Acts 10 - No Boundaries
Acts 10 - No Boundaries
This chapter, like most in Acts, is just awesome. I am having so much fun reading Acts right now and just experiencing it in a fresh way. I love it when God does this, and the message just comes through in a fresh, new way. However, I am also aware when sometimes it just is quite the opposite. There are times when, for some reason, the message doesn't come through, the text is just flat and feels lifeless. I have learned over the years to realize this is not any fault of God, it just happens. I have realized in those moments and seasons just to be obedient and willing to keep going, keep pressing into the daily reading and have faith for a breakthrough. God has always been faithful! May today be a breakthrough for you, if that is where you are and seeking to hear from Him.
I have titled today's journal, No Boundaries. Up until now, the Jesus movement, also knows as The Way, had been, for the most part, a Jewish thing. This was because of the strict customs and traditions the Jewish people followed that restricted and limited the engagement with the Gentiles. Just another awakening to the fact that racism and prejudice have been with cultures for a long, long time.
Here in chapter 10, we see a God guided and ordained collision between Jew and Gentile. In the Jewish corner, we have Peter, and in the Gentile corner is Cornelius, the mighty Roman military officer. Scripture and history tell us that Cornelius was in charge of one hundred Roman soldiers stationed in Caesarea. Cornelius was a powerful dude, and we can leave it at that.
You have to dive in and read this chapter, and it’s impressive and encouraging. The long story short is God paved the way for this collision to happen. God spoke to Cornelius through an angel, giving him explicit instructions to send for Simon Peter. And, to complete the circle, God spoke to Peter in a dream, that at the time really didn’t make a lot of sense to Peter but would soon unfold. God spoke to both Peter and Cornelius, they obeyed the instructions, and here is the face to face interaction.
“The moment Peter walked in the door, Cornelius fell at his feet to worship him. But Peter pulled him to his feet and said, “Stand up, for I’m only a man and no different from you.” They talked together and then went inside, where Peter found a large gathering waiting to hear his words. Peter said to them, “You all know that it is against the Jewish laws for me to associate with or even visit the home of one who is not a Jew. Yet God has shown me that I should never view anyone as inferior or ritually unclean.” - Acts 10:25-28 TPT
Look at the posture that both Jew and Gentile had towards each other. Remember, these groups did not interact, they were not fans of each other to say the lease, and this was the God-ordained interaction. The powerful Roman official fell to the ground and worshiped Peter. Peter, said to Cornelius, stand up, we are equals, I am not different than you. WHOA! Can you imagine this interaction? They gather themselves, exchanged a few words, and then went inside to find a massive gathering waiting to hear what this is all about.
Peter delivered the Gospel clearly and compellingly. Walls were torn down, and all the boundaries that were once in place were removed. The complete transformation had come from the power of Peter and the Holy Spirit.
“While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit cascaded over all those listening to his message. The Jewish brothers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on people who weren’t Jews, for they heard them speaking in supernaturally given languages and passionately praising God. Peter said, “How could anyone object to these people being baptized? For they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he instructed them to be baptized in the power of the name of Jesus, the Anointed One. After their baptism, they asked Peter to stay with them for a few more days.” - Acts 10:44-48 TPT
What a miracle we witness here, a lot of people who were far from Jesus were now a part of the movement, and life transformation came, and the Holy Spirit was poured out. What a celebration. But let me point out one other massive transformation, quite possibly the biggest and most significant transformation that we skipped right over. I like the way that theologian John Stott put it;
“The principle subject of this chapter is not so much the conversion of Cornelius as the conversion of Peter.” (Stott)
Peter, who was a passionate Jesus follower and a central figure of the movement, was transformed and received his full conversion. Not to take anything away from all of Peter’s great acts and doings up until now, but he was very limited in his reach. Peter’s perspective and understanding of the Gospel were incomplete until this revelation and conversion. This is fascinating to me. Let me leave this thought with you, what could we be missing? Is there a part of our thinking, viewpoint, or belief that is limiting the reach and scope of what God is trying to accomplish in our lives and the lives of those we are trying to reach? God opened Simon Peter's eyes to an expanded Gospel. The Gospel didn’t change, but Peter's understanding of it was enlightened.
Lord, I pray that we see and experience your full Gospel today. Anywhere we may have put up boundaries on your message, we ask that you remove them, tear down any walls we may have built, and may your full Gospel penetrate our hearts. Amen.