God does not show favoritism. Do you?

Friday, July 01, 2011 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 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.

In this text, Peter was ministering to a man named Cornelius. Cornelius was a Jew. If Peter did not have a recent visitation from the Lord, he would not be talking to Cornelius. God made it clear to Peter that he was not to treat non-Jewish people as "common," "unclean" or unworthy of personal contact.

Peter acknowledge this change in his theology when he said, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him."

I wonder if we understand that very important truth today. Sometimes, it looks like we are unwilling to associate with people who are not like ourselves. As Peter said, Jesus Christ is “Lord of all.”

We need to think more about reaching people who we consider "common" from our own cultural and religious perspectives. It took a dramatic vision to change Peter's mind. It should only take this scripture to change our minds.

God loves people, all people! For believers in Christ and ministers of the gospel, loving people is job number one. When we love people, we will be motivated and able to do the works of Jesus as described in Acts 10:38:

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth [also insert your name here________]  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.

Without the willingness to reach all people and love all people, there is no anointing, no power, no doing good, and no healing people who are under the power of the devil.