Peter's Mission Trip

Not just Paul



We hear a lot about Paul as a missionary, but he was not the only one or first to go on a missionary journey. Phillip did. Peter too.




Healing
   Acts 9:32-43


On a line from Jerusalem to the coastal town of Joppa, you go through Lydda. There Peter healed a man known to the townspeople to be paralyzed and bedridden. The miracle led to salvation and joy in the town.
Meanwhile, in the nearby town there is grief. They sent for Peter. Not sure what they expected from him, but he went. God led him to resurrect Tabitha. More salvations and joy in town.


Hearing
   Acts 10:1-20


Meanwhile, Cornelius was doing what he did a lot – praying. An angel came to him and very specifically directed him to send for Peter. Three men headed for Joppa. Meanwhile, Peter was doing what he did a lot – praying. He had a vision telling him to eat what he considered unclean. The message repeated three times was that he should no longer consider them unclean. Then the three Gentile men arrived, and apparently Peter saw the connection with the vision.




Hospitality
   Acts 10:21-33


Peter extended hospitality to the Gentiles in a house that was not his. Then he went with them and accepted their hospitality. That had always been a no-no. Note verses 28-29.



Holy Spirit
   Acts 10:34-48


Peter assumed they had heard some things about Jesus. He points out who He is and mentions components of the gospel message. Jesus is Christ = Messiah = Anointed. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, and lived a life that showed it. He died and resurrected. He will be the Judge. Belief in Him offers forgiveness of sin.
Bam! The Holy Spirit showed up in those listening to Peter. As soon as they heard the gospel, they accepted it, trusting Jesus for forgiveness of sin. It doesn’t take a particular prayer, or an altar in a church. It is about trusting Jesus. They were baptized.




   11:15-18


When the Jewish believers heard what Peter had done, they were somewhat shocked, and confronted him about it. He retold the whole story. They accepted the act of God for what it was.
Notice what Peter said in 11:17. “God gave them the same gift He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Holy Spirit was given to Jews and Gentiles upon belief. We are those Gentiles. We have been given the Holy Spirit that Peter had. It is the same that Jesus was anointed with. Jesus lived as a man filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we who have the Holy Spirit can live like He lived.
We can go on mission trips like Peter and Paul, when God says to. When God says so, we can do the miraculous things they did, like Jesus. We need to be ready, and listening to what God says when He says it.