Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
When life slows down enough and you have time to sit with a friend, perhaps looking out over a lake, or the ocean or some quiet place, what do you talk about? Do you have a friend or two with whom you can talk about the really important things of life, those things deep down in your soul that really matter to you. And may I ask: with whom do you talk about the things that will be important to you 100 years from now… when the story of your earthly life has all been written, what will be important to you then?
I’m so glad, and humbled, that you and thousands of people around the world, are willing to spend 10 minutes or so with Jesus and me each day, reflecting on the really important things of life! Today, join me in Acts 9:43 “Peter stayed in Joppa for some time, with a tanner named Simon.” All we know about this man is that he’s a tanner, lives in Joppa and was willing to have Peter the apostle stay with him for a while. I can imagine they were learning a great deal from each other. Peter likely told Simon about the fishing business and living in a shoreline town on the Sea of Galilee, and of course what it was like to walk with Jesus for those many months. Simon likely told Peter about the tanning business and what it was like living on the shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea in Joppa.
Perhaps they strolled on the beach in the evenings and talked about life. I suspect they talked about some amazing history that had happened in that place, that very town of Joppa, over the centuries. It was from Joppa that a man named Jonah got on a ship going to Tarshish to run away from God and God’s assignment for him! Do you remember that story? It happened about 760bc.
God had told Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital city of the powerful and wicked Assyrian empire, and tell them about the God of the Hebrews. Instead, Jonah ran the other way. He came to Joppa, boarded a ship heading the opposite direction, away from Nineveh! Have you ever done that? Have you ever said NO to God and refused to participate with Him in whatever He was inviting you into? For Jonah that was a disaster and you may recall he ended up INSIDE the belly of a large fish for three days! The story is in the Old Testament book which bears his name, Jonah! Do you remember that great fish spit Jonah out and Jonah washed ashore, cleaned himself up, and then was again approached by God, urging him to go to Nineveh. This time Jonah agreed. He went to Nineveh and spoke of God. Amazingly that wicked city, led by its king, responded to Jonah’s message, repented and God spared them from terrible judgment! It’s a most amazing story!
The other event for which Joppa was somewhat famous occurred in the time of King Solomon. That would have been around 970bc. God had given Solomon the assignment of building the great Temple in Jerusalem. The design called for massive timbers of Cedar, but the only place they could be found was north in Lebanon! So God moved in the king of Lebanon’s heart and a huge amount of cedar timber was cut in Lebanon, floated down the Mediterranean sea bundled in large rafts, and then hauled inland to Jerusalem, where they became an important part of the great Temple. That story is found in 1 Kings 5. For centuries, as the Jewish people worshipped at their magnificent Temple, they knew it’s beauty was in part due to the help of a non-Jewish king and workmen who shared their amazing cedar trees with Israel.
Perhaps as Peter and Simon discussed such things they began to consider that God cared deeply for all people, in all places, both Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, nearby and far away. While they didn’t know it, I believe God was preparing both of them, but especially Peter, for one of the most significant, mind stretching events of all time. Messengers from a Roman centurion showed up at Simon the Tanner’s house one day asking for Peter. Dr. Luke, the author of the book of Acts, gives us this remarkable account in Acts 10.
The “Italian Regiment” was among the most prestigious in the Roman empire military, and in Caesarea, where they were stationed, one of their officers was named Cornelius. He had authority over at least 100 soldiers. Luke writes: “Cornelius and all his family were devout and God fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” (Acts 10:1,2) Sounds like Cornelius was a successful military man, highly respected both for his military leadership and his character. Also sounds like everyone knew Cornelius to be a God fearing, spiritual man. Think for a moment… how many successful leaders in the military or business or politics or education or healthcare do you know who have balanced well the demands of leadership and sustained a vibrant, authentic spiritual maturity? What would be some of the traits or characteristics of their lives which demand your respect?
Cornelius had a vision in which Luke reports “…an angel of God came to Cornelius and said ‘Cornelius, your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” (Acts 10:3-6) I love it when the Bible shows us what’s going on at a particular moment from several different vantage points, or in the lives of several people simultaneously.
I don’t know if Cornelius was accustomed to having daytime visitations from angels, but clearly, being a military man, and understanding the importance of following orders from a superior officer immediately and in detail, Cornelius did what he was told by the angel. I presume Cornelius understood the angel was an angel who had come from God with specific instructions for Cornelius. Let me ask you… do you think God sometimes has specific instructions for you? Does God want to involve you in what HE is doing in our world? So let me ask, how does God get your attention? How does God communicate with you what He wants you to do in order for you to participate with HIM, the God of the Universe, in what HE is doing!? Now you might need to re-read or re-listen to that question!
Without debate or delay, Luke says “Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa!” (Acts 10:7,8) I assume it took Cornelius only a matter of minutes to think through all the men under his command, the servants in his household and even members of his own family. Who could Cornelius trust with this mission? There would be no room for argument or excuses or delay or distraction. The mission was clear, and it seemed urgent: “Go to Joppa, find and bring back a man named Simon Peter who is staying with a tanner named Simon who lives by the sea.” Caesarea to Joppa would be a walk of about 30 or 35 miles, depending on the road. Luke tells us “About noon the following day, as they were approaching Joppa, Peter went up on the roof of the house where he was staying, to pray.” (Acts 10:9)
That tells me those whom Cornelius sent covered those 30 or 35 miles in less that 24 hours from the time of the angel’s visit! Now that’s obedient, fast action, do you agree? I presume their trip was on foot. No taxi, no bus, no car, probably not even a horse or mule. As they walked along, what do you suppose those three men talked about? We know they deeply respected Cornelius. I presume they respected Cornelius both because of his professional position and his devout relationship with God. It’s safe for us to assume Cornelius was a Gentile, Roman citizen. Perhaps the soldier and the other two attendants were also Gentiles. They had never met Simon Peter and probably knew nothing about him. But oh my, their lives were about to change!
For Simon Peter, I note he’s going up on his roof, at mid day to pray. That tells me that while Peter is growing in his relationship with Jesus through the working of the Holy Spirit in his life, he still had many of the deep traditions of being a good Jewish man, including mid-day prayers! Perhaps Simon was going to stop his tanner work at mid day and join Peter on the roof! I assume Peter was going into mid-day prayers as he often did… praying thanking God for His majesty and greatness. Thanking Jesus for His salvation work on the cross and His resurrection. Thanking the Holy Spirit for His ongoing work in Peter’s life etc. Perhaps Peter has some specific requests he was bringing to God that day. One thing I believe I can guarantee you. . . the last thing in the world Peter expected was a vision up on that roof and a voice from heaven!
Let’s just sit on that roof top for a while watching, as Peter prays, probably facing toward Jerusalem, and there… do you see them, off in the distance, those three guys walking along the road toward us. Those are the guys sent by Cornelius. They’ll be asking townspeople if they know of a man named Simon who is a tanner and lives by the sea. Pretty soon they’ll arrive down there, on the street, at the gate to Simon’s house. And then, oh my, something quite remarkable will happen. In fact, it will be life changing for Peter, probably for Simon the Tanner, for those three messengers from Cornelius, and for Cornelius and everyone in his household. For today let’s pause right here… in anticipation of that great, God designed rendezvous which will happen tomorrow.
As we watch from our rooftop perch… I have a question. When you pray, do you often consider that God is very busy at work, all around the world, doing amazing things and He is always looking to involve those people whose hearts and minds are ready to be invited by God into what HE is doing!? That’s what 2 Chronicles 16:9 says. So as God watches and listens to you pray, how often is God thinking He’d like to invite you into something spectacular that He is about to do…just like Peter that day. So I’m inviting you, right now, to spend some time praying with an open and available heart, ready for God to invite you. Are you ready to join God in something spectacular He is doing?
When you consider that in your prayer you are speaking with the Almighty God, the Creator and sustainer of our entire Universe…what does that do in your Spirit? And when you consider that He might want to involve YOU in something God is doing…what does that stir up in you?
Here’s a song to help you consider that. . .
Today’s Scripture is Acts 10:1-9.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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