Unclean - The Book of Acts

In this Bible Story, Peter discovers that the kingdom of God is expanding to more than just the Jews. Through his interactions with Cornelius, Peter begins to learn that God was going to extend his reach to all the nations. This story is inspired by Acts 10:1-11:18. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is Acts 11:9 from the King James Version.

Episode 225: In Caesarea, there was a centurion named Cornelius. He was a good man and a God-fearing man, but he was also a Roman gentile. He prayed to God daily and sought to do good to those who were less fortunate. His prayers were heard by God, and God told him in a dream to send for a man named Peter who was staying in Joppa. At the same time, Peter was praying and in a vision experienced a message from God about calling anything unclean or common. When the men sent by Cornelius arrived, he went with them, and when the whole party arrived at the house of Cornelius, Peter saw what God was trying to tell him. He then obediently preached the message of Jesus to Cornelius’ entire household. All of Cornelius’ family and friends came to believe in Jesus and were baptized.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray, But the voice answered me again from heaven.
What God hath cleansed that call? Not thou common Acts
eleven nine. Jesus, thank you for showing me the most
important lesson in my life when it comes to people.
Thank you for showing me that whomver you deemed as

(00:23):
clean and pure, no one can reverse it. Thank you
for showing me, Jesus that your plan is for all people,
regardless of their ethnicity, economic standing, and upbringing, similar to
the life of Peter. Use me in my industry to

(00:44):
share stories of your goodness and mercy. As I speak,
Let your holy Spirit charge and change the hearts of
every one listening. Let your loving kindness be put on
full display, like the Centurian soldier and his family. May
other families come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

(01:09):
You are a game changer. You are the waymaker, and
through me, others will know that you have called them
and your desire is to love on them. In Jesus name. Amen,
Thank you for making prayer a priority in your day.

(01:32):
To learn more about the Bible, stay tuned for to
day's story brought to you by Bible in a year
dot Com unclean.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
In our last story, we saw the work of God
through Peter. One man was restored from being crippled for
eight years. Another was dead and raised to life. In
this we saw the will of God moving people out
of their beds and into a life of purpose. Now
we see God extend his reach further than just the Jews.

(02:11):
We see a Roman family come to know the truth
and power of Jesus. Peter, who would be convinced by
a dream that no person is common, would witness the
extraordinary power of Christ inspired by the Book of Acts.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
I'm so glad you've joined us on the Bible in
a Year podcast today, But before we get to today's episode,
I want you to know that I would absolutely love
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(02:55):
But it's in the midst of all this crush and
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(03:16):
up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jagraham dot org
Jack Graham dot org. In yesterday's episode, we heard how
God worked through Peter in the towns of Lida and
Jappa to bring physical healing and life to the sick
and dead, and that ultimately pointed people to faith in

(03:39):
Jesus Christ. Today, we'll see the Gospel once again going
beyond the Jewish people as a Roman family comes to
faith in Christ. We'll also see how God is working
on the hearts of his disciples as he speaks to
Peter and shows him that no person is unclean or
excluded from God's grace. Let's listen now to the reading

(04:00):
of God's word.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
The night was silent under the crescent moon. The birds
had not emerged to welcome the morning, and the only
sound was that of stirring in Cornelius's bed. He tossed
and turned in the night, experiencing the intensity of God
coming to his dream. Cornelius, the Lord said. Cornelius stared
at the Lord in complete terror. His bones shook and

(04:26):
his heart seemed to be beating out of his chest.
Here I am, he whimpered. The Lord spoke with great clarity.
I have seen your righteousness, Cornelius. I have seen your
generosity to the poor and your gentle spirit. Your prayers
to me have been heard. Now send men to Joppa,
my servant, Peter resides there by the sea. Cornelius woke

(04:50):
with a jolt. He rubbed his eyes and looked out
his window. The sun was rising, and there was work
the Lord desired to do in his household. Cornelius was
a Roman centurion and a gentile. Many of the Jewish
believers still held on to the belief that gentiles were
somewhat unclean and not a part of the people of God.
Yet Cornelius remained alert to what the Lord was doing,

(05:13):
so he sent for Peter. The next day. Peter was
kneeling by the sea. He often looked out into the ocean,
remembering how Jesus calmed the storms that surrounded him. Now
he prayed that Jesus would calm his inner storms. Peter
closed his eyes, doing his best to focus on the
voice of God. However, his stomach had other plans. Peter

(05:34):
was famished and greatly desired something to eat. As he
was praying, the Lord caused him to sleep. Peter saw
the heavens opened up like light through a cave. Peter
gazed upon what seemed to be a large sheet descending
gracefully to the earth. Peter watched as all kinds of reptiles, birds,
and animals grazed on the sheet. Peter watched the beasts curiously.

(05:59):
Then he heard a voice from heaven saying, arise, Peter,
hunt and eat. Peter pondered the command. Was this a test?
He knew that many of the animals presented were not
considered clean by the old covenant law. Did God truly
want him to eat what was once considered unholy? Peter
shook his head. By no means, I have never eaten

(06:21):
anything common or unclean, Peter said, very sure of himself,
Peter believed he had passed God's test, showing himself to
be obedient with old traditions. Yet the voice spoke a
second time, saying, what God has made clean, you shall
not call unclean. The saying was repeated three times, and
Peter woke up, still hungry and still confused. He went

(06:45):
to go eat, still pondering what the Lord meant in
his heart. A few hours passed and the men sent
by Cornelius had reached Peter. They implored him to join
them at Cornelius's home. They told Peter of Cornelius's faithfulness
and goodwilled towards the people of God. So Peter went
back with them to Cesarea. They walked for over a

(07:05):
day and arrived at the home of the centurion. Peter
walked in through the door and saw a house filled
with Roman gentiles. All of Cornelius's family and friends were
there to see Peter. When Cornelius saw Peter, he ran
towards him and fell at his feet. Peter's face grew red.
He was flustered by the gesture, please stand up, I

(07:26):
am only a man like you. Cornelius stood to his feet.
As Peter looked around the room, he began to realize
what God was trying to say to him. Through his dream.
He saw many faces wearing expectant grins. Peter sighed and
laughed to himself. God was faithful to him. He had
shown Peter exactly what his will was. Peter raised his

(07:47):
voice to the crowd and said, you all know that
Jews are not supposed to associate or build friendships with
anybody from another nation. However, God has recently showed me
that I am not to call anyone unclean or common,
even gentiles. So Peter ate with them and exchanged stories
about who Jesus was and what he was sent to do.

(08:08):
Cornelius and his family gathered around Peter, listening. Peter laughed
and cried as he told stories of Jesus's kindness, compassion, strength,
and even humor. It was not before long that every
person in Cornelius's house came to believe in Christ. The
Holy Spirit moved like rushing waves over the Gentiles that night.

(08:29):
Signs and wonders were done among them. Even more, their
whole world view began to shift and change. They believed
in God for their city and their community. They sought
the gifts of the Spirit and experienced the full weight
of His glory upon them. The whole household of Cornelius
was baptized, and they began to change the community with
their deeds. This was the beginning of a new wave

(08:51):
of God's majesty. It was promised thousands of years ago
that through the Sea of Abraham, all nations would be blessed.
Jesus was the Through him, all nations would be able
to come to God, not just one specific group, but
every culture and nation under the sun. God would work
in and through the Gentiles. As a result, every nation

(09:13):
on earth would know the name of Christ.

Speaker 3 (09:21):
As we open today's reading, we are introduced to a
man named Cornelius. He was a centurion, a commander in
the Roman army. Although he was a gentile, we are
told that Cornelius was a God fearing man. He was
earnestly seeking the Lord and living out the christ Like
principles of prayer and even caring for the poor. And

(09:43):
so one night as he slept, God sent an angel
to him in a vision, saying God had seen his
devotion and generosity and was pleased with him. So the
angel gave him specific instructions to send for a man
named Peter, who was at Joppa. You see, though Cornelia
was seeking God and showed religious devotion, he was still

(10:04):
not in a relationship with the One True God through
Jesus Christ. He needed to hear the Gospel and follow Jesus.
And although the angel could bring a word from God,
he could not preach the Gospel This is an opportunity
in a task given to Christians. It is our calling
and it is our privilege as believers to be witnesses

(10:25):
and to share the good news of eternal life with
people who need to know the Lord. And so when
he awoke, Cornelius did as the angel had told him
to do and sent two men to find Peter. As
we soon discover, God had two purposes in sending for Peter.
He would work through Peter to share the good news
of Jesus with Cornelius, and he would use Cornelius to

(10:48):
show Peter that God's grace and salvation is meant not
only for the Jews, but to gentiles as well, for
the whole world. The next day, as Cornelius's men were
headed to Peter, we hear that Peter was very hungry,
and as he prayed on the rooftop, God put him
in some kind of a trance. God sent him a

(11:09):
vision of a sheep descending from the heavens, filled with
animals of all kinds. These were animals considered unclean by
Jewish law. And then a voice told Peter to rise,
kill and eat, But Peter protested, affirming that he had
never defiled himself with unclean or common things. The same
voice spoke again, saying, what God has called clean, do

(11:31):
not call unclean or common. Three times Peter heard this
voice say the same thing once again. It seems Peter
needed something to be said three times to get through
to him, just as Jesus had told him three times
to feed my sheep. God is now showing Peter that
there is a new reality and that everyone can have

(11:52):
a relationship with Jesus. God wasn't speaking just about food.
It was much bigger than that. It was about faith
and how to know Christ. As Peter sat there trying
to understand what he had just experienced, who should come
into the house. But the men Cornelius had sent God's
spirit spoke to Peter, saying that they had been sent
there by the Lord and that Peter was to go

(12:14):
with them. So Peter went to the men and told
them that he was the one they were looking for,
and they told him all about Cornelius and his vision
and their reason for coming. Peter invited the men in
his guest to stay the night. This is significant as
we already see Peter's perspective on Gentiles being changed. The
next day they left for the home of Cornelius, and

(12:36):
when they arrived, the man was thrilled, so much so
that he fell at Peter's feet to worship him. If
this was the man God had sent to him, surely
he was worthy of worship. But of course Peter refused
to be worshiped. He lifted him up and said, I'm
just a man. Cornelius had gathered his family and many
others to hear what Peter had to say, and as

(12:57):
Peter stood there, he explained what he was doing in
sharing Christ, and that it was beyond anything that he
had been taught as a Jew. They were not to
associate with foreigners in this way, Peter said. But then
he told them that God had shown him that he
should not consider anyone outside the grace and the love
of God. So in Acts ten thirty four to thirty five,

(13:20):
Peter says this, truly, I understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every nation, anyone who fears Him and does
what is right is acceptable to him. Peter was beginning
to understand the fullness of the gospel that Jesus came
to free the whole world of sin, to forgive all
who would trust in him, to make all things new,

(13:40):
that Jesus is not just for the Jews, but for
the Jews, the Gentiles, and the whole world. Peter then
shared the Gospel with his house full of Gentiles, telling
them about Jesus and how he had died and risen
from the grave in order to bring salvation to all
who would trust in him. As he spoke, the Holy
Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. Peter's

(14:03):
Jewish companions who had come along were amazed, seeing that
God's spirit was not limited to Jews, but also is
now being poured out on Gentiles. It was a new
era for the Church. The Gospel has been unleashed and
it is unstoppable. Men and women from every tongue and
every nation can now know that Jesus is Lord and
discover new life in him. Let's pray together, Dear God,

(14:27):
how we thank you for this passage of scripture that
reminds us just how much you love the world. That
there is not a person in this world that you
do not love. We know that we have all sinned
and broken your commandments, and yet you've demonstrated your love
toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, you
died on the cross for us and rose again so

(14:48):
that we could be forgiven and be set free from
the power of sin and death in our lives. So Lord,
we praise you for this, and may we be witnesses
of this truth. Lord, help us to go in your
name and tell others of Jesus, who is powerful to save,
for it is in his name that we pray. Amen.

(15:09):
Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, and before we go,
I want you to know that I would love to
send you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement
every single day. So visit Jack Graham dot org to
sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jack Graham

(15:30):
dot org.