Peter Explains His Actions

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 23, 2021

Peter Explains His Actions

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 11:18

Read: Acts 11:1-18

Two things caught my attention in today’s reading. First, Peter models the importance of the witness of the church in helping us discern God’s will for our lives. Even though Jesus told his followers to go to Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, for the Jews this was thinking way outside the box, especially going to Samaria and to the Gentiles (the ends of the earth). Peter carefully replayed all the events leading him to Cornelius’ home, and emphasized the outpouring of the Holy Spirit following his message. The believers listening to Peter were able to follow the Hand of God throughout the Jewish history and to the ends of the earth.

Secondly, the believers in Jerusalem noted, “even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (v.18) It is repentance that leads to eternal life. We are living in an era where we are being called to accept everything and everybody just as they are. If we talk of change we are being accused of being judgmental. We don’t hear much about Jesus, “whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.” (v.42) I believe it is worth noting again the observations of Dietrich Bonhoeffer I shared when we were reading about Ananias and Sapphira.

“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

My Takeaway: The core foundation of my faith is my affirmation that I am not my own. I belong to God. By creation and redemption, I belong to God. This truth calls me to repentance for all the ways I try to work out the meaning of my life apart from God. This truth calls me to seek to make the life in Christ my way of life.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Peter Sermon at Cornelius’s House

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 22, 2021

Peter Sermon at Cornelius’s House

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.

Acts 10:44

Read: Acts 10:34-48       

Peter’s sermon came about because Cornelius, a Gentile, a Roman Centurion, was fed up with all of the idolatry and wimpy little gods in the Roman Empire. He wasn’t a Jew, but he was attracted to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because of the positive influence of the Jews living around him in Caesarea. He was on the outside looking in, practicing the best he could faithfulness to the God of Israel. His openness to God opened the door for God to speak to Cornelius and arrange this meeting with Peter.

In just a few words, Peter displays his passion for Jesus and his belief that God’s plan of redemption for the entire world, first begun with the Jews, is now complete in Jesus: “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (v.43)

Cornelius’ hope in inviting Peter to his home was that he would be welcomed into the family of God through forgiveness and transformation. He was!

The Holy Spirit came on Cornelius’ household, just as it did on the day of Pentecost. A definitive statement that in seven years, Peter and the others were witnesses for Jesus in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

My Takeaway: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5: 17-21)

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Peter Arrives at Cornelius’ Home

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 19, 2021

Peter Arrives at Cornelius’ Home

“Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

Acts 10:33b

Read: Acts 10:17-33       

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, had no use for the idolatry of Rome. He wasn’t a Jew, but he prayed to the God of the Jews. Just as God had been working in the life of the Ethiopian (Chapter 8), God had been working in the life of Cornelius. And just as God sent Phillip to the Ethiopian, God sent Peter to Cornelius.

God gave Peter a vision (v.11-15) that set the foundation for taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. Cornelius was not a Jew, and he did not have to become a Jew to hear and received the Good News of Jesus Christ. The New Community of Believers was open to all people everywhere. The invitation goes out to all people, just as they are. All people are equal before God. All people are invited to repent of their sin and believe in Jesus.

My Takeaway: Peter’s visit to Cornelius’ home reminds me of a motto of a twelve- step recovery group. “It is OK to not be OK, but it is not OK to stay that way. 

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cornelius Calls for Peter

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 18, 2021

Cornelius Calls for Peter

“Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.  He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

Acts 10:5-6

Read: Acts 10:1-16

Cornelius and Peter received very specific instructions. And as we shall see in this and the next two readings, God validated the instructions, first with the consistency between what Cornelius and Peter received, and later by the fruit of their obedience.

Under the Old Covenant, Israel was intended to be a light for the nations. They were marked as God’s people by circumcision, forms of worship and dietary laws. Under the New Covenant, God is using His New Community of Believers (The Christian Church) to be a light to the nations. We are marked as God’s people through justification by faith – that is, coming into a right relationship with God the Father through faith in Christ Jesus, God’s Son. In our passage today, God is setting the stage to announce this foundation of the New Covenant. In our reading on Monday, February 22, Peter will take center stage and proclaim this incredibly Good News.

My Takeaway: God is still leading His people, and I believe it is essential that we validate what we perceive God is revealing to us through scripture and the witness of the church.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Aeneas and Dorcas

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 17, 2021

Aeneas and Dorcas

 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.

Acts 9:34

Read: Acts 9: 32-42

First, another tidbit for context. It was approximately four years after Pentecost that Saul had his Damascus Road encounter with Jesus. It may have been another year or so before Peter left Jerusalem and traveled to Lydda.

Two things stand out to me in Peter’s encounters with Aeneas and Dorcas. First, as noted in the scripture quoted above, Peter is very clear that Jesus is the one doing the healing. Secondly, I noticed how Peter’s words, and actions, are identical to the words and actions of Jesus that Peter witnessed. Peter is doing exactly what he had been taught by the Master.

My Takeaway: I also noted that in today’s passage three individuals and three places are named. I believe Luke wants us to know that the disciples were doing real ministry with real people in real places. This is just like the New Community of Believers Luke noted in Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Fear of the Lord

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 16, 2021

Fear of the Lord

Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, (the church) increased in numbers.

Acts 9:31

Read: Acts 9:19b-31

First, a few tidbits for context. It is not until Paul’s first missionary journey in chapter 13 that the name Paul is introduced. There is no explanation other than simply stating “Saul, also known as Paul.” (13:9) From that point only the name Paul is used. At the end of today’s reading, Saul sails from Caesarea to Tarsus. Caesarea is on the Mediterranean coast northwest of Jerusalem. Tarsus is in Turkey to the north of Caesarea and across the Mediterranean Sea. Saul remained in Tarsus until a revival broke out in Antioch (also in Turkey) and Saul was summoned there to assist in the work.

Two things stand out to me in today’s reading. First, Saul was so persistent in speaking boldly in the name of the Lord, even in the face of death threats, both in Damascus and Jerusalem. Secondly, the phrase, “Living in the fear of the Lord” caught my attention. Fear of the Lord is not afraid of the Lord. Again, I go back to Hebrews 12:28-29, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

My Takeaway: I am writing this mediation on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I remember worshiping in St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral in Tallahassee on this weekend last year. That church modeled for me worshiping God with reverence and awe. It was joyful, edifying, and transformative. That experience also modeled for me what it can mean to live in the fear of the Lord.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Ask and You Will Receive

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 15, 2021

Ask and You Will Receive

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

Acts 9:15

Read: Acts 9:10-19a

Jesus has a great sense of humor. Often his humor is seen in the stunning reversals from the norm used to accomplish his purposes. If I were to pick the one person who would have the greatest influence on building God’s new church I would have had several good candidates. Peter, John and Phillip immediately come to mind. And God did use them in mighty ways to build for His Kingdom. But the one who was picked is the one person who had dedicated himself to destroying the new church: Saul.

Who could have I chosen to be the most influential person to take the Gospel beyond Israel? Peter and John had already distinguished themselves as being inclusive when they went to Samaria to help Phillip, and Phillip was the one who went to Samaria first. No, God chose Saul.

Saul is the most hard-liner, fanatical, ultra-nationalist, super-orthodox Pharisaic Jew in Israel. Saul is the last person I would have chosen to invite foreigners into the Kingdom of God. But God picked Saul.

This little story of Saul coming to faith in Christ reminds me that God sees things in an altogether different way than I do. It is a reminder to pray intently and earnestly before making decisions so that I may have the mind of Christ and do things God’s way.

My Takeaway: Today’s passage also reveals that it is perfectly OK to enter into a discussion with and to ask questions of God. Ananias’ assignment from the Lord is another example of God going against the norm. God affirmed his call on the life of Saul, and Ananias was obedient. May our Lord find such obedience in me.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.