Rev. E. Anderson

PRAYING AND SPIRITUAL OPENNESS 

READING     Acts 10

TEXTS          vv2, 9 

This is a remarkable account of how the Gospel moved forward in a very significant manner and prayer played a major role in the whole situation. Two men were engaged in prayer and God produced a beautiful spiritual openness that led to a greater move forward with regard to His purposes. In looking at the outset with regard to Cornelius and Peter we note certain differences and a striking affinity. 

DIFFERENT NATION: They were of different national identity: Cornelius was an Italian and a Gentile and Peter was a Jew. A great gap separated them racially. Jews had not much time or consideration for people of other nations. There was no genuine love by the Jew towards those from other nationalities. Yet prayer was to play a decisive role in this connection. Discovery was to be made.

DIFFERENT STATION: A gap existed socially. Cornelius was a centurion soldier with men under him and had quite a status in the outside world. Peter, in contrast, had a responsible position in the Christian world, a chief apostle in the things of God. But God had regard for both and both had a regard for God and prayer. 

DIFFERENT DISPOSITION: There is little doubt they were uniquely different in make-up because of the diversity of background. The former appears, though in a dominant position, to be a man of grace and tenderness v2 - whilst Peter was a tough and a strong-minded person. This is reflected in the Gospels. But both men were given to prayer and found it to influence their persons and nature.  The striking truth of this account is their commitment to God, to prayer and a readiness to proceed as God revealed. Prayer took on significance and worth and opened them up and the cause of Christ.

        1/.  PRAYER WAS A MEANS OF DYNAMIC COMMUNION - vv,2,9

From the narrative it is possible to draw this conclusion that the Gentile and Jew both knew what it was to experience a relationship with God through prayer and from this stemmed greater developments. They may have been at different levels of thought and experience but each knew and tasted the friendship and fellowship of God in their own way. The love and favour of God was toward them both but they both needed to be opened up on further fronts and their time of communion with God prepared the way for this. They both felt the need to spend time with God and wait on Him and they were not to be disappointed as everything synchronized together in and through Him.

       2/.  PRAYER WAS A MEANS OF PROPHETIC REVELATION -  vv3,10

One has angelic visitation with a confirmation, v3, whilst the other is in a divine trance and experiences a vision of a divine order, vv10, 11. Both know God opening their spiritual understanding and are given insight into matters that they could not have gained naturally. Both sense and know there is divine movement afoot that they must be awake to and respond to in a definite manner. They certainly could not remain indifferent to what was occurring. Through what was being revealed and said they could not remain aloof to what was being made known. The revelation was purposed to impact them. What was made known was possibly least expected.

        3/.  PRAYER WAS A MEANS OF EMPHATIC DIRECTION – vv5, 19,20

To the Gentile, he was to send for a Jew, to the Jew he had to respond to a Gentile. The racial prejudice and divide was an issue that was to be resolved by God here in a unique and definite way. Cornelius does not seem to have to much of a problem because he had already been open to caring for people whilst Peter does have a long-standing bias. The former is quick to respond to the emphatic direction given and Peter has to be totally convinced by the Spirit of God – vv19, 20. Thankfully he knew something about the Holy Spirit’s presence and control and responded.

        4/.  PRAYER WAS A MEANS OF DRAMATIC ALTERATION - vv34, 44

Because of the yielded-ness of the two men in prayer to the divine leading, they saw God do something in confirmation that meant the break out into greater growth concerning the kingdom of God. It was now the moment for the Gentiles to be embraced into His family and purposes. The Holy Spirit fell upon them as they heard and believed the Gospel in a remarkable fashion that no one could dispute what God was now doing. The Christian Church was dramatically altered for good by the turn of events. God resolved is mind in these events and those at Jerusalem, when they heard the account, had to submit to His action and purpose – 11: 18. 

CONCLUSION

 ·          Prayer must never be underestimated. As it is sincerely engaged in God deals with those who pray and outworks His great plans and purposes. ·          There are things that God still wants to do on a greater scale through prayer and we must become available to be used by Him by these means.