Acts 10:1-16. This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Pentecost Sunday, May 28, 2023.
Jesus in John 16:12-15 told his disciples that he had much more to say to them, but they would not be able to bear it, or handle it at that time. However, he promised that the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, would come and teach them everything that they needed to know. He would guide them into all truth- at least, all the truth that they would need.
These apostles are often referred to as the early leaders of the Church, but let us recognize up front that Jesus is the true leader of the Church. The Apostles and any subsequent leaders are simply helpers, servants of the Lord, in his leadership.
In our passage today, we will be given a glimpse at what it looked like for the Spirit of Truth to lead the early Church. The issue at hand was the status of Gentiles who would be coming to faith in Jesus. What exactly did they need to do in order to become Christians? Did they need to first adopt Judaism and its requirements and then believe on Jesus?
The book of Acts from chapter 10 to 15 gives a resounding, "No," to this question. All of this features the Holy Spirit teaching the apostles.
Let's look at our passage.
As Peter continued to minister in Joppa, Luke brings our attention to a Gentile in Caesarea named Cornelius. This city was 40 miles north on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and it was the headquarters for Rome's operations in the area, hence the name, Caesarea.
Cornelius is an officer in one of the Roman Legions, particularly the Italian Regiment, or Cohort. He is a centurion, which generally means a command of 100 men or less (depending on losses in battle). Of course, such a profession would not put Cornelius on the "nice list" with most Judeans.
Yet, verse 2 tells us that this Cornelius was a devout believer in the God of Israel. It was not uncommon for there to be Gentiles who were sympathetic towards, and even convinced of the God of Israel as the One True God. Most of them, however, did not want to be circumcised and officially become attached to Israel. This created a group of people that were referred to as "God-fearers." They were uncircumcised, but followed many of the customs and worship of Israel.
We are also told that Cornelius was very generous in alms, or charitable giving. He had donated to particular issues that would help the people of Israel.
On this particular day, we are told that it was the ninth hour, or 3:00 pm. Verse 30 will tell us later that he was praying and fasting. This would be at the time of the evening sacrifice in Jerusalem. All of this pictures a man who is worshiping God in Spirit and in truth.
Of course, prayer is a relationship with God, which begs the question. What is his status with God? We will talk more on this later.
As Cornelius is praying, he has a vision of an angel coming into the room. A vision is commonly distinguished from a dream. It is used of a person who is not asleep, and yet, sees something that may be as real as a dream, i.e., a day-dream. It is a real spiritual interaction. However, a vision is generally distinguished from an actual physical manifestation. He mentally sees and hears the message of the angel. If someone else had been there, they would not have seen or heard the angel.
Though Cornelius is startled, he addresses the angel with, "What is it, lord?" Again in verse 30, he tells us that "a man stood before me in bright clothing." This is common in biblical text. Heavenly angels generally look like men when they appear to people. However, something makes it clear that it is not an earthly messenger. Here, the clothing of the man is glowing, he has a message that is from God, and it would not be easy for a mortal to slip into Cornelius' room. There was no doubt it was an angel.
The angel tells Cornelius that his prayers and alms have come before God as a memorial. That is important to note. Whatever his status, God was taking notice of his prayers and charitable works. The term "memorial" is a reference to a kind of sacrifice. This can be seen in Revelation 8:4 where we see the heavenly temple. Incense is burned before God along with "the prayers of the saints" by angels. It is not clear exactly how this is done. However, the truth is shown that the prayers of the saints are before God continually.
Of course, God doesn't need incense offered with their prayers. He sees it all. Thus, the importance is a demonstration to the heavenly beings that humans are praying unto God, and that God is receiving their prayers.
I believe that his status was much like Abram's. Yes, he is a gentile and is not in complete conformity to the Law of Moses. Yet, he is approaching God in faith, and God is responding with grace.
We should note that Cornelius is not praying to see an angel. He already has a lot of God's grace as he has heard the truth of God, and is serving near Israel. Rather, it was in the midst of his being faithful to God in prayer that God said, "that's my man."
The angel is not so much a response to good worship and prayer, but as a fulfillment of the purposes of God. This was just the sort of man that the Lord would use to help the Church to understand that Gentiles were to be saved just like Judeans. God's grace comes to us in many different ways. It is not ours to worry about the way, but rather, it is ours to be thankful for whatever ways the grace of God materializes.
When you pray, you may feel like nothing big is happening. However, at the least, your prayers are coming before God. If you are discouraged in prayer because you want something specific to happen, be careful that you are not complaining about the grace of God you already have. God has a timing for everything, and we can be guilty of overlooking the grace that He is already giving us each and every day.
Cornelius is then told to send to Joppa for a Simon Peter who was staying with Simon the Tanner. Peter would then tell him what he "must do."
Couldn't the angel have told him what to do? Yes, of course, the angel could have. God Himself could do everything in the universe while we all stand on the sidelines cheering, "Go, God!" But, God isn't looking for a cheerleader to cheer Him on. That may stroke your ego, but God is looking for a bride who will join Him in the field of work.
It was important that an apostle of Jesus be involved in this critical juncture of Gentiles coming into the Church. Though Paul would become the main apostle to the Gentiles, Peter would be an important link in convincing the Jerusalem Church that God was saving Gentiles too. He would be critical in establishing what the status of Gentiles coming to Christ would be.
Though it was afternoon, Cornelius immediately calls two of his household along with a soldier who is also a devout believer from his personal detail. He tells them the task and sends them to Joppa in order to fetch Simon Peter.
Let us note how important it is to respond to the promptings of the Lord as quickly as we can. All of us can think of times where we were dilatory with the leading of God's Spirit. God doesn't generally send angels to speak to us, though He can do so at any time. Typically the Holy Spirit prompts us in our heart and mind as we pray. The person who is devoutly praying to God will receive instruction from Him from time to time. We need to be in a relationship with Jesus where we are seeking his leading, and responding quickly to the leading that He gives. Don't be lazy, and don't be resistant, or rebellious.
As the men from Cornelius approach Simon the Tanner's house, Peter also has a vision around noon. These two visions are basically the same, but they would hit those who first heard about it as a contrast. Peter is a Jew, devout, and an apostle of Jesus. Of course, we can picture him having a vision. However, Cornelius is not a Jew nor a follower of Jesus. Yet, the same God is working in them both for His singular purpose.
Peter is praying and becomes extremely hungry. It appears that this has been made known to the house and they are fixing some food. Meanwhile, he continues to pray on the roof of the house. I don't know if God caused him to be hungrier than usual, but regardless, He uses Peter's hunger to emphasize a command that will be important in regards to Cornelius.
Verse 10 tells us that Peter "fell into a trance." The difference between a trance and a vision is nothing. They are the same thing described from two different angles. The word "vision" focuses on the fact that he sees something. It is the experience from the view of the person who sees it. The word "trance" focuses on the fact that his mind is elsewhere at the time. It is the experience from the view of a person watching the one having the vision. In fact, in Acts 11:5, Peter will describe this event with both words. He will say, "in a trance, I saw a vision."
The vision was of a sheet that is bound up on all the four corners creating a sling. It is let down from heaven before him and is filled with unclean, or non-kosher, animals. Unclean animals are such that the Law of Moses proscribed from being eaten by the people of Israel, and from being offered up as a sacrifice to Yahweh.
Of course, it is not the contents of the sheet that are the problem, but the content of the command that is given to him next. Peter is told to rise up, kill and eat. This picture is going to occur three times. Peter protests that he had never eaten such animals before. It appears that he also has no desire to do so even though he is quite hungry.
God knew that he would respond this way, and He intends to use this to hammer home a point Peter needs to understand. Before we get into the point, we should touch base on this whole issue of unclean and common as opposed to that which was clean and holy.
We often use unholy to mean something morally bad, but the foods themselves were not morally bad. To be holy simply means that something, or someone, is set apart for a particular purpose of God. To be unholy simply meant to be a thing, or one, that is not set apart for a particular purpose of God. Israel was a holy nation. They had been called to do a particular, special duty for God among the nations. The other nations were unholy, or common. Yet, within the nation of Israel, there were particular people who were called to serve as priests in the temple. In this area, the priest would be holy, but the other Israelites would be common. The same could be said of a temple bowl. A common bowl could be used for any purpose you like. It wasn't holy. However, a bowl that had been consecrated to God's work in the temple could not be used for a common purpose. Even among the priests, only one man could go into the Holy of Holies once a year. None of the common priests could perform the work of the high priest.
At this point, it is important to note that the clean and unclean animals served an important purpose in Israel. Yet, now God was directly connecting the concept of unclean animals versus clean animals with the concept of unclean peoples (i.e., Gentiles) and clean people (i.e., Israel).
Let me interject at this point that I run into people who make a big deal out of Christians changing the laws of the Old Testament. Or, they will say something like God said it was bad and then He changed His mind and said it was good. They underlying accusation is that God is whimsical or Christians are hypocritically changing the bible. Neither are true.
Note what God says to Peter's protest. "What God has cleansed you must not call common." Do you see that. Something has changed from the days of Moses to the vision of Peter. God has actively "cleansed" these foods. How did He do that? The death and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Old Covenant. God would now establish a New Covenant with the remnant of Israel and whosoever will of the Gentile nations. It was no longer necessary under the New Covenant to continue a restriction on foods because the truth that they pictured was now changed. Gentiles were no longer considered common because of the work of Jesus.
Let's be clear here. Common and holy here have to do with the ability to approach God and have our sins dealt with. Yes, we can speak of the holiness of one who has had their sins removed. But, the Old Testament had an additional concept of being able to approach the altar of the Lord and offer sacrifices for your sins. Gentiles could not do this under the Old Covenant because they were unclean. Now, through the work of Jesus, they have been made acceptable to enter God's presence and be cleansed. This is not a whimsical or hypocritical change. It is a very real sacrifice done once and for all by God's Anointed One, Jesus.
Under the New Covenant, Christians can eat any food without fear of defilement. All foods are cleansed by the work of Jesus. However, this is also a picture of the reality that any person from any tribe, tongue, or nation, can come to God in faith and be accepted at His altar. There is no longer any distinction between a Jewish Christian or a Gentile Christian, other than heritage.
There is a sense of warning in this command, "you must not call common." If God makes something holy, then no one should treat it as unholy, common. This would apply to Jewish Christians like Peter who would tend to shrink away from treating Gentiles as completely clean in Christ. However, it would also apply to the Corinthian Christians who were taking the Gospel of Jesus and the Gifts of the Spirit, and using them in a defiled way, unholy way. Such people often have an attitude that says, "Jesus has paid the price so all things (i.e., even sin) are clean to us now." Such a thing must not be done. It is important for the Church to uphold this truth in a day and age that is transgressing this on both sides.
Do you believe that God is working in your life as He was in Peter's life, or Cornelius' life? Yes, the scope of what God is doing is greater in them. You may not see an angel, or even have a vision.
However, we need to recognize that as we are praying and serving Jesus, there comes times when He speaks to our heart and mind. It might be something that you are intimidated by, or afraid to do. It might be something that you are even unsure about.
This is why God has given us His Word, His Spirit, and a body of believers with the Gifts of the Spirit distributed as He wills. Peter had great spiritual gifts placed in his life in order to help the early Church and even us today through the word. We may not all experience everything that Peter did, but we are all the beneficiaries of what God did through him and the other apostles.
It is not the vision, or angelic visitation, that we should be seeking. Rather, it is the purpose and presence of the Lord Jesus Himself that is our desire. The help of the Holy Spirit is always happening and available for those who are seeking Him. However, it is up to God the particular ways that His grace is given to us. Let us be a people who are used of God to further His work of saving Gentiles and Jews in these last days!