God had chosen Israel (Jews) for His people to tell all nations about His (God) love for all. God also warned them not to follow the ways of other nations or community. Other communities were called ‘Gentiles’ by Jews. As such, the Jews never shared anything with other communities. Later, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to the world and began to include ‘gentiles’ in His eternal family, ‘God’s family’.
God love all the people
of the world. He wants every nation to
come to Him and receive His abundant blessing of ‘peace through Jesus Christ to
be His children and have eternal life with Him.’
Every Christian is
entrusted to tell others about God’s love for all. God promise to bless all who
believe in Him and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
It is through Jesus
Christ every body have the right to have ‘peace with God and eternal life”.
Read the following story
from the Bible(NIV) :
At Caesarea there was a man named
Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He
and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to
those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three
in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an
angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is
it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and
gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man
named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with
Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
When the angel who spoke to him had gone,
Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything
that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
About noon the following day as they were
on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and
wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a
trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a
large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds
of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill
and eat.”
“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have
never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything
impure that God has made clean.”
This happened three times, and
immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
While Peter was wondering about the
meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s
house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking
if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
While Peter was still thinking about the
vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for
you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them,
for I have sent them.”
Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m
the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
The men replied, “We have come from
Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all
the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so
that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the
men into the house to be his guests.
Peter at Cornelius’s House
The next day Peter started out with them,
and some of the believers from Joppa went along.The following day
he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had
called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the
house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get
up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
While talking with him, Peter went inside
and found a large gathering of people. 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. So when I was sent for, I came without
raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was
in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in
shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius,
God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon
who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives
by the sea.’ So I sent for you
immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the
presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize
how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every
nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 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. You know what has happened throughout the
province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 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.
“We are witnesses of everything he did in
the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a
cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and
caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom
God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him
after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach
to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of
the living and the dead. All the prophets
testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name.”
While Peter was still speaking these
words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The
circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that
the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them
speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, Surely no one can stand
in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the
Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter
to stay with them for a few days. (Acts 10:1-47)
Let us praise the Lord and share the love
of God to others.
May God bless you through your reading of
this message and through you share His good message for all.
