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Acts 10:1-35
Cornelius Calls for Peter
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
9 About noon the following 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 the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter at Cornelius’s House
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit them. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts people from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”
This reading is unusually long to use for a single Reflection, but it seems to me that it’s a very important story about a turning point in the history of the church and its mission to the world. It really should be thought about as a whole, not in pieces.
As you might remember, when the first apostles went out into the gentile world to tell the story of Jesus, all of those original apostles were Jewish. And from the way their story is told in Acts, it seems that a lot of them continued to observe the traditional laws and practices of the Hebrew people. Paul continued to keep some of those rituals, even though he told the gentiles he converted that they didn’t have to. Those traditional laws were considered especially important when it came to the matter of eating – what foods could be eaten and how they were to be prepared. And Jews were forbidden to eat with unclean persons, including sinners and gentiles. Jesus himself was criticized for eating with sinners. And of course, the gentiles ate foods that were not kosher.
But when it came to being in mission to the gentiles, that was a problem. Some of the most powerful human connections are made around a table, when people ‘break bread together.’ That’s true in just about every culture around the world. So it was important for the followers of Jesus to be able to eat with gentiles if they were going to establish the kind of relationships that would allow them to share the gospel story with those gentiles.
In today’s reading, God sends an angel to a Roman centurion named Cornelius, and tells him to summon Peter to his home. And to let him know that it’s now OK for the followers of Jesus to eat with the gentiles, God sends Peter a vision in a dream. Peter is shown all kinds of animals that Jews were forbidden to eat, and he is told that it’s now alright to eat them. We think of Pork first as a food forbidden to Jews, but there were lots of others also, including shellfish. Peter is shocked by this vision and its message, but it’s repeated two more times to make sure Peter gets it.
And then Peter goes to meet with Cornelius and his family and friends. In tomorrow’s Reflection, we’ll think about more of the conversation Peter has with this group of gentiles. But for now, it’s worth noting the first thing he says to them when he hears that an angel had appeared to Cornelius: “Now I realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts people from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Peter saw that God was breaking down the walls – including dietary walls – that had separated his people from the rest of humankind. God was opening his covenant to people of every land and tribe, and sending his Son’s disciples to make connections everywhere.
It seems to me that there are two important lessons in this passage. The first is that God sometimes issues new directions for new times. Things that are strictly prohibited at one time – like eating gentile food – may be permitted in another time. Those things might even become important practices in the work of the kingdom.
The second lesson is the importance of making connections with others. In the great commission, Jesus directs us to ‘Go and make disciples.’ And most of us can only do that when we intentionally make connections with other people – opening our lives to others and inviting them to open their lives to us. Effective witnesses don’t have to be talking about Jesus all the time. We can also talk about family, work, sports – all the things of life. Sharing a meal – or even a cup of coffee – with another person may be a chance to strike up a friendship that will provide opportunities to share the gospel later.
Personal connection, like the connection we traditionally make over lunch or dinner or coffee – that’s too important to just ignore. As disciples of Jesus, we should consider making personal connections with others to be a central aspect of our life and ministry.
Let’s pray. Lord, we thank you that in Jesus, you opened the way to your kingdom to all people. And we thank you that you have directed us to make connections with others in our world, so that they can encounter your love for them through us. We pray that you will provide chances for us to break bread or have a cup of coffee with people who need to hear about your love. And move us to effectively communicate that love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Henry
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