Spreading The Good News

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” (Acts 10:1-6)
 
Up until chapter 8 of the book of Acts, the message of the Church remained within Jewish circles, only among those who claimed ethnic and/or religious affinity with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But between chapters 8 to 11, a shift happens, and God seeks to do some things differently so that the good news of the Gospel can spread beyond the confines of Judea.  
 
This was all to fulfill the command Jesus spoke after His ascension in chapter 1, that the Spirit would fall upon the followers of Jesus, and they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.  
 
Jesus’ point is that God’s will for the Church is for it to break out of the cloistered confines of our cathedrals and sanctuaries, in order to take the good news to those who need it. This encounter between Peter and Cornelius is a part of that shift, to let the world know then and now that our methods of doing ministry should not obscure the power of our message; that the message of hope, and healing, and redemption is not an exclusive message. It is not a message just for a certain class, a certain group, or a certain category of people.  Jesus said, “whosoever will let them come.” We are all welcome to be in the presence of God.