Acts 10:24-33
...As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself." Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 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. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?" Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, "Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea..."
The fact that God gave closely-related visions to both Cornelius and Peter at the same time was in itself a miracle. Sometimes the miracle is in the way things happened; if Peter alone had a vision and went to Cornelius' house, Cornelius wouldn't know why Peter came; if Cornelius alone had a vision and sent someone to invite Peter over, Peter would have turned him down. God, however, gave both of them visions that are different, which taught and guided them according to what needed to happen. Also, we can see that God can reveal visions to people through different channels; God sent angels to reveal the vision to Cornelius, and He guided Peter through the Holy Spirit.
How are the works of the Holy Spirit and angels different? Angels are spirits sent to earth to serve people, as described in Hebrews 1:14. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is God Himself. Work of the angels is usually outwards; they reveal themselves to people and they protect them; work of the Holy Spirit is usually internal, changing people from deep inside their hearts. God sent angels to reveal the plan to Cornelius, and the Holy Spirit changed and transformed Peter's heart, so they complement each other. When visions from God comes upon them, they both need to submit to God. For Peter, he needed to submit to crossing the gap between cultures; for Cornelius, he needed to put down his pride and seek help from a Jew. When they both submit, wonderful miracles happened. God is still looking for submissive vessels to accomplish His miraculous work, so are you willing to participate in it?
Pray with Pastor Tong Liu Lord, I thank you, because we saw a wonderful example of how you blessed the nations through two submissive vessels. Let us also be determined to be your vessels, so that your grace can come upon all nations and all peoples. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen! |
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