I like the idea of the edges of things, the remote bit beyond everything else.  We’re a long way from Jerusalem up here at Joppa – the seaport that we hear about in Jonah (the place he runs away to instead of going inland to Nineveh). God’s getting the new church ready for its next big phase starting with one Roman family and an apostle awaiting his dinner in the sunshine. The little things far away from the centre are going to change the whole church.

Acts shows us how God spreads His good news across the world. He chooses to do this in Roman times – why? Because they were good at building roads and because it was incredibly safe to travel in the Roman Empire – perfect timing again.

The whole account of Cornelius is about God’s ways not being ours.

God shakes us.  God breaks the mould.  We have to watch out that we are not so caught up in expecting God to move in the same way as we’ve always seen that we miss Him when He’s at work.  We don’t want to be too busy being offended to see His Hand.

God speaks DIRECTLY to Cornelius, speaks to him through the Holy Spirit even though he doesn’t know yet who Jesus is.  God’s Spirit falls on the Gentile people not while they were waiting, but while they were being preached to.  What can we learn from this for now?

This is what happens when God sees faithfulness and obedience, both in Cornelius and Peter.  I love the bit in Revelation when Jesus says, ‘I know your deeds’ Revelation 2.2 He sees us being faithful in the little things, in the repeated acts of obedience when no one can see.  The vision Peter has is for Peter alone, but once he’s convinced (the 3 times is reassuringly like lots of other Bible accounts – think about Samuel’s call), he’s willing to go into the house of a Gentile and ends up starting the revolution that results in me writing these notes on a tiny island at the fringes of that Roman World and billions following Jesus today.  It’s what happens when we don’t bury the talent in the ground or fail to answer the call because we are afraid. 

Obedience is everything.  It started with Jesus’ obedience even to death on a cross (Philippians 2) being decided EVEN before God said, ‘Let there be….’

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Thought: Think what your one act of obedience to the Holy Spirit might accomplish tomorrow and stand firm, church! Stand firm, brothers and sisters and get ready to see God break the mould.