What Does God Require?

May 4, 1997

Micah 6:8 Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.

Acts 10; John 15: 9 17

A STORY

Two very different men.

• Cornelius. Roman officer. Wealthy, powerful. Definitely Gentile, non kosher. But a seeker after God, and after God's truth. A man who cared about people, and who prayed for light to find the way.
• Peter. Acknowledged leader of the Christians. Great Christian— people actually sought his shadow as he passed, so they could be healed; an angel had released him from Jerusalem's inner prison ... No question, Peter was the best of the best.

  Raised a strict observant Jew, and kosher all his life. He found no problem at all in simply carrying his kosher disciplines along with his genuine faith in Christ. In fact he probably even saw the new faith as a continuation of his devout upbringing. And there was not one Gentile Christian in the entire world.* (*not counting the Samaritans who were 'half-Jews.')

Two visions from God.

• First to Cornelius: An angel of God appeared as Cornelius was praying. Angel says, basically, "God knows you are seeking Him. God loves you a lot. Send to Joppa, the house of a man who cures hides and makes leather. Another man, Peter, is staying at his house. The house is right on the beach there at Joppa. You need Peter to help you come to know me better." The message came about three o'clock one afternoon, and within the hour Cornelius had sent off two trustworthy servants and a Roman soldier whom he also trusted. They set out to go thirty miles to the south to look for this house by the sea and a man called Peter.
• Second vision, this time to Peter. It was about noon the very next day. Peter was at Simon the tanner's home, just as Cornelius's angel had said. Actually he was up on the roof garden praying. As he prayed he got hungry, and sent down an order for lunch. While he was waiting Peter drifted into a trance-like state. In a vision Peter saw a huge sheet held by its four corners like a big seine purse and in it were all kinds of animals, kosher and non kosher pork chops, lobsters, clams, ham sandwiches a Jewish nightmare! And the word came from heaven, "Get up, Peter you're hungry have a ham sandwich!" But Peter immediately responded, "Lord! I will not! I have never had an non kosher meal in my life!" And the word Peter got back in his trance was, "Whatever I call clean is not for you to call unclean!" This happened three times.

This is the point where the two visions from God began to come together, because right then there was a knocking at the outer door downstairs. "Is this the home of Simon the tanner? Is there a man named Peter staying here? Could we see him please?" The men from Cornelius in Caesarea were at the door. At the very same time God was telling Peter "Go downstairs and meet some men I have sent. They're Gentiles but they won't bite you! I have sent them!"

And so the three Gentiles came into a kosher home and had a kosher meal and they rested the rest of the day, and spent the night together. That was a miracle in itself. And then first thing the next morning a group of strict kosher Christian Jews, and Gentile members of a Roman occupation officer's household started out on a day-and-a-half journey together. It had to be a first!

The next day, the fourth day since Cornelius first had his vision, the little group reached Caesarea. They had made the thirty miles back in good time. And that is where our scripture lesson for this morning breaks in. Cornelius was almost willing to worship Peter, but Peter stopped that. Peter had begun to learn a lesson that maybe he needed to learn again and again: God had showed him, Peter said, that he should never, ever count out anyone as not being precious to God. God cares for everyone! That is a great lesson for every one of us to learn!

Then Peter began to preach. He told the household of Cornelius about Jesus, and his grace and mercy. He told them of his atoning death on Calvary. He told how Jesus carried OUR sins away— the Lamb of God! And then he told them about the mighty power that had brought Jesus back from death the resurrection power of God. And as he spoke that same resurrection power came on the household of Cornelius. It was like another Pentecost, a lot like the first time the Holy Spirit was poured out with power on the church at Jerusalem.

Cornelius, a Gentile and Roman citizen, became a baptized believer in Jesus Christ that very day. He became a Christian. Cornelius never did become a Jew. He never did embrace kosher ways, so far as we know.

Peter remained a Jewish Christian. He was more comfortable that way the disciplines of that life reminded him of all the promises of the Bible. But from then on a new day had begun in the church. A wall had come down. God had been working both ends of the relationship— the seeker and the speaker. He still does.

The big fisherman got a new insight into just how much God loves all people, not just those who know all the rules. The powerful officer of the greatest government in the world bowed before the son of a Jewish carpenter who had never been more than ninety miles from where he was born, and yet who was and is the Son of God come down from heaven. That day the old and the new praised God together because of His great love.

GOD LOVES PEOPLE! GOD LOVES YOU! This love shines in the words of Jesus (John 15:15) "I have called you servants, but I don't want to call you that any more. I want to call you friends! I want to show you all that is in my great heart of love!"

Maybe when we read this it just slips past us. Maybe we are sometimes too kosher or too self-occupied to hear it. Commandments are holy and good. It does make a difference to God if we seek to do his will or not. But they are all means to draw us to God!

God loves people. He loves you. God wants us to draw near to him so he can draw near to us! As we seek him, like Cornelius did, he will show us how to draw nearer. As we pray and meditate, like Peter, he will work on our prejudices and give us chances to tell people why Jesus came and died and rose again! He wants us to be his friends. he wants us to walk with him!

The Old Testament prophet Micah said it best— and he wasn't even a Christian—although I'm sure he is now. He said (6:8) "He has shown you, O seeker, what is right; and what does God require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Too often we talk when we should be listening. We begin with the answers when we don't even know the questions. But if we are going to walk with God, as his friends, the only way we CAN walk is humbly. He is willing.

Pray with me.

O God I am a seeker after You. Show me how to draw nearer!

O God I am an old believer! Show me how to tell others how much You love them.

Amen.

#552 O Master Let Me Walk with Thee