(Answer at end of blog post.)
Caesarea is a town of HUGE significance for non-Jewish Christians.
And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man." And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me."
And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.' So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."
So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
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. - Acts 10:24-48
Peter's sermon in Caesarea is the first general evangelistic call to gentiles. Philip had previously preached the gospel to the Ethiopian Eunuch, Jesus had ministered to non-Jews, and there were instances in the Old Testament of ministry to non-Jews. (I think in particular of Jonah's call to preach to Ninevah, and "aliens" of the land seeing the truth that the God of the Jews is the one true God and choosing to follow Him). That being said, the events in Acts previous to Peter's proclamation in Caesarea were among the church and to the Jews. After this event, there is a change in culture . Peter was initially criticized by the circumcision group for preaching to non-Jews. He explained what God had shown him, and after he brought the vision that God showed him before the other believers, there are many instances throughout Acts of the gospel being preached to gentiles and the gentiles coming to faith.
In addition to being an important first century center of Christian faith, Caesarea was also the site of one of the most significant archeological finds that affirms the New Testament Narrative.
This tablet says:
TIBERIEUM
(PON) TIUS PILATUS
(PRAEF) ECTUS IUDA (EAE)
This is not the original, but the actual tablet was a significant find because it confirms that Pontius Pilate was a real person who existed during the New Testament time period.
Caesarea has a pretty significant history. If you are interested in reading a little more about it, this is a general overview of what happened there.
ANSWER TO "WHO IS THE SPEAKER?"
None other than the Pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, Erwin Lutzer. He was on a separate trip to Israel, and just happened to be at Caesarea when we visited.
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