Monthly Archives: May 2013

A Plan Comes Together

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A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

“The next day as the three travellers were approaching the town, Peter went onto the balcony to pray. It was about noon. Peter got hungry and started thinking about lunch. While lunch was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the skies open up. Something that looked like a huge blanket lowered by ropes at the four corners settled on the ground. Every kind of animal and bird and reptile you could think of was on it. Then a voice came: ‘Go to it, Peter — kill and eat.’

“Peter said, ‘Oh, no, Lord. I’ve never so much as tasted food that was not kosher.’

“The voice came a second time: ‘If God says it’s okay, it’s okay.’

“This happened three times, and then the blanket was pulled up back into the skies.” Acts 10:9-16 (The Message).

“I love it when a plan comes together!” said Hannibal Smith of the A-Team. Don’t you love God’s timing?

This was a crucial moment in the history of the church. Up to this point, it was growing and flourishing in the Gentile communities of Israel and Syria. God had clearly and powerfully moved in the Samaritan villages and towns, signifying His approval of their inclusion in the life of the kingdom of God. But they were half-Jews anyway.

But the Romans? They were the pits. To interact with these hated and despised Gentiles was a no-no. It would take drastic action on God’s part to convince Peter that what was about to happen was okay.

There was deep symbolism in this vision. Eating was an activity loaded with significance. It was much more that enjoying a meal in the company of others.

In a previous post I explained that eating with someone was a symbol of reconciliation. The Hebrew word for a meal is “shul” and for a table is “shulkan”. But the same word, “shulkan”, can also mean “reconciliation” and “a lamb skin.” What do these three words have in common?

If there was no table, a lamb skin would be used as a sort of picnic blanket. The sacrifice of a lamb’s life was made in order to have a lamb skin (shulkan) to use as a table (shulkan) to eat a meal (shul). Sacrifice was the grounds of reconciliation. A Middle Eastern person will only eat with someone to whom he has been reconciled. Eating together signified that two people or a group of people had not issues with each other and were therefore in fellowship with one another.

God was preparing Peter in two ways. He had to make a paradigm shift regarding what he “ate” and with whom he ate. It was obviously a serious issue for Peter because Paul had to rebuke him to his face in a later incident when Peter drew back from eating with Gentiles in the presence of some legalistic Jewish believers.

“When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they arrived, he began to pull back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.” Galatians 2:11-12 (NIV).

The symbolism of Peter’s vision was powerful. He was invited to eat from a revolting array of creatures. This illustrates Peter’s deeply-entrenched revulsion towards Gentiles. Without the vision and the disgust it had raised in him, would he have readily accompanied the three Romans back to Caesarea to enter a Gentile home and “eat” with Gentiles? I don’t think so. His scruples would have been sorely tested.

There had to be a personal reassurance from the mouth of God to remove Peter’s prejudice against the Gentiles. Once again God was gracious to an erring human. Jesus had instructed His disciples to take the kingdom of God to the world but it would take more than words to convince Peter that He really meant it. Something as supernatural as this vision was necessary to move Peter into the next phase of Jesus’ mission to the world.

God will do what is necessary and whatever it takes to move you and me into understanding and obedience to His will so that we can play our part in advancing His kingdom here on earth. Even our scruples and prejudices must give way to a greater purpose into which He calls us in partnership with Himself.

Phase Two

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PHASE TWO

“Cornelius stared hard, wondering if he was seeing things. Then he said, ‘What do you want, sir?’

“The angel said, ‘Your prayers and neighbourly acts have brought you to God’s attention. Here’s what you are to do. Send men to Joppa to get Simon, the one everyone calls Peter. He is staying with Simon the Tanner, whose house is down by the sea.’

“As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two servants and one particularly devout soldier from the guard. He went over with them in great detail everything that had happened, and then sent them off to Joppa.” Acts 10:4-8 (The Message).

Cornelius was busy carrying out his duty to God faithfully. He was not aware that there was much more to this “religion” that he followed that he knew about. As far as he was concerned, he was doing what was required of him and doing it well and with all his heart.

But God had His eye on him. Cornelius was not one of His chosen people, but He was about to show this Gentile that His desire was to open the door of His grace to all nations. This had been His plan from the beginning. He had chosen Israel, not to have exclusive rights to His love and favour, but to be the vehicle through which He would reveal Himself to the world.

The Israelites had completely misinterpreted God’s requirement that they separate themselves from the idolatrous nations around them. God wanted them to be uncontaminated, not exclusive and isolated. They thought they were better than every other nation in spite of hob-knobbing with them and practising their wicked idolatry.

Instead of revealing the true nature of God as a loving and caring Father, they hated and despised the Gentiles, refusing to interact with them in any way. God would have to do something out of the ordinary to break down their prejudice and convince His followers that the good news of Jesus was for all nations, not only the Jews.

Phase one was to alert Cornelius that there was something more in store for him. He was still living in a spiritual twilight zone and needed the supernatural intervention of God to move him into the light of new life in Jesus.

Cornelius was not used to anything as spectacular as a vision. He was flabbergasted and bewildered by the appearance of an angel. All he could stammer was ‘What do you want, sir?’ That the angel actually replied to him was even more of a mystery. Amazingly, he did not question his sanity or hesitate to do what he was instructed to do.

This was too dramatic and intrusive an experience to ignore. He called his subordinates to go at once to Joppa to fetch the man about whom he had received detailed instructions.

It is not often that anyone catches a glimpse of the supernatural realm of God which is all around us, but which we cannot see. In the ordinary course of life, we live and experience the natural world in the conviction that the realm of God’s presence is as near to us as our breath; but there are unusual times when God pulls aside the curtain for a brief moment for a specific purpose.

Cornelius needed just such a moment to convince him that God had noticed him and wanted him to enter that supernatural realm by faith in Jesus. He stood on the threshold of the greatest experience of his life when he would step over from darkness to light, from death to life and from the dominion of Satan into the kingdom of God.

This was not just another religious exercise. God was setting up an encounter with His Son that would transform Cornelius’ life forever, and open the door for a heavily prejudiced Jew to understand the enormity of the grace that sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Enter Cornelius

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ENTER CORNELIUS

“There was a man named Cornelius who lived in Caesarea — captain of the Italian Guard stationed there. He was a thoroughly good man. He led everyone in his house to live worshipfully before God, was always helping people in need, and had the habit of prayer. One day about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision. An angel of God, as real as his next door neighbour, came in and said, ‘Cornelius,'” Acts 10:1-3 (NIV).

What a resume’ of upright living! It is heartening to know that there were people like Cornelius, a Roman soldier, usually hated and feared in Israel for their ruthless cruelty, who was the exception. He was one of those who were called “God-fearers”. He was a Jewish proselyte who had abandoned his idolatrous upbringing and embraced the God of the Jews.

But he was not one in name only. He also lived out in practice the teachings of the God he followed. He carried out the three primary responsibilities of a faithful Jew — he led his family in godly living:

“These commandments I give you are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV).

He was generous to those in need:

“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23:22 (NIV).

He took part in the regular prayer times of the Jewish people.

“One day at about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision…” Acts 10:3 (NIV).

It was at this time of the day that Peter and John went to join the regular daily recitation of prayer in Jerusalem and encountered the crippled beggar sitting at the Beautiful Gate of the temple (Acts 4).

These activities did not necessarily qualify him for what happened next. They were an indication of his heart’s desire to know God. He worshipped God with in sincere heart in the way he understood best.

Cornelius lived in a way that many believers in Jesus neglect in our modern world. These may have been God’s prescription for a godly life for His ancient people but His standards have not changed.

The fruit of a vital relationship with the Living God is still the same — a home life that honours Him and trains the next generation to do the same; a generous disposition that willing shares the resources God lends to us with those who have less than we have; and a heart that seeks after God and spends time with Him in prayer.

Although Cornelius faithfully did these things, there was still something missing in his life. He had not yet met the living Christ and been given the gift of forgiveness, faith and the assurance of sonship and access to the Father through Jesus.

As we step into Acts 10, we are witnessing God’s behind-the-scenes preparation to manoeuvre one of His sons into position so the He can set up a meeting with Cornelius. Such is the love and mercy of our God that He always hears the bleat of a lost lamb. He heard this man who, in spite of his background and upbringing, was crying out to be rescued.

Resurrection Proof

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RESURRECTION PROOF

“When this became known all over Joppa many put their trust in the Master. Peter stayed on a long time in Joppa as a guest of Simon the Tanner.” Acts 9:42-43 (The Message).

What was it that caused the message of Jesus to touch people’s lives in wave upon wave every time a miracle happened? Was it the miracles that attracted them or was it the proof that Jesus was alive that convinced them?

Miracles do not produce or sustain faith. We only have to read the story of God’s people in their deliverance from Egypt and their sojourn in the wilderness to recognise this. At no other time in their history did the Israelites experience more or greater miracles than when God rescued them from Pharaoh “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” and cared for them for forty years in the desert.

Plagues that destroyed a nation and its economy and finally wiped out its military might; natural phenomena like a wind so powerful that it cut a path through the sea; manna that appeared every six days out of seven; a flock of birds so vast that it covered their camp; water that flowed out of a rock enough to satisfy the needs of more than two million people; a pillar of cloud that gave the people shade from the desert sun by day and fire that warmed them at night — these and much more, were the order of the day. Could God have done any more for them than He did?

Yet they grumbled, rebelled, disobeyed and even set up a forbidden image in spite of all the miracles that attested to God’s invisible presence with them and power among them. A deeper investigation into the Old Testament actually reveals that the greatest miracles happened during the times of Israel’s greatest unbelief e.g., during the times of Elijah and Elisha.

No, miracles do not produce saving faith. What was it that convinced people everywhere that what the disciples were proclaiming was the truth? There were no billboards inviting people to “come and get your miracle” as we so often see today. Their message was simple. “Jesus is alive and He is Lord.”

It was the resurrection of Jesus that powered their faith. Miracles were the evidence of the presence of God’s kingdom on earth. People put their faith in the risen Jesus, not to get their miracle but because He is alive and He is who He said He is. They did not come to Him to get their needs met or to have a comfortable life or even a free ticket to heaven. They entrusted their lives to Him because He is Lord.

Not even the threat of persecution could stop the phenomenal growth of the church. Persecution weeded out the passengers and strengthened the faith and character of those who truly followed Jesus. And God continued to verify the truth of His Son’s resurrection by confirming His word with signs following.

Peter remained in Joppa. A new branch of the church was growing there. As a guest of Simon the Tanner, he stayed on to preach and teach about Jesus so that the faith of these new believers would be anchored in the truth of who Jesus is.

What if Jesus did nothing for us? He owes us nothing and is under no obligation to do anything for us. Would we still follow Him and put our trust in Him, or is our faith so mercenary that we only believe in Him for what we can get out of it? What He does for us flows from His infinite generosity and we are beneficiaries of pure grace.

It is His passion to put His glory on display that prompts His goodness to us. Let us never slip into the false notion that there is anything in us or anything we can do for Him that merits His favour.

Gazelle

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GAZELLE

“Down the road a way in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, “Gazelle” in our language. She was well known for doing good and helping out. During the time Peter was in the area she became sick and died. Her friends prepared her body for burial and put her in a cool room.”

“Some of the disciples heard that Peter was visiting in nearby Lydda and sent two men to ask if he would be so kind as to come over. Peter got right up and went with them. They took him into the room where Tabitha’s body was laid out. Her old friends, most of them widows, were in the room mourning. They showed Peter pieces of clothing the Gazelle had made while she was with them. Peter put the widows all out of the room. He knelt and prayed. Then he spoke directly to the body. ‘Tabitha, get up,’

“She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. He took her hand and helped her up. Then he called in all the believers and widows and presented her to them alive.” Acts 9:36-41 (The Message).

Peter was at it again, but this time it was a little different. Healing had become a way of life for him but he had never raised anyone from the dead. I wonder how he felt as he made the short trip to Joppa with the two strangers. Was he rehearsing in his mind the times when he had seen Jesus raise the dead? Was he hearing the Master’s commission before He left them? Was he planning his strategy or was he listening to the voice of the Spirit?

No doubt Peter’s confidence in Jesus was strong because he had no reason to doubt either His power or His will to raise this woman to life again. Jesus had done it many times – even Lazarus whose body was already decaying in the tomb.

When he arrived at the house, he found the customary mourners in the room with the body, not hired professionals but old friends who were heartbroken over the death of their companion. She had been a true disciple of Jesus, showing her faith in Him by doing what she could to make the lives of her fellow believers better. They showed Peter the evidence of her love.

As an imitator of Jesus, Peter did what Jesus did when He was called to the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, to heal his daughter. Jesus sent everyone out of the room except the child’s parents and His three closest disciples. This was not a show for entertainment. This was a stand-off with death and Peter did not need any spectators, not even other believers, to distract him.

It was not his role to engage in battle with death. Jesus had done that on the cross and won. It was there that Satan’s power over death was forever broken. Peter’s role was to enforce that victory by standing on it in this situation. He knelt and prayed, signifying his submission to the Master, and then spoke to the dead woman, “calling those things which are not as though they were.” Just as Jairus’ daughter had done, Tabitha heard and responded and was restored to her friends alive.

There are some truths that we need to get hold of in this story. Tabitha had not died because of some sin in her life or because she did not have enough faith, which are the accusations often levelled at people who do not experience miracles. She was part of a fallen human race which is subject to sickness and death.

It was the Father’s will to display His glory in her healing. Is it still the Father’s will to heal? Yes! Does He still heal? Yes! Does He still raise people from the dead? Yes! Does He raise everyone from the dead? Not now, but He will when Jesus comes! Why does He not heal everyone? He will when Jesus comes! What He does now is only a foretaste of what is to come and must fit into the bigger picture.

“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people and He Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'”
Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV).