Daily Reading: (Acts 10:1-6):
“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius! Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
In Caesarea, we are told that there is a man named Cornelius of the Italian Cohort or Regiment. Cohort is just a name of the archery unit of the Roman army.
God is working in two lives, Cornelius and Peter, bringing them together for Gospel purposes. God is going to use Peter, but Peter first has to repent (change his mind) about sharing the Gospel to all nations, otherwise Cornelius will not hear the Gospel (Acts 10:14). The journey God has Peter on is one of spiritual growth. The journey you and I are on is one of spiritual growth and sometimes the things we encounter in life are what we need in order to grow.
Here is an incredible announcement for your life: “The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” Acts 10:15). Now, apply that to your life, God has made you clean in Jesus. You are a saint. Celebrate it- praise God for it and don’t ever make the mistake that Peter made and buy into the lie that you are unclean when Jesus’ died to make you clean.
We can clearly see the vision Peter had is connected directly to Cornelius, because Cornelius would have been seen as an unclean Gentile, an Italian (Acts 10:17).
“You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile” (Acts 10:28). The announcement is that I am no longer under the law but grace because “God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.”
“But accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all” (Acts 10:35-36).