Burunche’s Blog

Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

This was Saul’s big chance! Now was his golden opportunity to SQUASH this ridiculous cult before it could possibly threaten the safety of all the Jews in Israel. Signs and wonders? Miracles! Unthinkable! These people must have been faking things somehow. And swearing that their leader Jesus had been raised from the dead??? Anathema! And so Saul went on his way, totally unaware that God was using him for His own purposes.

Today is Ascension Sunday. When Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, he told his disciples, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8) Shortly after Jesus ascended, Pentecost came and the Holy Spirit descended on 120 of Jesus’ followers as they were praying together. This should have been the signal for the disciples to start going out from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. But the disciples were still meeting together in Jerusalem; none of them had yet ventured out of their comfort zones.

When I was growing up on a Midwestern farm, we used to raise pigs out in the field. Sometimes we would have to move a large number of pigs from one hog pasture to another. We would open a gate widely and then begin driving the pigs toward the open gate hole. We were trying to get the pigs to go to a new field with fresh clover and alfalfa, but the pigs weren’t interested! They were fine in their old pasture, just fine, thank you! and had no interest in moving. At that point, three of us holding long wooden gates would have to begin herding the pigs toward the open gate hole. We would literally have to make a temporary pen with the gates we were holding, moving closer and closer to the gate hole so that the pigs were forced to go through. Amazingly enough, many of those pigs had to be BACKED through the gate hole! Well, this is what God was doing with those early Christians. Jesus had given them a command and they had failed to follow it on their own. Now God was forcing them to flee to the very places they had been avoiding. Ironically, once the Christians reached those new places, wonderful things began to happen. It was only after the persecution stirred up by Saul that Philip went down to Samaria or that Peter went to Joppa. Had the disciples remained in Jerusalem, they would never have seen the miracles God had prepared.

Today there are many churches who are struggling to decide whether or not to open back up for regular services. I feel each congregation needs to pray about that decision and to take all reasonable precautions. But what if God is trying to get Christians OUT of the church buildings and INTO the world? It’s true that the Bible advises us in Hebrews 10:25 not to “forsake the meeting of yourselves together;” but what if God wants more small discipleship groups and fewer big showy programs? What if God has not been impressed with worship bands and slick singing groups but is rather trying to get Christians to worship Him “in spirit and in truth?” One missionary of our acquaintance told me that one of the most impressive worship services she ever attended was one in which the Christians had to WHISPER the words of the hymns for fear of being overheard and reported to the police in that country. When we insist on big programs and Christian superstars, are we really honoring God or merely entertaining ourselves in the name of worship?

The question each of us must answer for ourselves is this: What does God want from me in this particular set of circumstances? Is God trying to get me out of my comfort zone? Am I trying to hang onto the salt shaker while God is trying to get me out???

PRAYER: Father God, this morning, we confess that we want to be comfortable! We want things to go on just the way they have in the past and WE DON’T LIKE CHANGE! But Father, you are the One who has called us to be light and salt. Help us to go out and share the hope that you have given us because of what Jesus has done for us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers— 53 you who have received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”

54 On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Greco Jewish believers from the Synagogue of the Freedmen had brought false charges against Stephen and he had been hauled before the Sanhedrin. When the priests asked Stephen if the charges against him were true, Stephen proceeded to give a summary of the history of the Jews, demonstrating why Jesus had to come as the Messiah. Then Stephen turned to his accusers and accused them instead, claiming that those conducting his trial had received the divine law but had refused to keep it.

It was at this point that Stephen’s trial became a mob scene. What is fascinating here is this: if these men were certain that Stephen was wrong, why did they have to cover their ears? What were they afraid of? The answer may lie in the observation that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. The men accusing Stephen were demonically influenced; the demons within them could not bear to hear any of the words of the Holy Spirit.

The mob dragged Stephen out of the city and found the biggest stones they could to throw at him. But Stephen still had the last word as he prayed for those who were killing him, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Looking on at the back of the crowd was a proud young Jewish scholar named Saul, who was keeping track of the cloaks of those who were throwing the stones. Acts 8:1 says that “Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death.”

Stephen died because he witnessed to the truth that Jesus was the long – awaited Messiah. And although it appeared that Stephen had lost, in reality Stephen won everything. Stephen was faithful to God. Stephen died forgiving his killers. And Stephen left a lasting example for his fellow believers and also for those responsible for his death. And there was one more thing: Stephen left a lasting example for that haughty young Jewish scholar who was so full of religious pride.

To the early Christians, Stephen’s death must have looked like the worst tragedy they could imagine. And this incident sparked a persecution of Christians, the likes of which nobody had seen before. Those Christians were probably asking God, “WHY, LORD?” and yet, God was preparing to do incredibly wonderful things and the central character for much of those great works was to be that haughty Jewish scholar.

Today we may find ourselves in the middle of chaos. Nothing is making sense, and we really wonder if God has abandoned us. But all the time that we are getting worried, God is working out His purposes. Have faith! Hang on! God is still on the throne and He is still in control.

PRAYER: Father God, we thank you that your purposes are sure and that nobody can stand against you. Lord, help us to trust where we cannot see and to hold on. We thank you for your grace, for your mercy, and for your love. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Acts 6:8 “Now Stephen, who was full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

11 Then they prompted some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” 12 So they stirred up the people and elders and scribes. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

13 They presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”

Stephen, along with six other Christian men, had been selected by the twelve disciples to handle the food distribution to widows, in effect, to be a glorified waiter. But Stephen literally WAS a glorified waiter because wherever Stephen went, God was demonstrating his power in signs and wonders and healings.

Now in Jerusalem there were a number of different groups of Jews, each group trying to prove that they were more religious and more dedicated than the others. One of these groups was the Synagogue of the Freedmen. Looking at the places from which these men had come, it would seem that some of them might have been slaves who had been given or who had earned their freedom and who had remained in Jerusalem. At any rate, the members of this synagogue would have been considered outsiders and just a little bit lower on the social/religious pecking order than Jews who were born in Israel. Perhaps these men picked an argument with Stephen in hopes that they would be able to carry the day and to portray themselves as defenders of the faith.

Unfortunately, things did not work out the way the Freedmen had anticipated. When these men tried to argue with Stephen, “they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” Failing to win any argument, these men now resorted to hiring false witnesses so that the Sanhedrin became worried and arrested Stephen. (Remember that the Sanhedrin members refused to believe in any after life and also worked closely with the Romans. Members of the Sanhedrin were far more worried about suppressing this upstart cult and maintaining peace than they were about ascertaining the truth.) But when Stephen was brought into the court room, the Holy Spirit was glowing from his face, impressing all who saw him.

There is much more to the story, but let’s look at Stephen a little longer. Jesus warned his disciples in Luke 21:12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors. 13 This will be your opportunity to serve as witnesses. 14 So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” Stephen’s trial is the first recorded case in which these promises were carried out. And God did give Stephen all the right words. The only problem was that those listening to Stephen did not want to hear the truth and rejected what he said.

Facing accusations of any kind is always very difficult and unnerving. Most of us try our best but we worry that we might not be able to say the right things at the right time. We can take comfort in the story of Stephen. We can rest assured that if we are representing the Lord, at the right time He will give us the words we need and the grace to express ourselves appropriately.

Today business owners and church leaders and others find themselves facing stiff opposition from governing bodies in the matter of when to relax the COVID – 19 restrictions. Many times, these people may be called upon to defend their positions. If we pray, God will give us wisdom to make right decisions and the words we need to defend those decisions.

PRAYER: Father God, today we pray for all those who are trying to resume work, re – open businesses and churches, and otherwise resume more normal lives. Please give these people wisdom to make the right decisions and the courage and grace to defend those decisions. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 6:1 “In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them 4 and devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith.”

We have been following Peter’s career as a leader of the early Christian church. But there were many remarkable believers in that early Christian church. While much of the focus was on Peter with his preaching and the signs and wonders that were surrounding him, there were others who were serving faithfully without a lot of public acclaim. Let’s talk about a man called Stephen and his colleagues.

When faced with the problems of a growing church, the Twelve realized that it was time to delegate. The most pressing problem was the food distribution to widows; the Greeks were accusing the Jews of favoritism. The Twelve mentioned here were the eleven original disciples of Jesus, plus Matthias. The Twelve were smart enough to realize that they needed help; who was going to determine whether or not someone really needed food or was just trying to manipulate? Who was going to decide how the distribution was to be done? And a major question: where could they find men with servants’ hearts who would be willing to do small jobs? Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest” makes several references to the fact that many people are ready for a prayer meeting but not to do lowly, menial tasks. And yet, God is watching to see if we will be faithful in the little day to day things; this is where our faithfulness is really tested.

 The men chosen to oversee the social ministries of the church were outstanding believers themselves. Philip, who is mentioned here, is the same Philip who later preached to the Queen’s treasurer from Ethiopia. We can assume that these other men were equally strong believers and vibrant in their faith. Throughout the Bible, God has preserved lists of names. Many times in the Old Testament, God lists names of those who were righteous and also of those who failed or betrayed Him or persecuted His prophets. Here we see that these men were so good and did their jobs so skillfully that God preserved their names so that they would be remembered, even though their work was considered menial at the time.

A few years ago, there was an elderly lady in the Bipiela Assemblies of God congregation who died. This lady had begun life as “the Kotokoli Princess,” a royal from a traditional family who was married to a chief. But when this lady became a Christian, her husband, who followed traditional religions and possibly folk Islam as well, renounced her and she and her children had to move to Tamale. This lady became such a vibrant Christian that her nickname was “Madame Hallelujah.” She supported her family and herself with petty trading. Her children became pastors, and her son became a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in California. Even though this lady faced many challenges throughout her lifetime, her glowing smile and her love for God shone through in everything she did and she touched the lives of all with whom she had contact.

Most of us have very little control over our lives, a fact that has been emphasized by the COVID – 19 pandemic. But we do have a choice as to how we will serve God. Are we willing to be like Stephen and his friends, who took on menial tasks but who did them well? Nearly two millenia have gone by, and yet the names of those faithful men are still known because they were willing to serve. If we are ready to do God’s will, even if it means doing something menial, then some day we will hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ (Matthew 25:23)

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us and for allowing us to be your hands and feet to those around us. Help us to be willing to do small things with great love. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 11:1 The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him 3 and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

4 But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events: 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me. 6 I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’ 8 ‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven. 11 Just then, three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as He had come upon us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift as He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”

18 When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

There is a story about a man who owned a mule that needed to be trained before it could become a work animal. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with mules, they are INCREDIBLY STUBBORN!) So the man advertised, and soon an experienced mule trainer came out to his farm. The very first thing the mule trainer did was to pick up a large piece of wood and hit the mule on the side of the head!
“Wow!” said the mule owner, “what did you do that for?”
“Oh, no problem,” answered the mule trainer. “That was just to get his attention. Now that I have his attention, I can begin training him.”

Reading the book of Acts, it seems that the Apostles were a whole lot like that mule. Jesus had already given them their marching orders: “you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” But somehow, even as Jesus was saying these words, the disciples must have been thinking about all the JEWS, rather than all the various peoples throughout the earth. Even when the day of Pentecost came and Peter preached and 3,000 people became Christians, the disciples still had a very limited view of things. It took this incident with Cornelius and his household and friends to get the attention of the disciples.

Peter had had a wonderful time in Caesarea with Cornelius and his household, teaching them and praying with them. Peter probably almost floated back to Jerusalem on a cloud of glory …. and then his fellow Jewish believers began to grill him. “Peter, what have you done? Have you lost your mind? You have defiled yourself! What were you thinking?” It’s likely that Peter faced these and many other questions. There were probably some disciples who were even a bit jealous of Peter who thought, ”O. K., Peter has really blown it now! Perhaps it’s time for new leadership.” But then Peter told the whole story.

God was so smart! Had Peter only given his critics theological arguments, even had Peter quoted Jesus, there might have been people who would have argued. But God had already forestalled any critics by giving the Holy Spirit to Cornelius, his household, and his believing friends. Once God had spoken so decisively, the only thing the believers could say was, “All right! God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

There are many interesting things about the story of Cornelius and his friends. Peter didn’t even get to give his entire message, let alone ask his hearers to confess their sins. The only person in that group about whom we know anything is Cornelius. It’s possible that some of the other people turned up at Cornelius’ house out of curiosity and not out of a heartfelt dedication to God. But God sent his Holy Spirit on the whole gathering.

Perhaps you have come out of a situation in which one or both of your parents were perfectionists. You may have spent much of your childhood trying to live up to impossible standards. Unfortunately, most of us transfer our view of our fathers over to our view of our heavenly Father God. This leaves many people struggling to become good enough for God. But the good news is that NONE of us is good enough! The Bible says that “All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Why is our sin good news? The good news is that Jesus Christ came as a man and suffered, bled, and died a shameful death on a cross for our sins. But God raised Jesus from the dead, defeating death for all time. The good news is that we don’t have to clean up our acts before we can come to God. God runs “come as you are” parties; God just wants us to turn to Him and He will clean us up.

PRAYER: Father God, we confess that we have sinned and that nothing we can do will be good enough to earn our way into heaven. But Lord, we thank you that because Jesus suffered, bled, and died for our sins, you have made a way for us. All we have to do is to accept what Jesus has already done for us and dedicate our lives to you. Please help us to do this and to follow hard after you all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Acts 10:24 “The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. 26 But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” 27 As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together. 28 He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29 So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?”

30 Cornelius answered: “Four days ago, I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God. 32 Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, 35 but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. 36 He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

37 You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

39 We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, 40 God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen— 41 not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard his message. 45 All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.”

This is a long story, but it is a good one and must be told in its entirety. After receiving a divine vision, Peter immediately found himself welcoming a delegation from a local Roman centurion. And Cornelius, the centurion, was no ordinary Roman soldier. Cornelius was a commander attached to the Italian Legion, probably considered as politically influential. And Cornelius was living in Caesarea on the coast. The town of Caesarea was a very important city in those days. Set on the Mediterranean Sea, Caesarea was a wonderful seaport with a specially engineered self – cleaning harbor. This meant that as long as those fortifications stood, the harbor would never silt in. There was a magnificent ampitheater, as well as an aqueduct. Even today, most of the ampitheater and much of the aqueduct are still visible. The photo shows part of the original harbor. So, Cornelius was a highly favored Roman commander, as well as a believer and a generous man with a heart for the poor. And Cornelius had lots of friends, because they were all there at Cornelius’ house, waiting for Peter and the delegation from Joppa.

So, Peter arrived and began preaching. But while Peter was still preaching, the Holy Spirit suddenly descended on the entire group! Everybody in the place spontaneously was speaking in tongues and praising God. And Peter was shocked! Perhaps Peter had anticipated that he would speak, then he and his fellow believers would counsel those present, and then they might lay hands on them. But God had a different idea altogether! God sent his Holy Spirit as a sign of his favor, and Peter was sensitive enough to realize that if God had already given a sign of approval, there was nothing left to do but baptize these new believers with water. We can almost see Peter’s companions looking at him for clues and Peter shrugging those big shoulders and throwing up his hands in surrender to God’s will.

God is forever and always doing new things! And God really doesn’t care about our likes or dislikes or our prejudices. God’s passion is for everyone in the entire world to know the truth about Jesus Christ and to accept him as Savior and Lord. To that end, God is always and everywhere reaching out in many ways. If you are not a believer, please open your heart and ask God to show you his truth. If you are a believer, then the question is this: Are you helping or hindering God? In this story, God sent the Holy Spirit, possibly because the believers might have hesitated. But God knew Cornelius and his friends were ready. Today, ask God to show you where he wants you to be and what he wants you to do. But be prepared for the unexpected! God shook up Peter; he might shake up you as well!

PRAYER: Father, I pray that those reading this who do not know you will come to a saving knowledge of you. And I pray that those of us who know you will follow you and not hinder you with our preconceived notions. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 10: 9 The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.

11 He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. 13 Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”

14“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “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 all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.

17 While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate. 18 They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there. 19 As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you. 20 Get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”

21 So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?” 22“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home, so that he could hear a message from you.” 23 So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.

All the time that Peter was following Jesus, he was also a good observant Jew. All proper Jews were aware of the dietary restrictions handed down by Moses in the Torah. But there was also a second distinction. Something could originate as being clean, but if it touched an unclean object, it was then considered as “common;” in other words, it had become defiled. In Peter’s vision, all kinds of animals and reptiles, both clean and unclean were all bunched together in the center of this sheet. This meant that even the “clean” animals had become “common” because of their contact with the unclean animals.

Was God setting aside the Jewish dietary laws through Peter’s vision? No. God had a totally different purpose. Until this point it was thought that a Gentile believer could not be considered as ‘being saved’ unless he first converted and became a legal Jewish citizen through undergoing man-made conversion rituals prescribed by the Judaism of that day. We now know, and will see from Scripture, that such a requirement is not part of God’s plan for Gentiles coming to faith and belief in Him. God was preparing to teach Peter and other believers a crucially important lesson.

While Peter was still musing over this vision, the delegation sent by Cornelius arrived. Normally, Peter would have had little to do with these men, but because of the vision, Peter invites them in as his guests and goes with them next day to Caesarea, accompanied by some of the believers from Joppa. There, Peter and his friends were to have yet another incredible encounter with the power of God, one that would change the direction of the church.

Late in his career, Peter was to write “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) By the time Peter wrote those words, he had watched men and women of all races stream into the kingdom of God. But in the beginning, all the believers needed a paradigm shift, and that shift started in Joppa when God gave Peter a vision.

Today, are there people to whom God wants you to reach out? Do you have neighbors who need help or encouragement? Is there anybody in your life whom you have been avoiding because they didn’t believe quite the way you do? Ask God. Perhaps God wants to give you new visions as He did Peter.

PRAYER: Father God, this morning we ask that you will open our hearts and minds to new ways to minister to those around us. We thank you that you care for all people. Help us to look beyond our prejudices and to follow the leading of your Holy Spirit. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Acts 10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?”

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his attendants. 8 He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa.

There is a story told about a Christian missionary who was working in South America. One day, the missionary heard that there was to be a city – wide crusade, involving all the churches in town, including one denomination who had fought with this missionary. The missionary began praying, “Lord!” the missionary said, “why do I have to work with these people? They don’t believe all the same things that I do!” “Well,” replied the Lord, “I don’t believe all the same things that you do either, but I still work with you!”

In our heart of hearts, most of us secretly believe that God really shares our prejudices; only we don’t label them as such. We have all kinds of language we use to disguise the fact that we would rather not deal with certain groups of people.

Things were no different in the days following Pentecost. Jews still tried to have as little as possible to do with anybody else, even though Jesus had commanded them to take his message to the uttermost parts of the earth. But God was getting ready to blast that misconception, and Cornelius the centurion was about to be God’s instrument.

There were many reasons why the Jews hated and feared the Romans. Rome controlled the entire country and could demand extra taxes or other measures upon a whim of the Caesar. The Romans worshiped a pantheon of corrupt deities, rather than the one true living God. Many of the Roman soldiers had no wish to be in Israel and took out their resentment on the local people, bullying them and demanding that they carry out menial tasks on a whim. To the Romans, the Jews were a rebellious and argumentative bunch who were far too emotional and illogical. The Jews were just one more troublesome race to be subdued under the Roman juggernaut.

Even though the disciples had watched Jesus heal the servant of one Roman centurion, they probably thought that was just a fluke, something Jesus did but not something he expected them to copy. And Peter probably shared all of these assumptions, even after just having helped with a revival in Samaria. Peter might have even thought, “Well, at LEAST the Samaritans do worship God, even if they also mix in a whole bunch of other idols.”

God does not play favorites, and God was about to teach Peter, as a leader of the early Christian church, that salvation was for everybody and not merely a select few races. Now God was ordering Cornelius to send for Peter. Fortunately, Cornelius was used to giving and following orders and so had no scruples about sending for Peter. God was setting up everybody in the situation to have their prejudices shredded.

Today the COVID – 19 pandemic is forcing some groups to work together with others with whom they have no experience but about whom they have lots of skewed beliefs. And all the time these groups are griping about having to work together, God is probably chuckling to Himself. God desires that every person might come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Today, we should examine our hearts. Whom are we trying to avoid? Why?

PRAYER: Lord, thank you that you are no respecter of persons. Thank you that you so loved the whole world that you sent Jesus, your only Son to die for our sins. Today, help us to be channels of love to all those around us, including those with whom we do not agree. To the praise and glory of your holy Name. Amen.

Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity. 37 At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”

39 So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

40 Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. 41 Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.

It happened in a village in northeastern Ghana not too many years ago. One lady from Togo had been in the local hospital several times but had now been discharged. One evening at 7:30 this lady died. There was no doubt; this was not a coma. There was no breathing and no heartbeat. The pastor came and prayed for the lady, but nothing appeared to happen….. until two hours later, when the lady suddenly sneezed and sat up! God had chosen to heal this lady, and she is still alive today.

Why did God raise Dorcas from the dead? And why did God choose todo the same thing for this lady in an obscure African village? The answer is the same in both cases: God knew in His infinite Wisdom that those around these two people needed to be encouraged. In both cases, the women were believers. But both women were surrounded by others who were not believers and who needed a sign from God. And the believers among them also had their faith strengthened. What a miracle!

Today, many are losing friends or loved ones to COVID – 19 and may be asking God, “Why?” “Why my mother, my father, my sister, my brother, my child, my friend, my doctor, my pastor, my teacher?” Many hearts are breaking throughout the world over these deaths.

Corrie Ten Boom survived a concentration camp while her beloved sister Betty died there. When Corrie Ten Boom began speaking around the world, she carried with her a piece of embroidery. On one side of the embroidery, there was no pattern, only stray threads and loose ends; it looked like a mess! But on the other side, you could see that there was a crown of shining gold. And Corrie would always point out that here on earth, we only see the messy side of things; meanwhile, God has a purpose and a plan and God is working things out in love.

It is human to demand answers and explanations, but that is not always the best choice. Far better to trust that God is a loving Father who is working things out and providing for us.

PRAYER: Father God, many of us have never known the love and protection of an earthly father and we find it difficult to trust. Lord, help us to trust you, even when we don’t understand. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Acts 8: 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, a queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his return was sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah the prophet.

29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” 30 So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 33 In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”

34“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Philip was sitting up in Samaria in that city where God had just brought revival. Philip and Peter and John had enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship, and God had done incredible miracles. Surely, Philip should have been allowed to rest a little and bask in the glow of the success and take it easy for awhile. But just as Philip was relaxing, something happened. AN ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME TO PHILIP AND SAID, “GET UP AND GO SOUTH TO THE DESERT ROAD THAT GOES DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO GAZA!”

There are several things to notice about this story: 1) God sent an angel to make sure Philip got the message. 2) God was sending Philip to a dangerous lonely road in the desert; Philip may have wondered if he was about to be set upon by bandits because there weren’t lots of other people down that way. 3) Philip immediately started out; he didn’t argue or give any excuses. 4) God was sending Philip to a highly influential man from Ethiopia who already followed the Jewish forms of worship. This man was in charge of the entire treasury for Candace, an Ethiopian queen. And this man was so hungry for God that he was reading Isaiah’s prophecies and was hoping for someone who could explain them to him. 5. When Philip had told the Ethiopian about Jesus, they just “happened” to come to some water. Finding any kind of water in that area was a miracle all in itself, because the land south of Jerusalem was very dry. And it was the Ethiopian who suggested that Philip baptize him, yet another miracle!

After the Ethiopian had been baptized, God picked Philip up and sent him north to Azotus and eventually on to Caesaria on the Mediterranean coast. Why didn’t God give Philip more time with the Ethiopian? Timing was everything. Philip had fulfilled God’s purpose for that encounter. Had Philip remained with the Ethiopian, he might have said something to confuse him; as it was, the Ethiopian returned to his country with the message of the Gospel. There are some traditions in Ethiopia that suggest that this was one of the first ways Christianity reached Ethiopia.

What about God picking Philip up and moving him someplace else? Does that kind of thing really happen? In the spring of 1980, my mother was becoming quite sick with cancer and a fungal infection of the brain. Not knowing about any of this, I was working in Charleston, WV, 800 miles away from northwestern Illinois, where my mother lived. One afternoon I was driving from one of the hospitals where I was working back to my apartment…. except all of a sudden I found myself on the way to South Charleston, where there was an excellent Christian bookstore. I had no memory of traveling the streets before I turned onto the bridge to cross the Kanawha River to South Charleston. Finding myself at the book store, I prayed and then bought books and sent them to my mother. Those may have been the last books she read before she entered the hospital where she eventually died. To this day, I have no other explanation for the events of that afternoon, apart from the idea that God wanted my mother to receive those books at that time.

Sometimes we are certain we know how our lives ought to work, and we become angry with God when things don’t turn out the way we think they should. But we need to remember that God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Philip was probably just enjoying the success he had had in one city of Samaria; meanwhile, God had a plan of salvation for the entire country of Ethiopia. God is always doing more than we realize and always has several more reasons for events than we can imagine. Is God sending you to a desert road? Just wait! You might represent the means of salvation for thousands or even millions of people.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that your ways are far, far higher than ours! Thank you that you never waste time or waste people. Thank you that you have many purposes for each one of us. Lord, let your kingdom fully come, let your will be fully done in our lives! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.