A Word from Acts 11

Is there anybody who you tend to think is probably “outside the circle” of God’s love — or who God couldn’t possibly use because of their failure to embrace His way? I mean sure, we know that “God so loved the world” and that His Spirit can change the most resistant heart. But still, don’t we often behave in ways that betray our bias that some folks could never belong to God like we do? They don’t live the right way, or vote the right way, or have the right characteristics to be instruments of God’s purpose. And yet, if we pay attention to today’s word from Acts 11, we just might discover that God’s reach often extends a lot further than we think it does.

You know the story. Peter was called by God to go to the house of a Gentile named Cornelius to share the gospel with him. And Cornelius wasn’t just a Gentile—a person who Peter thought was beyond the reach of God’s grace. No, he was a Roman soldier—an enemy of God’s people! And yet, God gave Peter a vision to show that only God could say who’s clean and who’s impure. And when Peter spoke to Cornelius and his family, God sent the Holy Spirit on even this complete outsider. All of which led Peter to say, “So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” (11:17)

So, are we going to stand in God’s way? When He calls that sinner to receive His grace? When He speaks wisdom through that person we disagree with? When He pours out His Spirit on somebody who we didn’t think was supposed to preach, or teach, or serve in some other capacity? In fact, will we stand in God’s way when He calls and uses us?

May we trust this week—and live this week—as those who follow a Savior whose grace and call can reach even those whom we might overlook. Amen.