Grace for an "Outsider"?

 
Is Grace available just to "good" people, "church" people, "believers"?

One idea we hear is that God is somewhat distant, somewhat detached, only an observer, a record keeper, a watcher from the sidelines, reserved and sitting on a throne in heaven, maybe even not remembering our name.  Dull!  If you ever think that, there’s a little story in the tenth chapter of Acts that is an absolute “must” read.  It’s the story of a Roman centurion by the name of Cornelius, a man quite like us.  It gives us a deep insight into God's powerful desire to bless us, regardless of our past or where we are now.

Briefly, Cornelius was a Roman soldier, a Gentile, an infidel, an officer of a cruel occupying army.  Jews would normally have nothing to do with him.  Yet the story tells us that Cornelius was an honorable man, helping the poor, praying in his own way to whoever God really was and wanting to know him intimately.  And God noticed him (a non-Jew, an infidel, an outsider) and his heart.  So an angel appeared to him and told him to send for Peter; meanwhile an angel appeared to Peter and said get ready to go see Cornelius.  The stage was set.

As background, although this story took place after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, Peter still clung to some of his old "Jewish" thinking as far as Jews versus anyone else.  Tradition and Jewish law told him not to have anything to do with non-Jews.  But earlier in his life he had met someone named Jesus, and recently he had been filled with the free gift of Holy Spirit, and much of his thinking had been turned completely upside-down.

Think about Peter's struggles with being in a Roman soldier's home, what Peter knew Jesus would say about this visit, and the amount of forgiveness Peter needed in his heart to go into that home.  Peter had to avoid "leaning on his own understanding" and rather decided to be led by the Holy Spirit's prompting.

Even though Peter’s rational thoughts and gut emotions yelled out “Don’t go!”, he obeyed and went, and when he arrived he began telling Cornelius and family members and guests all about Jesus.  In the middle of what would have been a rather lengthy message about Jesus, we find words meant for you and I today, words describing the real God!  The story tells us that “while Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.”

If you want to know what God is like, picture Peter abruptly becoming silent and in awe when the Holy Spirit flooded that house and everyone in it.  God simply couldn’t wait for Peter to finish his sermon; He so wanted to thoroughly bless this Roman centurion, this infidel, this Gentile, as well as his family and friends.  God’s excitement was on display!

This is not the work of a dull, detached, distant record keeper.  Rather, it is the action of a vibrant and personal God who just can’t wait to bless his children.  And YOU in particular!  His Grace is indeed available whether you consider yourself a religious "insider" or, especially, an "outsider"!!! 



QUESTIONS:

1) How important was it, at that time, for a Jew to avoid a Roman soldier?

2) Did the Jewish leaders see anything worthwhile in such a person?

3) Did the Jews think that God would even notice someone like the soldier?

4) However, Cornelius seems to have been searching for something more, searching for the real God.  How important would this be to God?

5) Concentrate on the phrase: "While Peter was still speaking".  Ask God to help you see Peter and Cornelius, and everyone else in that room.  Imagine what Peter learned as the Holy Spirit took over!

6) Why do you think the Spirit simply couldn't wait until Peter finished his sermon?


PAUSE:  Quiet yourself in His love and invite Him to be with you. 


REFLECT:

If you can adsorb only one truth, make sure it is the fact that the Spirit of the Living God, the same Spirit you can ask for now, just couldn't wait!


RECEIVE:  If you are like most of us, the Holy Spirit wants to re-shape and re-form some of your beliefs and thoughts and reasoning.  He's ready to fill you with the Grace to know him, and yourself, better!

 
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