Tuesday, January 20th

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Tuesday, January 20

Acts 10:9-20

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them."

As people who have spent our lives as North American Christians we don’t tend think of food in religious terms. We feel pretty much free to eat anything that we find palatable, from cheeseburgers to pulled pork sandwiches. We might have medical or health reasons, like a peanut allergy, to avoid certain foods; or we might choose a vegetarian or gluten free diet; but we don’t think of food in terms of sin or disobedience to God.

Except for brussels sprouts! I personally believe brussels sprouts are evil, but that’s a story for a different time!

But first century Jews thought of food in religious terms.

Back in the Old Testament God had given his people certain commands about certain foods as a reminder of his holiness.

For example: They were to avoid shellfish and pork because those creatures consumed human waste and were therefore regarded as “unclean.”

These laws about food helped define them as a people, as “insiders.”

So when Peter says, “I have never eaten anything common or unclean...” he is saying that his obedience to food laws is part of made him acceptable to God. It was part of what made him a spiritual “insider.”

And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

Throughout scripture when God says something 3 times; as when he called to young Samuel three times, or asked Peter three times “Do you love me?” he is saying or asking something very important.

Luke tells us that three times Peter hears a voice say, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”

What does this mean and why is it so important?

God is shifting the discussion from food to people.

The ancient Jews not only regarded certain foods as unclean, but certain people as well. Anyone who was not a Jew was considered unclean before God and therefore beyond the reach of the blessing and grace of God.

God is telling Peter; “Not so!”

God is telling Peter that the gospel changes the game. Just as Jesus had forgiven Peter for his three denials, Jesus could forgive a pagan Roman.

Are people different from each other? Yes! Are there people who are spiritually lost or far from God? Yes! But there are no “unclean” people in the sense of being unreachable or unlovable!

I think it’s difficult for us to understand how earth-shaking this would have been for Peter. God is turning upside down everything he has always believed about God, about himself and about the world around him. God is telling him it’s possible to care for and love those he once despised and avoided. God is telling him that, in Jesus, his love and forgiveness is as available to the pagan as it is to him, a Jew.

God is preparing Peter for his encounter with a Roman centurion named Cornelius.

Who might God be preparing you to meet?

Pastor Brian Coffey