Opening the Door to Jesus Christ is More Important than Protocols

Acts 10:9-23

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

• Peter sees the vision of all kinds of animals, creeping things, and birds given for food.
• Peter welcomes the Roman Centurion’s men into his home.

Peter sees the vision of all kinds of animals, creeping things, and birds given for food.
“The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.” Acts 10:9

The men who were on their journey are the men of the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, who were on their way from Caesarea to meet Peter in Joppa. as described in the posts on Acts 10:1-8. An Angel of the Lord wanted Cornelius to meet with Peter. While those men were on their way to Peter’s house, Peter went up on the housetop to pray around noon. At this time, Peter had no idea that Cornelius’ men were on their way to meet him.

Today, there are events happening today that will shape the events of tomorrow. The only way to be prepared is from within our heart, to be in the presence of the Holy Spirit who prays for us through the Spirit. It’s impossible to pray for events that are coming our way that we know nothing about, but God knows, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27

In today’s world, the beast has power over physiology to give people what to do, think, feel, and speak. By this worldly power, many “coincidences” happen to bring people together, but it is never a meeting that fosters belief in God, acknowledges faith in Jesus Christ, and embraces the presence of the Holy Spirit. For followers of Jesus Christ, those “chance meetings” are more of an affliction than anything else.

“Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.” Acts 10:10-11

Peter was very hungry and fell into a trance while the food was being prepared to eat. During this time, he saw something that must have looked like a dinner tray coming from Heaven to earth or a bag full of food. He was hungry and ready to eat. As followers of Jesus Christ, we have physical needs that are necessary to keep us alive from day to day, and eating is one of them. Our Lord has a huge, huge bag of provisions from which we can choose in order to keep ourselves physically alive. The life we have in Jesus Christ is not limited by the body’s’ physical needs, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 When it comes to life of the physical body, all things are lawful that are helpful and edifies the body.

 “In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” Acts 10:12-14

Inside the bag that came down to earth were every type of animal on the earth, creeping things, and birds. A voice came and said, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” God knew Peter was hungry, so he offered him any type of food that this world had to give. When someone is hungry [there is a lot of hunger in this world today] we don’t show them a bag full of pork then tell them they are not allowed to eat any of that type of food. That is ludicrous to let people starve to death because a certain type of food is not approved of by someone’s dietary rules.

Peter’s response to the new expanded food menu that God was offering was, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” Even as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Peter was still clinging to some of the laws of Judaism, believing that any food not mentioned in Leviticus 11 was not appropriate for eating. Peter, even while doing miracles and wonders, physical healings, raising Tabitha from the dead, and bringing multitudes to Jesus, had to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ [the same as every one of us]. Peter was learning that the liberation of an expanded food menu applied to the liberation of Roman soldiers, Gentiles, and non-Jewish people of all types. Anyone can be liberated from their unbelief through Jesus Christ and be added to the expanded family of God.

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1,3

“And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.” Acts 10:15-16

Sometimes, the liberation we have in the Spirit can be so overwhelming to our previous beliefs that we have to be reminded over and over again that our Salvation is by grace not by human efforts. God worked through Peter’s hunger to teach him how every person on this earth has to eat to stay alive, and no food is off limits when it is helpful and edifying. Likewise, when we are in dire circumstances, the Holy Spirit will convince us that the grace and mercy of God is greater than the prohibitions of long-held beliefs. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” 1 John 3:20 The most important part of our faith is always, always to believe in God our Creator, to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, and to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Peter welcomes the Roman Centurion’s men into his home.
“Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.” Acts 10:17-18

In the previous section, Peter saw a vision of all different types of animals and birds which were not permitted to be eaten by the laws of Judaism. The Lord said, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter had never broken the Jewish custom of eating anything “unclean”, Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” Acts 10:12-14 This happened three times. Peter knew the Lord was speaking a spiritual truth to Him, beyond simply physical food. Peter was wondering what the vision meant.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we will receive something from the word of God and the Holy Spirit will work within us to grasp what is really being said to us. Because of our long-held views of what Jesus wants for us, we may struggle with the liberation we have in the Spirit.” All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” 1 John 3:20 God says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and He wants us to live freely in whatever is helpful and edifying. Long-held views are hard to overcome because our conscience grabs hold of those views and with difficulty lets them go. If our conscience condemns us, Go did greater. The Jewish people wrestled with their conscience when they left the Jewish laws and customs to live by faith in Jesus Christ.

While Peter was wrestling with the new vision he received, non-Jewish Gentiles came to his house looking for him. They were sent by the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, according to the word of the Angel of the Lord. Peter’s faith in the word of the new vision he received was about to be tested. When we receive a new inspiration from the word of God, in the presence of the Holy Spirit, situations will arise to enable us to put our new liberation into practice to further the testimony of Jesus Christ. The Gentiles stood at the gate asking for Peter. The “gate” can be viewed as the gate that is either closed or shut to the testimony of Jesus Christ. Whatever long-held views we have held, if they close the door to sharing our born-again testimony [which is the Gospel of Christ written on our heart], we need a new perspective on the word of God. A new vision gives us the liberation to share the testimony of Jesus in areas where those doors were once closed.

“While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” Acts 10:19-21

As we learn in Acts 10:28, the vision Peter was struggling with is that his long-held views [rooted in the laws of Judaism] were against keeping company or going into the home of Gentiles. However, the Spirit encouraged Peter to go with the three men to the home of the Roman Centurion, Cornelius. In Peter’s mind, he was about to violate another Jewish law and custom, but in the Spirit, he was following the will of God and the reason that our Lord Jesus gave His life on the Cross for the whosoever, “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 One thing for sure, Peter was living in good conscience, with love from a pure heart, and sincere faith, 1 Timothy 1:5.

“And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.” Acts 10:22-23

As soon as the three men told Peter a Holy Angel instructed them to invite him into the home of the Roman Centurion, I think he might have had some inner struggles. Peter just had a new vision from the Lord that he was still grappling to understand, and then was the time to put it into practice by saying “Yes, I will go with you.” As followers of Jesus Christ, there will be times when we will have to put aside our long-held views and to grow in the Spirit, into the grace and mercy of our Lord. This is not to enable us to befriend the ways of the world, but to tear down the attitudes and beliefs that create barriers to bringing people to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:44

Cornelius, the Roman centurion, was from Caesarea, “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius…” Acts 10:1 He sent his men to Joppa, where Peter was staying with a man named Simon after raising Tabitha from the dead [Acts 19:36-43]. On the map below, Joppa is south of Caesarea, both on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. “SHARON” is between the two.

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11