Seeing the Potential in those Around You? - Acts 10

Have you started seeing the potential in those around you?  As believers in Christ who know the love of God, we experience the life of God when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.  The joy of heaven fills our life and allows us to really enjoy worshiping the Lord and  loving our families including those of the household of God. 

After the ascension of Jesus to heaven, the apostles began to share the gift of God with the Jews arguing that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.  As they went out, they were filled with the Holy Spirit boldly proclaiming the gospel to their families and friends.

As people were turning to the gospel, the Jewish believers were then sharing the gospel with their families.  In some cases, the family members were Gentiles who had married into their families.  Upon hearing about the gospel of grace, these individuals were coming to faith and then sharing the good news with their Gentile friends.

Even though Jesus had commanded the disciples to “make disciples of all the nations,” the apostles had continued thinking that only Jews could be filled with the Holy Spirit since the gospel had been given to the Jews to share with world. 

This thinking was about to change in Acts 10 when Cornelius had a vision where Conelius was asked to send for Paul.  Cornelius being a Gentile had received a vision which opened the eyes of Peter to the meaning of his vision.  The fact that they both had received a vision opened Peter’s eyes to the potential of the Gentiles as witnesses to the grace of God.

Acts 10, “³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. ³⁵ But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. ³⁶ The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— ³⁷ that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. ⁴⁰ Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴² And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”  (NKJV)

After Peter had spoken to the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit fell upon both the Jews and the Gentiles.  Everyone in the room began speaking in their native tongue worshiping the Lord together as one family.  Having seen the power and grace of God being poured out in their life as evidenced by their worship, Peter says, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

In other words, as believers in Christ we need to see the potential in those around us.  The Kingdom of God can be known by all who receive His Son.  The joy of heaven and the life of God are there for all those who come to him in faith. God wants all men to be saved and come to know the life and joy of heaven that comes from knowing Jesus!