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About-Him.Com Devotional 09-09-2007
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Peter Takes the Gospel to the Gentiles

Acts 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39  And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40  Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41  Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42  And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43  To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.  


After the healing of Aeneas and the raising of Dorcas from the dead, Peter continued to stay in Joppa at the house of one named Simon the Tanner. Peter, who had been quite busy using the keys to the kingdom that Jesus had entrusted to him had been mightily used of God (Matthew 16:19). He had used these keys of authority on the day of Pentecost when he confronted a jeering crowd and commanded repentance and water baptism in the name of Jesus as a condition of being filled with God's Spirit (Acts 2:38).  He had also  used these keys of authority in Acts 8 when Samaria received the word and the people were filled with the Holy Ghost at the laying on of his and John's hands. One more key remained. God would use Peter to preach the salvation message to the gentiles. First though, God had to overcome the ingrained prejudice that Peter held against anything that was not Jewish. While Peter was in a trance he saw a vision of all manner of unclean beasts and heard a voice commanding his to rise, slay and eat.  "Not me lord, I've never eaten anything that's common or unclean". "Peter, don't call what I have cleansed common or unclean." Peter was wondering just what this was all about, but he didn’t have to wonder very long. Three Gentile men were knocking at the door of the house where he was staying.  

In nearby Caesarea there dwelled a very devout man named Cornelius. He prayed to God constantly and gave a lot of money to those in need and to the local Jewish synagogue. God had taken notice of all this. He told Cornelius to send for Peter who would tell him what he ought to do. The voice of the lord came to Peter and told him to go with these Gentiles to the house of Cornelius. Peter now had no doubt what the vision was all about.  

When he and six Jewish brethren got to Caesarea, Peter confessed that although it was against the law for these two races to be mixing, God had shown him the He was no respecter of persons and that he did not have the right to call any man common or unclean. Cornelius then related how that an angel had appeared and told him to send for Peter who would tell him what to do. Upon hearing this Peter began to preach. What did he preach? The same thing that he had preached at Pentecost. The same thing that Philip preached at Samaria and which Peter had confirmed. The same thing that Paul would preach to twelve of John's disciples at Ephesus.  Quite simply, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The religious folks had killed Him but God had raised Him up and enthroned Him in heaven. It is He who is appointed to be the judge of the living and the dead. All who believe on Him will receive forgiveness of sins. Obviously Cornelius grasped what Peter was saying for instantly the Holy Ghost fell on him and all who heard the words of Peter.  

The six Jewish brethren that were with Peter were flabbergasted. These gentiles were receiving the Holy Ghost just like they did. How did they know? The heard them speak in tongues and glorify God, just like on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4).  So Peter finished up using his God given key to the kingdom. He commanded all who had received the Spirit to be baptized in water in the name of the Lord. Just like on the day of Pentecost.  

The message that Peter preached was consistent throughout the book of Acts and has not changed, and there is no other conversion experience recorded in the book of Acts that contradicts what he preached. i.e. faith in Jesus Christ which produces repentance and confession of sins, water baptism for the remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ and the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.  

Some would say, "Well I'm not a bad person." Neither was Cornelius, but he still needed to hear what Peter had to preach. Some might say, "Well, I don't  know about this Jesus name baptism." Friend, it's the only way that the apostles ever baptized anyone. They confessed that the name of Jesus was the only name given under heaven whereby men might be saved (Acts 4:12) Others will say, " I don't understand this tongues stuff." Once again, the book of Acts was written to show us how the apostles operated according to a consistent pattern and tongues is certainly a part of that pattern.

Humor
All eyes were on the radiant bride as her father escorted her down the aisle. They reached the altar and the waiting groom; the bride kissed her father and placed something in his hand. The guests in the front pews responded with ripples of laughter. Even the minister smiled broadly. As her father gave her away in marriage, the bride gave him back his credit card."

Somebody Has Said
 "We shall have all eternity in which to celebrate our victories, but we have only one swift hour before the sunset in which to win them." - Robert Moffat      

Keep Looking Up!

Don and Marie Spooner
About Him! Ministries

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