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Main Idea
Sometimes God wants His people to take steps of faith without having the full picture.
Many of you may not know this, but in 2019, we were almost missionaries in Paraguay. After I graduated from seminary and became ordained, a position popped up in the CMA to be a professor at a seminary in Asunción. Naturally, that would have been a colossal change for our family, so we prayed about it before applying and throughout the process. We prayed for wisdom, clarity, signs, peace, and confirmation. So, from early summer until the end of the year, we continued walking this path as we felt God directing us, even though we fully didn’t see what He was doing. Now clearly, we decided not to go, but the story today reminds me of a specific time in that process.
It was in October during missions week at Alliance Bible Fellowship. A missionary came in to speak to us, and the atrium outside the auditorium was decorated with dozens of national flags. There were also missionaries stationed under their country’s flag to tell stories of what God was doing there. It was beautiful and a great visual reminder of the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations. Of all the tables in the atrium, only one was vacant. Do you want to guess which flag was presented above it? Yep. Paraguay.
I’m sure you can appreciate the bowling ball Kelly and I felt in our guts as we stared at it. At the time, that seemed to be a pretty clear sign that we were going to Paraguay. In hindsight, it was a clear sign to continue in the process. However, it would take two more months of praying and seeking before we fully realized it.
Today, we will see Peter take steps of faith. We will observe his obedience despite his confusion and see how God brings about his purposes through these steps of faith without having the full picture.
Passage
Acts 10:17–33 ESV
17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “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 he invited them in to be his guests.
The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”
30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and 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 lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Outline
I – Peter’s confusion (vv. 17-20)
II – Cornelius’ servants find Peter (vv. 21-23)
III – Peter goes to Cornelius’ house (vv. 24-29)
IV – Cornelius recaps his vision to Peter (vv. 30-33)
I – Peter’s Confusion
As a quick recap, Peter saw a vision that repeated itself three times. A large sheet was lowered by its four corners from heaven to earth (signifying that its contents represent what will occur globally). Inside the sheet were animals, reptiles, and birds. From our perspective, we might only see classes or species, but Peter saw only two groups: clean and unclean creatures. God then spoke to Peter, commanding him to rise, kill and eat. This, of course, was confusing since the law of Moses forbids explicitly eating some of the animals Peter could see in the sheet. After the vision was complete, the sheet was gone, and Peter was left scratching his head. What in the world does this mean?
At a loss
That’s pretty much what the word perplexed means. Peter was at a total loss for what to think about this vision. What on earth was God trying to communicate? It doesn’t make any sense! Because the vision was about Jewish dietary laws, I can imagine Peter trying his best to logically work through what that might mean for his own life and how best to explain it to the other apostles.
Don’t let your modern-day understanding and benefits of hindsight blind you from just how confusing this must have been. Peter didn’t know Gentiles were coming to get him, so he wouldn’t have any reason to think this vision pertained to anything other than the dietary laws. God revealed just enough to Peter to get the wheels turning. God wanted Peter to think deeply about what this meant so he was primed and ready to go when the time was right.
Think about that the next time something happens to you that doesn’t make sense. Maybe God has you right where He wants you.
Rely on the Spirit
Most of the time, God doesn’t come right out and reveal His plan to us. If that has happened to you, then I am incredibly envious.
As Solomon wisely said:
Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Peter had one piece of the puzzle while God held the rest. Have you ever felt like that… as if God was slow-dripping pieces of the puzzle to you? I know that’s a hard dynamic to deal with, but look at what it does. It causes Peter to rely on God for further clarity, and anything that pushes us toward God is a good thing.
Thankfully, soon after the vision, God gives Peter another piece. While he was still trying to work all this out, the three men from Cornelius’ house approached. After a vision repeated three times, three Gentiles arrived asking for Peter. He was supposed to notice that. When something is done three times in scripture, it is meant to add emphasis and, in this case, finality. Sort of like my Paraguay flag; this was a sign to move forward. And, to ensure the message got through, the Spirit spoke to Peter directly.
“I have sent them, so it is okay to rise and go with them. Don’t even give it a second thought.”
As a man filled with the Spirit, Peter was able to hear Him. I hope we can learn to do that in our own lives. Despite our lack of clarity, I pray we can all confidently move forward in whatever God calls us to do as long as we discern that it is His work.
Many of us have spent a lot of time in these moments where we only see one step at a time. Fortunately for Peter, the next step was literally at his doorstep.
II – Cornelius’ servants find Peter
Upon hearing the word of the Lord and seeing his new guests, Peter came down from the rooftop. When he approached them, he confirmed that he was the one they were looking for. I imagine this would have been deeply encouraging to the servants! To have Peter confirm their mission before they even mention why they were there would have brought a lot of validity to Cornelius’ vision. If they doubted their master before, they wouldn’t any longer. Peter’s confirmation was confirmation that the angel’s words were true.
Seeking clarity
“Why are you here?” Peter asks the men. Clearly, these men were sent on a mission, so they must have some idea of what is going on. And they did. They went on to explain to Peter who their master was and what spurred on this trip.
a. The Roman Centurion – Cornelius – sent us to you.
b. He was given direction by a holy angel to retrieve you and hear your message.
Could you imagine what Peter must have been thinking? Um, let me get this straight. A Captain in the Roman military fears my God and was visited by one of my God’s angels who told him my name? Are you serious right now? Don’t you know I’m toeing the line of being unclean just by talking to you this closely?
Maybe he was thinking that, or perhaps not, but the vision he was giving was starting to sink in. Three Gentiles are telling me that God has revealed his desire for a message from me to be brought to them… a fully Gentile household.
Think about the events Peter has experienced up to this point. He took part in selecting the first deacons because the gospel was bringing thousands of people to faith in Jesus. He was sent north to Samaria to confirm that God had used Philip to bring salvation to the Samaritans. He had seen firsthand how God redeemed Saul, the great persecutor of the church… and one who had killed one of his Deacons! God used him outside of Jerusalem to heal Aeneas in Lydda and then raise Tabitha in Joppa. Now, he is supposed to take the gospel to the home of a Gentile Roman military officer who works for the governing power oppressing my people? Can’t you just hear the wheels turning in his head? I know you are doing marvelous things, Lord, but do you really want me to go to the home of this oppressive, unclean… oh, wait a minute… don’t call unclean what I have called clean… could this be?
Come on in
Perhaps that is why Peter decided to be hospitable and invite these three men in as his guests. Though contact with Gentiles would have made Peter ritualistically unclean and unable to worship in a public gathering, something was changing his heart and attitude.
The gospel has that effect. When the knowledge of God’s love and grace finally sinks in, it changes you.
We can see Peter’s heart begin to soften, even though he still doesn’t have the full picture. Dots are being connected, but Peter is still taking steps of faith.
III – Peter goes to Cornelius’ house
Once the servants had gotten a good night’s sleep and hopefully eaten a hearty breakfast, they set off for Caesarea, but it wasn’t just Peter that went with them.
Brothers from Joppa
Other brothers from Joppa, meaning other Christian believers, went with him. This may seem like a small detail, but it is more than that. Much like Saul’s traveling companions on the road to Damascus, these brothers from Joppa became eyewitnesses to what would soon take place. Saul’s posse were credible eyewitnesses to the reality of his conversion and encounter with the risen Jesus. Likewise, these men would witness the imputation of the Holy Spirit on a group of Gentiles, fulfilling God’s promises in Isa. 49:6, Hosea 1:10, and other places. This wasn’t just a figment of Peter’s imagination or his misinterpreting the vision. This was real.
Passionate, albeit false worship
After a full day’s journey, Peter finally arrived at Cornelius’ house. I am sure he never stopped wondering what all this was about. He was likely piecing together the vision, the three Gentile servants, and the request of the Gentile Centurion. And upon his arrival, Peter sees just how devoted this God-fearer is. Walking through the door, he sees Cornelius and his gathered family and friends. And, in front of them all, this Army Captain bowed down to a redeemed fisherman and worshiped him! What a sight!
Of course, this was wrong, but don’t miss his heart in this. Cornelius is a Roman. It is not uncommon for him to bow and worship multiple gods or someone he perceives to be of divine origin. Caesar claimed divinity and could be worshiped. To Cornelius, this was a routine act of honor and appreciation, which I am sure Peter didn’t expect!
We can see that clearly in his response. He pulled Cornelius back up and said, “Stand up; I, too, am just a man.” We will see this happen a few times in the book of Acts – where Romans and Greek-influenced citizens act this way toward people they believe are divine, and thankfully, Peter, Paul, or whoever else quickly corrected them… not wanting to take any praise and adoration away from the One who deserves it.
We need to do likewise to those we have gospel conversations with. We can’t assume everyone understands our doctrine and values. Like Peter, we need to lovingly steer unbelievers toward the truth with gentleness and give God all the praise for the fruit that may come.
He gets it
Once the embarrassing scene is successfully averted, Peter demonstrates that he finally understands the meaning of the vision. He begins by saying:
“You know it’s unlawful for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone of another nation.”
At first glance, this seems a bit rude, doesn’t it? After entering his home, Peter reiterates that he should even be there or associate with them. It would seem that way to 21st-century ears. However, what Peter is doing here is verbally acknowledging what everyone already knows. Romans had a bad view of Jews, and Jews didn’t have a favorable view of Romans either. Not only that, but it is unlawful for us. However…
I’ve also come to the understanding that God doesn’t see you that way. Before, I would have you unclean and kept my distance, but now, God has shown me the truth. If he doesn’t see you as unclean, neither should I. In fact, I came without any objections.
Now, Peter has the broader picture, but notice how he didn’t demand an answer from God or refrain from obedience until he knew more. As the Spirit led, Peter followed. It’s a beautiful picture of the shepherd-flock relationship. The shepherd lovingly leads, and the flock faithfully follows. Are you trusting Christ with what he has asked of you, or are you pulling against the leash? Let this be a reminder to you to faithfully trust your Good Shepherd. He will never lead you to a place that will not ultimately end up for your benefit.
So, at this point, Peter sees the purpose of his vision. Next, Cornelius will provide the rest of the details.
IV- Cornelius recaps his vision to Peter
If I were Cornelius, I think I would have appreciated Peter’s acknowledgment of their cultural stigma and expressed a change of heart. And since Peter asked why he was summoned, Cornelius was happy to answer.
Cornelius describes his vision
At this point, we are given his vision almost verbatim from what we read earlier in the chapter. He told Peter about the angel, how God remembered his charity and prayers, and how he was directed to Peter specifically to bring him back.
This hardened Roman Centurion… who was also a charitable, humble, God-fearer has laid it all out for Peter. Cornelius sent for Peter because it was a divine directive. “Your God sent a messenger to me because you have a message for us.”
Now, tell us
Now, Peter has the final piece of the puzzle. Now his steps of faith have led him to be the mouthpiece of Isaiah 49:6:
Isaiah 49:6 ESV
6 he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Could you imagine being the one to bring about God’s purpose that was spoken about 700 years ago?
Great things happen when we trust God enough to take steps of faith without the full picture.