Pastor John Wright

It has been a full week. Three days of rain led to opening the church building as refuge. Then Tuesday night we gathered at the Salvation Army to feed the hungry. Thanks to all those who participated in such works of mercy. We have to remember that such works are not optional or voluntary, but commanded by our Lord for all believers. Last night at the Bread of Life I spoke some with Frank who had been with us the previous three evenings -- Eric introduced us. It was profound to experience such a depth of friendship in such a small time with someone. Frank deeply humbled me with his presence and thankfulness as he spoke of the depth of fatigue those evenings that even allowed him to fall asleep with the Samoan congregation overhead celebrating the turn to the 'new year' until 2:00 am Sunday morning. He spoke of his hope for a job at a recycling center; the care of his disabled wife who stays at Rachel's (maybe Sarah C. knows her!). Surely Christ was present there with us and in those evenings of rain.

The ways of God are always mysterious, unpredictable, and surprising. This is what we will find when we turn to Acts 10 for our study this week. It is interesting that the story begins with the 'conversion' of Cornelius, but ends with the conversion of the church.

Acts 10 stays within the section when the church is at peace from outside threats. Following Peter bringing Tabitha back to life, the scene turns away from Peter. It begins with a description of a character that the narrative had yet to introduce.

Vv. 1-8: we can divide these verses into four different subsections. What is remarkable about the verses is all that the text does not tell.

Vv. 1-2: What does the text say about Cornelius? His location in Caesarea provides a geographical context for the rest of the story. Caesarea was built by Herod the Great to suck up to Rome. It had a large Temple to Jupiter and the Emperor within it -- a temple that faced the harbor, not inland, to great those who came, like Cornelius, from Rome. Devotion to the emperor would have been mandatory.

We know from Josephus the tensions around this time between the Romans and the Jewish populace. Josephus tells a story about how a Roman soldier mooned and emitted flatulence during a Passover in derision to the Jews. The legions were known to have reacted to any possible political unrest brutually throughout Judea. What would have been the reaction of his peers to Cornelius for his behavior that the text speaks about? Who would the Jews have reacted to him, at first, and then over time?

Vv. 3-4: Cornelius has a vision. How does his response differ from Paul's vision? Why has the angel visited him? Why would God so chose Cornelius?

Vv. 5-6: What is Cornelius' instructions? What is the rationale that the angel gives him? Do we know what is going on here so far?

Vv. 7-8: What does Cornelius do in response? Why would he not go himself? What does this say about Cornelius' social status?

Vv. 9-16

V. 9-10 provides a transition. What is the interaction between Peter and those sent from Cornelius? What happens to Peter? With all the information left out of the text, what does his hunger have to do with it? What does the trance stop Peter from doing?

vv. 11-13: What does Peter see in the trance? What does it tell Peter to do? How does this relate to v. 10? What is God doing here?

v. 14-16: Why would Peter object? What does the voice say? Why would it repeat three times?

How much, now, do we know? What mention does Peter's vision make of Cornelius and what does Cornelius know about Peter? What is going on?

We tend to see the contingencies of life as something distinct from God (or we slip into a sentimentality regarding our life in the world in God). But if you have only this part of the story here, what would you know? Would we understand? Can either Peter or Cornelius know what is going on in the midst of the affair? Why not? What does this tell us about our lives and creation? What does this tell us about God?