"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 4 January 2017 "For us, what love!" with Scripture Acts 10:34-43

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 4 January 2017 "For us, what love!" with Scripture Acts 10:34-43
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"For us, what love!"
Acts 10:34 Then Kefa addressed them: “I now understand that God does not play favorites, 35 but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to.
36 “Here is the message that he sent to the sons of Isra’el announcing shalom through Yeshua the Messiah, who is Lord of everything. 37 You know what has been going on throughout Y’hudah, starting from the Galil after the immersion that Yochanan proclaimed; 38 how God anointed Yeshua from Natzeret with the Ruach HaKodesh and with power; how Yeshua went about doing good and healing all the people oppressed by the Adversary, because God was with him.
39 “As for us, we are witnesses of everything he did, both in the Judean countryside and in Yerushalayim. They did away with him by hanging him on a stake;[Acts 10:39 Deuteronomy 21:23] 40 but God raised him up on the third day and let him be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by witnesses God had previously chosen, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen again from the dead.
42 “Then he commanded us to proclaim and attest to the Jewish people that this man has been appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets bear witness to him, that everyone who puts his trust in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”[Complete Jewish Bible
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What love, to be given full forgiveness of sin! That's what Peter declares in his sermon to those Gentiles gathered in Caesarea, "those other people." It's timely for us having just celebrated the birth of Jesus and ready now to enter Epiphany. We need again to hear the old, old story as Peter tells of Jesus ministry and for it his suffering and death and his miraculous resurrection--for all people! Peter's words open our eyes to see again that this good news was not only for us but for people of all races and cultures.
Because our basic sin is to be turned in on self, we tend to stick with our own kind, excluding or avoiding those of other cultures. So natural, isn't it, to think of ourselves as the better race instead of getting to know "those people" who are different from us? Today Peter's sermon gives us a jolt, reminding us again that God's love in Jesus is for all!
Loving God, open our eyes to love all people with unconditional love that only comes from you. Amen.
Corinne Chilstrom, ‘84
Retired; Green Valley, Ariz. 
Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all.
37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;
40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,
41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."[New Revised Standard Version]
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