The Church: Coming Together - Acts 10:28-48

It’s safe to assume the Church had zero intentions of larger expansion post-Acts 8. With Saul's conversion and commission in Acts 9, this is even further implied. God needed an emissary to the Gentiles, and the Twelve show little interest. Yet, God wanted the whole Church on board so Acts 9 swings back to Peter... Peter picks up where he left off in Acts 5, but then finds himself in Joppa (!!!) and on the cusp of a revolutionary moment in history. They weren’t going to the Gentiles, but God was about to bring them to the Church. Enter Cornelius Truth be told, the issue was that the church questioned if Gentiles could be saved, but if they *should* be saved. They knew Jesus was irresistible and His grace powerful. Like Jonah before him, Peter wasn’t doubting God’s grace, he was frustrated by it. (Jonah 3:19-4:3) Perhaps their negligence of Gentles wasn’t malicious, but the point of this text is that we have no excuse to not be reaching and engaging all people, especially those different than us. Peter confesses he would’ve NEVER gone to Gentiles Peter proclaims there is no partiality with God and that the church cannot be in active disobedience to God, forgoing its mission to love, serve and share the Gospel with all people. Overlooked in this text - God *could have* revealed Gospel to Cornelius by the angel who sent him to Peter, but this proves 2 pillars of Acts: 1) God saves us INTO His Church. In the NT individual revelation is replaced by collective - because God is building His Church 2) Also, this is part of God establishing His Kingdom. Cornelius a Gentile meeting Peter a Jew is a moment of reconciliation which glorifies God, and highlights His Kingdom initiative to bring all nations together under one Name and one Blood. Needless to say, Acts 10 is a major milestone in our history. For Church and Kingdom, God brings Cornelius and Peter together. For the Gospel, Peter proclaims that salvation has come to all, and we must go to all in love, service, and with Good News.