Peter and Cornelius - Part 1
Brain Re-engineering
Acts 10v9b-23
12th March 2011
Peter was on a ministry trip, and was staying in Joppa. He knew who we was. He was a sinner, saved by grace. He'd followed Jesus, but had betrayed Him. Jesus had restored him (John 21) and now he was the leader of the church. He was full of the Holy Spirit and had seen many miracles. Just a few days ago, he'd prayed for a dead woman, who was restored to life. He knew God was with him, he had the support of the church, and things were going well. He must have felt good about himself. And he must have also thought of himself as a good, law-abiding Jew.
Acts 10v9b-16
Peter went up on the roof to pray.
He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
It was cool and quiet on the roof, so Peter went up there to pray, and he had a vision. But this vision was appalling to him. It was of a sheet containing all kinds of animals, many of which the Law forbade him to eat (Leviticus 11). How could a voice from heaven tell him to "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."? It did not compute. It made no sense. How could God tell him to break the Law? Peter's reply was both eloquent and absurd at the same time. He said, "Surely not, Lord!". He expressed his commitment to the Law of God, by refusing to obey God. Of course, you can't really call God "Lord" and then refuse to do what he says (Luke 6v46).
God's reply was simple, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean". God was making it clear to Peter that the Old Testament food laws no longer applied.
This was a difficult message for Peter to accept. he'd obeyed the food laws all his life. And they were God's laws, given through Moses. It's hard to change your mind, especially if it's about how God's people should live, and especially if you're considered a mature Christian and a church leader.
But, sometimes, God will re-engineer your brain.
And it's wise to ensure that we're open to this. We haven't understood God perfectly. Our knowledge isn't complete. God has new things to show us (at least, things that are new to us). As Jesus said, "no-one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined" (Luke 5v37). Have we become inflexible and brittle like old wineskins, and become unteachable because we think we know it all?
God hadn't finished teaching Peter this new lesson. Although Peter didn't know it yet, God had spoken to a gentile called Cornelius, telling him to send for Peter (Acts 10v1-9a). This is what happened when his messengers arrived in Joppa:
Acts 10v17-22
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. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying
there.
While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you.
So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."
Peter went down and said to the men, "I-m the one you-re looking for. Why have you come?"
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 have you come to his house so that he could hear
what you have to say."
What was Peter to do? He was still wondering about the meaning of the vision when gentiles arrived at the house. God had said "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean". Did that just apply to food, or did it apply to people, too? It applies to everything! Peter accepted the new revelation from God and acted on it:
Acts 10v23a
Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter allowed gentiles into his home. He would never have done this before. God can make anyone clean, and Peter, and we, cannot be prejudiced against anyone who is "devout and God-fearing" (verse 2). And Peter went further:
Acts 10v23b
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.
We need to hear God. We need to be willing to change our understanding, to let God re-engineer our brains, to accept whatever He teaches us. And we need to act on what we learn.