What a Way to Start!

When I took Speech classes in college, I was told that your opening statements are very important. Among other things, you want to make them interesting - to catch people's attention - but not too heavy - as people generally aren't ready to listen to you just yet. And when you are speaking in front of an unfamiliar audience, a quick introduction and a thanks for the invitation is usually helpful. I must admit that I don't always get it right, but I do at least try.

Peter, on the other hand, either never recieved this teaching - or just completely disregarded it. Take his opening statements in Acts 10 to those who had gathered at Cornelius' house to hear him speak: In verse 28 and 29, he says: "You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection."

What an opening line! He basically started off by saying: I don't want to be here. It goes against the entire fiber of my being. You are Gentiles - You are unclean - and so my upbringing tells me that I am sinning to even be in this house. Yet since God told me to come, I am here...

How do you think the people were feeling at this point? Insulted? Put-down? Maybe... That was my initial thought - that I couldn't believe Peter was saying something like that - in front of everyone - that God had directly sent him to. But then I got to thinking about it a little more...

This was probably a very awkward time for Peter. He had never been in a Gentile's house before - and didn't really know how to act. But he knew that God had called him there. So instead of beating around the bush - and acting like everything was fine and dandy - he decided to clear the air - and let people know what was going on in his head. He told them the truth - he told them that God was working on his views of clean and unclean - and even though he didn't know where it would lead - he was willing to follow the Spirit.

A few verses later, we read that while Peter was speaking to them about Jesus, the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles - which amazed Peter's Jewish friends. But I have to wonder - if Peter had not admitted his feelings at the beginning - would the Holy Spirit have been able to use him so mightily? If Peter had not broached the subject, but had allowed himself, his friends, and his audience to dwell on the thought that Peter was breaking the law - or that what he was doing may have been a sin - then I think the Holy Spirit would have had a harder time breaking through.

But Peter was faithful - in a brash, bold, sort of way - and the Lord did incredible things through him that day. And a few chapters later, we find Peter speaking up for Paul's missionary work to the Gentiles at the Jerusalem Council - which officially opened the door for anyone to become a Christian without ever becoming a Jew (which is good news for each of us).