Not Common, But Chosen
"What God has cleansed, that call not thou common." Acts 10:15
God had to send Peter a dream. Anyone that God calls is no longer just ordinary, but "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people" 1 Peter 2:9. Apparently, he learned the lesson since he penned those words, and it doesn't appear to be directed only toward the Jewish Christians.
Peter had some pretty narrow and biased ideas about who could and would be saved. Maybe, he was daydreaming when Jesus said "Go ye into all the world..." or perhaps, Peter just got stuck in his own prejudices and decided that only Jewish people were worthy of the Gospel. I don't think he was daydreaming--he was like some of us; Peter had some hangups--as awesome a man of God as he was. Peter was a gifted preacher, we know--after he preached at Pentecost, three thousand souls were added to the church. Peter was anointed--he laid hands on Dorcas, who was dead, and she arose and continued in her good deeds, Peter was willing to boldly proclaim Christ in the face of danger--withstanding the authorities. Still, like us, Peter was not perfect, he had some character flaws. He struggled with his temper, with prejudice and with appearances (for this, Paul publicly rebuked him (Galatians 2:11-14).
What will it take to get our attention? Is a dream enough? Is the Word of God enough? How about Peter's lessons?
Too often, in our own midst, we have active prejudices and biases--often, not so obvious. We make many decisions about the people of God based on the outward appearance, but God chooses by the heart. We cannot see what God sees. We see ordinary and overlook royalty right before our eyes, as it passes by. All of God's people have great worth--not simply a chosen few. We have our favorites--God does, too--He favors us all. He wouldn't choose us if He didn't. He has placed gifts within each of us, that the Body of Christ needs--and the Body suffers, when those gifts are not developed and encouraged, and utilized. What gifts lay dormant among God's people in you? It is important to find each of them--and pull them out, dust them off, and work those "tools". They are for the upbuilding of His Kingdom, and for everyone's well-being. They will support the foundation of the Church of God.
We have to take God's people out of the boxes that we have created, and allow them the grace to live and move and have their being--in Him. No one of us is "common" in God's eye--we have a responsibility to ask Him to help us to see as He does, without partiality, justly, and in love. Peter found out that "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). We can't be either.
"Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him". Acts 10:34,35
God had to send Peter a dream. Anyone that God calls is no longer just ordinary, but "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people" 1 Peter 2:9. Apparently, he learned the lesson since he penned those words, and it doesn't appear to be directed only toward the Jewish Christians.
Peter had some pretty narrow and biased ideas about who could and would be saved. Maybe, he was daydreaming when Jesus said "Go ye into all the world..." or perhaps, Peter just got stuck in his own prejudices and decided that only Jewish people were worthy of the Gospel. I don't think he was daydreaming--he was like some of us; Peter had some hangups--as awesome a man of God as he was. Peter was a gifted preacher, we know--after he preached at Pentecost, three thousand souls were added to the church. Peter was anointed--he laid hands on Dorcas, who was dead, and she arose and continued in her good deeds, Peter was willing to boldly proclaim Christ in the face of danger--withstanding the authorities. Still, like us, Peter was not perfect, he had some character flaws. He struggled with his temper, with prejudice and with appearances (for this, Paul publicly rebuked him (Galatians 2:11-14).
What will it take to get our attention? Is a dream enough? Is the Word of God enough? How about Peter's lessons?
Too often, in our own midst, we have active prejudices and biases--often, not so obvious. We make many decisions about the people of God based on the outward appearance, but God chooses by the heart. We cannot see what God sees. We see ordinary and overlook royalty right before our eyes, as it passes by. All of God's people have great worth--not simply a chosen few. We have our favorites--God does, too--He favors us all. He wouldn't choose us if He didn't. He has placed gifts within each of us, that the Body of Christ needs--and the Body suffers, when those gifts are not developed and encouraged, and utilized. What gifts lay dormant among God's people in you? It is important to find each of them--and pull them out, dust them off, and work those "tools". They are for the upbuilding of His Kingdom, and for everyone's well-being. They will support the foundation of the Church of God.
We have to take God's people out of the boxes that we have created, and allow them the grace to live and move and have their being--in Him. No one of us is "common" in God's eye--we have a responsibility to ask Him to help us to see as He does, without partiality, justly, and in love. Peter found out that "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). We can't be either.
"Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him". Acts 10:34,35
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