Angels Come to Call
A One-Act Play in Three Scenes
June 18, 1992
Acts 10
Yes, I believe its historical truth and accuracy; but it needs to be "seen," to be "real" as we read it:
I. SCENE ONE: OFFICER'S HOME IN CAESAREA
Time: June 21, 36 A.D.
Place: A beautiful spacious cut stone home in the Roman city of Caesarea, on the eastern most coast of the Mediterranean; Caesarea is the Roman provincial capital of what is now Lebanon, Israel and parts of Syria and Jordan.
Cornelius, a Roman centurion, commander of a famous Italian Regiment, is praying. It is 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and his work day is behind him. Perhaps he is in the atrium of his spacious house; he is meditating on all the things he has seen and heard.
Cornelius is a good pagan. He is a true seeker after truth, after God. He is not a Christian, but he cannot help but have heard something about this development in the Jewish community.
Cornelius has not been a typical occupational military presence. He is a loyal Roman, but he believes that the best thing Rome can do for the empire is foster true understanding and good will. And as Cornelius has become acquainted with the Jewish scriptures, the revelation of Jehovah, he has been impressed. This is "a" good religion! He has sponsored the building of synagogues; he has fostered tolerance and kindness to the Jewish people.
This day is much like many other days— the administrative duties have been cared for; the new men have been assigned, the men to be retired or sent on leave have been reviewed; letters have been received and sent, and now a little quiet time seeking to communicate with the Great Unknown. Cornelius has had this growing hunger in his heart for God and has not known quite how to express it. And then— it happened!
It happened in the inner court of Cornelius' lovely home in Caesarea— and angel of God suddenly stood before him! The angel spoke his name! "Cornelius!" Cornelius was startled, to say the least. His reaction was the same as yours or mine would be: he was terrified! But Cornelius was a military man, and his fear did not control his actions. Cornelius looked the angel right in the eye! And he said to the angel, "What is on your mind?"
The angel did NOT tell Cornelius about Jesus. He did NOT make known the Roman Road or the Four Spiritual Laws. He DID give Cornelius encouragement, and told him the next step to take.
The encouragement was the assurance that God in heaven knows what Cornelius is doing on earth.
The next step was a specific assignment to a specific place to see a specific individual who was staying with a specific person. He gave enough directions so that Cornelius could send for the help he needed.
Within the hour Cornelius had sent three men on the day-and- a-half journey down the coast to Joppa to find this man called Peter. And this is how the first scene ends.
II. SCENE TWO: THE HOME OF SIMON, THE TANNER BY THE SEA
Time: The next day, just about high noon. Peter is waiting for dinner to be announced.
Place: Simon the tanner's house. It is by the sea. It isn't too hard to find, for the tanning business involves soaking raw animal skins in vats; fermenting the fermentable, potent smells—
I know it is silly because churches had not yet been developed, and the Nazarene nap syndrome was still millennia away; but somehow I picture a Sunday afternoon just after church in the house where I live; I've finished preaching and I am temporarily exhausted; the kids are doing their thing- Helen is in the kitchen— for we always used to have the biggest meal of the week— and I usually lay down on the couch until it was time to slice the meat or whatever— and it wasn't too hard to drop off into a quick nap.
Actually in the hot mid-eastern climate a leisurely noon mealtime is pretty much world-wide.
However it happened, the Bible says that while Peter was hungry and waiting for dinner to be served he fell asleep and fell into a trance that was somewhere between dreaming and a visitation from God, or so it seemed.
[ THE 'VISION' - A "sheet" let down from heaven with pork chops and lobsters and apple pie with ice cream . . . all non-kosher foods— ]
Then the Spirit spoke clearly to Peter: Men are just about to ring the doorbell! Don't be afraid. I'm in this. Peter went down the stairs and met the men at the gate— and invited them into the house.
What kosher rules were broken I do not know— I doubt any at this time. A Jew can have non-Jews in his home— the contamination begins when the Jew goes into the heathen's house and/or eats off defiled vessels.
The men stay overnight with Peter in Simon the tanner's house.
III. SCENE THREE: OFFICER'S HOME IN CAESAREA
Time: June 24 or 25, same year
Place: scene set same as Scene One, except now there are a score or more guests eagerly waiting the return of the men Cornelius has sent away.
When Peter came in he first talked briefly about himself, who he was, and how he was (usually) limited! "I have never mixed with Gentiles! But God has been speaking to me! Here I am!"
Then Peter got down to business! He began to tell Cornelius and his household and guests about the Christ who fills all of revelation, and who had transformed his own sinful heart!
As Peter spoke about Jesus things began to click into place. "I had heard about this Man," Cornelius may have said. "But I hadn't know quite how to fit Him in to what the Jewish scriptures say. Now this makes sense!" The Holy Spirit was illuminating Peter's preaching.
When Peter, helped along by the Spirit, said, "If you believe in this powerful Name that is above every Name, you will receive forgiveness of sins," Cornelius's heart leapt for joy! In his heart he said, "I do believe!" And the same thing was happening in the others gathered there. God descended in a wonderful way. Peter's sermon was interrupted, but his message came through loud and clear!
They had a testimony meeting— and then they had a baptismal service— and then they started the First Church of the Nazarene in Caesarea with about 20 charter members!
I know it doesn't have that all down in the King James version. But as Dr. Knight said at Assembly, that is what us preachers are for! (To explain what isn't written down!) ;-)
Conclusion/Application
This chapter says two things to me, loud and clear: Hebrews 11:6 is true: God will meet with those who seek after Him diligently; and YET— God uses...
- When our focus is on Cornelius it makes us aware that
- "in all nations there are people seeking after God." and
- it encourages us that God answers those who seek him.
[Illus: At the last General Assembly one evening the emphasis was world mission, and there were several people in our own generation— current— who were raised pagan, but to whom God has manifested himself. One of them will speak with us here next Sunday! Janine Van Beek. Another was a man who lived in the rain forests of South America— to whom God gave the name of a man to seek after in a mission situation.]
- When our focus comes to Peter there are several things this passage teaches me:
- I never know my own prejudices; I must be open to the Lord. Then I can also be myself.
- When God wants a job done He sends for a man or a woman. Imperfect, faulted, weak, prejudiced— still God does not give the Gospel message by angels— at least not usually! God uses redeemed people!
- The POWER is in the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus— in His life within! When Peter said Jesus is alive, and if you believe in His name you will receive forgiveness of sins— as he spoke the hearers believed and received!
