Scripture:
Synopsis:
Cornelius, a Gentile, heard from God and at God’s command sent for Peter. In the meantime, God spoke to Peter in a vision. Peter didn’t understand the vision, so he “pondered” it, and the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter and told him to go with the three men who were looking for Peter. Peter went with them to see Cornelius. Cornelius called together his friends and family to hear what Peter had to say. Peter then revealed he understood the vision God had given him - “God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.” Peter then preached to the Gentiles, telling them first that God shows no partiality “but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.” While hearing Peter’s words, the “Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the Word.” Then people were baptized and Peter remained with them for a time. When Peter returned to Jerusalem, he encountered criticism for eating with the uncircumcised. Peter told them about the vision from God and what it meant. Peter then told them about the Holy Spirit falling on the Gentiles just as He had fallen on the Jews and said “If then God gave the same gift to them as He gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” The critics fell silent and then glorified God for granting repentance and life to the Gentiles, also!
Spark:
A fundamental truth of the Good News is that salvation through Jesus is for everyone, not a select group. The Kingdom of Heaven is open to all who believe in Jesus Christ and who receive Him. The Church needs to be blind to social status and the doors must be open wide to all who believe and receive!
Ponder in your heart, do you welcome all who seek Him, or do you judge them by what you can see? Do you decide who is and who is not worthy to be part of the Kingdom of God? If so, waste no time - repent and seek God’s forgiveness, then ask Him to show you how to show others the marvelous grace He offers!
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