On the first Jewish Feast of Pentecost following the death
and resurrection of Jesus as recorded in Acts, Chapter 2, Peter stood and
preached one of the greatest sermons in the history of the Christian
church. He demonstrated the inspired speech of the Holy Spirit. It was the
beginning of a powerful display of the Holy Spirit in his life.
In Chapter 3, Peter went up to the temple to pray. Passing a man that had
been crippled from his birth, he said, "Silver and gold have I none;
but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
rise up and walk." The man immediately leaped up and walked.
In Chapter 4, Peter was arrested and asked in whose name was this miracle
done. Peter’s response to their question was so bold and frank the High
Priest and Elders of Israel marveled. They knew that they were
"unlearned and ignorant men," yet they confounded the wise.
In Chapter 5, Peter spoke to Ananias and Sapphira a stern rebuke. They had
lied about the amount of money they had given to the church. Peter told
Sapphira that the same fate of her husband would be her fate. She would
die and she fell over dead.
In Chapter 6, Peter with the other eleven apostles saw a need among the
people. The Greek speaking Jewish believer were complaining that their
widows were not getting the same treatment as the Hebrew speaking
believers. The twelve, probably under the leadership of Peter appointed
seven men - - what we know today as the deacon - - to have oversight of
the matter.
In Chapter 8, Peter and John traveled to Samaria when they heard that the
Samaritans had believe on Jesus Christ. When they arrived, they laid their
hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost. When a bystander saw the
miracle, he ask of Peter to purchase the capability of what he just saw
Peter do. Peter boldly confronted the man’s intentions and declared,
"Thy money perish with thee . . . thy heart is not right in the sight
of God."
In Chapter 9, Peter visited the believers that were in Lydda. He came upon
a man named Aeneas that had been paralyzed for eight years. He spoke,
"Rise, and make thy bed." Aeneas immediately rose and was
healed.
From Lydda, Peter was called to Joppa. A certain disciples name Tabitha, a
woman of good works and alms giving, had died. Arriving at Joppa, he
entered the room where she laid. He said, "Tabatha, arise." She
opened her eyes, looked at Peter, and rose from the bed.
From preaching powerful moving sermons, to healing the sick, and raising
the dead, Peter’s life demonstrated the revelation of Jesus Christ.
There seemed to be nothing in the life of Peter that kept the free flowing
grace and power of God from meeting the needs of the people. He was
fulfilling the command of Jesus to take the gospel into all the world.
But, then, there came the vision. He was on the roof top praying. He
became hungry and would have eaten. While they were preparing his meal, he
fell into a trance and saw a vessel being led down from heaven. It
contained all manner of beast, creeping things, and fowls of the air. A
voice came to him from heaven, "Rise, Peter, kill, and eat."
He had seen God meet the needs of the people at Pentecost. He witnessed
God meeting the needs of the lame man, the paralyzed man, and the dead
woman. Was God meeting his needs by providing food for his hunger? The
record is not clear whether he ever ate or not. But, it is clear that he
rebuked God and told him, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any
thing that is common or unclean.." Three times God had to command him
to "Rise, Peter, kill, and eat." It was a hard lesson to learn,
"What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."
In Chapters 2-9, Peter is fulfilling the mission to take the gospel into
all the world. He just wasn’t ready yet to include the Gentiles in that
mission. Years of believing, teaching, and preaching that the Jews were
God’s chosen people excluding the Gentiles had taken its toll on Peter.
God had to break his pride, mold his thinking, and enlarge his vision. God
is a God of all people.
Such was the life of Jonah. The call came, "Arise . . . go . . .
preach." Jonah says, "no" - Chapter 1. Jonah is saved -
Chapter 2. Jonah becomes the prophet - Chapter 3. Jonah understands the
mystery - Chapter 4.
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