Outsiders invited in
Acts 10:9-23
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17 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. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
22 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 ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along.
It seems that identity was just as big an issue in the first century as it is now.
Just like today, first-century Jews defined their identity by what separated them from outsiders (unclean Gentiles). We have different things that separate us from outsiders, but they saw circumcision, the Sabbath, avoiding idols and only eating “clean” foods as identifying who was inside God’s people. Now the Spirit uses a vision about food to change Peter’s ideas about what gives God’s people their identity. (Spoiler alert!) Peter will discover that the true marker of those who are in Christ, is having his Spirit in them. He’s discovering that its Jesus and his Spirit, not rules, that make us clean.
God has already sent a messenger (an angel) to an outsider called Cornellius. Now messengers from Cornellius are respectfully waiting outside (they know they are unclean outsiders). The Spirit tells Peter to go out to them. When he goes with them, he’ll discover that the Spirit is way ahead of him, and he needs to catch up. Peter will realise that when Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples of all peoples (Matthew 28:8), he meant all peoples. He may remember that Jesus was always inviting outsiders, people who were rejected, to come into his kingdom.
I’m challenged to remember that my identity is in Christ and his Spirit in me is what identifies me. I’m challenged to share Jesus’ view of “outsiders” as people he’s inviting to come in. And I’m challenged to be both conscientious and humble about doing the “right” thing. I need to be careful not to say, “Surely not, Lord,” (v14) when he’s doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-21). Maybe I should think less of the Spirit empowering my plans, and more of me joining the Spirit in what he’s doing. Or, more likely, catching up to join in what he’s already begun.
Jesus, where are we going today? Who do you want to invite in today? I want to be part of your invitation into your family.
Written by David Cornell