Jiggered

Sayings

Acts 10:44-48 ESV

Matthew 10:5-6 ESV

Genesis 12:1-2 ESV

2 Samuel 7:8-9 ESV

Ephesians 2:11-12 ESV

I’ll be Jiggered

I’ll be jiggered…Peter is at it again! 

Peter has always been a favorite of mine, but I’ve never been exactly sure why. I recently figured out my fascination with him when I watched The Chosen. 

I guess I should say I binge watched The Chosen. 

Maybe I need to clarify that I am a habitual binge watcher. I have five or six shows that I watch over and over again. 

I won’t bore you with the list but I can tell you that in order to make the list a show has to be interesting but not violent or scary. Most (if not all) of the shows I binge watch are historical drama or sci-fi. Some people would call my shows boring. That’s okay, I have a reason for not watching anything scary or violent. I learned years ago that I have nightmares when I watch certain shows. 

Okay, back to Peter. 

I knew from reading scripture that Peter was bold. I knew he had a tendency to raise eyebrows, but until I started binge watching The Chosen I’d not thought of Peter as being a ring leader. 

I should have seen that coming. 

While Young John stood out for his wonderful poetic writing and Matthew was great with facts, it was Peter who took charge whenever Jesus was away. 

Peter didn’t write long volumes filled with facts and details. He was too busy making sure everyone had a job to do and they did it right. 

When I read the scripture from Acts 10, I thought…I’ll be jiggered (surprised or astonished). 

Peter WAS a bold sort.  

In Acts 10:44-48 we read, “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.” 

You might wonder why Peter’s actions in Acts 10 were considered to be extremely bold? 

It’s because up to a certain point, the followers of the Way were all Jews. From Old Testament times they WERE the chosen people. What we read in Acts 10 about the Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit was shocking to the Jewish believers who were following Jesus. 

And not only were Gentiles allowed in the room, they received the baptism of the Spirit alongside the Jewish believers. 

AND…here’s the kicker, Peter recognized it and he spoke up for them. 

Peter believed it was okay for the Gentiles to receive the same Spirit and he announced to everyone there that because the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit THEY would also receive the same baptism that the Jewish believers received. 

Peter leveled the playing field. 

THAT my friends was a shockingly bold move on his part. 

Scripture doesn’t tell us how the other disciples received Peter’s announcement, but I imagine there were some Jewish followers there who raised their eyebrows! 

In more than one account Jesus explicitly gave instructions to His disciples to go to the Jewish people. In Matthew 10:5-6 we learn that Jesus gave instructions to “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Why did Jesus tell His disciples to go to the house of Israel? We have to look at the big picture. Jesus came to fulfill the covenant promise made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-2. “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

And in 2 Samuel 7:8-9, “say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.”

God was fulfilling His promise. 

That was confirmed by Paul in Ephesians 2:11-12, “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

For a time the Gentiles were separated from Christ. What is so very astounding about what happened in Acts 10:44-48 is that Peter recognized that when the Gentiles present received the Holy Spirit, he knew God was opening the door for all people to receive the message. 

Peter KNEW! And because it was revealed to him, he declared to everyone that the Gentiles WOULD be baptized alongside the Jews. 

That’s very very good news for this Irish Gentile woman born mid 20th century who was baptized in the name of Jesus and received the Holy Spirit. 

Peter’s realization that God had opened the door to Gentiles was nothing short of a miracle for millions and millions of Gentile believers!

Spiritual Practice: Hebrew or Gentile?

Thank God that the Spirit of God rests over and on you today. 

In God, Deborah

acrazyjourney.com