Phil Rowlands

Hello, my friends!

Have you ever had a moment where your entire worldview was turned upside down? Where everything you thought you knew suddenly shifted, revealing a beautiful new reality? That's exactly what happened to the apostle Peter in the early days of the church. And let me tell you, it's a story that still has incredible relevance for us today!

You see, for years Peter had lived with a very clear dividing line in his mind: there were God's chosen people, the Jews, and then there was everyone else – the Gentiles. This wasn't just a cultural divide; it was deeply ingrained in their religious practices. A good Jew wouldn't even enter the home of a Gentile for fear of becoming “unclean.” Can you imagine living with that kind of separation from others?

But God had a different plan in mind. He was about to blow Peter's mind and expand his understanding of God's love in a radical way. It all started with a vision. Peter was praying on a rooftop when he saw a sheet coming down from heaven, filled with all kinds of animals – both “clean” and “unclean” according to Jewish law. A voice told him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter, still stuck in his old mindset, refused. This happened three times!

Now, why would God give Peter such a strange vision? It wasn't really about food at all. It was about people. You see, at that very moment, some Gentile men were on their way to find Peter. God was preparing him for an encounter that would change everything.

These men worked for a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Now, Cornelius wasn't your typical pagan Roman. The Bible describes him as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). He was what they called a “God-fearer” – someone who believed in the God of Israel but hadn't fully converted to Judaism.

Cornelius had his own divine encounter. An angel appeared to him, telling him to send for Peter. Can you see how God was orchestrating this whole situation? He was about to bring together two worlds that had been separated for centuries.

When Peter arrived at Cornelius' house, he made a profound statement: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:34-35). This was revolutionary! Peter was realising that God's love and acceptance weren't limited to one ethnic group. The gospel was for everyone!

As Peter shared the good news about Jesus with Cornelius and his household, something amazing happened. The Holy Spirit fell on them, just as He had on the Jewish believers at Pentecost. This was God's seal of approval, showing that He accepted these Gentiles fully into His family.

Now, let's pause for a moment and consider the implications of this. Some people have misunderstood Peter's words about God accepting those who “fear Him and work righteousness” to mean that you can be saved without Jesus, as long as you're sincere in your beliefs and try to be a good person. But that's not what Peter was saying at all!

If that were true, why would God have gone to such lengths to bring Peter to Cornelius? The truth is, Cornelius needed to hear the gospel and put his faith in Jesus to be saved. As Peter later explained to the other apostles, the angel had told Cornelius to send for Peter, “who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved” (Acts 11:14).

The apostle Paul makes this crystal clear in his letter to the Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our good works and sincere beliefs, no matter how admirable, can never earn our salvation. It's only through faith in Jesus Christ that we can be saved.

What God was showing Peter (and us) is that this salvation through faith in Jesus is available to everyone, regardless of their background. As Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

This realisation didn't come easily to the early church. Even Peter, who had this incredible experience, struggled at times to fully embrace it. In fact, we see later in Galatians 2 that Paul had to confront Peter when he started to slip back into old patterns of separating himself from Gentile believers. It's a powerful reminder that growth and change are often a process, even for those who've had powerful encounters with God.

But let's go back to that moment in Cornelius' house. Can you imagine the shock and joy that must have filled the room when the Holy Spirit fell on these Gentiles? Peter and his Jewish companions were “astonished” (Acts 10:45). It was as if God was saying, “See? I accept them just as they are. No circumcision required. No ritual cleansing necessary. My grace is for all who believe.”

This event was so significant that Peter recounted it in detail when he was called to explain his actions to the church leaders in Jerusalem. And do you know what happened when they heard the full story? Acts 11:18 tells us, “When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, 'Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.'” It was a watershed moment for the early church.

Now, you might be thinking, “That's a nice history lesson, but what does it mean for me today?” Well, my friends, I believe this story has profound implications for our lives and our faith.

First, it's a powerful reminder that God's love and grace are for everyone. No one is beyond His reach. Think about the people in your life or in your community who might seem “far from God.” Maybe they're from a different religious background, or perhaps they've lived a life that seems incompatible with faith. This story reminds us that God's love reaches out to them just as much as it does to us.

Second, it challenges us to examine our own hearts. Are there people or groups we've written off as “unclean” or unworthy of God's love? If so, we need to allow God to expand our vision, just as He did for Peter. It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that “our group” – whether that's defined by ethnicity, denomination, or lifestyle – has a special claim on God's favour. But God's love transcends all these human categories.

Third, it reinforces the beautiful simplicity of the gospel. We don't need to jump through hoops or follow a complex set of rules to be accepted by God. Jesus has done all the work. Our part is simply to believe in Him and receive His gift of salvation. As Paul writes, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Lastly, this story reminds us of the transformative power of God's grace. Look at Peter – a fisherman who denied Jesus three times, now boldly proclaiming the gospel and being used by God to break down centuries-old barriers. Or consider Cornelius – a Roman soldier, part of an occupying force, now welcomed into God's family. When we truly grasp God's grace, it changes everything about how we see ourselves and others.

So, my friends, let's celebrate the incredible grace of God that breaks down every barrier and offers salvation to all who believe. May we be like Peter, willing to have our preconceptions challenged and our hearts expanded by God's amazing love. And may we be bold in sharing this good news with everyone we meet, knowing that God's invitation is truly for all.

Remember the words of John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” That's the heart of the gospel – a love so vast, so inclusive, that it encompasses the whole world.

As we go about our daily lives, let's keep our eyes open for the “Corneliuses” God might be sending our way – those who are seeking, those who might seem different from us, but who are equally loved by God. And let's be ready, like Peter, to step out of our comfort zones and share the life-changing message of God's grace.

Be blessed today my brothers and sisters, may we never lose the wonder of this truth: that the God of the universe loves us, accepts us, and invites us into His family, not because of anything we've done, but because of what Jesus has done for us. That's the power of grace, my friends. And it's available to all who believe.

Phil