Three times this little dialogue happened, and it left Peter confused. Suddenly three men arrived and asked Peter to come speak to their boss, Cornelius the Roman centurion. Peter went to Cornelius and explained the gospel of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ. And then, to the shock of everyone, Cornelius and all his people believed the word, received the Holy Spirit, and were baptized. How shocking!

Cornelius was, after all, a Roman soldier. He represented the imperial forces that occupied the land. They took taxes from the Jewish people. They worshiped false gods. They ate disgusting things. Cornelius represented the military presence on the streets that constantly reminded the locals that an alien force was imposing itself on them and claiming their land.

Cornelius may have been all those things, but he was also a soldier seeking God.

It seems perfectly understandable that when the Jewish believers in Jerusalem first heard about Peter's involvement with this outsider, Cornelius, they were horribly upset. They immediately criticized Peter, saying: "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" (11:3). So Peter told the story of his weird dream, the response of Cornelius and his household, and the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. Thankfully, the stunned believers in Jerusalem responded in praise, declaring, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."

The good old faithful church founders in Jerusalem responded with skepticism—just like I sometimes do when faced with something weird and new: "Why did you go and do that? With them?"

I may not have Scottish heritage (although there is a rumor that I descend from the McGoochey clan), but I have been a Presbyterian churchgoer long enough to be a "good old faithful" one. I've been a church member long enough to love the traditions and wince at things that appear to threaten my comfortable ways.

There. I admitted it. How about you? How about us Presbyterians?

How well do we welcome those who have been outsiders? Even more if they have been our oppressors? Even more if they serve a lord emperor who claims to be divine?

Peter was not endorsing the sword. He was not affirming the Roman Emperor. He was welcoming a human being, Cornelius, who was seeking God.

How readily do we bless our leaders who reach outside of our zone of comfort and familiarity? Thank God that Peter responded to that weird vision, and so welcomed the sword-carrying alien oppressor. Cornelius was welcomed—and since then, so are all of us.

Next month:
Paul: bridging between two worlds