The apostle Peter is in the coastal city of Joppa, because he had been called to go there by the church of the nearby city of Lydda. A greatly loved and appreciated woman of the congregation Tabitha (Dorcus) suddenly died. In Acts 9:36b she is recognized as someone “who was always doing good and helping the poor.” There was no hesitation or personal hindering challenges that prevented Peter from immediately going with the brothers from Lydda to Joppa, nor did God need to directly speak to Peter for him to go.
In verse 39 we read when Peter arrived, he did not have any obstacles or personal difficulties to begin to minister. He only encountered the widows in mourning because of the death of Tabatha and showing him why Tabitha was a blessing to them. “Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.”
After miraculously being used by God, Tabatha is raised from the dead, Acts 9:40-42. In verse 43 we now find Peter still in Joppa, “Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.”
The events we read about in Acts chapter 10 have some similarities with the previous chapter however it also has some notable and important personal challenges in the heart and mind of Peter which we mentioned and identified last week as “spiritual paradigm shifts”.
Peter had to experience in his heart and thinking a necessary change or spiritual paradigm shift in order to be used by God in the next ministry opportunity He had for Peter. Through Peter’s change of heart and understanding, we clearly can see what one of the many necessary purposes of spiritual paradigm shifts in our lives. It is who we are in Christ Jesus and who He is in us that make us able to be used by God where He wants us to minister. What are spiritual paradigm shifts? As we stated last week, Spiritual paradigm shifts are the events, instances or circumstances, both good and difficult, that God uses to change our perspective or understanding of a reality from our point of view to His. Isaiah 55:8-9, 8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Luke in Acts chapter 10 goes into great detail telling us what God was doing in two different lives and situations which in His way and timing were going to meet to accomplish His purposes.
Acts 10:1-2 Luke introduces us to Cornelius; his name tells us that he was a Roman. His profession was a centurion, an officer in the Roman army. Both these points tell us that Cornelius held an important position and had much influence in society. However, Luke goes on to tell us about Cornelius family’s relationship with God, “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing” and most importantly about Cornelius’ acts of worship, “he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly”. It is also important to notice how Cornelious was recognized and appreciated by others, we see this in verse 22, “He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people.”
In spite of Cornelius and his family being religious, “devout and God-fearing”, they still did not know Christ as their Savior and nor had surrendered their life to Him. Peter mentions this later on in Acts 11:13-14, “He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.” The spiritual paradigm shift or change that Cornelious and his family needed in their lives was Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives.
As we read in Acts 10:3-8 God starts out His purposes by coming to Cornelious first. As was stated in last weeks text, “It was not Cornelius’ profession or social status that God recognized, nor was it that Cornelius and his family were “devout and God-fearing”. It was because of his acts because of his devotion which was noticed by God, “…he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” Acts 10:2b. “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.” Acts 10:4-5. God knew Cornelious’ heart, which was the motivation of his actions.
However most importantly it was Peter who needed his personal cultural and religious perspective changed to God’s perspective and recognition with people like Cornelious. If God was going to use Peter to minister to Cornelious, his family and to those who would be at Cornelious’ house, there needed to be a change in Peter.
We read how the change happened in Peter in Acts 10:9-16. God always knows how to get our attention to be able to speak to us, to teach us and change us. And this is what God did with Peter. Peter was shown many different kinds of animals and told, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” Acts 10:13. Peter’s response was an expression of what was normal to him, it was in line with something he knew and faithfully practiced all his life. Verse 14, “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” This is what precisely needed to be changed in Peter, “his normal” or his point of view which was not in line with God’s love and perspective. In one short sentence, what was Peter’s normal way of looking and reacting to a certain topic in his life was changed, verse 15 “The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Later on, in Acts 10:34-35 Peter states what he needed to learn about himself that needed to change and to come in line with God’s perspective, was a Spiritual paradigm shift in his life which was a change of heart and thinking. 34 “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”
When our hearts and minds are changed from the way we use to think it enables us to be who God wants us to be in Christ Jesus, we begin to say and do things out of who Christ is in us. And do not say and or do things because “we have always thought and said it that way” or because of our religious traditions.
Peter acknowledges what he had learned and his new way of thinking in Acts 10:27-29. “27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
With a changed heart and a new way of thinking Peter was able to be used by God to accomplish His purposes with Cornelious, his family and the others who were there. Acts 10:44-48, 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Are we recognizing how is God speaking to us to change the way we are thinking to align with His love and perspective? What secular social standards, religious traditions and other things in our lives that influence us, do we need to give up in order to conform to God’s standards, points of view or perspectives which is found in His Word? When we accept or submit to God’s spiritual paradigm shifts or changes in our lives we will be transformed to the women and men of God who God predestined us to be in Christ.
Pastor John
“For those God foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…”
Romans 8:29
