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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
Never compromise. Never dilute your doctrine. Never water down your message about God and Jesus Christ. Peter spoke powerfully and with specific essential content in the home of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion. Take time to read the full account of what happened, in Acts 10:34-48.
While Peter is speaking - in the middle of his message - the risen living ascended Jesus pours out The Holy Spirit upon all who are listening. This small group of Jewish believers, who accompanied Peter, are astonished and astounded. They are shocked, that Jesus Christ was pouring out The Holy Spirit upon those who were NOT Jews - on people who were not of their denomination.
How did these people know that Jesus had poured out The Holy Spirit - that Jesus had baptised these Gentiles in The Holy Spirit? They heard them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. These people were praising God in languages they had never learned. They were worshipping The Living God.
This is not reserved for those who have been believers for years and who having been seeking and searching in a manner which almost makes them deserve to be blessed.
This happened among these men and women in Caesarea, as part of their being birthed into The Kingdom of God. They were being 'Born Again' and this was part of their initiation. It happened at the very beginning of their Christian lives.
Peter deals with the essential area of baptising these new believers. Verses 47 and 48.
Cornelius is a new man - a new Creation. He is born again - filled with The Holy Spirit - manifesting the gifts of The Holy Spirit - and praising God.
They received - what we received - and what people continue to receive today - and it comes from God and remember that God only has good gifts for His children.
The consequence is praising God. Those who have the life of the Spirit within them wish to praise the God Who gives them life. They have come to believe. They have received The Holy Spirit - they have been baptised in water. All this takes place within a very short period.
They ask Peter to stay on a few days. O for a tape of the conversations and teaching which must have flowed during that time.
These two men are no longer poles apart - and only Jesus could have done this.
This is God's Way - God's Answer - for The Church - for peoples who are separated and divided - and who are willing to set aside all traditions and prejudices and philosophies.
Have you received all that Cornelius and those in his household received? Are there still barriers, walls, or even prejudices, which our living God has to deal with as you study this passage?
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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