We open our look at Acts 10 – 14 with an important story that takes up all of chapter 10 and half of 11: Peter goes to the Gentiles. In chapter 10 we have the story as it unfolds. In chapter 11 Peter retells the story back in Jerusalem. If you’re not familiar with the story, you can read all of it here: Acts 10:1 – 11:18. (We’re following the 5x5x5 Reading Plan – join us!)

Jesus was clear:

[Jesus] said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24.46 – 48, ESV, emphasis mine)

One wonders what part of “all nations” did Peter not understand? Look what it took to get Peter to visit Cornelius:

• An angel visits Cornelius to tell him to fetch Peter (Acts 10.1 – 8)
• God gives Peter a vision with this tagline: “What God has made clean, do not call common.” (Acts 10.9 – 16)
• The Holy Spirit prompts Peter to go with the men from Cornelius. (Acts 10.17 – 20)

Peter arrives at Cornelius’ house where there are “many persons gathered.” Even then, it takes a few minutes for Peter to get started:

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. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” (Acts 10:28, 29, ESV)

Cornelius, who has just been called “common and unclean,” is very gracious: “It was kind of you to come. We are here to listen to what you have to say.”

Finally, Peter begins to preach:

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him... And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10.34, 35…42, 43, ESV)

And there is a powerful response: the people believe and God sends the Holy Spirit in the same manner as he did in Acts 2!

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

So far in Acts, the “signs and wonders” have been done BY the apostles so that people might believe. (See, for example, the results of Peter’s miracles we looked at yesterday.) This time the sign was not for unbelievers but for Peter! An angelic visit to a Roman, a vision for Peter, Spirit prompting, and now the Holy Spirit coming as Peter explains to skeptical friends back in Jerusalem:

If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11.17, ESV)

God is gracious, sometimes helping his reluctant servants do what they’ve already been asked to do. Jonah comes to mind! Tomorrow we’ll see that God had more success using ordinary people than with the apostles! Stay tuned. In the meantime, whom am I reluctant to go to? Surely “they” aren’t included!

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7.9, 10, ESV)