We recently talked about how Philip, one of the apostles, was crossing lines and reaching people that normally were left on the fringes. He brought people to Christ that normally others would ignore or view as not acceptable for the Temple or society. Philip didn’t stop and question whether or not he should bring these people to Jesus. Instead he just said, “These people want to know Jesus and I want to bring them to him.”
This week, we’re going to see Peter come into contact with the same dilemma, the question of “Who.” Who is worthy to be a follower of Jesus. Who should they be reaching. Who should they be focusing on.
Remember up to this point, their main focus had been reaching other Jewish people. Jesus was Jewish. Peter is Jewish. Philip is Jewish. Saul/Paul is Jewish. Even the Samaritans are within a stone’s throw of being Jewish. But what about people who aren’t Jewish? What about people who don’t even know the Temple exists? What about the Gentiles?
Please open your Bibles to Acts. Someone please read Acts 10:1-8.
10 In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. 2 He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. 3 One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.” 4 He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; 6 he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, 8 and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.
Here we meet a man named Cornelius, a centurion. From this sentence it’s very clear that Cornelius is a Roman. He’s part of the Italian cohort—so he’s from Italy. His name is Cornelius—which is a super traditional Roman name. As a centurion he’s a leader in the army, in charge of one hundred men. He’s not just a foot soldier. He’s a leader in the group that is occupying Israel, literally participating in the oppression of Israel.
This is not the kind of person that a Jewish person would really socialize with.
But in the next section we read that he was a devout man who constantly prayed to God—meaning the Jewish God. Perhaps in his time in Israel, he had learned from the people he was in charge of, and somehow he found God.
One afternoon, Cornelius is just hanging about when an angel comes to him. This angel tells him to send for a man named Simon who is called Peter to come to him. The angel doesn’t explain why, he just says to do it. And so immediately Cornelius sends out two of his slaves and one of his solders to go fetch Peter, who is staying in another city.
Someone please read Acts 10:9-16.
9 About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” 15 The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.
So at noon the next day, the slaves and soldier are on their way to get Peter. Meanwhile, Peter is on his roof praying. They would have had flat roofs like we have here in New Mexico, and you would be able to go up there and just chill if you wanted to. So he’s up there praying when he gets hungry. He asks for some food to be prepared, and then while it’s being made, he has a vision.
In the vision, heaven opens up and a large sheet comes down—like a large blanket, being carried down by it’s four corners. And on the blanket is every kind of animal: pigs, goats, reptiles, birds, all of it, including the animals that the law expressly forbids from being eaten.
For a reminder, the law dictates what is and is not okay for Jewish people to eat. Someone please flip back and read Leviticus 11:1-8.
11 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them: 2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying:
From among all the land animals, these are the creatures that you may eat. 3 Any animal that has divided hoofs and is cleft-footed and chews the cud—such you may eat. 4 But among those that chew the cud or have divided hoofs, you shall not eat the following: the camel, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. 5 The rock badger, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. 6 The hare, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. 7 The pig, for even though it has divided hoofs and is cleft-footed, it does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. 8 Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean for you.
In Leviticus 11, God lays out what is and is not okay to eat. They can eat cows but not pigs. But even the cows they eat have to be killed a very certain way or else they can’t eat them. They can’t eat snakes or reptiles. There are some birds they can eat and others they can’t. Today these laws have been interpreted into what we call “kosher.”
Jewish people take this very seriously. Almost every practicing Jewish person follows some version of kosher. It’s part of their identity of what makes them Jewish, part of what makes them who they are.
So when Peter has this vision, there are all kinds of animals on the blanket: kosher and non kosher. Cows and pigs. Reptiles and birds. Every kind of animal Peter knows of is on that blanket.
Then in his vision Peter hears a voice tell him to kill and eat the animals. And Peter is like, “What? No God! I would never eat anything unclean.”
Peter seems to think this is a test, that’s why he answers as he does. He’s like “of course I would never go against you and eat anything I’m not supposed to God! I’m Jewish!”
But God doesn’t answer in the way Peter might expect. Instead God says, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”
What does this mean? What God has made clean, we must not call profane. What does profane mean? Sometimes people use the word “unclean” instead, but this isn’t really a clean verses dirty situation. It’s about what is religiously okay and religiously not okay. So profane in this situation means “religiously not okay.”
Peter, like all Jewish people of his time, thinks that eating certain animals is not religiously okay. And it’s not for no reason he thinks this! It’s directly called out in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. But here God is like, “I’m saying this is okay, Peter. I am declaring this clean. And you as a human have no right to call something unclean that I have declared clean.”
This vision happens three times. Someone please read Acts 10:17-23.
17 Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate. 18 They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, three men are searching for you. 20 Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.” 21 So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?” 22 They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging.
The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him.
Peter is really confused by his vision. He saw it three times, and he honestly doesn’t know what to make of it. Was it just a dream caused by hunger? What is God? If it was God, why is God reaching out to Peter about food? Does the food he chooses really matter that much? Why is God choosing now to reach out to him about this? Peter doesn’t know, and he’s really confused.
While Peter is confused, the men sent by Cornelius appear at that house and start asking about Peter. God tells Peter to go down and go with the men without hesitation. So Peter goes down to the men and is like, “I’m Peter, what’s up?”
And the men tell them they work for Cornelius, a Roman centurion who is God fearing, and that an angel told Cornelius to get Peter.
Peter invites them in and let’s them stay the night and then the first thing the next day, he gets up and goes with them to where Cornelius lives.
Someone read Acts 10:24-33.
24 The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshiped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a mortal.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; 28 and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.”
Peter gets to Caesarea, and of course Cornelius as expecting him. Cornelius had called his whole family to be there, in order that they would all be able to see Peter and hear what he has to say. For Cornelius, the good news isn’t just for himself. It’s for everyone.
When Peter arrives, Cornelius falls to his feet, but Peter stops him, all like, “I’m only a man. I’m not God.” And then Peter sees everyone who is assembled, and is like, “You guys know it’s unlawful for a Jewish person like myself to associate or visit a Gentile.
So I want to discuss this thought of Peter’s briefly. There is not actually a law that says Jewish people can’t visit with or associate with Gentiles. It’s almost impossible for Jewish people to never socialize with Gentiles. There are laws about Jewish people marrying Gentiles, but even in the Old Testament, we see those laws are set aside for certain people—like Ruth, Gentiles who chose to follow God.
However, because the Jewish people are God’s chosen people, and sometimes association with Gentiles would lead to the temptation of Idolatry—worshiping other Gods—the Jewish people made themselves more standoffish to Gentiles, trying to set themselves apart so they wouldn’t be tempted. This is another example of people going beyond the Law, interpreting the Law more extreme than it’s actually written.
And this is the moment of seeing this Roman who wants to follow God, this is the moment that Peter realizes what the vision was about. Because God showed him a vision—showed him all these animals and told him to eat. And while, fine, it cane be about food, it’s more importantly about people. It’s about the Gentiles. Peter doesn’t have the right to call these Gentiles profane or unclean, to say that they are not worthy of God.
Jewish tradition and law may say that Peter shouldn’t socialize or hang out with Gentiles. It may say that Jewish people are supposed to be a people apart. But God told Peter not to call profane what he has called clean. And this is about Cornelius, it’s about the Gentiles, it’s about us.
God is saying all people can come to him. That God wants to reach all people, and the apostles should not stop themselves from reaching anyone because they are afraid those people are unclean.
God is for all of us.
Someone please read Acts 10:34-43.
34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Here Peter is just speaking what he finally understands. That Jesus did not just come for Jewish people. He came for all of us. And that anyone can receive forgiveness of sins through him. Jewish people, Romans, Ethiopians, everyone. That any excuse anyone may make for racial, ethnic, or national reasons to not share the Gospel with someone is wrong. Jesus came for everyone.
Someone please read Acts 10:44-48.
44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.
And Peter didn’t just speechify about his new found conviction that Jesus is for everyone. He acted on it. He baptized everyone who wanted to be baptized in Jesus’s name. After this Peter basically uses his authority as an apostle to open up the ministry of Jesus to all nations, to all peoples, not just Jewish people, but even this is not an easy transition.
Sure non-Jewish people can follow Jesus now, but there is another important question related to this that the apostles needed to deal with. Did Gentiles need to convert to Judaism in order to become Christians? And who is going to travel to take the word to the Gentiles? Most of the apostles are based in Jerusalem, and that’s the area they are familiar with. So how are they going to reach these people?
Well that’s pretty much what the rest of Acts is about! So we’ll continue to cover this next w