At Caesarea there was a devout and God-fearing Roman centurion called Cornelius who had a vision of an angel. The angel said to him that his prayers and gifts to the poor had been remembered before God. He then told him to send for Simon Peter at Joppa. Coincidentally Peter then had a vision too of a large sheet full of creatures which he was told to kill and eat. Surely not, said Peter, fearful of eating impure creatures, but he was told not to call things God had made clean impure, and this happened 3 times. At that time the centurion's men arrived and Peter was told not to hesitate to go with them. So Peter and some brothers from Joppa went to Caesarea and Peter told Cornelius that not previously would he have had fellowship with a gentile, but his vision of the sheet had changed that. Then Cornelius told Peter about his vision which had led him to call him from Joppa. He then told Peter to feel free to speak to all those gathered at the centurion's house. Peter then preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ telling of his ministry, death and resurrection, and the Holy Spirit fell on all those hearing the word and the Jewish Christians were amazed that gentiles had received the Spirit! They heard them speaking in tongues and praising God, so they baptized them in the name of Jesus Christ, and Peter stayed with them a few days.
No comments:
Post a Comment