Acts 11:1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
The boundary-breaking work of Jesus, the inclusivity of Jesus, was pretty radical—both then and now. For a group who had gotten very adept at both establishing and adhering to very elaborate rules of faithfulness, the Jews struggled with Jesus’s provocative inclusion of the Gentiles.
Acts 11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him….
I’ve said many times before that it’s disturbingly easy to “armchair quarterback” a situation, but if I had been a part of that time and culture—rule follower that I am—I probably would have been appalled by Peter’s actions, demanding explanation as well. Jesus, forgive me.
Acts 11:3 …and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
Lord, Thank You for giving me compassion for those struggling with the radical changes You brought to the church. Forgive me that sometimes I get so carried away with following the rules that I lose sight of You. Help me. Draw me closer. Amen.
Acts 11:4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story….
Have a blessed day.