God has completely messed me up since reading Acts 1o last week. I mean, I was just minding my own business, having my quiet time, and then God decided to stick it to me! I guess I really can't complain because it's awesome just to know that God speaks to me. So, if you haven't read Acts 10 before I would suggest you stop reading this and go read that!
Ok, when I read Scripture my tendency is to just read through it without really examining it. But something struck me when I read through this chapter. In the beginning, Cornelius was described as this "God-fearing" man who helped the needy and did all these great things because of God. Then, at the end of the chapter it talks about how the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and he was saved at that moment. Wait a minute! It already sounded like he was saved to me! So, I researched and read and dug and realized just how naiive a person I really am when it comes to Christ's Kingdom.
Verses 1-8 introduce us to Cornelius. Like I said, he was a "God-fearing" man. In researching this, I found that the Jews referred to people as "God-fearing" if they worshipped Jehovah and expressed interest in Judiasm, but had not yet converted by being circumcised. These God-fearing people were able to attend worship in the synagogue but were not allowed to participate and had to sit in the back. Also, Jews could not associate with them. So here is Cornelius, a Gentile man who knows about the God that the Jews are worshipping, but DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIS SON!
Verses 9-16 talk about how the Lord prepares Peter to be His messenger, specifically for Cornelius. God uses the vision of the sheet and the animals to show Peter that the Gospel is not to be restricted to the Jews, but that God has no favorites. Although Peter was a Christian, he still thought like a Jew. It was necessary for God to prepare him for what was about to happen just as much as it was necessary for God to prepare Cornelius for what Peter was going to tell him. Peter was confused and didn't understand what was happening, but he trusted that God would make it clear and that all he had to do was obey and follow God wherever He was leading.
At the end of the chapter we see Peter preaching the Gospel to Cornelius and those that he had with him. For Peter, a Jew, to be preaching to a strictly Gentile audience was going against everything he had been taught and believed. But, he knew this was the work of God and to him, that was what was most important. Scripture says that as he was preaching the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and the people who were with him. Cornelius came to the saving knowledge of Jesus because Peter was willing to get uncomfortable and go against what society taught, and instead, follow the voice of God. He (Cornelius) realized that it wasn't about a religious organization but rather a relationship with a the Son of God.
So here's where this messes me up...I have the incredible priviledge of serving a church. I know without a doubt that Jesus has saved me and that I will spend eternity with Him. There are other people, however, who come to church, tithe, attend Sunday school or Bible Study, may even lead a Bible Study, but are going to die and go to Hell because they don't know who Jesus is personally. I can't be ignorant or naiive to that fact anymore. When I lead worship on Sunday mornings I am proclaiming the name of Jesus to those people...people who think they have it all together but know that there's something missing. If we think we can get into Heaven because we follow all these commandments, but fail to recognize, worship, and live for the One who is Salvation, then we seriously mistaken. So, this is a call to me to stop assuming! What do you get out of this passage?
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