LIFE SCRIPTS

The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Acts 11:1‭-‬18 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/act.11.1-18.NIV.

The gospel first came to the Jews. But being the first recipients does not mean that the others are left out. The apostles and believers in Jerusalem were astonished that a great apostle like Peter would do the unthinkable and proceed to the house of a gentile to share the good news. Yet God used Peter because he was the first among equals. His word would hold water in the eyes of the rest. So Peter narrated his experience about the vision which left many baffled. These were strong believers who never believed that the Gentiles have a right to access the gospel. But here was a treasured and trusted man informing them how God had led him to Gentiles to share the good news. And not only that but these same Gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit. How amazing. God reaches out to the ones we consider not deserving. But another important thing is He transforms us from our prejudices. He helps us accept others even those we think don’t deserve mercy. How interesting it is that Peter repeated the same story he had narrated to Cornelius which the writer of the book recorded. It’s no coincidence or a mistake. God desires us to hear and keep on hearing. It’s a reminder to those of us given to prejudices that God can’t reach the unreachable. We are aptly reminded that God is in the business of reaching out to sinners (in the same way He reached out to us while in sin). So we ought to partner with Him in this mission.