[The Ethnocentrism of the Holy Spirit]
Acts 9:43-10:8
A wrong ethnocentrism comes from believing the forgiveness to be a privilege, not grace. We will look into an ethnocentrism of the Holy Spirit.
First, we have to put down selfish ethnocentrism. In the book of Leviticus, a tanner (v. 43) was considered to be unclean because he worked with furs and skins of dead animals. Therefore, many looked down on the tanner. Peters stay at the tanners house was such a sensational move. Peter, in fact, was not completely free from the customs and the laws of the Jews up to that point. Luke especially recorded Peters stay at the house of Simon the tanner because he intended to show Peters changes in point of view, relative to Cornelius salvation. This event was very important because by this event, the Gospel reached the world of the Gentile, people could join the church without being circumcised, and the church grew out of the Judaism, advancing independently. This was a very important starting point. At that time, the Jews were full of ethnocentrism which made them think that the Gentile was hopeless and inferior. All the nations were to receive the Gospel from the Jews but the hostility of the Jews towards Gentile made it hard. Ethnocentrism is a conclusion of inferiority complex caused by selfish usage of the given privilege.
Second, we need a selfless ethnocentrism. Caesarea was a city by the sea, about 50 kilometers away from Joppa. The city had many new architectures constructed by Herod, and the beach is still quite a view. The Roman governors stayed there, and an Italian Regiment composed only with Romans, under the direct supervision of the Roman emperor, stayed there too. The regiment had a powerful authority such as an authority to arrest the governor. Each legion had hundred soldiers, and a centurion, the leader of each regiment, was the highest position that they could earn. Cornelius was a centurion of the Italian Regiment and a Roman citizen with all the privileges he could have as a Roman elite. This great man believed in Jesus, and this was miracle. 'He and all his family were devout and God-fearing he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly (v. 2).' He truly had a selfless ethnocentrism. Because we are too evil with our own ethnocentrism, God has shown us a perfect example like Cornelius. He was faithful to his family, he had a title of a centurion, he served Peter physically and spiritually well, and he trained his men well that they were devout (v. 7). He showed the spiritual and physical perfection. So even though he was a Gentile, God chose Cornelius of all Gentiles and allowed him to be called the first Gentile to be saved for his faith and reverence for God. He had a very firm idea in ethnocentrism of Gods Kingdom. He had wealth and the highest title he could get, but he still prayed regularly which indicates that he knew of the heaven, glory, and the peace that he would soon have. He must have played a great role in evangelizing Rome using his title. This great person, whom normal people could never meet, came to Peter and the Gospel began to spread to the ends of the earth. Jesus order to spread the Gospel had reached Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria by Philip. And then for 2,000 years, the Gospel has been spread to the ends of the earth from that point the Gospel reached the Gentile finally. To make the Jews ethnocentrism a trivial thing, God had prepared Cornelius who seemed to have all the privileges of the earth as the chosen one in the world. There had to be an example that showed that not even the great power of Roman Empire could be compared to Gods glory. Cornelius can be called the real chosen person, recorded in the book of life, 2,000 years ago. Cornelius is an example of the need for a person who has everything for evangelizing the Gentiles.
Third, the prayers and charity must go up before God. In verse 4, an angel appeared. The angels appeared in critical moments of redemption history to present Gods divinity. As Cornelius lived a pious life and prayed regularly, God showed him a vision at that three oclock, the time he always prayed (v. 3). As Gods chosen people, we must pray for others selflessly. As much as one suffers, he prays. And Cornelius had prayed. 'Come up (v. 4)' meant that God had received the offering with joy. Cornelius prayer and help for the others went before God because he did it with Gods heart. At this moment, God told him to invite Peter (v. 5). Cornelius who had everything came to Peter. God spoke of whom he was to meet. To have this well planned meeting, we have to read the Word every day in precision. Even Cornelius was aware of Jewish ethnocentrism but he must have the assurance that Peter would come to his house, the Gentiles house, because he had heard that Peter was staying at the house of a tanner, disregarding the Jewish custom (v. 6). And he must have thought that Peter stayed at the tanners not just formality, and that Gods answer to his prayer was true.
Conclusion. The ethnocentrism of the Holy Spirit puts down selfish ethnocentrism and makes selfless applications for salvation. And our prayers and charity must go up before God. The title as Gods chosen people must not be a privilege to look down on others. We might look different but we are one in the Lord. I bless you that you would reach out to the Gentiles with this mindset this week.
