Acts 10:34-48

    Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

    "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

    While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

    Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

 

What is new and amazing in this passage doesn’t feel new and amazing to us today: God accepts non-Jews! The evidence is overwhelming to Peter. God spoke to Cornelius, a non-Jew, through an angelic vision and told him to find Peter. God spoke to Peter, a Jew, through a dietary vision and told him to accept what God accepted. The vision was followed by directions from the Holy Spirit to Peter that he was to go with the Gentile visitors who had just arrived where he was staying. And when Peter arrived at Cornelius’ house, he was told again that Cornelius had specifically invited him to come announce a message from the Lord because the Lord had told him to. The Lord’s hand was everywhere, dealing with both the Jews and the non-Jews. And so Peter begins by saying, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Men from every nation? Accepted by God? Amazing!

 

And God’s acceptance leads to salvation. God brought Peter to Cornelius so that Peter could tell Cornelius that Jesus Christ, the Jew who had done amazing things but had then been killed by the Jews, was God’s appointed Messiah, the judge of all men and the one who stands ready to condemn Jews and Gentiles alike for their sins. Cornelius needed to hear this. He needed to know that he stood condemned in his sins, even though God had noticed his good deeds and had sent an angel to direct him to Peter. He still stood in danger before the Holy God of all. But Peter also told Cornelius that the Judge of all was the one who offered forgiveness to all. Through Jesus’ name, everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins! Everyone… Jew and Gentile.

 

Father, thank You for sending Jesus not only to be the Judge of all men, even though Jews and Gentiles alike deserve to go to hell for our sins against You. Thank You for establishing Jesus also as the Savior of all men. Not just Jews, but people like me, too. Otherwise, I and almost everyone I know would be lost. Thank You for being such a wonderful Savior, a saving God for Jews, and for Gentiles, too!