The Ballestero Blog

The News Got Home Before He Did!

News in Apostolic circles always travels fast! The word of Peter’s visit with Cornelius beat him back to Jerusalem. That was no small feat in itself.

Peter looked at the unsmiling faces of his Jerusalem brethren. These were the men whom he had fished with all night long before. They were his old friends. He had literally spent day and night with them for the last three years, or so. Over there sat Doctor Luke, and there was Matthew the old tax collector. His buddies James and John didn’t even show their usual smiles when he had walked in the room. Accusations were in all of their eyes. No one looked kindly at him.

That fact really did not overwhelm the man on the hot seat. He had grown up in a world of rough and tumble. He was familiar with using fists, and was even known to carry a sword. Today however, the war was to be one of words and opinions.

Firmly entrenched in each of the questioner’s minds was a deep bias and prejudice against every non-Jew. There was no moderator or Judge in the room. Peter was fair game for them all. Today would probably be his last day of honor among them. It all hinged on what Peter had to say.

Everyone felt free to question his activities and his motives. They opened the volley of questioning, with what happened to be their first and last shot.

“Peter, we understand you went into a house belonging to an uncircumcised man and ate meals with him and his family,” someone said.

There it was. Peter was guilty of fraternizing with the Gentiles. He had crossed the line of propriety and decorum. His accusers were quite ready to censor him, maybe even worse.

Peter was tired in body. He had been in Joppa just a few days ago when the Lord had given him the vision of the sheet containing unclean things and had commanded him to slay and eat. After his continued refusal, the Lord had said not to call that which He had cleansed, common or unclean. The Lord then told him that there were men downstairs at the door and he was to go with them.

It was a 36-mile walk from Joppa to Caesarea, the Roman capital city of Judea. The trip had taken all day and was tiring by itself. But, as soon as he had entered the home of Cornelius, they put him right to work. They immediately made him stand up and preach to them about Jesus.

While Peter was preaching, the Holy Ghost fell on everyone in the room and they began to speak in tongues, just like the hundred and twenty did on the day of Pentecost.

When Peter heard them speak in tongues, not only was he astonished, but the Jewish believers with Peter were amazed as well. Peter then commanded everyone that had just received the Holy Ghost to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

He then stayed with Cornelius for a few days to further instruct him and his family in the Scriptures.

The 60-mile journey from there back to Jerusalem was wearisome as well. But still there had been no time to rest.

Immediately upon arriving home, he was put on trial. His ministry was now in question. His motives were under suspicion. His actions were reprehensible to every conservative Jew in the room.

It was his make or break moment. Jesus wasn’t here anymore to moderate the dissention. It felt like the whole New Testament Church was against him.

Peter had never used polish in his approach to anything. He spoke with great plainness of speech. He disarmed his questioners by being candid and straightforward. He told them of his vision, his preaching to the household of Cornelius, and how the Holy Ghost had fallen on them, just like it fell on us.

The countenance of each accuser’s face in the room changed. There it was! God had put his blessing upon the whole event, by pouring out His Spirit.

The Question and Answer session immediately dissolved into a worship service. All of the Apostles worshipped the Lord together. They gave thanks because God had given unto the Gentiles, the privilege of repentance.

Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

The Apostles did not say, “Praise the Lord, twenty-six received the Holy Ghost and twenty-six were baptized.”

They thanked the Lord for Granting Repentance to the Gentiles. They knew, that if the Lord would let them repent, the Gentiles could have anything else that Heaven had to offer. That simple truth is still in effect today. The Goodness of God leads men to repentance. And, If God will let you repent, that means:

• He has just opened the Door for you to be filled with His Spirit.
• He has also just opened the Door of Healing and Blessing as well.
• It matters not what you have said or done.
• It’s no longer important where you’ve been, or with whom.
• Once God Grants you Repentance, He has just opened the Door of Eternal Salvation.
• Take advantage of it today!

It’s A Privilege To Be Able To Repent.  

If God Grants You Repentance…

That Alone Is Worthy Of Your Worship!