Last week, Acts 9 was broken into three sections. In order to make light of that I attempted to make a three point message out of the scripture even though the discourse didn't exactly fit the bill. This week as we enter Acts 10, once again, we see three sections to the chapter and this time it does work out pretty well for a three point sermon. We got a mention of Peter last week at the end of the chapter. This week its all about the man as were made aware that he has been on a little cross country trek that brought him to the villages of Lydda and Joppa He is in Joppa now and is about to find out how God can use him no matter where he is at, and no matter who he is speaking with in the moment.
Isn't is easier for us when we get to pick and choose who we want to associate ourselves?
The lesson we get to learn through the eyes of Peter is that our understanding of who we should speak with and affiliate ourselves with is usually off base. The Jewish people have been raised to think that they were God's people. It has been a custom, a tradition, that they were taught from their earliest days to not eat with or have regular customs with people outside of the Jewish, Hebrew heritage. Maybe...their view on that was a little off. Maybe... they misunderstood what God's intentions were for them. And, maybe we will learn a little something about that in Acts 10 this morning. Lets begin.
Like many in our world, even today, Cornelius is a "believer in God". There are lots of people who believe in God and probably aren't afraid to say so. Taking a moment to simply go to Google and search will show through the AI Overview -
Recent U.S. polls show declining but still majority belief in God, with Gallup finding 81% believed in God in 2022, while the Pew Research Center reported 83% in their 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study. While overall belief is falling, especially among younger and more liberal Americans, most religiously unaffiliated Americans (often called "nones") still believe in a higher power or universal spirit. One of the clear characteristics of people who believe in "God" is that they have no c;ear definition of "who" God is. Peter is being sent into a sensitive situation. Share the Gospel, the Good News, with these people and help them put the connections together. Later, we will see when Paul enters he city of Athens, all their God's will be on pedestals down the main street. Except...one "To an unknown god" the title will read. Just in case they missed one. Here, with Cornelius, they seem to have solidifying notion that God is real, even if they can't define it clearly or explain it outright. They simply need to see the connection between "God" and "Jesus". That is where Peter comes in and it is where many of should find ourselves busy and at work. Helping a world that doesn't understand to see the light.
There are two sides in this discourse that needs to have it's listening ears on. What is it that a good kindergarten teacher would share to help her kids take attention to her words? After clapping her hands to get their eyes looking her way, she might say "Hocus Pocus, everybody focus!" What Peter sees might seem like a parlor trick or a magic show. It is God Almighty, it is Jesus, helping him to prepare for what happens next.
"While Peter was wondering..." I would plead that this is the central point in this part of the chapter. How many take the time to
wonder. How many of us would simply write something strange like this off and not bother to think or even pray about the matter? "
God, what do you want from me here?" Peter is trying to make sense of it in his heart and mind when the help he needs comes right to his door. God wants him to go speak with some people about Jesus Christ. However, its not the normal audience he might usually associate himself.
Peter preached a sermon on Pentecost to a multitude. 3000 were saved. But, he didn't have personal contact with the crowd. He was the voice. They listened. Now, he is beckoned to go to a person's home. A very personal gesture. Not a direction to be taken lightly. It has been suggested to many Jewish folk that they were not to associate themselves with "outsiders". Many of the deeply religious wouldn't sit and eat with someone considered a "Gentile". A simple definition from the Oxford bible shows that the viewpoint was "any one not considered Jewish". You're not Jewish - I don't sit with you. I don't eat with you. I might not have a deep meaningful conversation with you. I don't associate with you. Here, Peter is being told all that tradition is to be thrown aside and he is to go to the home of a stranger and just tell them about Jesus.
For many of us, there are some deep seeded biases, even racist tones, that we have simple been taught to believe. People we have been told that we can't talk to or share a conversation with, simply because of their skin color or where they grew up. People from "the other side of the tracks", so to speak. God is making it clear through Peter. He wants no more of this. We are to go to whoever needs to hear the message about Jesus.
Lets look into this last section.
If you were called, in the moment, could you share anything about what Jesus has done in your life?
Has Jesus, in fact, done anything in your life? These opening chapters in Acts, we can clearly see where people like John, Paul and Pater would gather the inspiration for many of the words they wrote in their epistles later on. In his two letters, Peter would share an all important one liner. "Always be ready to give an account of the hope that lies within you." (1 Peter 3.15) Do you have an account? Do you have a story you could share? Who might you run into this week that needs to hear that account? Whether you're at the convenience store in Wilkins Corner or at the big Walmart in Newark, some one just might cross your path who needs a moment of your time. They need the hope that you have. They need some prayer. They needs your undivided attention. Can you give it? Can you give it and not be worried about who they are? What color their skin is? Where they came from? What they smell like? What they look like? People need Jesus. And, we have Jesus, himself, to give.
Blessings folks
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