Daily Bread 2011 - Acts 10
Daily Bread 2011 – Acts 10
39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of 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 came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. 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 Peter to stay with them for a few days.
What Does This Mean?
Peter is called in a dream to go to preach to Cornelius (and his household), a centurion in the Italian army. Since Peter was an observant Jew, it would have been forbidden for him to associate or visit a Gentile. But not only does Peter put the men he has sent up for the night, but he himself travels to go visit Cornelius at his house in Caesarea from Joppa.
A large crowd had gathered of his friends and relatives, along with some believers from Joppa, Peter’s hometown. Peter begins to preach on Jesus risen from the dead and spoken of by the prophets and the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. Not just some of the people, all of the people. Apparently it was really clear to the Jewish believers that these Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit, as they were speaking in tongues and praising God. Peter then ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus.
What Does This Mean For Us?
In a previous story in Acts, the believers had come to faith but had not received the Holy Spirit, so Peter and John laid hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Then, in this story, as the Gentiles hear the story from Peter about Jesus rising from the dead, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the message.
Again there seems to be no “black and white” way the Holy Spirit worked in the process of people coming to faith. The order seems to get mixed up throughout the book of Acts. What is clear is that preaching in the power of the Spirit led to faith in Jesus. New believers were baptized and they received the Holy Spirit at various points in the process. As human beings we would rather have a more systematic way that God works, but it is clear the Spirit works in different ways in different situations. As it is says in John 3, “The Spirit is likened to the wind, which you cannot know where it comes from or where it is going.” It concludes so it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
God the Spirit has mysterious qualities to be sure, but yet we also know it is the Spirit of God. And there are certain things we can know about God from His Word. Therefore, although there is a subjective quality to the Spirit, there is the also the objective sense in which the Spirit would never do anything inconsistent with God’s character as revealed in the Word. This prevents the possible misuse of the Spirit for things that are clearly not of or from God.
Gracious Heavenly Father, send Your Spirit to fill us with your power and love. Help us to learn to move and act according to Your Spirit’s promptings which we know are always consistent with Your character and the teachings of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of 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 came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. 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 Peter to stay with them for a few days.
What Does This Mean?
Peter is called in a dream to go to preach to Cornelius (and his household), a centurion in the Italian army. Since Peter was an observant Jew, it would have been forbidden for him to associate or visit a Gentile. But not only does Peter put the men he has sent up for the night, but he himself travels to go visit Cornelius at his house in Caesarea from Joppa.
A large crowd had gathered of his friends and relatives, along with some believers from Joppa, Peter’s hometown. Peter begins to preach on Jesus risen from the dead and spoken of by the prophets and the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. Not just some of the people, all of the people. Apparently it was really clear to the Jewish believers that these Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit, as they were speaking in tongues and praising God. Peter then ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus.
What Does This Mean For Us?
In a previous story in Acts, the believers had come to faith but had not received the Holy Spirit, so Peter and John laid hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Then, in this story, as the Gentiles hear the story from Peter about Jesus rising from the dead, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the message.
Again there seems to be no “black and white” way the Holy Spirit worked in the process of people coming to faith. The order seems to get mixed up throughout the book of Acts. What is clear is that preaching in the power of the Spirit led to faith in Jesus. New believers were baptized and they received the Holy Spirit at various points in the process. As human beings we would rather have a more systematic way that God works, but it is clear the Spirit works in different ways in different situations. As it is says in John 3, “The Spirit is likened to the wind, which you cannot know where it comes from or where it is going.” It concludes so it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
God the Spirit has mysterious qualities to be sure, but yet we also know it is the Spirit of God. And there are certain things we can know about God from His Word. Therefore, although there is a subjective quality to the Spirit, there is the also the objective sense in which the Spirit would never do anything inconsistent with God’s character as revealed in the Word. This prevents the possible misuse of the Spirit for things that are clearly not of or from God.
Gracious Heavenly Father, send Your Spirit to fill us with your power and love. Help us to learn to move and act according to Your Spirit’s promptings which we know are always consistent with Your character and the teachings of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
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