Christ Church Daily Devotion May 18 2024

Peter goes to a gathering of people and realizes that God does not show favoritism. He talks about Jesus and how he was killed but raised from the dead. As Peter speaks, the Holy Spirit comes upon everyone and the believers are amazed that even Gentiles are receiving the Spirit. This shows that the Spirit is still working and teaching. The Church's mission is to let the Holy Spirit work through them to bring people closer to God. Welcome to Christchurch's Daily Devotion for May 18, 2024. Today, we will be reading from Acts 10, verses 27-47. 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, he 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 you, 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 witness 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, and 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. Tomorrow, in our worship services, we will focus on the story of Pentecost in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit came and filled the apostles of Jesus in a miraculous way that propelled them out into the world to share God's message. But that certainly was not the only time the Spirit did miraculous work in that book. There are many instances shared of the Holy Spirit continuing to teach and heal and guide, just like Jesus had done. I have heard it said that the book should have been titled, The Gospel of the Holy Spirit. The scene in Acts 10 is one of those instances. The Spirit is continuing to teach Peter lessons about living the way of Jesus Christ and inviting all to follow him. He had been taught all of his life to stay away from Gentiles, yet here the Spirit was leading him to the home of a Gentile and showing him that God was working in and through this man, as well as his family and friends. And Peter was not the only one whose understanding was challenged that day. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. The miracle of the Day of Pentecost continued to happen. More and more people were hearing and understanding the good news that God was offering through Jesus Christ. Another way to state the mission of the Church is that we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us so that everyone can experience the presence of God and hear God's invitation of relationship. Your personal worship option today, offer this prayer or one like it in your own words. Holy Spirit, help me be open to the lessons of life you still want to teach me so that I can help more people experience your presence and power. In Jesus' name, Amen.