Preparing Sinners and Soul Winners
Acts 10:17-21 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”
My best friend has been called to pastor a struggling church in the inner city of downtown Charlotte. I have been at his side serving. and loving seeing God move and work in the early stages of reaching the community for Christ. I am seeing God bring in people from the community that have a heart and a zeal for God; they are surely to be used by God to reach their neighbors. There are plans of how to do community outreach events in the works; there is the front door ministries; care ministries; the pastor is already beginning the shepherding of his flock; there are many aspects of spreading the Gospel, of seeking to see the church grow. By God’s grace in my current schoolwork I am in the book of Acts, and seeing the plans God had for growing the early church.
God was preparing Peter for the unthinkable of his peers as a Jew. God was preparing Peter to deliver the Gospel to the Gentiles. Jews were not even supposed to hang out with non-Jews, much less break bread to sit and eat with them. God had given Peter a vision of breaking the old Jewish law and eating the unclean. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” At the same time God had given a Roman soldier Cornelius a vision of seeking out Simon Peter. Cornelius was 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. Cornelius feared God, but was not yet saved. God was preparing the sinner and soul winner.
God is always at work behind the scenes. He is preparing the hearts of the lost. He is seeking them and hopefully they are responding to His call on their lives. He is working in the lives of the believers. He may be pointing out sin in their lives; he is showing them truths in his Word and prayer; he is preparing them for his work through them. The Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his entire household of faith that day. Christ was brought out into the Gentile world for 34b “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.” The Good News is available for all to have, and for all to share in what they possess. God has most likely prepared that persons heart that stands before you today; to hear the Good News which you possess.
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