Friday, September 25 — No Favorites, No Exceptions
Peter had to have his mind changed about who God loves. Most of us do.
Acts 10:34-48 — KJV
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Acts 10:34-48 — WEB
34 Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism; 35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him. 36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— 37 you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree. 40 God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us." 48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.
Explanation
To appreciate what Peter says in verse 34, you have to know what it cost him to get there. He is standing in the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion — an officer of the occupying army, a Gentile, a man Peter had been taught his whole life not to eat with. Peter did not arrive at this doorstep because he grew more open-minded. He arrived because God gave him a vision three times and then told him to go anyway.
And then he says it: Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. The older phrase is worth keeping. A "respecter of persons" is someone who looks at the face and decides accordingly — the family name, the skin, the address, the accent, the record. Peter is confessing that he had been doing exactly that, and that God does not.
Watch what happens next, because the timing is the sermon. Peter is still talking when the Holy Spirit falls on the whole room. He does not get to finish. There is no membership process, no probation period, no vetting committee. God acts before the church has finished deciding whether these people qualify. And the believers who came with Peter are described as astonished — not delighted, astonished — because what they were watching broke a category they had held their entire lives.
Peter's response is the right one, and it is really a question with only one possible answer: Can any man forbid water?God has already moved. Who are we to stand in the doorway?
This is where the whole week comes into focus. Rahab in Jericho and Cornelius in Caesarea are the same story separated by centuries. In both, God reaches past the boundary line His own people had drawn and welcomes someone from the outside — and in both, the people on the inside have to catch up to what God has already done.
We have our own version of that doorway, and we should be honest about it. There are people we have quietly decided are not the right fit for our church, our circle, our table. Somebody with a record. Somebody whose past is public. Somebody whose politics or accent or income makes us uneasy. Somebody whose family everybody in town has an opinion about. The AME Zion church knows this history from the inside — our tradition exists in part because people were told where they could and could not sit. We of all people should be slow to hand anyone else that experience.
God still shows no partiality. The only question left is whether we will be standing in the doorway when He walks somebody through it, or holding it open.
Thought for the Day
God has no favorites, and no one is out of reach.
Reflection Question
Who have you quietly decided would not fit in your church, and what would it take to welcome them?
Prayer
Lord, You do not look at faces the way I do. Search out the places where I have decided in advance who belongs, and tear those lines up. Make our church a place where people walk in and find a seat waiting, not a test to pass. Move me out of the doorway. Amen.
This week we walk toward Sunday's lesson: God's Compassion for Rahab.