosted by Christ. Saul finds himself on the ground and blind and a voice speaks to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting..." (Acts 9:4-5)
Paul's own words later in Acts 26:14 tells us, "And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'"
We should remember Matthew 25:40: "..."Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, {even} the least {of them,} you did it to Me."
And also John 8:7: "He who is without sin among you, let him {be the} first to throw a stone at her."
Do we really have a right to judge others and put them in our own mental jailhouse? When we do that to others, remember who their big brother is...standing behind them with arms folded!
So Saul is blinded and on the ground. His companions don't see anyone, but they do hear the voice of Christ. So this issue is between Saul and Christ. I bet Saul felt pretty helpless.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31
Note that Jesus does not convert Saul on the road. Jesus leaves that up to you and I to preach and teach others. Isn't that wonderful that He wants us to be a part of His work on earth?
So his companions lead him to Damascus, because Jesus tells them to. He fasts for 3 days and nights. That number 3 is significant...could it be that Saul is going to have a life-changing experience?
Across town Ananias gets a message from God to pray for Saul to be healed. He had to make sure he heard God say what He said. He questioned God about the instructions.
But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." Acts 9:13-14
Did you know it's OK to question God about His instructions? It's OK to clarify what God is telling you to do. It's a good communication exercise. Try it when talking to a friend. I bet you'll avoid a lot of miscommunications!
After listening to a person speak, say it back to them in your own words. "OK, what I heard you say was..." or "What I think you are saying is..."
I know that Ananias knew it was God talking to him, he was just scared and wasn't sure he could trust Saul and his companions. But he trusted God more and was obedient and God worked through him!
Saul's ministry begins...and who better to shake people up than a rabid pharisee who gets converted and preaches Christ--who he was vehemently against a month ago? God allows U-turns!
Do not be surprised about those "tough nuts" who crack and change their ways. They have the most amazing testimonies for Christ. Do not judge them or think they're faking. God will be glorified in their lives just as much as in our own!
Remember, Saul is a scholar who had one of the top rabbis in Israel. His own verbal resume states: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today." Acts 22:3
He was also a Roman citizen. His father was from the tribe of Benjamin, which was given Roman citizenship long ago. That carried on to him.
His hometown was Tarsus of Cilicia. He knew the Greek way of thought and debate.
So we find him in the synagogues he was proving Jesus is Messiah. And a plot was hatched to kill him. He escapes through an opening in the city wall, let down in a basket by his followers. I bet he felt like the spies in Joshua 2:15.
About three years pass and he had made his way to Jerusalem. The disciples are afraid of him. But Barnabas stands up for him and testifies to his conversion. Saul boldly preaches in Jerusalem. Another plot is hatched by the Hellenistic Jews (Stephen's killers) so Saul is sent away to Tarsus for safety.
The church increases.
Now, there are a two theories raised by our group that night about the church growing and the persecution stops for a while.
One is that the temple officials didn't have any back up for Saul. Jesus had taken out their main guy for rounding up Christians and they had to find someone else for the post.
Another theory is that Caligula was ordering his statue to be placed in the Temple for worship. It took a lot of focus off "The Way" because the Jews were fighting this insidious Roman invasion.
The chapter now switches to Peter's ministry. We see Peter traveling to "those regions" and he found Aeneas in Lydda--a paralytic--and healed him.
And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Acts 9:35
Note that not just a handful came to Christ...but ALL.
A woman disciple who did many works for the poor had died. They implored Peter to come. The mourners showed him all the work she had done, they were devastated she was gone.
(Who would mourn over your death? What do you think would be on your epitaph?)
Peter was moved by this love for Dorcas. He sent them all out of the room, prayed. Note that he did not pray with a bunch of witnesses...he was "in his prayer closet". He took her hand and told her to arise. She woke up. This is the first instance of death overcome by an apostle.
So Peter remained in Joppa with Simon the tanner. Can you see that former fisherman hanging out at the beach? I wonder if he was resting from his work, sharpening his mind, heart and soul for what was to come...
When you study these words, you should ask the Holy Spirit if there is anyone you have been judging lately. Is there a person out there you're holding a grudge against? Is there anyone you know that you feel needs to be spiritually whipped by God? Do you have a mental list like Saul, that you quietly add people to that you feel God should zap a little? Let's read on to see what happens to Saul.
On the road to Damascus, Saul is accosted by Christ. Saul finds himself on the ground and blind and a voice speaks to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting..." (Acts 9:4-5)
Paul's own words later in Acts 26:14 tells us, "And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'"
We should remember Matthew 25:40: "..."Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, {even} the least {of them,} you did it to Me."
And also John 8:7: "He who is without sin among you, let him {be the} first to throw a stone at her."
Do we really have a right to judge others and put them in our own mental jailhouse? When we do that to others, remember who their big brother is...standing behind them with arms folded!
So Saul is blinded and on the ground. His companions don't see anyone, but they do hear the voice of Christ. So this issue is between Saul and Christ. I bet Saul felt pretty helpless.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31
Note that Jesus does not convert Saul on the road. Jesus leaves that up to you and I to preach and teach others. Isn't that wonderful that He wants us to be a part of His work on earth?
So his companions lead him to Damascus, because Jesus tells them to. He fasts for 3 days and nights. That number 3 is significant...could it be that Saul is going to have a life-changing experience?
Across town Ananias gets a message from God to pray for Saul to be healed. He had to make sure he heard God say what He said. He questioned God about the instructions.
But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." Acts 9:13-14
Did you know it's OK to question God about His instructions? It's OK to clarify what God is telling you to do. It's a good communication exercise. Try it when talking to a friend. I bet you'll avoid a lot of miscommunications!
After listening to a person speak, say it back to them in your own words. "OK, what I heard you say was..." or "What I think you are saying is..."
I know that Ananias knew it was God talking to him, he was just scared and wasn't sure he could trust Saul and his companions. But he trusted God more and was obedient and God worked through him!
Saul's ministry begins...and who better to shake people up than a rabid pharisee who gets converted and preaches Christ--who he was vehemently against a month ago? God allows U-turns!
Do not be surprised about those "tough nuts" who crack and change their ways. They have the most amazing testimonies for Christ. Do not judge them or think they're faking. God will be glorified in their lives just as much as in our own!
Remember, Saul is a scholar who had one of the top rabbis in Israel. His own verbal resume states: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today." Acts 22:3
He was also a Roman citizen. His father was from the tribe of Benjamin, which was given Roman citizenship long ago. That carried on to him.
His hometown was Tarsus of Cilicia. He knew the Greek way of thought and debate.
So we find him in the synagogues he was proving Jesus is Messiah. And a plot was hatched to kill him. He escapes through an opening in the city wall, let down in a basket by his followers. I bet he felt like the spies in Joshua 2:15.
About three years pass and he had made his way to Jerusalem. The disciples are afraid of him. But Barnabas stands up for him and testifies to his conversion. Saul boldly preaches in Jerusalem. Another plot is hatched by the Hellenistic Jews (Stephen's killers) so Saul is sent away to Tarsus for safety.
The church increases.
Now, there are a two theories raised by our group that night about the church growing and the persecution stops for a while.
One is that the temple officials didn't have any back up for Saul. Jesus had taken out their main guy for rounding up Christians and they had to find someone else for the post.
Another theory is that Caligula was ordering his statue to be placed in the Temple for worship. It took a lot of focus off "The Way" because the Jews were fighting this insidious Roman invasion.
The chapter now switches to Peter's ministry. We see Peter traveling to "those regions" and he found Aeneas in Lydda--a paralytic--and healed him.
And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Acts 9:35
Note that not just a handful came to Christ...but ALL.
A woman disciple who did many works for the poor had died. They implored Peter to come. The mourners showed him all the work she had done, they were devastated she was gone.
(Who would mourn over your death? What do you think would be on your epitaph?)
Peter was moved by this love for Dorcas. He sent them all out of the room, prayed. Note that he did not pray with a bunch of witnesses...he was "in his prayer closet". He took her hand and told her to arise. She woke up. This is the first instance of death overcome by an apostle.
So Peter remained in Joppa with Simon the tanner. Can you see that former fisherman hanging out at the beach? I wonder if he was resting from his work, sharpening his mind, heart and soul for what was to come...
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