This changes everything.

'I don't read the Bible because it is much too difficult to understand.'

'It is out of date, has nothing to do with my life right now...'know what I mean?'

I've heard it a myriad of times.  I get it.  There are times I read through a passage and am left with a question mark hanging over my head-

'What is this about, and what could it possibly have to do with me?'

 

Acts chapter 10 is long and complicated, at first glance; well even after second glance, it is still long! To read the passage: 

 

Here's the thing: this chapter records a God-orchestrated event that changed everything for the young gathering of Jesus followers-which of course, we know now was the early church. Thank God for this event! From the outset of the reading, notice God communicated a major change through two men

And oft, while we are totally unaware, as we are praying,

~>God is orchestrating people and things in other places to come into our lives-

at just the right time<~

 

To this point, the Christian church was made up of Jewish believers entirely.  In fact, the (ruling) Romans considered the followers of the Way a Jewish sect, since they believed in one God.  This is in stark contrast with the religions of Rome which had thousands of gods as did the Greek culture before the Roman Empire.

 

Here's the point:  God has a message to deliver to Jewish Peter, the prominent apostle and leader of the early church-the church is not for Jews only. This was a tough message because the Jews looked down their noses at the Gentiles, referring to them as 'Gentile dogs'; conversely, this prejudice was matched by anti-Semitism among the Gentiles.  Jews and Gentiles were very, very separate in society.

 

Similarly, God has a message to deliver to Cornelius the Gentile, who was a God-fearing man-'the Messiah has come, and he came not just to the Jews, but to Gentiles as well. 

 

In November, I saw the setting in which this story takes place-Caesarea and Joppa, Israel.  I can picture where Cornelius, the military official in the Italian army was stationed, Caesarea, capital of the Roman government in Israel.  The city and accompanying harbor on the Mediterranean were built by Herod the Great about a decade before Christ was born.

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Caesarea Maritima - to which it is referred today

 

Similarly, I can envision the trip Peter made up the coast from Joppa, which by motor vehicle today would take little more than an hour today.

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This is the picture I took of historic Joppa in the dawn hours from the Mediterranean Shore near Tel Aviv.  It was in this town Peter was staying when he went up on the roof to pray, and God showed him that animals considered unclean were not any longer--"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean

 

Here's part of the message Peter delivered once there: "I now realize how true it is thatGod does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.  You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him..."2 And then God showed up..."While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter [Jews] were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles."3

 

Wow!  And so it happened - this changed everything.   This is what Acts chapter 10 is all about.  The Christian church, the Gospel message, the love of God is for all.  God does not have favorites-not favorite races or colors, tribes or tongues.  God showed his great love for ALL when he gave us his best-Jesus. 

Christine

PastorWoman.com

 

 

1 - Acts 10.15

2 - Acts 10.34-38

3 - Acts 10.44-45