The physician Luke wrote how two servants and a soldier of Cornelius went to Joppa to find Peter. After arriving at Simon's house where Peter was staying, they met Peter and convinced him to go see their master Cornelius, “And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man”, and in chapter ten and verse twenty-seven of the book of Acts Luke shared how Peter, “talked with him … and found many that were come together” where we read:
And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
The verse begins, “And as he talked with him, he went in, ...” Luke began with the words, “and as he talked with him” which means “and during the time Peter spoke to, conversed and made conversation with Cornelius”, “he went in” or “Peter entered Cornelius' home”. Luke shared during the time “Peter” conversed with “Cornelius”, he entered his home and discovered the following.
The verse continues, “... and found many that were come together.” Luke added the words, “and found many” which means “and discovered, came upon and met a large number of people” “that were come together” or “who were gathered and assembled”. Luke shared how “Peter” discovered a large group of people whom “Cornelius” had gathered for this special occasion.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Peter” discovered the other people who were gathered as he was talking with “Cornelius”. We can imagine “Peter's” surprise and perplexity as he found all these people assembled together, and because this whole venture was new for “Peter”, he must have wondered what God intended in all this. God was at work, and He had prepared the people who were gathered in “Cornelius' home” to hear His good news of “salvation”. Jesus Christ, God's Son, came to the world to die for the sins of mankind, and everyone who believes in, trusts in, relies upon and clings to Him will be saved from the penalty for sins which is death. (See Romans 6:23). God's “gospel” was expanding, and those who are reading these words today are the benefactors of this meeting in “Cornelius' home”. Let all who are wise realize how God has gone to great lengths so they may live forever with Him.
Next time Luke shares how Peter tells the people, “you know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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