Peter’s Message to the Gentiles
The fourth sermon in the book of Acts: Acts 10:23-48 (specifically Acts 10:34-43)
Setting: Caesarea
Speaker: Peter
Audience: Cornelius, his family, and close friends—all Gentiles (that is, non-Jews)
Preceding Events: Through a dream, God tells Peter to go to Cornelius’s house.
Overall Theme: God makes no distinction between people; traditional barriers have been broken, everyone can come to Jesus.
Scripture Quoted: none (as a non-Jewish audience, citing the Bible would not likely have been helpful to those listening)
Central Teaching: God shows no favoritism.
Subsequent Events: When Paul says “everyone who believes in him…,” his message is interrupted by the Holy Spirit, who comes upon the Gentiles who have just believed.
Key Lesson: Don’t allow our past or perceptions to dictate who we interact with; Jesus is for everyone.
Peter had to set aside his traditions and the law of Moses to do what God told him.
How often do our expectations, customs, and practices get in the way of us doing what God wants us to do? Do our unexamined perspectives block us from seeing things as God sees things?
May we do all we can to remove our blinders and accomplish God’s will.
This post is from the series “Sermons in the book of Acts.” Read about sermon #3 or sermon #5.
Read more about the book of Acts in Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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