This is Session 4: Acts 10-13, as part of a online bible study series on Acts I'm doing with a few fellow writers.
Read Part 1 // Read Part 2 // Read Part 3
Acts 10 sets off God's ministry to the Gentiles led by Peter.
God’s purpose for our lives will always prevail beyond our mishaps and mistakes. Even our disobedience will not thwart the plan set in motion before the earth was formed and stars were set in the sky. The miracle of God’s ink is its permanence, never to fade, discolor or erase.
God purposed to give the keys of the kingdom to Peter, whose name means stone, despite his unpredictable, irrational, overly zealous, or reactive behavior. Jesus was indeed the chief cornerstone and sure foundation for the instability sometimes seen in Peter. Having the keys of the kingdom meant God would use Peter to open doors of faith for the Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles.
We can look at our lives, recounting mistakes and even moments of rejecting God, but God will break through those barriers to accomplish His will for us. Although Peter denied Jesus three times, the eyes of forgiveness, love and acceptance were found in the Savior and that is exactly what Peter encountered when He opened the door of faith for Gentiles.
As the message and miracle of salvation spread in the early church, the Jews rejection of it grew. Opposition was on the rise and it was time for a pivotal turn in the ministry of the disciples.
In Acts 10 and 11 Gentiles are brought into the family of God.
Before salvation went to the Gentiles, God had to prepare Peter. According to scholars, the disciples had been ministering for about 10 years since Pentecost, primarily to the Jews, then the Samaritans. No matter how many years we are in ministry, we can still have misconceptions and misunderstandings. Such was the case with Peter.
PREJUDICE will not deter God’s plan.
Peter thought the Gentiles were unclean.
As an orthodox Jew, Peter knew the Law of Moses put a wall between Jews and Gentiles. This wall had been broken down at the cross. Now it was time for it to be broken down in Peter’s heart and bring clarity of who the Gentiles really were.
God used a vision about food to teach spiritual understanding. God will indeed meet us exactly where we are to reach us, even if it’s a simple object lesson. Peter was hungry at the time, so certainly food got his attention! More importantly, Peter knew the distinction of clean and unclean foods among Jews and Gentiles was an issue of the day. Through the vision found in Acts 10:9-20, Peter would ultimately learn Jews and Gentiles were both unclean in need of salvation (Acts 11:17-18) for it is only through Jesus Christ that we are cleansed.
POSITION will not deter God’s plan.
Through a vision, God told Cornelius of Caesarea to send for Peter in Joppa, thirty miles away. Phillip, the evangelist, was already in Caesarea. (Acts 8:40) yet God had given the “keys” of the kingdom to Peter. That was His plan and the disciple positioned further away went go the distance to carry out God’s plan.
If we travel down wrong roads, make u-turns or find ourselves off the beaten path, God will always redirect us at the right time to continue carrying out His will for us. God’s power is far stronger than our position in life.
God brought Peter to Caesarea and the entire household of Cornelius was saved. He witnessed God’s grace, love and forgiveness as the Gospel went forth. Peter went where God sent him and made disciples (“teach”) of the Gentiles. This is our great commission, too. How are we living it out in our communities and will we be ready when God sends us to a new position?
PRISON will not deter God’s plan.
Peter performed miracles on behalf of Jesus in his ministry. He healed Aeneas, raised Dorcus from the dead and brought the miracle of salvation to Cornelius’ household. Now, God was going to work a miracle for him.
Psalm 34:15-16 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and is ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them who do evil.”
Did Peter ponder this passage as he sat behind bars for a third time? Acts 12:1-3 tells us King Herod Agrippa persecuted believers, killing James and seizing Peter. By God’s sovereign will, Peter’s life was sparred and now he found himself in prison.
PRAYER is an instrument in accomplishing God’s plan.
“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” Acts 12:5
The people prayed and God sent an angel to visit sleeping Peter in prison between two soldiers. A shackled and disoriented Peter awakened by the persistent angel who led him to freedom.
Chains, prison walls, a pair of soldiers, sentries guarding doors and locked iron gates cannot contain the message of the Most High! Despite all that Peter had gone through, God opened doors for Peter to continue His work.
God's plan was evident. Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Man made attempts cannot defeat God's purposes. They will always be overruled by the God who numbers our days. God used Peter to open the doors of faith and God continued to accomplish His work.
"But the word of God continued to increase and spread." Acts 12:24
God is our ultimate Rescuer. No roadblocks can keep God from accomplishing His will for us. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Peter paved the way to open door of faith for Gentiles and God opened another door for Barnabas and Paul. Through Peter, God prepared the soil the other disciples planted. Each person created for a unique calling.
"I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. The word of the Lord spread through the whole region." Acts 13:47,49
When we encounter dead ends on our highway of faith, stand back and watch God provide the GPS to re-route you and continue you down the path toward what He has in store!
