Feb 7, Acts 10, Genesis 37 & 38, Psalms 38

Acts 10

    Acts 10:1-23 is a story in the New Testament that describes the vision of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, and how it led to the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles.

    Cornelius was a devout man who feared God and gave generously to the poor. One day, he had a vision in which an angel of God instructed him to send for Peter, who was staying in the city of Joppa. The next day, Cornelius sent two servants and a soldier to fetch Peter, and while they were on their way, Peter himself had a vision in which he saw a large sheet filled with unclean animals. The Lord told him to eat, and Peter protested that he had never eaten anything unclean. The Lord replied, "What God has made clean, you must not call unclean."

    When Peter arrived at Cornelius' house, he was greeted by Cornelius and his household, and he began to share the message of the gospel with them. While he was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening, and they spoke in tongues and praised God. Peter realized that God had opened the way for the Gentiles to receive the gospel, and he baptized them in the name of Jesus.

    This event was significant because it marked the beginning of the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. It showed that salvation was not just for the Jews, but for all people, regardless of their background or nationality. 

    Acts 10:23-48 is a continuation of the story of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, and his household receiving the gospel. After Cornelius and his household were filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized, Peter and the other believers who had come with him returned to Jerusalem.

    There is an important point here that i want to point out. When Peter arrives at Cornelius house, Cornelius drops down on his face and begins to worship Peter. Peter immediately stops him and explains that he is just a man the same as him.  This is important because in our fallen state we have a propensity to want worship to come to us, or through us to God. This is why the angels fell from heaven, and the importance of recognizing false idols in our life. All worship should go to God and God alone.

    Worship is a word that refers to the act of showing reverence, adoration, or devotion to a deity or higher power. This can involve singing songs, saying prayers, reading from holy texts, or making offerings. Worship can also be expressed through non-verbal actions such as bowing, kneeling, or making the sign of the cross.

    When they arrived, they faced criticism from the Jewish Christians who were surprised that Peter had gone to a Gentile's house and that they had received the Holy Spirit. Peter then shared the story of Cornelius and his vision, and how the Holy Spirit had fallen on the Gentiles just as it had fallen on the apostles at Pentecost.

“Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭10‬:‭34‬-‭36‬ ‭MSG‬‬

    The apostles and the other believers listened and came to the realization that God had indeed made it possible for the Gentiles to receive the gospel. They rejoiced and praised God for his grace and his willingness to save all people, regardless of their background.

    Afterwards, Peter and the other apostles continued to preach the gospel to the Gentiles and many people believed and were baptized. The message of the gospel continued to spread, and the church grew and was established in many different regions.

Genesis 37

    Today we begin the very amazing Journey of Joseph! This is a fantastic story so pay attention. 

    Joseph's, 17 at the time, Is loved by Israel over all his other sons. This makes sense because he was the first born of Rachel, who is the first girl he fell in love with. However this causes much jealousy amongst his other brothers. We learn that Israel gives Joseph a special coat to make him stand out amongst the others and show his favoritism. 

    Joseph has several dreams where Things representing his brothers and parents bow down to him, this further causes his brothers to dislike him. Rightfully so. 

    Joseph later in the story gets sent to check in on his brothers and see how they are doing out in the fields with the flock. We have this little nugget that Joseph was a snitch on his brothers, this probably also did not help them to like him . . . 

    When his brothers see him coming, they decide that they are going to be done with him and put him to death, however Ruben (the oldest) does not agree to this plan and urges his brothers to not kill him, so they end up throwing him into a cistern. A caravan passes buy and they decide that they can sell him to them as a slave. So that is what happens. They steal his coat, sell him to the caravan and take his coat and tear it up and cover it in blood to take back to Israel to convince him that his son had been killed by a wild animal. 

    The chapter ends with us learning that Joseph had been sold to one of Pharaoh's officials in Egypt named Potiphar. 

    Keep in mind that it was Ruben who did not want to kill Joseph, this will be important later in the story. 

    So Genesis 37 is quick and raw and to the point, Brother rivalry and birth order debates due to different mothers with the same father. Jealousy unchecked can lead to hate which leads to betrayal even of ones own family. 

Genesis 38

    In Genesis 38, we read about the story of Judah and Tamar. Judah had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah, and he arranged for Er to marry Tamar. However, Er died and so according to custom, Onan was to marry Tamar and provide an heir for his deceased brother. Onan, however, refused to do so and was also struck dead by God. Judah was afraid for Shelah's life, so he told Tamar to return to her father's house and wait for Shelah to grow up. Years went by and Tamar heard that Shelah had grown up, but Judah still didn't give her to him in marriage. So, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and seduced Judah, leading to her becoming pregnant with twin boys, Perez and Zerah. When Tamar's pregnancy was discovered, Judah realized that he was the father, and he acknowledged his wrongdoing.

    This story is a departure from the main narrative of Jacob and his family, but it serves to illustrate the moral and ethical decay of the people of the time and how God's judgment falls on those who break His laws.

Psalms 38

    Psalm 38 is a lament psalm in which the author, believed to be King David, cries out to God for help in the midst of physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. The author acknowledges his sin and the consequences that have resulted from it. He pleads for God's mercy and forgiveness and expresses his trust in God's deliverance. Throughout the psalm, the author is honest about his struggles and his dependence on God. The psalm ends with a declaration of confidence in God's love and faithfulness.