Sermons Worth Stealing - Pt 6

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. While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. (Acts 10:34-35, 44 ESV).

It never ceases to surprise me that the Bible is so candid in the expression of the Gospel. From Genesis to the Revelation we are able to see clearly God’s work of grace in Christ. Further, our reading today is one of those key passages, particularly for we who are classified as “Gentiles.” By the way, if you are not quite sure what a gentile is, you probably are one. It’s everyone else; if you are not Jewish by birth, you are a gentile. Up to this point in the story of the early church, the Jewish people thought that salvation was limited to them. At the very least the path to salvation had to travel through Judaism. Peter’s vision would change all of that. It would bring a balance to the people of God. The truth is that the Gospel began in the beginning and centered in Abraham; however, it was never intended to be a work solely for the direct descendants of Abraham (cf. Genesis 22:18). It is indeed one gospel for all people. In the book of Acts the first three individually documented stories of salvation are a sorcerer (cf. Acts 8:9-24), an Ethiopian eunuch (cf. Acts 8:26-40), and an accomplished member of the Jewish high court, Saul (cf. Acts 9:1-19). There is no doubt this would not be the “ideal” start-up for a church. So, we see now Peter introducing the Gospel to a Roman Soldier. He was not doing this because he wanted to but because he was led to by the Holy Spirit. At this point you can clearly see that the Gospel is not limited to a social class, a race, or those that we like the most. As believers we are called to listen to the Holy Spirit for whom he wishes us to share the Gospel with or at least invite to church. We should not miss the truth that the human condition is the same regardless of race. Whether people are in the United States or scattered to the four corners of our globe, they all want to be loved. They all want safety and security for their families. They all want hope in this world and for eternity. The answer to their needs is only found in Jesus. When you share the truth of Jesus Christ, it transcends culture, it transcends people, it transcends gender, and it transcends needs. The Gospel is for everyone and I thank God that He made that clear from the get go. My call is to act on that truth!