Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

 Jesus Christ who includes All

Acts 10:34-43
34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 
When looking at Acts 10:34-43, we can feel a true sense of hope. A hope that is found in knowing Christ as our Savior and knowing the depth of love He showed for us ALL on the cross. In return, it is our responsibility as believers to share this amazing love of Christ with those around us. Going through life thinking that you don’t fit in or that you are not loved or worthy are the lies that the devil wants us to believe. God accepts us regardless of our past and He shows no favoritism. Now that’s the kind of truth worth hanging onto and believing in! When digging deeper into these verses, we can find a few points that Peter is trying to convey. 
1. Jesus was a man of the people
As stated before, there is a sense of acceptance as seen in verses 34 and 35.  There are numerous stories in the Bible of how Jesus shared food with “sinners” and those who were societal outcasts.  He had a deep connection with those around Him and showed compassion to the hurt and helpless. Wherever Jesus went, he was constantly surrounded by people, who were in need of peace, answers, healing, both spiritually and physically, and most importantly, in need of a Savior. 
Jesus cared deeply about the poor and the oppressed. His display of kindness was done in tangible ways, such as touching the leper to heal him, giving sight to the blind man at Bethsaida, raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, and healing so many who were sick. Most importantly, Jesus preached the good news of God’s love and salvation. This is what drew people to Jesus. His willingness to see past people’s flaws and knowing that they were just “lost sheep” in search of a shepherd to guide and lead them was the mission that Christ was sent to fulfill. 
From His very own disciple, Matthew, to Zacchaeus, to Mary Magdalene, Jesus never labeled them as society labeled them, but rather He knew them by their names. He did what was unthinkable in His time by being associated with “outcasts.” Jesus broke societal norms and barriers. By the simple act of eating with these people, Jesus showed that He looked beyond culture and into their hearts. Since Jesus spent time with sinners and ate with them, this no doubt inspired them to know Him better and make a positive change in their lives. 
2. Good news of peace and salvation
There is a promise of peace through knowing and experiencing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior (Luke10:36). If we think back to times in our own lives where we felt lost or hopeless, we were probably the furthest from God. Setting aside time daily to meditate on His word and pray allows us to navigate through the day and have the strength to face challenges that may arise. Understanding the depths of His love for us and the assurance that He will never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5) gives us a real sense of peace. 
In Romans 4:25-5:1 it explains the kind of peace that is rooted in Christ’s death and resurrection: “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
There is definitely peace in knowing that our salvation has been paid for by His blood and that we are saved by his amazing, selfless, sacrifice. His sacrifice gives us all the chance to find eternal peace and joy. In Christ we are offered peace with God because we who “once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace….” (Ephesians 2:13-14). We have been reconciled with God through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Through His sacrifice, he bridged the gap that sin introduced between us and God. “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). The kind of peace that Christ gives us is beyond our understanding (Phil 4:7).  But we can achieve this peace through accepting Christ as our Savior by applying His word to our life, praying over our families, our circumstances and our community. We need to live a life that is committed to His will and find support and fellowship with people that can help navigate life and all its difficulties. 
3. We are called to be His witnesses
God has commanded us to be His witnesses as seen in Acts 10:42. What a wonderful responsibility that God has bestowed upon us; to be His vessel for sharing the good news. We are witnesses to His greatness and mercy as seen in verses 37-43. We can see the impact of witnesses throughout the Bible. When reflecting on our very own church and its history, the impact that St. Thomas left on our community is monumental and impactful. Throughout scripture we can see God’s people called to be witnesses to the experience of His faithfulness. This is not only done through words but through actions. We should leave our comfort zones and testify to His great love that has redeemed and purified us. When we share our experiences with others, we offer hope and a light that can never be extinguished. We don’t need to be afraid because Jesus has promised us the power of the Holy Spirit to help us be His witnesses as seen in Acts 1:8. We are His ambassadors and witnessing is part of being His disciple and declaring to those around us how Christ has transformed our lives. Paul says it the best when he summarizes the gospel in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” We have to remember that God has chosen us and loves us. The depth of His love is immeasurable. When we accept Christ into our hearts and into our lives, we are giving Him full control and that includes changing the way we live our lives, who we associate with, getting rid of bad habits, and being a positive example to others.  1st Peter 2:11-12 warns us to “abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 
Being a part of God’s family and accepting the invitation of salvation is life changing. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 31 that God will never leave nor forsake us. His commitment to us as His children is unwavering. Jesus was committed to die on the cross to save us from sin. He was committed to reconcile our relationship with God, and He was committed to give us everlasting life.  Through His commitments we as His children get to experience immense joy, peace, and acceptance.  May we continue to be challenged to be more welcoming of others like Jesus, to share the message of salvation and peace, and be witnesses of His great love and mercy. 

 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you Lord for seeing us as we are. We thank you that you accept us regardless of our flaws. As we meditate upon your words, help up to seek you earnestly and to always be your witnesses to those around. Holy Spirit, give us the strength and courage to be your vessels. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
 
Thought for the Day
“To call yourself a child of God is one thing. To be called a child of God by those who watch your life is another thing altogether.”- Max Lucado
 
Mrs. Susan Abraham
Sehion Mar Thoma Church, Plano TX

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