Title Acts 10:9~23 Peter's prayer of communication
Contents
Acts 10:9 23
Peter's Prayer
In order for the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles, God prepared three people. The first was Saul (Paul) (Acts 9). Later he became an apostle to the Gentiles. The second was Peter (Acts 10). He became an apostle who opened the door of the gospel to the Gentiles. The third was Cornelius (Acts 10). He was an evangelist who was ready to accept the gospel. In other words, they were the best Gentiles to be evangelized by God. The problem is that Jews had discrimination and prejudice toward Gentiles. God gave a vision to Peter who was praying, and the Holy Spirit made him realize the vision. Eventually, Peter put aside discrimination and prejudice and went to the Gentiles, Cornelius, to preach the gospel. Through Peter's prayer, we realize the importance of communication prayer.
First, while praying, I saw a vision and heard a voice.
Peter was a praying man. He devoted his whole life to prayer because he had a painful experience in the Garden of Gethsemane where he fell asleep without praying and eventually denied Jesus three times. In Acts 3:1, it is said that he went up to the temple during the ninth hour of prayer. In verse 9 of today's text, it is said that we prayed during the 6th hour of prayer. Especially at this time, he was traveling and ministering from place to place. No matter how short the time, no matter how harsh the circumstances, he never missed a time to pray.
More important than ministry is prayer. It is unwise to cut down on prayer time because of busyness or lack of time. The busier you are, the more you need to pray. The heavens were opened to Peter who prayed like that (verse 11). He had a vision (v. 17). It was a vision of a large sheet of cloth hung on the ground by the corners of mine (verse 11). And three times I heard a voice saying, ‘Get up, eat and eat’ (verses 13-16).
Prayer is conversation and communication with God. A one-way prayer is a wrong prayer. For example, if we impose only our needs and desires or our thoughts and will upon God, such a prayer is clearly wrong. True prayer should be a prayer that makes our wishes known through prayer and at the same time hears God's voice and realizes God's will.
Second, we must hold onto the Word of God.
The vision that Peter saw was a vision of a large sheet of cloth. In the cloth were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, creeping things, and flying things (verse 12). Clean and unclean animals stipulated in the Old Testament law were mixed. He heard the voice of God (verse 13). “Get up and eat it.” But he refused (verse 14). “It cannot be, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unclean and unclean.” Another voice was heard from the second heaven (verse 15). “Do not call what God has made clean, unclean.” Peter heard God's voice again and again three times (verse 16).
Peter's answer was contradictory. He confessed with his lips, 'Lord,' but refused, saying, 'I can't' with his actions. Most Jews did not eat unclean food according to the Old Testament law, nor did they associate with unclean Gentiles. Peter, too, was so bound by Judaism that he could neither understand nor accept God's Word.
As such, there was a huge difference between Peter's thoughts and God's Word in the 'concept of holiness'. It is not okay to call Peter unclean what God has made clean. We must hold onto the Word of God, not our thoughts, our will, or our experiences. When I lay down my thoughts, my will, and my experiences, I can understand and accept the Word of God.
Third, we must work according to the will of God.
Peter could not understand the meaning of the vision (v. 17). As he was contemplating the vision, the Holy Spirit spoke to him (verses 19-20). The Holy Spirit commanded Peter to go to Cornelius, a Gentile family, and preach the gospel. Eventually, the preaching of the gospel of Cornelius' family became a landmark event in which the gospel passed from Jews to Gentiles.
In Acts 16, Paul had a vision. It was the so-called “Macedonian Vision”. A man from Macedonia beckoned and said, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Paul tried to preach the gospel in Asia Minor, but the Holy Spirit prevented him from preaching the word in Asia Minor. Eventually he gave up his thoughts and went to Macedonia. Eventually, the preaching of the gospel in Macedonia became a monumental event in the passage of the gospel from Asia to Europe.
A missionary must carry out his mission according to the will of God. A minister must work according to the will of God. Why did the ‘angel’ (verse 4) not directly preach the gospel to Cornelius, and why did the ‘Spirit’ (verse 19) not directly preach the gospel to Cornelius, but to Peter? This is because preaching the gospel is a unique mission given to Peter, a unique mission given to the church, and a unique mission given to all of us today, that is, the people of God who have been saved.
tidy up.
Peter was a praying man. He had a set prayer time to pray regularly. There are lessons to be learned from his prayers. First, while praying, he saw a vision and heard the voice of God. Prayer is communication and dialogue with God. Rather than unilaterally asking for our needs, it is important to listen to God's voice and understand God's will. Second, we must hold onto the Word of God more than we think. Peter had a spiritual conflict with God three times. He confessed to God as ‘Lord’ with his lips, but refused, saying ‘I can’t’ with his actions. Only when I lay down my thoughts, my will, and my experiences can I accept God's Word and understand God's will. Third, we must work according to the will of God. Once you have prayed, you must do what you prayed for. If you pray in faith, you must act in faith. If you have realized God's will through prayer, you must work according to God's will.