Thursday

Then Peter began to speak:  “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.  You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.  You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached — how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.  “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.  He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen — by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.  All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.  – Acts 10:38-44

We have been reading and reflecting this week on this amazing encounter between Peter, the Jewish disciple of Christ and Cornelius, the gentile Roman centurion.  The passage above is what Peter actually said to Cornelius and his family. 

Peter essentially gives them the gospel in brief.  In this short sermon, he lays out the heart and foundation of the Christian faith; that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, that Jesus died on a the cross for the salvation of the world, that Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by many witnesses, and that Jesus sent his followers out to preach this good news to the world!  This is the first time in history that the gospel was preached to gentiles (non-Jews).  This is the beginning of the spread of Christianity to the rest of the world.

There are several places in the New Testament where we get a little synopsis of the gospel message (1 Cor. 15:3-8, Acts 2:22-36).  Each time I come across these passages that outline the gospel message I am struck by the fact that the power of the gospel hinges on a single historical fact - the resurrection! 

In other words, the “good news” of Jesus Christ is not good advice.  Peter doesn’t show up at Cornelius’ house with a new set of rules to live by, or some new self-improvement plan for him to follow.  God sent Peter to tell Cornelius that Jesus Christ has conquered the power of sin and death and opened the way to God through his death & resurrection!  That is it!  That is the message!  Everything else in our faith leads up to and/or flows out of that single truth.

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

­- 1 Corinthians15:14

Sometimes I wonder if we aren’t tempted to think; “Can it really be that simple?  There must be more to it.”  We feel we have to add something to “spice up” the message.  We feel like we need to “update” the gospel for contemporary minds.  We are too quick to complicate and cloud the message of the gospel.  The amazing truth is that since this encounter between Peter and Cornelius over 2,000 years ago, right down to the present day, it has been the simple message of the cross of Jesus Christ that has been transforming lives!

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  – Romans 1:16

Lord Jesus, we praise you for the truth and power of your gospel.  We thank you for revealing it to us and for the forgiveness and freedom we have in you!  Help us to joyfully and humbly proclaim your good news wherever you give us opportunity – Amen.


Jeff Frazier