Acts 10:17-26
17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean ---
Behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.
19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them."
21 And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?"
22 And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say."
23 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And on the following day, they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man."
We learn with Antonyms, Synonyms, and Homonyms. We learn by example. We learn by life as a bear hunt. We learn by remembering old stories of a famous Christian evangelist- she said marriage works by 'always' being nice to your husband - and her husband changed for the better and - she ran for a divorce.
We learn by looking at patterns in patterns. Like humor. "Inception" is really the movie that just copied "Princess Bride" as a dweam within a dweam. And all of this footwork is saying, really, "We ponder what to do - daily."
If we look at a parallel Scripture to find our way out of milk for babies and into the meat of Jesus as Christ - we find this:
Acts 8
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God."
And History and the Greek god priests pondered this structure in the first Century. What to do with change and desire to remain the same and growth. The 'Mysteries of Mithras' were competing pagan forms of the innumerable cults of the Greek world and gave Christianity a real run for the future.
How did this all end?
We find the heart of the matter. Getting our heart right with God.
And if we look at famous philosophers competing with goodness - we find they end up being hung from the rooftops. After having irritated their people to death for their attempts to lead into strength through sarcasm, money and power. This really, really irritates the people still quoting the killed philosophers and they point to Jesus as also being slain. However, philosophers don't end up with Churches, reading, agriculture, hospitals, colleges, the end of the medieval lockdown and life-changing events. Love.
In entertainment - we ponder the process of finding the path. "Groundhog Day" repeats and repeats. Phil begins by shutting down. And then he begins to develop every admirable talent he can find. Then he decides he will rescue others. Mostly to impress and pass the time. Eventually, Phil becomes mostly interested in an old man who passes on. And in this caring, his heart begins to open.
"Table 19" is the wedding party where the merciless truth is revealed of the last and less than charming table at the Wedding Party. Sinbad the Comedian might say, "Too old to be in the club." And in the harsh light of being interested in the morose scrutiny of being last - the people find they want the others to have comfort. Joy. Love. Like Phil in "Groundhog Day", comfort and love for the old man seemingly doomed to die alone and unfed in an alley. In reaching to find comfort - they find - the tools for their own lives.
There is a depiction of Hell. A huge feast with giant spoons and forks and no one will feed the other. The movies are teaching us - when we comfort each other, we find the tools in our heart to do what Peter is doing in the Scriptures. Asking God. Pondering God. Doing what Jesus did. "Do not cast out those calling on Jesus, he who is for you is not against you." The other centurion, Luke Chapter 7, was also the outsider Jesus included. Like Groundhog Day, the one who would remain - like the Disciple John - is where you'd want to place letting Love be genuine. Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Not pretending calm and cool in the face of repeat, repeat, repeat February 2nd. The Truth will set you free. Not the nicey of nice of happy happy. Fight the good fight. Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
And in the failure the Word of God tells us will exist - letting Jesus fill in the dots and iotas.
How many times do we repeat? Einstein said repeating is fruitless. Not to Olympians. Not to people feeding themselves, their spouses and children by going to work. Joshua repeated for 40 years. Yeshua knows this virtue of Steadfast Love. And we exist daily because of the Steadfast Love of Yeshua. God's Only Son.
The Bible tells us what to do. Be honest. Be polite. The devil will flee. And... what won't flee - you could just talk them down off the roof. Have you ever considered why "Groundhog Day" used the name ... Phil? Fill.
I'd say the Purpose of Life is to fill your days to please God.
And fill the people God has given you.
Fill. Some days with Encouragement.
Always with honesty.
Letting love be genuine.
Some days with some Really Good Buck Shot.
Always with Prayer.
Always filling ourselves and others with Jesus Christ our God. Amen in Jesus. Alleluia. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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