Shocking News


Peter said, “I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another. Rather, in every nation, whoever worships him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
- Acts 10:34-35 CEB –


When my brother and I were kids, our parents had us on a routine for each day of the week. For instance, on Sundays we would go to Sunday School, attend service, go to lunch, come home, take a nap, and then have some kind of family game or activity. We all enjoyed this routine because we all love naps.  So we were shocked one day when we got home from Sunday lunch and our parents saw us going to our rooms and said, “What are you doing!? Get back in the car!” We were very perplexed children as we rode into the city and parked next to the Fabulous Fox Theater for a musical in Atlanta. We were shocked and thrilled.

Peter received a shock from God in the book of Acts. Through dreams from God, Peter learned that the Gospel was not only for Jews, but for the non-Jews (called Gentiles) as well. In these verses Peter is teaching this new revelation to both Jews and Gentiles to help them also learn that Jesus is for everyone.  This was astonishing to Peter and everyone present because Jews at this time believed that Jesus was the Messiah for Jews, but not for the Gentiles. This news was far outside what they expected, and many were not thrilled about it at first.

This is probably old news to you: you may know Jesus loves everyone! But this was big news to Peter and the early Jewish Christians. The gospel of sacrifice and grace is already radical, and this made it even more shocking to those first century Jews and Christians. Look around you. We all look, act, and think a little different. As we celebrate the risen Christ through this season of Easter, realize that though we are different, we are all beloved by our Savior. All people are invited to put their faith in Jesus Christ: republicans and democrats, the upstanding citizen and the criminal, people of all races and from every country, students and teachers, sinners and saints. Together we are the beautiful, diverse body of Christ. Celebrate the incredible news that Jesus died and rose to save all kinds of people!

To Read More: Acts 10:1-11:18 and Genesis 1:26-27.

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