Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 45

February 14;   Acts 11:17;   100/260(VI);   ‘It’s For Everyone’

Acts 11:17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"    NIV

The Jewish people hated the Gentiles.  They thanked God in their morning prayers that they were not born a Gentile.  They literally thought that Gentiles were like logs that would fuel the fires of hell forever. They thought that the Lord was only interested in them.  This ‘exclusivity’ happens many times, that a religious group or denomination feel that they are the only ones who know the Lord and everyone else is excluded.  How contrary to the character of the Lord as we see His love spoken of in the Bible.  Peter felt that way until the Lord dealt with his heart and sent him to minister at the Roman Centurion, Cornelius’ home.  Reports of Peter ministering to Gentiles got back to the church in Jerusalem, and when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the church called him in to talk to him.  Peter reported that he was reluctant to go into a Gentile home until he had a vision while praying and was led  by the Holy Spirit to go to Cornelius’ home.  While he was preaching the gospel, the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles, just like the Holy Spirit came upon the Jews on Pentecost.  The leaders of the church grew quiet and then they began to thank the Lord that salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit was for the Gentiles as well.  As this topic came up again, the Apostle James shared Old Testament scriptures clearly teaching that the Gentiles would also come to know the Lord Jesus and be saved.  God the Father loves everyone and by the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus, everyone is welcomed into the family of God.