Today’s Reading: Acts 11; Psalm 66

Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. – Acts 11:1-2

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK

Instead of celebrating the success of Peter’s evangelistic efforts, the Jewish believers were initially taken aback by Peter’s choice of an audience. Instead of weakening from their pressure, Peter told them what God had revealed to him and of how the Holy Spirit had filled the Gentile believers. Peter told his story; he gave his testimony. As a result, the Jewish believers stopped objecting and began praising God.

“We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” – Acts 11:18b

PETER’S ACTIONS HELPED ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION

If Peter had not stood up for what he knew was right, the beliefs of others might not have changed. Because he was bold for Christ and stood up for those who were being rejected, the believers across Judea gained an understanding of God’s love for EVERYONE. This led to the sending of missionaries to the Gentiles for the express purpose of their salvation. They went from seeing the Gentiles as unclean to seeing their need for a Savior. They then went on to invest in the salvation of the Gentiles.

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. – Acts 11:19-21

The church in Jerusalem was so excited about all that was happening in Antioch that they decided to send Barnabas. The evidence of God’s blessing on the Gentiles was clear. Barnabas responded with joy and encouraged the new believers to remain true to the Lord they were now serving.

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. – Acts 11:24

What a wonderful experience for Barnabas! He went to Tarsus to find Paul, and then he brought him back to Antioch. They stayed in Tarsus for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. And it was in Antioch that these new Gentile believers were first called Christians. What a privilege for these Christ followers to bear the name of the one who had died for their sins — the one who had crossed the invisible boundaries of prejudice so that they might experience freedom from sin. In response, they gave their life to spread the good news of salvation and lead others to Christ.

And here is a fun part of the story! These new Gentile believers heard the predictions by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. The believers generously sent relief to their new brothers and sisters in Christ in Judea. I love it! Those who were once victims of racism are now making a difference in the lives of those who used to treat them unjustly.

What a great example of love, grace and mercy. Sometimes God teaches us and corrects our wrong thinking, not just for the benefit of others, but also as part of a bigger plan to save us. Thanks be to God! What a privilege it is to bear his name with confidence, and what a joy it is to allow Him to make a difference in the lives of others through us. How generous of God to take the lives of those who have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus because we allowed God to speak through us, and then use these new friends to make an impact in our lives! God is so good!

Lord, thank you for this beautiful reciprocity! We praise you for the blessing of relationship with those to whom we are sharing our faith. It is a joy to walk alongside someone on their journey of grace; it is a privilege to play a small role in their discovery of faith. Jesus, show us any areas in our life where our thinking is conforming to the ideas of today’s culture, and may our hearts consistently reflect your love and grace, without sacrificing the truth of who you are and what you are calling each of us to become in you. Amen.

Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.
For I cried out to him for help,
praising him as I spoke.
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw his unfailing love from me. – Psalm 66:16-20