Today's Reading: Exodus 36, Acts 10
Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word): Lord please let me hear your message to me in your Word today. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Salvation through Jesus alone; to Jew and Gentile alike.
Jeff- see how Peter came in my service and delivered a message to Cornelius that he might be saved this day. Cornelius was a God fearing man but he did not yet know my Son. My Son is the only way to redemption Jeff and only he who has the son has the life…
1 John 5:12 (ESV)12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Peter knew, however, that Jewish custom left him in a pickle. He was not supposed to stay with and eat with gentiles…
From the ESV Study Bible-
unlawful. Not in terms of violating OT commands but in the sense of not following the later customs of strict Jewish traditions about uncleanness. The Jewish traditions of purity made it virtually impossible for them to associate with Gentiles without becoming ritually unclean. God has shown me refers to the vision of vv. 10–16. This shows how Peter understood his vision.
From the Bible Knowledge Commentary-
Peter was well aware of the consequences of his fellowshiping with Gentiles in their homes (cf. 11:2-3), but he had learned the lesson of the vision well. The command to eat unclean animals meant he was not to call any man impure or unclean. So he came without protest. Acts 10:28 (ESV)28 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. Acts 10:32–33 (ESV)32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
I gave Peter a vision so that he would know I was approving of this call. I explained to him that I have made the gentiles clean by my Son's blood as I have the jews…
Acts 10:11–15 (ESV)11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”
From the ESV Study Bible-
All kinds of animals and reptiles and birds would include both clean and unclean animals. Jewish law forbade the consumption of unclean animals (see Lev. 11:2–47). Deuteronomy 14:3–8 (ESV)3 “You shall not eat any abomination. 4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. 6 Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. 7 Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, are unclean for you. 8 And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.
So the food comparison here Jeff illustrates how I took the unclean and made them clean. I took mankind that was born into iniquity and I made them bear my Son's righteousness. However, this is not accomplished by observing rituals or by eating or not eating certain foods Jeff. It is the heart that makes us unclean and it is my indwelling Spirit that validates the washing of one's heart by the blood of my Son in whom they trust...
Mark 7:14–23 (ESV)14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
From the Matthew Henry Commentary-
He never did, nor ever will, reject or refuse an honest Gentile, who, though he has not the privileges and advantages that the Jews have, yet, like Cornelius, fears God, and worships him, and works righteousness, that is, is just and charitable towards all men, who lives up to the light he has, both in a sincere devotion and in a regular conversation. Whatever nation he is of, though ever so far remote from kindred to the seed of Abraham, though ever so despicable, nay, though in ever so ill a name, that shall be no prejudice to him. God judges of men by their hearts, not by their country or parentage; and, wherever he finds an upright man, he will be found an upright God, Ps. 18:25. Observe, Fearing God, and working righteousness, must go together; for, as righteousness towards men is a branch of true religion, so religion towards God is a branch of universal righteousness. Godliness and honesty must go together, and neither will excuse for the want of the other. But, where these are predominant, no doubt is to be made of acceptance with God. Not that any man, since the fall, can obtain the favour of God otherwise than through the mediation of Jesus Christ, and by the grace of God in him; but those that have not the knowledge of him, and therefore cannot have an explicit regard to him, may yet receive grace from God for his sake, to fear God and to work righteousness; and wherever God gives grace to do so, as he did to Cornelius, he will, through Christ, accept the work of his own hands. Matthew 15:18 (ESV)18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
See that I delivered my message by my servant Peter and it was my Spirit that moved in them and gave them revelation, not Peter. Peter was faithful and he went and he opened his mouth in faith that I would give him the words. Know that there are people in your life Jeff that need my Son as Cornelius did. Trust that I will give you the words if you would be faithful to open your mouth when I call of you. Here Cornelius needed to understand that the Messiah had come...
Acts 10:34–36 (ESV)34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),
From the Bible Knowledge Commentary-
The word Messiah means “Anointed One”; so when Peter said, God anointed Jesus of Nazareth he was saying, “God declared Him the Messiah” (cf. Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:16-21; Acts 4:27). Peter quickly discerned at least three theological implications of what had happened: (1) He could not argue with God (11:17). (2) Cornelius and his household, though uncircumcised (11:3), were baptized because they had believed in Christ, as evidenced by their receiving the Holy Spirit. The order of these events was believing in Christ, receiving the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and being baptized in water. (3) The reality of Cornelius’ conversion was confirmed by Peter’s staying with him several days, probably to instruct him more fully in his newfound faith.
Application and Prayer:
Thank you Lord for your Word and for the guidance you offer for my life. Please let me apply these lessons today and give me ears to hear your voice today. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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Thanks for commenting- I will probably post it if you dont seem to be a crazy person!