God was reaching out to the Gentiles. Throughout history there have always been others who were not of Jewish birth who would come to recognize the one true God. Cornelius was such a man. But He didn’t know about Jesus and so an angel appears to him and tells him how to make contact with someone who can tell him about Jesus. 

A Step Deeper:Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just sent an angel to tell people about Jesus or appear to people in their dreams? Sometimes he does. But when he does, he directs them to a person who will fill in the gaps. God always uses people to reach people with the Gospel. Who is might God be using you to reach with the gospel?

Peter Had a dream that revealed to him that he was supposed to go with the people outside at the gate. Did you read verse 28? God had to show Peter that he wasn’t to look down on anyone because of their nationality.

A Step Deeper:One of my favorite Hip-hop artists called Propaganda released a song entitled “Precious Puritans” and in the song he says that God can use a “crooked stick to draw a straight line.” Sometimes we think we have to be perfect for God to use us, but if we are willing God can use us in impact others and in the process teach us something greater about him… Just like Peter.

Peter Preaches the Gospel and the Gentiles come to believe in Jesus Christ. Their conversion is accompanied by the sign of being able to speak in tongues! This is important because it was a sign that God had used in Acts chapter two. This indicated a realization that gospel was going to the whole world, not just the Jews but the gentiles as well. What had been done at Babel would become undone through the power of the gospel.  God in Heaven was reaching down!