About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
- Acts 10:9-23
From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down.
- Acts 13:13-14
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
- Acts 13:46-48
he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
- Isaiah 49:6
Have you ever heard a bit of Scripture just before the pastor preaches the sermon and your mind goes down a rabbit hole instead of listening? Okay, I wrote two or three notes, when I usually write a page of notes – a good sermon gets two pages or more.
No, the first Scripture above was read and having studied the book of Acts, my mind quickly went from Acts 10 to Acts 13.
The Chosen People were given the Promised Land to be a shining beacon for the entire world to see the wonders that worshipping the true God can bring. But they worshipped false gods instead, idols made of wood or stone. They turned from God and were eventually punished. God had said through Moses that they would be exiled from the land if they disobeyed. God fulfills His promises.
So, the Israelites had the Light, but instead of shining it for the Gentiles to see, they hid the light to chase false gods. And when Jesus speaks of shining the light on top of the hill and hiding the light under a bowl, He is referring to how the light under the bowl was snuffed out.
And Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders. He was crucified. He died; He rose again. And even then, the Good News that was supposed to be spread to all nations on earth was kept in and near Jerusalem. But of the thousands that heard Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, many were from other areas. They reported back to their country of origin, but to the other Jews.
Even when the Gentiles accepted Jesus, the Jews wanted them circumcised. They wanted the Gentiles turned into Jews.
All of this flooded through me while I was supposed to be hearing a fairly similar message.
But then I thought, first Peter going to Cornelius, afraid to enter the home of someone who was not circumcised, and then Paul, seeing the Gentiles grasping the Good News while the Jews were unwilling, at least the vocal leaders unwilling, to listen to Paul’s sermon. Thus, Paul says that he will take the message to the Gentiles. Paul refused to have them circumcised, for that brought works into salvation, and that was where his Jewish brethren had made their mistake.
We must trust in God, rather than any act, even a religious ceremony, that is performed by mankind.
And the Good News spread throughout the known world and beyond. Would it have spread if the Jews kept the Light hidden under a bowl?
Now that the established denominations are accepting secular ideas to make the church more appealing to the masses, are we not placing a bowl over the light in favor of false gods?
And I have many friends who are Jews, some of them believing and trusting in Jesus. For those who have met Jesus, they understand why Jesus came to earth. We need, both Jew and Gentile, to fan the flame so that all can see the Light which only Jesus can bring to this fallen world.
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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