Rise and Go: The Kingdom on the Move

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You're listening to the Christ Church Toronto Podcast, a recording of the Sunday Sermons of Christ Church Toronto.

Christ Church Toronto is located in Toronto's East End and seeks to practice the ancient Christian faith today. We would love for you to join us in the future. Until then, here is today's scripture reading.

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Now, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Leda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ, he'll see you, rise and make your bed. And immediately he rose, and all the residents of Leda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now, there was in Jopa a disciple named Tabitha, which translated means dorkas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days, she became ill and died. And when they saw, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

Since Leda was near Jopa, the disciples hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, please come to us without delay. So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him and weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise.

And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Jopa, and many believed in the Lord. And he stayed in Jopa for many days with one, Simon, a tanner.

At Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion, what was known as the Italian cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God, came in and said to him, Cornelius, and he stared at him in terror, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have descended as a memorial before God, and now send man to Joppa and bring one Simon, who is called Peter.

He is lodging with one Simon at Tanner, whose house is by the sea. When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him. And having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray, and he became hungry and wanted something to eat. But while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance, and he saw the heavens open and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, Christ, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice came to him again a second time, What God has made clean do not call common. This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

Now Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean. Behold, the man 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. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down, and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them. And Peter went down to the man and said, I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming? And they said, Cornelius, a centurion and upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken 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. So he invited them to be his guests. The next day, he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. And now on the following day, they entered Caesarea.