Psalm 119:1-24; 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Acts 10:1-16; Luke 24:12-35
Even David’s family didn’t think he would be king. Samuel is told to go to Jesse’s house, Jesse who was the grandson of Ruth, the Moabite woman, and anoint the new king whom God had chosen. Jesse lines up his boys and they all look like they could be chosen as king but God says “No” to all of them. His king is more a matter of the heart than of stature. Finally, after all these have been passed over, Jesse sends for David and, amazingly, he is the one. From this moment the Lord “rushed upon David” but it would be a good many years before he became king. Samuel, it seems, simply went home and David went back to being a shepherd. There is something in David’s story that looks very much like Jesus’ story. After all the hoopla prior to His birth, many years passed before He took His place. It also fits with Abraham’s story, Jacob’s story, and Moses’ story.
Nobody believed Jesus was resurrected until they saw it for themselves. These disciples on the road to Emmaus didn’t know what to believe. Such a story seemed a bit fanciful, a bit too good to hope for, and they simply couldn’t bring themselves to believe it. In Luke’s Gospel, we see the women being reminded by the angels that Jesus had told them these things must happen and now we see Jesus proving, from Scripture, that this has always been what God promised. They have to be convinced that resurrection is at least plausible from the Word. Then, when Jesus takes on the role of host and breaks the bread, they see with their eyes what they longed to see, Jesus. They couldn’t see Him until they believed it was possible. Their physical eyes lagged behind their spiritual eyes but they were connected, just like Samuel’s with David.
Cornelius saw something that caused terror, an angel. That seems to be the reaction every time anyone sees an angel, so where did we get these images of cute cherubs? What the angel says to him is interesting, “your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” Not only his prayers but his alms, his giving to relieve the poor, have come to the attention of the Lord and are part of the reason this angel now stands before him. Peter sees a vision also, one that shakes the foundations of his world view. The rules are changing and it requires God to say things three times for Peter to believe the message. (Apparently God always works with Peter in threes, denials, do you love me…) It is good, however, that Peter needs some convincing here as it runs counter to the Word of God. We should always be skeptical about getting out of line with the Word. If the Gospel was going to the Gentiles, however, there were certain things, like dietary laws that hindered contact with the Gentiles, that needed to break down. The principle is one of hindrance to preaching and sharing the Gospel, not a complete break down in the law.
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
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