Powerful Prayer Time (Acts 10-11)
Simon Peter, praying around lunch time, finds himself in a trance, hungry and contrary to God's command saying, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." (v14). But a voice from heaven tells him, "You must not call unclean what God has cleansed" (v15). Here we have a wonderful example of what power prayer can be and what powerful things can occur while on home visiting.
Here our Father in heaven is bringing elements of His realm to earth through the Holy Spirit; creating a place for His children without racial or cultural distinction. But his servant is caught up in a paradigm of Jewish exclusivity and prejudice; it being unlawful for a Jew to mix with Gentiles (v28). Cornelius is a Roman centurion in Caesarea, a God fearer, generous, praying daily, and he is also praying in a trance like vision when approached by an angel of the Lord, saying to send for Simon Peter who is residing on the west coast nearby in Joppa.
Having just raised Tabitha from the dead. Peter is being prepared to become the instrument of the Holy Spirit outpouring for Gentiles. He is simply told to go with these men sent from Caesarea to bring him to Cornelius' household. Peter has no idea as yet that the vision of unclean animals and birds has got anything at all to do with this but he obeys and reaches the home of a Roman. He is faced with the paradox of separating himself from the world in holiness as he sees it and yet being needed to reach the world with the saving grace of Christ.
Cornelius relates his mid-afternoon prayer visitation to Peter, still pondering his own noonday prayer visitation. Suddenly the two visions meet and fit together in Peter's understanding and he opens his mouth in awe saying, "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.' (11:35) Peter preaches Christ, that whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. With that the Holy Spirit is poured out upon all who were there to hear his words, Gentiles and Jews alike.
Many of us would write off this incident as one of those things they did in the days when heaven was open but not for nowadays. Certainly the Apostles were extraordinary people, even raising the dead (9:40), but I have not a doubt that every prayerful believer who is full of the same Holy Spirit can be similarly silly and yet extraordinary, for in our weakness the Lord can be mind-blowingly powerful. Each and every sinner saved has the opportunity to be involved in faith-like action such as this.
We have had opportunity arise likewise, thinking we were not prepared or even qualified to be of much use in such house calls. And yet we have found ourselves similarly in a divinely orchestrated mission when the Holy Spirit did far beyond our expectations. The Lord is in the business of saving others to bring them into His own likeness. This is a testimony of prayer and power from the Lord who is the same yesterday as He is today.
Here our Father in heaven is bringing elements of His realm to earth through the Holy Spirit; creating a place for His children without racial or cultural distinction. But his servant is caught up in a paradigm of Jewish exclusivity and prejudice; it being unlawful for a Jew to mix with Gentiles (v28). Cornelius is a Roman centurion in Caesarea, a God fearer, generous, praying daily, and he is also praying in a trance like vision when approached by an angel of the Lord, saying to send for Simon Peter who is residing on the west coast nearby in Joppa.
Having just raised Tabitha from the dead. Peter is being prepared to become the instrument of the Holy Spirit outpouring for Gentiles. He is simply told to go with these men sent from Caesarea to bring him to Cornelius' household. Peter has no idea as yet that the vision of unclean animals and birds has got anything at all to do with this but he obeys and reaches the home of a Roman. He is faced with the paradox of separating himself from the world in holiness as he sees it and yet being needed to reach the world with the saving grace of Christ.
Cornelius relates his mid-afternoon prayer visitation to Peter, still pondering his own noonday prayer visitation. Suddenly the two visions meet and fit together in Peter's understanding and he opens his mouth in awe saying, "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.' (11:35) Peter preaches Christ, that whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. With that the Holy Spirit is poured out upon all who were there to hear his words, Gentiles and Jews alike.
Many of us would write off this incident as one of those things they did in the days when heaven was open but not for nowadays. Certainly the Apostles were extraordinary people, even raising the dead (9:40), but I have not a doubt that every prayerful believer who is full of the same Holy Spirit can be similarly silly and yet extraordinary, for in our weakness the Lord can be mind-blowingly powerful. Each and every sinner saved has the opportunity to be involved in faith-like action such as this.
We have had opportunity arise likewise, thinking we were not prepared or even qualified to be of much use in such house calls. And yet we have found ourselves similarly in a divinely orchestrated mission when the Holy Spirit did far beyond our expectations. The Lord is in the business of saving others to bring them into His own likeness. This is a testimony of prayer and power from the Lord who is the same yesterday as He is today.
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