Sunday, August 17, 1997 In Your Absence:
In this week's lesson, which came from Acts 10 and 11, the focus was on a very difficult issue - discrimination. It would be nice if no one ever looked down on another, but as we all know, discrimination is alive and well today, even in 1997 America! During the years which led up to the advent of Christ, God had dealt with the peoples of the world mainly through the nation of Israel. From the writings of Moses, we learn that He had chosen them as His peculiar people and that He had felt a very special and very deep love for them. Despite that, however, God loves everyone, and He always has. During the time of Abraham, He promised to bless all the nations of the world who blessed Israel. During the time of Joshua, He accepted Rahab and spared her when Jericho fell. In the course of time, He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross at Calvary, and that was His true love message of commitment to all humanity. Clearly, God has not been and is not a Respecter of persons, but sometimes, people like you and I are!
In the opening verses of Acts 10, we saw that Peter had fallen into a trance while awaiting his noontime meal. He envisioned a sheet dropping down from heaven and on that sheet were all sorts of animals. Because he was obviously hungry, the point of the trance was related to the eating of those animals. In Leviticus 11, however, God had revealed through Moses a list of animals which were to be considered unclean and inedible. Since the sheet which Peter saw contained many or all of those animals, he immediately rejected the whole bundle and would not eat. In the exchange which followed, God took issue with Peter about his attitude. Under the Law, those animals would not have been allowed for food, but Peter was about to learn that he was no longer under the Law. He was also about to learn that God does not give any of us something which is unclean. One of the very important conclusions of this week's lesson was that God loves everyone and so should we. From a practical perspective, though, another important conclusion was that Jesus died on the cross for all of us, not just the nation of Israel and certainly not just for a select few.
Following Peter's trance and experience with the Lord, he was given the opportunity to put into practice what he had just learned. There was a Roman Centurion, named Cornelius, who had an earnest desire to personally know God, and the Lord was about to use Peter as His messenger to Cornelius and his family and friends. How wonderful it is when we have an earnest desire to know God! How equally wonderful it is when we who do know Him are willing to be His messengers. Someone you know probably needs to know that God loves them. If so, then be thankful and joyous that your heavenly Father, and the Creator of this world, wants to use you as an instrument for change in the heart and life of someone close to you. Also, if this is so and if the Holy Spirit is leading you to say a kind word to someone on His behalf, then be faithful to that leading. The real solution to prejudice is not to be found within the United States Judicial system. It will only happen as a result of the changed heart which comes from personally knowing our Lord.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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