"When the Penny Really Drops!" - Acts 10

Peter had been given plenty of indications that the mission he had been given involved sharing the gospel throughout the whole known world. Take for example Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8 … “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”.

However, Peter was a Jew, and as a Jew, his expectation of a Messiah had always been about restoring Israel to the Jews and the overthrow of foreign occupying forces like the Romans. So Peter’s fixation had been on the welfare of the Jewish people, and the fulfilment of Jewish religious practices. Peter’s upbringing would have ingrained in him suspicion of non-Jewish Gentile peoples – who had their own practices, in some cases forbidden to the Jews.

The Jewish people were not to eat certain foods, to do so would render them ceremonially unclean. And to associate at a table with those who ate these forbidden foods would also render them unclean. So no wonder Peter and other disciples would find it unusual and uncomfortable and difficult to associate with Gentile people, let alone see them as their responsibility in sharing the gospel. [Even though such food restrictions were not intended for Gentiles, the Jews still considered them unclean for so partaking.]

The incident we have read in Acts chapter 10 depicts the time when ‘the penny really dropped’ for Peter … as to the extent of Jesus’ commission to him. The incarnation of Jesus was not for Jews only, but rather for all the people groups of the world. God had been seen to this point only in terms of narrow Jewish interpretations, now God would have to be seen much more in multi-cultural terms. The Jews were a “chosen people”, but this was not necessarily meant to imply a special status, but more a special opportunity – that through them the nations of the world could identify their Creator and relational God.

God’s love actually extended to all people, that all people could find salvation through Jesus. No human being is beyond the reach of God’s saving and sanctifying work. And Peter would have to get over some of his previous misconceptions, and reach out to and associate with Gentile people. This was a continuing part of Peter’s conversion experience – he would have to continue to be open to new insights. This is like us – we can’t come into relationship with Jesus, and still hold all the same views on life we always did (before knowing Jesus).

It is not a conversion at all … when hardly anything changes. It would be like changing our car over to gas, but still putting petrol in it. Or it would be like having duel fuels in our car (petrol and gas) never quite making a decision for the one over the other. When we come to Jesus, we bring to him all of our belief systems of the past, and allow him the access to change these to conform with his nature and attitudes. So Peter will now have to love those he was formerly suspicious of and removed from. We see as this chapter progresses that Peter allows God to change his (Peter’s) viewpoint!

At the same time this ‘penny was dropping’ for Peter, God was speaking to a man by the name of Cornelius, preparing him for an impending interaction with Peter and subsequent total conversion. Cornelius was a Roman official, and therefore a potential enemy of a Jesus follower like Peter. The main reason why another Roman official, Pontius Pilate, consented to the crucifixion of Jesus … was Jesus’ threat to the peace (“Pax Romana”) and the status quo in the Roman empire. And here was a person (Peter) trumpeting the resurrection of Jesus!

Yet this particular Roman official Cornelius was a spiritual seeker, a man who was bringing up his family with a respect for greater ideals & had sound ethical and moral standards, a leader who was having a good influence on the people around him, a generous man toward the poor and needy. You could say that this man was certainly not far from the “Kingdom”, yet still needed to be personally introduced to Jesus.

Cornelius could have been attracted to the monotheism and high ethical standards of the religion of the Jews, yet was not attracted to the circumcision and food restrictions required to become aligned with it.

And so it was, when Cornelius became aware through a vision (which indicates an idea implanted in his mind by God) that Peter was residing nearby in Joppa, the Peter who had formed such a great reputation as a teacher and healer; he sent people to bring Peter … that he might also hear about this Jesus. This is just magnificent! God brings together a sincere seeker … with a disciple who has been spiritually prepared to bring a gospel message (even to one who would have previously appeared to be an enemy).

How many people are there out there that God is currently preparing to hear the gospel message from us – from we modern-day disciples of Jesus? Now God had to go to great pains to convince Peter that God was interested in the Gentile people.
What does God have to convince us of? What ‘penny has to drop’ with us? Is it simply how much God loves the people of this community, and how much God wants to connect with them? Is it simply our need to drop certain prejudices or preconceived ideas that may have formed barriers between ourselves and people in the general community? What could some of these misconceptions be???

· They are not interested in God or things spiritual?
· They are too busy or too satisfied with the way they are?
· They are not very nice people and probably can’t change?
· They will not like us?
· They will laugh at us?
· They will not find the gospel helpful?
· They will find our church to be strange?
· That our own problems and needs are too large!
· That we have to get our own act together first!
· That Christianity is so special to us that we want to keep it to ourselves – in our own tight little package!

Could it be that there are people already fully prepped by God, who are waiting to hear from us – not necessarily our life story and biblical truth initially, but just an offer of a listening ear and friendship … that God will take where it needs to go!

Peter travelled the fifty odd kilometres from Joppa to Caesarea. When they met (at verse 25), we can see that there was something impressive about Peter, as Cornelius fell to knees in worship. This action allowed Peter to share with Cornelius about the one who really should be worshipped. Peter’s refusal to accept the worship that only God should receive also puts him on the same level as Cornelius – both men are human beings, and both Jew and Gentile now have equal access to God! It may be that our simple acts of acceptance, humility, listening, hospitality and friendship are impressive enough to allow for a subsequent sharing of our faith.

Acts 10 encapsulates another critical turning point in the history of the world. First there was God’s creation and His covenant to care for the people. Then there was the incarnation of Jesus in the face of the people’s repeated rebellion. Then there was Jesus’ death on the cross to provide a path of forgiveness. Then there was Jesus’ resurrection to open up the possibility of new life for all. Then there was the gift of the Holy Spirit to bring to each believer the intimate presence of Jesus and the giftedness to be effective in life. Now there is the confirmation that our mission is to share the good news of Jesus with all people everywhere! [And a major part of the integrity of that mission will be seeking to live in peace with those who are not the same as us!!]

When Peter shared the good news of Jesus with all those that Cornelius had invited to the gathering, the presence of the Holy Spirit became so evident, and deeply touched all those present. This led to mass baptisms and great rejoicing. These people and this community would never be the same!