Scripture:
Acts 10:24-29 NKJV
[24] And the following day, they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. [25] As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. [26] But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” [27] And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. [28] Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. [29] Therefore, I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
Observation:
Just 24 hours before this moment, Peter was on the roof of a top when these men came to get him; they had been sent by Cornelius, who had been instructed by an angel to send for him, explaining to Cornelius that he needed to hear what Peter had to say. You can imagine the anticipation he must have felt waiting for Peter to arrive. The pacing back and forth, not knowing what to expect, but knowing that this Peter guy must be someone special… after all, an angel came specifically to him and told him that he needed to hear what Peter had to say. Finally, the moment had arrived, and as Peter walked in, Cornelius fell at his feet, picturing that moment, I can hear Cornelius saying, “Oh worthy are you, Peter, to be worshiped.” As Peter’s face showed surprise at what was happening, he brought Cornelius back to his feet, saying, “No, don’t worship me, I am only a man. I’m sure Cornelius was a little confused by all this… ” An angel came to me and told me I had to hear what you had to say. So Peter explained the reason why he was there and the vision that he had on the rooftop. The perfect timing of GOD and how the lines of separation had been removed by the heavenly Father. The Gentiles were no longer considered unclean. Just like the veil had been torn in the temple, the line was removed that separated one people group ( the jews ) from another people group ( the Gentiles ), there are shadows of this all through the gospels as Jesus ministered to Samaritans and centurions and demon possessed pagans. This line being removed made the playing field level. There is one GOD and no reason to elevate man to be worshiped.
Application:
I remember when I first got saved. Just like most new believers, I was totally hungry. Taking in all I could, listening to this teacher, and that pastor, and those preachers. I wanted to know the truth. Some of those preachers I would put up on a pedestal. Thinking that they had the truth. As they spoke, it increased my interest in what the bible had to say, so I started to find time to read it and do my best to understand it myself. That was a game changer. These men that I had been worshiping in a sense were right in some aspects but a little off in some as well. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not claiming to know everything there is to know about the bible, but what I am saying is there is no better teacher than the Holy Spirit, and when you put a person on the throne of your heart, you are looking for a fall. That person is only human and prone to mistakes and misunderstandings. I believe that at the beginning of our walk with Christ, it’s important to have someone guide us through the scripture. However, we can not place that person as an idol to be worshiped. They are only human. GOD is the only one who should sit on the throne of our hearts. You can see this happen a lot. A well-known pastor or teacher will write a book, and that book will take the place of the bible in our lives. My point is that we have to be very careful to make sure that we only worship GOD. I have seen this kind of idol worship manifested in several ways, from the one I just mentioned, where we ascribed more authority to the author of a book, to saying things like Teen Challenge saved my life. What I am saying is that it can use all things, and the glory is all HIS. HE has to be the ultimate authority in our lives. Reading a book that a pastor or teacher wrote is not bad, but when that book becomes our point of study, our worship may be misplaced. My question is, who or what sits on the throne of your heart? If it’s not GOD, there is a problem. As for me, HE is my everything. GOD is not a man that HE should lie, and men can be 1 degree off and not even know it. I will leave you with this. Proverbs chapter 14, verse 12 says, There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end leads to death.
Prayer:
Father, you alone are worthy of worship, you alone are worthy to be praised. This morning, as we come to you, we ask that you help us to see if our worship is misplaced. We do not want anything to trump you. Because you are the very center of who we are, and we never want that to change. As the angels flew around you and described you with worship and adoration, they said Holy, holy, holy is the LORD GOD Almighty. The whole Earth is in thronged in his glory. May we have the same kind of worship that they did? It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen