Acts 10:34-48 | Confronting Your Blind SpotsNäide

We’re going to look at the third part of Acts 10 – where Peter starts to see. Let’s recap.

A Roman centurion named Cornelius – a Gentile through and through – receives a vision from God that he’s found favor with God, and that he should send for Peter. Simultaneously, Peter receives a vision of all kinds of unclean animals with a command by God to no longer call anything unclean that God has made clean. Peter was blind to its meaning. It just didn’t make sense to him.

Fortunately for him, Acts tells us that the Spirit prompts Peter to go with the messengers Cornelius sent. He does, and finds himself gathered in Caesarea with Cornelius, and many of his close family and friends. Cornelius shares his vision with Peter, and Acts 10:33 leaves us with Cornelius telling him: “Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

Suddenly things start to click. The vision of unclean animals, angels coming to Cornelius, spiritually hungry people gathered together, and the orchestrations of God permeating the whole thing---all the pieces start to fall into place. God is doing something Peter didn’t expect. Something new. Something Peter is now just coming to see.

It’s not the first time this happens in Acts. Just before in Acts 9, we meet a man named Saul that God strikes blind. While he was on his way to Damascus to drag whatever followers of Jesus he could find to Jerusalem in order to make them stand trial for blasphemy, Jesus flattens him and blinds him. It’s almost as if Saul had to lose his sight in order to see just how blind he was. A theme is developing. We can be blind to the very work of God right before our eyes.

Today, read Acts 10 and reacquaint yourself with the story. Summarize what Peter was blind to. Why do you think he was blind to it? As you do, think about a time when you were blind to the will or way of God. How did God go about helping you see?