008. Peter Takes the Lord Jesus Christ to Non-Jews

Peter

I’m Peter. Hear the good news about a second Pentecost for Gentiles. Pentecost is a Hebrew feast;
Jews from many lands gather in Jerusalem.
God’s Holy Spirit came to dwell in us Jewish believers
during the feast of Pentecost.

Prompter & Echoes

God is dwelling in human hearts!

Peter

I am praying on a rooftop in Joppa, while waiting for lunch.

Angel

(Shout sternly) Peter! Get up!

Peter

What’s that? Who called me? Oh! What is happening?
A sheet has come down from heaven,
filled with all kinds of unclean animals!

Angel

Kill and eat!

Peter

What? I’m confused. What can this voice mean? [GP1] 
It says to eat these unclean pigs, reptiles, buzzards and serpents!
Yuk! How can I break Moses’ law and eat such non-kosher flesh?
I have never done such a thing, but God’s angel is telling me to do it!

Prompter & Echoes

Kill and eat!

Peter

Unknown to me, several miles away in Caesarea,
the angel also appears to Cornelius, a Roman army officer.

Angel

Cornelius!

Cornelius

Who is that? Sergeant of the Guard!

Prompter & Echoes

An intruder!

Angel

Do not fear, Cornelius.
I have come from heaven with a message.
The Lord has seen your good deeds and heard your prayers.
Send to Joppa to the house of Simon the Tanner
for a man named Peter.

Cornelius

Yes, Sir! Right away, Sir!
I send two servants with my aide to bring the man called Peter.
I am Italian. I love pork chops and pork pepperoni on my pizza.
It is too bad my Jewish friends cannot enjoy such delicacies!

Peter

Meanwhile, on the rooftop in Joppa, I am puzzling about the vision.
I hear knocking at the door. The men from Cornelius have arrived.
They ask me to go with them to Cornelius’ home in Cesarea.

Prompter & Echoes

But Cornelius is a gentile!

Peter

Now, I understand that God’s vision has prepared me for this.
I take several brothers with me, and off we go.
After a long walk, we arrive in Cesarea.
Come with me and meet Cornelius.

Cornelius

The man has come. Let me greet him and his Jewish companions.
Come in, Peter. You and your friends are welcome!

Peter

Shalom! Cornelius, I appreciate your gracious hospitality.
Our Jewish Law forbids us to enter non-Jews’ homes
 and eat unclean food. However, God showed me in a vision
that we are not to regard anyone as unclean.
Now, please tell me… Why did you send for me?

Cornelius

An angel of God told me to.
My friends, relatives and I have gathered to hear what you tell us.

Peter

I tell Cornelius and his friends about Jesus.
When I come to the resurrection, a wonderful thing happens.
The Holy Spirit comes upon these Gentiles!
He gives them the sign of other tongues, as he did at Pentecost,
when we proclaimed to the Jews that Christ had risen from the dead.

Prompter & Echoes

Another Pentecost for Gentiles!

Peter

We all rejoice.
This time those that speak in tongues are those that hear the good news, not those that tell it, as happened in Jerusalem!

Cornelius

May God be praised!

Prompter & Echoes

Marvelous!

Peter

Let these be baptized at once, since they also received the Holy Spirit.

Cornelius

Peter, please stay a few days and teach us about Jesus.

Peter

We stay, and guess what.
We Jews eat the Italians’ food for the gospel’s sake! It is delicious!
We enjoy it even though it is ceremonially unclean for us.
Now that God has established his new covenant, much has changed!

Prompter & Echoes

Vast contrast!

Peter

Jewish believers back in Jerusalem scold me for eating gentiles’ food.
However, when I explain what happened, they rejoice.
How wonderful that God grants repentance that gives life to Gentiles!

Prompter & Echoes

Repentance leading to life!