We have come to a major turning point in the book of Acts. It is at this point that the Gospel really starts to spread not just to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, and like any change it is not an easy one for the church to endure.
We are introduced to Cornelius, and centurian who is a God fearing man and liked by all the Jews. He has a vision from God to go and find Simon Peter. He is told nothing about Peter but that he is to send for him and because of his faith he does.
Meanwhile Peter is having a vision of his own of a sheet of all sorts of creatures descending from Heaven with the message kill and eat. The thought of this is horrifying to Peter, he holds fast to his beliefs and practices as a devout Jew, but the message keeps coming--"What I have makde clean, you must not call profane." This message points far beyond Peter's eating habits to what his reaction will be to the gentile Cornelius's arrival. The issue of including the gentiles in the church was a complicated one and most of the disciples still felt that the message of salavation was meant for the house of Israel. How quick they were to forget the people that Jesus associated himself with.
The church is faced with the issue of expanding its borders. The call of God is to embrace all people and to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This is a tough message for many of us because we have notions of where we think the Gospel needs to go and the people that we want to welcome in to the church. Quite often we don't even realize that we are doing it, but when we look at our lives we begin to realize that we have set up groups of who is in and who is out. Perhaps each of us need to revisit Peter's vision and think about the experience he had. If God were to lower a sheet in front of youwhat would be in it and what do you need to do to free yourself from only seeing those who look and act like you do.
What are the contents of your sheet?
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