I love the book of Acts. The more I read it, study it and teach it the more I learn. Luke, the author of Acts is a remarkable historian who writes from the unique perspective as a Gentile and a doctor.
In Acts 9 and 10, Luke creatively compares two distinct and interesting men by placing their stories side by side. Let’s look to Acts 10 first and consider the man Cornelius.
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
In these few verses, we learn a lot about this remarkable man, Cornelius. I am especially intrigued by his response to the Lord’s call; even more so when we compare it to Saul’s response in the previous chapter. Let’s read the account in Acts 9.
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
Saul and Cornelius’ responses to the call of God are not their only differences. Saul was a Jew, a Pharisee, and a man devoted to the Law of God. Yet when we meet Saul, he is hunting down and persecuting Christians. On the Damascus Road when the Lord appears to him, Saul’s response is not “What is it Lord?” but rather “Who are you?” Saul has spent his entire life trying to serve God, yet when he meets him on the road to Damascus he does not recognize who he is.
Cornelius, on the other hand was a Gentile; an Italian not a Jew, a soldier, not a man of God. Although he serves the God of the Hebrews, he himself is not a full proselyte. Yet when we first meet Cornelius, we find him to be a man of prayer, a man of faith, and a man who gives generously to the poor and needy. When the Lord interrupts Cornelius, his response is not “Who are you?” but rather, “What is it Lord?”
As we consider the responses of these two men, dare we wonder how we might respond to the call of God when he shows up unexpectedly. I hope my initial response will echo that of Cornelius and not of Saul. However, we must not lose sight of something especially important in our comparison.
Indeed, Cornelius and Saul were two exceptionally different men with two initially different responses. Nevertheless, despite their differences in culture, religious training, and vocation we must not forget that when the Lord called upon each of them, they both responded and ultimately they both obeyed the direction of the Lord.
In our daily lives, we will meet Sauls and we will meet Corneliuses and in doing so we will encounter varying responses to the call of God. Different cultures, religious upbringing, and vocations may seem like obstacles when presenting Christ, but they do not have to be. After living in a variety of cultures, I prefer to view these differences not as obstacles but as opportunities for presenting the Gospel in a new way.
Our ministry in Mexico City will look different from our ministry in Jamaica. The people of Mexico have a different language, a different religious and political history, and a different culture to appreciate. All of these factors contribute to their uniqueness as a people and as a nation. Regardless, God will call and those who are listening will reply with either a “Who are you?” or with a “What is it Lord?” response.
God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him. ~Hudson Taylor
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