Acts 10:1-17, 34-48
In this passage the sending goes both ways. Cornelius gets an angel sent to him, that tells him to send for Peter in Joppa. Peter, meanwhile, has a vision that sends him to see Cornelius. This encounter and passage begins to open the church to Gentiles, transforms Peter into the apostle to the Gentiles, and changes the arc of the church. It doesn’t happen without controversy, and Peter ends up getting called on the carpet by many of the disciples in Jerusalem.
Take a moment and think about this passage. Caesarea and Joppa are about 35 miles apart. Marion and Shawneetown are about 35 miles apart or Marion and Golconda. Can you name a (famous) person of faith in either of those towns?
How well are we known for our faith? Would God send someone to us? Would our neighbors? This is one heck of a story, visions aside. Who has God sent us to? Would God send someone to us? Who might God send to us?
