For Pete’s Sake!

Scripture: Acts 10:9-33

9 The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” 14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.” 15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. 17 Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate, 18 they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there. 19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.” (Acts 10:9-20 NLT)

Yesterday we read the story of Cornelius, the God-worshipping Roman Centurion in Caesarea. God loved Cornelius and he loved his sincere prayers and his compassionate care for the poor. And God wanted Cornelius to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be born again into God’s family. Why did God’s angel tell Cornelius to send for Peter instead of simply giving him the Good News of the Gospel?

Cornelius had to send for Peter for Pete’s Sake! Hear me out, friends! It was now lunch time a couple of days since the angel had appeared and spoken to Cornelius. Peter was hungry, and while he waiting for lunch to be prepared, and was up on the roof praying, and he fell into a trance. (I’ve been hungry too, but never fell into a trance!) The verses above tell about the trance and about Peter’s reaction. When God told him to eat the meat of “unclean” animals, Peter absolutely refused! How many people can say, “No, Lord!” and get away with it? Then God said, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”

But Peter had a lesson to learn about the Gospel, and about God’s heart for all people. Peter was comfortable in his theology, his culture, and his routine. But God was about to do a “new thing” that required Peter to step outside his comfort zone. Sometimes, our own traditions or prejudices can limit how we see God working. God’s grace is so much bigger than the theology boxes in which we try to keep it!

Prayer:

Father, Please help me to remain open to what you’re doing and saying now and not just to what you did and said in the past! I don’t want to miss your best!