No one is Unclean
25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.
Acts 10:25-28
I’ve grown up in the Northern Suburbs of Wollongong. It wasn’t always so wealthy. In my early years, Austinmer, Coledale, Thirroul, Bulli, Woonona etc. were full of miners and surfers. It was actually quite a rough area. Bulli High got Year 12 muckup day banned forever because they impaled a dead kangaroo on the school flagpole.
But my family was upper middle-class. We were a bit wealthier than my school friends. And as often is the case, with wealth comes snobbery. It’s something I’ve always struggled with. I find it hard to relate with people who have grown up in a different social class to me (and they often struggle with me too!).
Acts 10 is a reminder of what God has done in Jesus. For Jews, humanity was stratified into Jew and Gentile. You associated with Jews, welcomed them into your home and so far in Acts, the good news of Jesus has been for Jews.
But God reminds Peter that his plan is for all people groups to hear about Jesus. They are to witness not just to Jews in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. But to Gentiles also.
That’s not a challenge to us. But the principle that God desires people not just from all nations but from all backgrounds might. How do you go welcoming a person that looks different? Speaks differently? Are you willing to welcome them? Would you be willing to invite them into your home?
It’s a challenge to me. Like I said, I struggle with this. How about you?
Today:
Pray:
27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.
Acts 10:25-28
I’ve grown up in the Northern Suburbs of Wollongong. It wasn’t always so wealthy. In my early years, Austinmer, Coledale, Thirroul, Bulli, Woonona etc. were full of miners and surfers. It was actually quite a rough area. Bulli High got Year 12 muckup day banned forever because they impaled a dead kangaroo on the school flagpole.
But my family was upper middle-class. We were a bit wealthier than my school friends. And as often is the case, with wealth comes snobbery. It’s something I’ve always struggled with. I find it hard to relate with people who have grown up in a different social class to me (and they often struggle with me too!).
Acts 10 is a reminder of what God has done in Jesus. For Jews, humanity was stratified into Jew and Gentile. You associated with Jews, welcomed them into your home and so far in Acts, the good news of Jesus has been for Jews.
But God reminds Peter that his plan is for all people groups to hear about Jesus. They are to witness not just to Jews in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. But to Gentiles also.
That’s not a challenge to us. But the principle that God desires people not just from all nations but from all backgrounds might. How do you go welcoming a person that looks different? Speaks differently? Are you willing to welcome them? Would you be willing to invite them into your home?
It’s a challenge to me. Like I said, I struggle with this. How about you?
Today:
- Say hello to someone on a Sunday that you normally wouldn’t say hello to.
- Consider how you might show hospitality to outsiders or people who are more marginalised at Village.
- Reflect on your own heart about who you might struggle with. What personality types or people groups?
Pray:
- Praise the Father for his glorious salvation that is available to all people.
- Give thanks for Jesus who didn’t save based on merit or ethnicity.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others be loving and welcoming to people different to them.
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