the acts of the apostles-第23部分

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Christ　took　humanity　that　He　might　reach　humanity。　A　divine…human　Saviour
was　needed　to　bring　salvation　to　the　world。　And　to　men　and　women　has　been
committed　the　sacred　trust　of　making　known　〃the　unsearchable　riches　of
Christ。〃　Ephesians　3：8。

In　His　wisdom　the　Lord　brings　those　who　are　seeking　for　truth　into　touch
with　fellow　beings　who　know　the　truth。　It　is　the　plan　of　Heaven　that　those
who　have　received　light　shall　impart　it　to　those　in　darkness。　Humanity；
drawing　its　efficiency　from　the　great　Source　of　wisdom；　is　made　the
instrumentality；　the　working　agency；　through　which　the　gospel　exercises　its
transforming　power　on　mind　and　heart。

Cornelius　was　gladly　obedient　to　the　vision。　When　the　angel　had　gone；　the
centurion　〃called　two　of　his　household　servants；　and　a　devout　soldier　of
them　that　waited　on　him

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continually；　and　when　he　had　declared　all　these　things　unto　them；　he　sent
them　to　Joppa。〃

The　angel；　after　his　interview　with　Cornelius；　went　to　Peter；　in　Joppa。　At
the　time；　Peter　was　praying　upon　the　housetop　of　his　lodging；　and　we　read
that　he　〃became　very　hungry；　and　would　have　eaten：　but　while　they　made
ready；　he　fell　into　a　trance。〃　It　was　not　for　physical　food　alone　that　Peter
hungered。　As　from　the　housetop　he　viewed　the　city　of　Joppa　and　the
surrounding　country　be　hungered　for　the　salvation　of　his　countrymen。　He　had
an　intense　desire　to　point　out　to　them　from　the　Scriptures　the　prophecies
relating　to　the　sufferings　and　death　of　Christ。

In　the　vision　Peter　〃saw　heaven　opened；　and　a　certain　vessel　descending　unto
them；　as　it　had　been　a　great　sheet　knit　at　the　four　corners；　and　let　down　to
the　earth：　wherein　were　all　manner　of　four…footed　beasts　of　the　earth；　and
wild　beasts；　and　creeping　things；　and　fowls　of　the　air。　And　there　came　a
voice　to　him；　Rise；　Peter；　kill；　and　eat。　But　Peter　said；　Not　so；　Lord；　for
I　have　never　eaten　anything　that　is　common　or　unclean。　And　the　voice　spake
unto　him　again　the　second　time；　What　God　hath　cleansed；　that　call　not　thou
common。　This　was　done　thrice：　and　the　vessel　was　received　up　again　into
heaven。〃

This　vision　conveyed　to　Peter　both　reproof　and　instruction。　It　revealed　to
him　the　purpose　of　Godthat　by　the　death　of　Christ　the　Gentiles　should　be
made　fellow　heirs　with　the　Jews　to　the　blessings　of　salvation。　As　yet　none
of　the　disciples　had　preached　the　gospel　to　the　Gentiles。　In　their　minds　the
middle　wall　of　partition；　broken　down　by

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the　death　of　Christ；　still　existed；　and　their　labors　had　been　confined　to
the　Jews；　for　they　had　looked　upon　the　Gentiles　as　excluded　from　the
blessings　of　the　gospel。　Now　the　Lord　was　seeking　to　teach　Peter　the
world…wide　extent　of　the　divine　plan。

Many　of　the　Gentiles　had　been　interested　listeners　to　the　preaching　of　Peter
and　the　other　apostles；　and　many　of　the　Greek　Jews　had　become　believers　in
Christ；　but　the　conversion　of　Cornelius　was　to　be　the　first　of　importance
among　the　Gentiles。

The　time　had　come　for　an　entirely　new　phase　of　work　to　be　entered　upon　by
the　church　of　Christ。　The　door　that　many　of　the　Jewish　converts　had　closed
against　the　Gentiles　was　now　to　be　thrown　open。　And　the　Gentiles　who
accepted　the　gospel　were　to　be　regarded　as　on　an　equality　with　the　Jewish
disciples；　without　the　necessity　of　observing　the　rite　of　circumcision。

How　carefully　the　Lord　worked　to　overcome　the　prejudice　against　the　Gentiles
that　had　been　so　firmly　fixed　in　Peter's　mind　by　his　Jewish　training！　By　the
vision　of　the　sheet　and　its　contents　He　sought　to　divest　the　apostle's　mind
of　this　prejudice　and　to　teach　the　important　truth　that　in　heaven　there　is
no　respect　of　persons；　that　Jew　and　Gentile　are　alike　precious　in　God's
sight；　that　through　Christ　the　heathen　may　be　made　partakers　of　the
blessings　and　privileges　of　the　gospel。

While　Peter　was　meditating　on　the　meaning　of　the　vision；　the　men　sent　from
Cornelius　arrived　in　Joppa　and　stood　before　the　gate　of　his　lodginghouse。
Then　the　Spirit　said

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to　him；　〃Behold；　three　men　seek　thee。　Arise　therefore；　and　get　thee　down；
and　go　with　them；　doubting　nothing：　for　I　have　sent　them。〃

To　Peter　this　was　a　trying　command；　and　it　was　with　reluctance　at　every　step
that　he　undertook　the　duty　laid　upon　him；　but　he　dared　not　disobey。　He　〃went
down　to　the　men　which　were　sent　unto　him　from　Cornelius；　and　said；　Behold；　I
am　he　whom　ye　seek：　what　is　the　cause　wherefore　ye　are　come？〃　They　told　him
of　their　singular　errand；　saying；　〃Cornelius　the　centurion；　a　just　man；　and
one　that　feareth　God；　and　of　good　report　among　all　the　nation　of　the　Jews；
was　warned　from　God　by　a　holy　angel　to　send　for　thee　into　his　house；　and　to
hear　words　of　thee。〃

In　obedience　to　the　directions　just　received　from　God；　the　apostle　promised
to　go　with　them。　On　the　following　morning　he　set　out　for　Caesarea；
accompanied　by　six　of　his　brethren。　These　were　to　be　witnesses　of　all　that
he　should　say　or　do　while　visiting　the　Gentiles；　for　Peter　knew　that　he
would　be　called　to　account　for　so　direct　a　violation　of　the　Jewish
teachings。

As　Peter　entered　the　house　of　the　Gentile；　Cornelius　did　not　salute　him　as
an　ordinary　visitor；　but　as　one　honored　of　Heaven　and　sent　to　him　by　God。　It
is　an　Eastern　custom　to　bow　before　a　prince　or　other　high　dignitary　and　for
children　to　bow　before　their　parents；　but　Cornelius；　overwhelmed　with
reverence　for　the　one　sent　by　God　to　teach　him；　fell　at　the　apostle's　feet
and　worshiped　him。　Peter　was　horror…stricken；　and　he　lifted　the　centurion
up；　saying；　〃Stand　up；　I　myself　also　am　a　man。〃

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While　the　messengers　of　Cornelius　had　been　gone　upon　their　errand；　the
centurion　〃had　called　together　his　kinsmen　and　near　friends；〃　that　they　as
well　as　he　might　hear　the　preaching　of　the　gospel。　When　Peter　arrived；　he
found　a　large　company　eagerly　waiting　to　listen　to　his　words。

To　those　assembled；　Peter　spoke　first　of　the　custom　of　the　Jews；　saying　that
it　was　looked　upon　as　unlawful　for　Jews　to　mingle　socially　with　the
Gentiles；　that　to　do　this　involved　ceremonial　defilement。　〃Ye　know；〃　he
said；　〃how　that　it　is　an　unlawful　thing　for　a　man　that　is　a　Jew　to　keep
company；　or　come　unto　one　of　another　nation；　but　God　hath　showed　me　that　I
should　not　call　any　man　common　or　unclean。　Therefore　came　I　unto　you　without
gainsaying；　as　soon　as　I　was　sent　for：　I　ask　therefore　for　what　intent　ye
have　sent　for　me？〃

Cornelius　then　related　his　experience　and　the　words　of　the　angel；　saying　in
conclusion；　〃Immediately　therefore　I　sent　to　thee；　and　thou　hast　well　done
that　thou　art　come。　Now　therefore　are　we　all　here　present　before　God；　to
hear　all　things　that　are　commanded　thee　of　God。〃

Peter　said；　〃Of　a　truth　I　perceive　that　God　is　no　respecter　of　persons：　but
in　every　nation　he　that　feareth　Him；　and　worketh　righteousness；　is　accepted
with　Him。〃

Then　to　that　company　of　attentive　hearers　the　apostle　preached　ChristHis
life；　His　miracles；　His　betrayal　and　crucifixion；　His　resurrection　and
ascension；　and　His　work　in　heaven　as　man's　representative　and　advocate。　As
Peter　pointed　those　present　to　Jesus　as　the　sinner's　only　hope；　he

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himself　understood　more　fully　the　meaning　of　the　vision　he　had　seen；　and　his
heart　glowed　with　the　spirit　of　the　truth　that　he　was　presenting。

Suddenly　the　discourse　was　interrupted　by　the　descent　of　the　Holy　Spirit。
〃While　Peter　yet　spake　these　words；　the　Holy　Ghost　fell　on　all　them　which
heard　the　world。　And　they　of　the　circumcision　which　believed　were
astonished；　as　many　as　came　with　Peter；　because　that　on　the　Gentiles　also
was　poured　out　the　gift　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　For　they　heard　them　speak　with
tongues；　and　magnify　God。

〃Then　answered　Peter；　Can　any　man　forbid　water；　that　these　should　not　be
baptized；　which　have　received　the　Holy　Ghost　as　well　as　we？　And　he　commanded
them　to　be　baptized　in　the　name　of　the　Lord。〃

Thus　was　the　gospel　brought　to　those　who　had　been　strangers　and　foreigners；
making　them　fellow　citizens　with　the　saints；　and　members　of　the　household　of
God。　The　conversion　of　Cornelius　and　his　household　was　but　the　first　fruits
of　a　harvest　to　be　gathered　in。　From　this　household　a　wide…spread　work　of
grace　was　carried　on　in　that　heathen　city。

Today　God　is　seeking　for　souls　among　the　high　as　well　as　the　lowly。　There
are　many　like　Cornelius；　men　whom　the　Lord　desires　to　connect　with　His　work
in　the　world。　Their　sympathies　are　with　the　Lord's　people；　but　the　ties　that
bind　them　to　the　world　hold　them　firmly。　It　requires　moral　courage　for　them
to　take　their　position　for　Christ。　Special　efforts　should　be　made　for　these
souls；　who　are　in　so　great

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danger；　because　of　their　responsibilities　and　associations。

God　calls　for　earnest；　humble　workers；　who　will　carry　the　gospel　to　the
higher　class。　There　are　miracles　to　be　wrought　in　genuine
conversions；miracles　that　are　not　now　discerned。　The　greatest　men　of　this
earth　are　not　beyond　the　power　of　a　wonder…working　God。　If　those　who　are
workers　together　with　Him　will　be　men