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Outline:

Before we dive into Jonah chapter 3 I want to begin our study in a unique place… Acts 10:1, “There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion, a devout man, one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously, and prayed to God always.

About the ninth hour of the day Cornelius saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius!’ And when he observed him, he was afraid, and replied, ‘What is it, lord?’ So the angel said to him, ‘Your prayers and alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.’ And when the angel had departed, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier, and when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready the meal, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision meant, that behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Peter was lodging there.

Now while Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.’ Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, ‘Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?’

And they said, ‘Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.’ Then Peter invited them in and lodged them. And on the next day Peter went away with them…”

Though I’m not going to provide a full expose of Acts 10 there are 3 things essential to your understanding of this story. First, God’s plan had always been to reach the world (Jew and Gentile) with the Gospel. It’d been His purpose in calling out the Jews to be a holy people.

Secondly, the mechanism by which Jesus would accomplish this Great Commission would be through Jewish men who, sadly, held long standing prejudices towards the Gentile world.

Thirdly, knowing what it would take for Peter (a good Jew) to be obedient to cross this racial barrier, Jesus has spent the last several years preparing him for this very important moment. The vision Peter receives as he’s sitting on the roof top was the final act of his preparation.

While many teach that this vision was designed to illustrate to Peter that the church would be made up of both Jews and Gentiles (clean and unclean), I’m not sure this vision had anything to do with the Gentiles or church and instead had everything to do with Peter! As we’ve seen with Jonah, God’s commands always challenge something in the messenger.

Read the Rest at: http://www.c316.tv/sermons/263