Jesus said what? To whom?
Means of communication: we often take communication for grated and assume that the way we do it is perhaps the only way, or the right way to communicate sometimes this is quite funny! We have a lot of fun on the mission field thinking of the ways miscommunication plays in our lives: for example, assuming a person is deaf, when they don’t know the language we are using. Or not knowing how to communicate with a deaf or blind person. Or using facial or other body language. Or inflections or vocal tones. Then there are artistic ways of communicating, or writing, or singing, giving gifts, and so forth. We are all multitalented when it comes to communication, and this reflects how God communicates. He is a creative communicator. And in his communication, he involves a lot of people, to build his family connections and to lead us out of our own little groups! He builds relationships by his means of communication. He is not isolated, nor is he individualistic, but relational and interested in building people together – even in some unusual ways. Look at our text:
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One obvious observation is God’s great imagination in communicating to his people.
One obvious question is this: why didn’t he just save Cornelius when he saw all his piety? What is with all this miracle stuff? Why involve so many people? Why go through so many hoops?
The answer lies in both the complexity and the conflict caused by God’s action and his intention to communicate the future direction and growth of this movement. From our perspective today we may not understand just how inappropriate this event is for the religious Jews who are still discovering the greatness and extent of God’s love and grace, but also dealing with the human side of decision making to catch up with what God is doing. But we can identify with the reasons behind wanting to exclude people from our community who are radically different to us. (Even though we have been sinners like them as well!
God is involving a greater community – one with enemies and uncleanness, and Gentiles, and who knows what. Peter is commanded to go without doubt or misgivings, or debate!
So, he offers these “unclean ones” hospitality, and accompanies them because not only Cornelius sent them, but Jesus!
The unraveling of this puzzle is going to lead us to understand more about the nature and scope of Gods character and his actions. The procedure and the means of communication is vital for the impact that it makes on all the players for them to understand this is of God and not my idea!
Where does this leave us? When we pray for God to add to us, can we anticipate that he will only send folks like us to be a part of this move of his Spirit? Or can he determine who is to come and be a part?
Like Jan said, you must catch the fish before you can clean them!
Who are we to tell Jesus whom he can love? Whom can he save? Whom can he deliver?
Whom can he forgive? The cross of Jesus points to all who are afar off. All who are broken and downtrodden, all who are lonely, all who are failures. All who want to come, let them come.