Saturday Acts 10:44-48

The Holy Spirit fills Cornelius and his family.

Click here for an online Bible. Acts 10:44-48

God has been rocking Peter’s world. Sometimes it was hard for Peter to learn the lessons that God was teaching. But usually the lesson was learned and Peter’s faith grew. Peter went to Lydda and Joppa then Caesarea. He was obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit and ended up where God wanted him to be.

Up to this point, their understanding of the gospel was that it was the continuing story of God working with His people. God chose Abraham to be the father of a special group of people who would be the community of God’s people. Moses led these people to the land that God had promised to Abraham. Through God’s leadership and provision, they occupied the land and established the nation of Israel. God provided King David to unify the nation and establish roots in the land. God sent prophets to challenge the people when they strayed. He even allowed other nations to punish Israel when they strayed too far. But through it all, they understood that God would do more in the future. God would sent the Messiah to restore Israel as the Kingdom of God’s people. He would bring the people back to God.

The first Christians believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He was the savior of individuals but also the nation of Israel. The Jews were still the community of God’s people, they just needed to follow Christ as the continuation of God’s plan for His people.

Samaritans coming to faith in Christ was a stretch, but their roots were the Northern Kingdom of Israel. God is certainly merciful in accepting Samaritans. Nobody saw this event with Cornelius coming. This is why God arranged for Peter to be there. Peter was the leader of the apostles. Now God proved that this was legitimate by replicating the events of Pentecost with Cornelius and his family.

The men who came with Peter from the church at Joppa were Jewish Christians. They witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit with Cornelius and were amazed. Peter’s response was to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. These Gentiles had been accepted by God, so they should be baptized.

We tend to put limits on God. We have to be open to His leading and allow Him to establish the limits.