Post by Woody Williams on Dec 9, 2005 10:18:53 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Acts 11:1-18
----------
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the
Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to
Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, 'Why did
you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?' Then Peter began to
explain it to them, step by step, saying, 'I was in the city of Joppa
praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a
large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four
corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw
four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.
I also heard a voice saying to me, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat." But
I replied, "By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has
ever entered my mouth." But a second time the voice answered from
heaven, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." This
happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.
At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at
the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not
to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also
accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had
seen the angel standing in his house and saying, "Send to Joppa and
bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which
you and your entire household will be saved." And as I began to
speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the
beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,
"John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy
Spirit." If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder
God?' When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God,
saying, 'Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that
leads to life.'
Devotional
----------
This story is very significant. Peter was faithful to respond to
God's vision and go beyond the boundaries of Judaism and bring the
Gospel to the Gentiles. God, through the Holy Spirit's presence and
power, extends the covenant to the whole world and all persons. The
challenge for the church in every generation is to be inclusive of
all who desire to belong to the kingdom. Are there any people today
that you find difficult to welcome into God's kingdom? Pray for
courage to offer God's grace to all people and fulfill God's vision
of the whole world basking in the joy and peace of God's salvation.
Prayer
---------------
Fill me with your love, O Lord, that I may be able to extend grace to
all. Amen
----------
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the
Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to
Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, 'Why did
you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?' Then Peter began to
explain it to them, step by step, saying, 'I was in the city of Joppa
praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a
large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four
corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw
four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.
I also heard a voice saying to me, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat." But
I replied, "By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has
ever entered my mouth." But a second time the voice answered from
heaven, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." This
happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.
At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at
the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not
to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also
accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had
seen the angel standing in his house and saying, "Send to Joppa and
bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which
you and your entire household will be saved." And as I began to
speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the
beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,
"John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy
Spirit." If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder
God?' When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God,
saying, 'Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that
leads to life.'
Devotional
----------
This story is very significant. Peter was faithful to respond to
God's vision and go beyond the boundaries of Judaism and bring the
Gospel to the Gentiles. God, through the Holy Spirit's presence and
power, extends the covenant to the whole world and all persons. The
challenge for the church in every generation is to be inclusive of
all who desire to belong to the kingdom. Are there any people today
that you find difficult to welcome into God's kingdom? Pray for
courage to offer God's grace to all people and fulfill God's vision
of the whole world basking in the joy and peace of God's salvation.
Prayer
---------------
Fill me with your love, O Lord, that I may be able to extend grace to
all. Amen