Scripture: Acts 11:16-30
If you have believed something your entire life, what would make you change that belief?
In our passage today, Peter explains to the Jewish believers who were criticizing him why he was eating with the Gentiles. He was able to show them that this was all God’s plan because these Gentiles were receiving the same gift that He gave the Jews when they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, verse 19 tells us, scattered Jews were busy telling other Jews about the gospel. But they were not telling the Gentiles. But the Jews who ended up in Antioch were reaching out to the Gentiles and many believed. Soon after the news got back to Jerusalem, Barnabas was sent to encourage the church in Antioch and make sure they were truly following the Lord. It wasn’t long after this that Paul joined them in Antioch as well.
Finally, a prophet told the church in Antioch that there was going to be a famine, “so the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could” (v.29).
So the people the Jews didn’t want to include in the church are the same people that are taking care of them during the famine. I love it! Peter knew that it was not good to stand in God’s way (v. 17). Imagine if somehow Peter did manage to stand in God’s way, maybe the Jews in Jerusalem wouldn’t have gotten taken care of during the famine?
But God always has His way. Many times we do not understand His ways. That is why we need to trust Him. We need to change our thinking and actions to a line with what He is doing. We will be blessed for doing so. It’s awesome to see when God uses the most unexpected people in our lives to love us and be there for us when we need someone the most.
Don’t stand in God’s way, and allow those people to be used by God in your life.
