Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 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?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (ESV)

The repetition of this story underlines its strategic importance. This was a major juncture in the unfolding history of the church. Here are one or two observations from this passage:

  • Note God’s perfect timing (11): ”…at that very moment…”;
  • There were other witnesses to what happened (12), and what happened was out of their hands (15): ”As I began to speak…”;
  • Verse 14 underlines the point that, as virtuous as these Gentiles may have been, they were not ”saved” – not until they ‘repented’ (18), and put their faith in Jesus (10:43);
  • Like Peter himself, those who heard Peter’s testimony were open enough to have their hearts and minds changed (even though they had previously been critical and prejudiced (2,3). ‘ The facts compelled a favorable verdict upon Peter’s action. They tacitly confessed that the seal of God’s approval had been unmistakably affixed to his action, and that he had no alternative. When a man lives in union with the Spirit of God, crooked things become straight and rough places plain, Isaiah 40:4 .’ F.B. Meyer

PRAYER: Lord, change my mind where it needs to be changed. Enable me to keep in step with you.

Thought: ‘If the Holy Spirit had been removed from the first Christian church, ninety-five per cent of what they were doing would have stopped; but if the Holy Spirit were removed from today’s church, ninety-five per cent of what we are doing would continue.’