PROCLAMATION
“He said to them: ‘You are well aware that it
is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But
God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.’ ” Acts
10:28 (NIV)
EXPLANATION
These words were written by Luke, the
physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. Luke records
that a devout and God-fearing man named Cornelius, who was a centurion in the
Roman army, had a vision in which he was told to send for Simon Peter. (Acts
10:1-6) About the same time Peter had a vision in which The Lord God told
him not to call anything impure that He had made clean. (Acts 10:9-16)
While Peter was still trying to figure out his first vision, The Holy Spirit
came to him and told him to go with the three men who were looking for him
because He had sent them. (Acts 10:17-19) Peter went with them and when
he arrived at the home of Cornelius, he told them that their law did not allow
a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, but God had shown him that it was
okay. (Acts 10:23-29) Cornelius had invited his relatives and close
friends to his home to hear the message that God had for them. (Acts
10:24) Peter found a large gathering in the house (Acts 10:27) and
preached to them until The Holy Spirit came upon all of those who heard him.
(Acts 10:44-46)
APPLICATION
With The Lord God there is no respect of
persons, (Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11) there are only believers and
non-believers. Believers are to accept all other believers as brothers in
Christ, regardless of their racial, ethnic, or national differences. All
believers possess The Holy Spirit of God within them. Our differences do
not matter. All that is important is that
they believe in Christ. If they believe, then they are to be
accepted. If they do not believe, then we are to share the gospel with
them. It is the job of The Holy Spirit
to convict, convince, and convert them. Only He adds to the church and He does
so as He sees fit. (Acts 2:47)
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