Peter and Cornelius - Part 3

God Does Not Show Favouritism

Acts 10v27-35

26^th March 2011

In the early verses of Acts 10, God showed Peter that all food and all people were "clean". Peter responded in obedience by going with a group of Gentiles to the house of a God-fearing Gentile called Cornelius. On arriving, Peter stated plainly that Cornelius and he were both human, and of equal value.

We read on:

Acts 10v27-29
Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"

Peter took the next step, entering the home of a Gentile. He immediately admitted that he'd needed God to show him that all people are of equal value and "I should not call any man impure or unclean". He then asks why he had been invited.

Acts 10v30-33
Cornelius answered: "Four 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 and said, "Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 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.- 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."

This is the preachers and evangelists dream! He had an audience of people who wanted to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us. It's great for a preacher to have the freedom to say what God has given him without looking at the clock. And it's even better to be with a group of people who are truly hungry for the word of God.

How sad it is when churches grow weary of listening to the preached word. This is partly caused by mediocre preaching, of course. But it can also be the consequence of our hearts growing lukewarm about the things of God. And it can result from our constantly hearing the word of God and not doing it. Like eating all the time and never exercising, we can lose our appetite. But Cornelius and his friends were desperate to know the truth.

Acts 10v34-35
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right."

Because he had obeyed God, and because he had accepted the Gentiles as his equals, Peter had been given the chance to preach the gospel. What higher privilege is there than to speak God's holy, redeeming word? Peter's first words were words of reconciliation, based on the love and welcome of God. God accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. The first questions for us, then, are not about our nationality, status, position or even doctrine. they're simple questions:

• Do we fear God?

• Are we doing what is right?

If so, God accepts us. If not - even if we are baptised, born-again Christians, we need to repent. We cannot approach God without reverent fear and a desire to do what is right. But to fear God and do right is only the start. God's acceptance of us is worked out through the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter turns to this next, and so will we, next week.