Call to Commitment

 

What God has cleansed is not common

Acts 10, Part 1

 

God works in a Roman centurion  

         1.      There was a certain man in Caesarea called           Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the             Italian Regiment, 

         2.      a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 

3.      About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" 

4.      And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 

5.      Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 

6.      He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do." 

7.      And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 

8.      So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.  

A paralytic was healed in Lydda and Dorcas was raised from the dead in Joppa. Many people came to the Lord through these miracles. One would think that Peter’s journey from Jerusalem to these two cities would have been a total success and his mission had been fulfilled. But no, God had something else in mind, as the main purpose, for which the apostle was called out of Jerusalem. There is something to be learned from this: God’s will has not been fully accomplished, because we see obvious miracles and success before our eyes. From the beginning of the journey, God had Caesaria in mind and a Roman centurion. There are workers, who can tell of many years of successful ministry, before realizing the great central purpose, for which the Lord had called them.

 We have reached a crucial point in Luke’s account of the spreading of the gospel. Gradually, it has unfolded, as the initial church formed in Jerusalem. We saw it spread throughout Judea and Samaria. The half-breed and despised Samaritans received the gospel and an Ethiopian proselyte to the Jewish faith, as well. Next, we saw the conversion, the preparation and the beginning of the ministry of Saul of Tarsis. He is to called by God to be the apostle to the Gentiles.

 However, now we will see the great breakthrough through Peter that will lead into spreading the gospel among Gentile people. Peter is the one, in whom the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem have confidence and it is he, who can best relay his experience to the central church. It will prove that it is the will of God to reach out to non-Jewish people. This will be the beginning of an effort to preach to all mankind around the world. Later, Paul, in the book of Romans, will give us the eternal purpose of God and His doctrine concerning this great step. The Time of the Gentiles has come!

 Caesaria is on the Mediterranean Sea, to the south of Mount Carmel, thirty miles north of Joppa. It was a city, built by Herod in honor of Caesar Augustus, and became the center of civil government in Judea. There were a great number of Romans residing here, including a well-known cohort of soldiers called the Italian Regiment. The centurion, Cornelius, the man before us in this chapter, could not be more representative of a Gentile. He was totally Roman, with no Jewish blood, and he was no proselyte. He was a centurion, over 100 Roman soldiers, and part of the Italian Regiment (v. 1).

 Warren Wiersbe informs me that ten years have gone by since Pentecost and much has developed in the church and in the preaching of the gospel. Now, we will watch the story continue and see how God teaches Peter that it is in the heart of the One, Who “so loved the world,” that He included the Gentile people. He wanted that they “should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

 Cornelius feared the God of the Jews. This man was rejecting the Roman religion and its polytheism, which followed the Roman conquest. The Lord was working in the heart of a Roman centurion. The Gospels have already shown us that God is able to prepare Gentile hearts, as well as those of the Jews. There was a Syro-Phoenician woman, whose demon-possessed daughter was delivered through faith. Jesus said, concerning a centurion in Capernaum, "Amen (assuredly), I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 8:10, 11). 

 This centurion led his entire household in the direction that his heart led him. He still did not know the way to salvation, but he was praying. We learned in the last chapter that the prayer of Saul of Tarsis was the reason that the Lord sent Ananias to him. It has been the means for many to find the will of God. “If any of you lacks wisdom,” said James, “let him ask of God.” When the Lord is about to accomplish His purpose, He sets His people to praying and He brought this Roman to his knees. In this chapter, He was in the process of answering his prayers (v. 2).

 At three o’clock in the afternoon, he received a vision of an angel. Coming to this subject, I must share something that I have seen, regarding angels involved in the prayers of men. Do you remember how Jesus told Nathanael of an open heaven and “the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man?” (Jn. 1:51). He was speaking of greater things that he would experience and the greater things come through prayer (Jn. 1:50). He led Nathanael to Jacob’s dream of a ladder that reached to heaven and the angels of God, first ascending and then descending on the ladder. Jesus showed that He was that ladder and that angels ascended, first with prayers that would be received at the throne of the Father, uttered in Jesus’s name, then descended with the answer.

 Daniel had more than one experience with angels, but the one, which teaches us most about this present subject is Daniel, chapter 10, in which Daniel fasted and prayed for three weeks. At the end of this time, he saw a vision, a hand touched him, and a voice spoke. It told him that he had been sent to him, at the beginning of the time that he had begun praying. However, his coming to Daniel was detained by “the prince of the kingdom of Persia,” a demon prince, but Michael, the angelic prince who is a powerful guardian of the people of Israel, helped him to reach Daniel. He was delayed for 21 days, but then arrived. The passage teaches us many things about spiritual activity in prayer, but we are just touching the general details of this account. It shows us that there is spiritual activity aroused by prayer, that God sends angels in answer to prayer, but there may be demonic opposition to hinder their arrival.  

 In Luke 1 a priest, Zachariah, who was to become the father of John the Baptist, received a visit by the altar of incense in the temple of Jerusalem, in answer to his and his wife’s prayer for a son. Also, the multitude of people prayed outside at the time. The angel identified himself as Gabriel, who also appeared to Daniel and later to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:9-13). In our study today, an angel appeared to a Roman centurion in answer to his prayer (v. 3).

 He had not yet known the way of faith and grace, but God responded to the sincerity of his heart. Any observation of a heavenly being will bring fear to a mortal man (v. 4). As was the case of Saul and Ananias, Cornelius received very clear instruction from the Lord through the angel.  He was to send servants thirty miles to Joppa, and the angel gave him the name of the owner of the house, Simon, that he was by occupation a tanner, and that a man named Peter was his guest. He even gave him Peter’s given name, Simon. It was very specific (v. 5).

 Peter was the man, as Philip and Ananias, who could clearly preach the gospel, which he needed desperately to hear. Peter also would show him, what his human responsibility was to obey the gospel (v. 6). Cornelius sent two servants from his house, as well as a trustworthy soldier from his ranks, for the work that they would perform was of supreme importance. The soldier is described as devout, meaning reverent or pious. Apparently, he had been discussing with his superior, the way which he was taking, and the communication had influenced him. Or, it was just as possible that he had influenced his captain. This is the man that Cornelius entrusted with the errand, giving the utmost importance to heavenly instruction (v. 7).

 The centurion not only commanded his two servants and his soldier, the text tells us, but he explained everything to them. He wanted them to know his entire experience, his search for God, the Jewish influence in his life, and the angelic visitation, as well as the things, concerning Peter. It was more than an errand, more than a superior commanding inferiors, it was a spiritual mission and a well-informed trio came to Peter, as we will see. These would certainly be in the house, when Peter preached, and the Spirit would also fall on them (v. 8) 

 

Peter's Vision

9.      The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 

10.  Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 

11.  and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 

12.  In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 

13.  And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." 

14.  But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." 

15.  And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." 

16.  This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. 

17.  Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate. 

18.  And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 

19.  While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. 

20.  Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." 

21.  Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, "Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?" 

22.  And they said, "Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you." 

23. Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 

 Having walked and ridden horseback for many miles in Mexico, the itinerary of these men from Caesarea to Joppa and back, interests me. If the reader is not interested, he can certainly skip these two paragraphs. However, the journey is well documented in the text. Cornelius was visited at 3 P. M. by an angel (v. 1) and then discussed with three men a trip of 30 miles that they should take to Joppa. That same afternoon, they began (v. 8) and the next day, shortly after noon, after Peter had a vision, they arrived at Simon the tanner’s house (v. 9, 17).

 Having made very good time and being Romans, they must have come on horseback. The Romans were well-equipped with horses, as we can know from chapter 23:23 and 24, when the Roman commander in Jerusalem sent 70 horsemen with Paul, mounted as well, to Caesarea. Now, these three lodged that night in the tanner’s house (v. 23). On the return trip, the next morning, they were accompanied by Peter and some Christians from Joppa (v. 23) and the following day, they arrived in Caesarea (v. 24).

 However, we need to go back to noon on the day, when the three men from Caesaria are about to arrive, because at that time, Peter had a vision to prepare him, for what was to take place. The Lord uses circumstances to help people see His will. Peter became very hungry, as he waited for the midday meal. Peter fell into a trance and I remind the reader that we are studying this book as a model, showing us how God works in the church. Trances did not end with the apostlic period, but have continued throughout the church age, especially so, during times of revival. I will not take the time and space to give examples in this place (v. 10).

 Please notice, that what happens next is coming down from an open heaven. A great object like a sheet descended before Peter (v. 11), and in it are all kinds of living creatures, which the Old Testament had deemed unclean (v. 12, see Lev. 11). A  voice tells him to kill and eat (v. 13). As hungry as Peter was, his religious instincts were strong enough to resist, what he considered to be temptation (v. 14).

 Although this object lesson taught Peter, mainly, concerning God’s acceptance of Gentiles, there is also a side lesson taught and it means that the New Testament does not prohibit the consumption of certain foods. James teaches that “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He himself tempt anyone.” (Jam. 1:13). These creatures are descending from heaven and God does not tempt men with evil things. The Old Testament food prohibitions were not moral, but symbolic, and they illustrated spiritual maladies.

 In Mark 7:14-23, Jesus had already covered this matter, asking His listeners if they did not have spiritual perception: “Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?" It is religious people without spiritual perception, who put emphasis on physical, outward practices and foods. 

 Peter did not have to wait long for this puzzle to be resolved, because the solution was already at the gate (v. 17). The Gentile visitors from Caesaria were asking for Peter (v. 18), and before his host could inform him, the Holy Spirit, so real and present throughout the book of Acts, spoke to Peter (v. 19). He is not to question for a moment that he is witnessing a wonderful, historic act of God. Before the Holy Spirit introduced Himself to these Gentiles, He was working in them… “I have sent them,” He said. This prevenient grace, drawing and directing the unbeliever, is common in the life of sinners to this day (v. 20). Had it not been for His work, we would still be wandering outside, furtherer and furtherer from the fold, driven by a hostile nature. God always initiates the awakening of the human heart (Jn. 6:44) and the Shepherd goes after the lost sheep, “until He finds it” (Lk. 15:4).

 Peter went down and introduced himself, asking their business in coming (v. 21). The visitors informed Peter of the things we have already heard, the things that the centurion had explained to them. Far more than a human wish, they speak of divine, angelic instruction in the eternal purposes of God (v. 22). This simple occurrence at the tanner’s front door will reach far beyond Caesaria, and will continue until we arrive at the end of the 28^th chapter. It does not stop there, but continues through the ages and now extends for 25 years into the 21^st Century. The work will not end, until God gathers His people in heaven, redeemed “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rv. 5:9).