Good News For All

Acts 10:1—11:18

Kevin's Commentary

You are encouraged to go through steps or process scripture in these steps:

Pray = in anticipation of what God wants you to discover. Good God, I’m thankful that You want people of all backgrounds to have a relationship with You.
Read = with purpose look for what God is trying to communicate. You may want to read out of several translations and highlight key words.
Reflect = on the context and put yourself in the shoes of people at that time. Peter had to overcome prejudice in order to welcome Cornelius. Are there prejudices (perhaps unintentional) that exclude people from your church fellowship?

God is ... What do we learn about God?
We are ... What do we learn about people?
How would you describe the good news of the Gospel? Is it good news to you? Explain why.
Peter learned to accept Cornelius, someone very different, and not exclude him from fellowship in the early church. Do you think the church today is inclusive or exclusive? Why? What should it be like?

Apply = information without application is fruitless. Decide on some practical steps you can take for fulfill what God wants you to do. The next time you go to church, either bring someone from a different background or make an effort to welcome someone you don’t know.
Pray = yielding to God to empower you to do what the word convicted you to do. Ask God to show you if you have any unconscious prejudices and, if so, to help you overcome them.

Before the Next Time: Set aside time soon to reflect on the significance of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth and growth of the church. What can you learn from the community life of the church and the way its members faced opposition? Ask God to show you any actions or changes you need to take as a result.

For deeper Bible study and more resources go to my Commentary Blog notes.

For other parts of the Essential 100 Scripture Series, click on the link with the topic #E100.