Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.  The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” [30] Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of 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 cross, 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. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. [46] For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
—Acts 10:23-48

~~~~~

The Great Kingdom Banquet
By Jennifer Kane

A great sheet descends,
not from ceiling beams or chandeliers,
but from heaven itself—
its corners held by unseen hands,
spread wide like the embrace of God.
Upon it—every food.
Every creature.
Every nation.
Every story.

It is not just a buffet.
It is a revelation.

Peter stares,
a fisherman of one people,
taught to sort clean from unclean,
to know what belongs on his plate
and what does not.
But the voice speaks,
not once,
but three times:
“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

So the banquet begins.

Curries and couscous,
tacos and tagines,
bagels, bao, bulgogi, and bread—
loaves rising like resurrection.
Fruits like gems,
meats with unfamiliar spice,
bowls of rice and lentils,
sweet syrups from dates and honeycomb.
Each dish a people.
Each plate a life.

Here, the Maasai dance near the Maas river,
while Norwegians bring fish from icy fjords.
The Navajo offer blue corn bread with open hands,
and Tamils smile behind ladles of sambar.
A Palestinian dips warm bread in oil.
A Ukrainian passes varenyky in silence and song.
An Inuit elder nods over seal and snowberry.

And no angel bars the way.
No sword flashes to keep out the foreigner.

For God has torn the veil,
broken the dividing wall,
and declared clean what love has touched.

This table is for Jew and Gentile,
black and white,
first nation and immigrant,
rich and poor,
those who knew the way
and those who wandered into grace.

The tablecloth, once a vision,
is now a feast.
It stretches still—
room enough for more.
For the hungry.
For the searching.
For the ones the world calls unworthy.

But here—
here,
they are guests of honor.

And the voice still calls:
Rise. Eat. Welcome.
What God has made clean,
you must not call unclean.

This is the banquet of belonging.
This is the gospel spread wide.
This is the kingdom—
served family-style.

~~~~~

Scripture: Acts 10:23-48

It’s easy to get comfortable in our circles—people who look like us, think like us, and worship like us. But in Acts 10, God shatters the boundaries Peter had always known. The Holy Spirit leads Peter into the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion—someone Peter would’ve never dared to associate with before Christ changed his heart.

God gave Peter a vision that prepared him to see the gospel in a new light: not as a message for a select few, but as a transforming truth for all. Cornelius, a Gentile, was not only hungry for truth but was also seen and heard by God. When Peter spoke the good news of Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended on Cornelius and his household—before they were even baptized. This shocked the Jewish believers, but Peter recognized it as confirmation that God shows no favoritism.

This moment was a turning point. It challenged the early church to grow beyond its cultural comfort zone and embrace the global, inclusive mission of Jesus. We are reminded that God is not limited by human traditions or biases.

Even today, we can fall into the trap of expecting people to fit a certain mold before they can belong. But the truth is: the gospel invites every heart, regardless of background, culture, past mistakes, or present struggles.

Are there biases in my heart that I need to surrender to God?
Do I believe that the Holy Spirit can work powerfully in people who are different from me?
How can I create space for others to encounter Christ through my words, my hospitality, and my love?

Pray for eyes to see the people you usually overlook. Seek opportunities this week to connect with someone outside your usual circles. Extend an invitation—to your home, your church, or even just to coffee—and let God work through your willingness.

~~~~~

Father God, Thank You that You show no favoritism. Your grace reaches across borders, cultures, and brokenness. Forgive me for the ways I’ve judged others or withheld Your love. Teach me to see as You see. Open my heart to welcome those who are different from me, and give me the courage to cross boundaries for the sake of the gospel. May I never stand in the way of what You are doing in someone’s life. Use me to be a vessel of Your inclusive and unstoppable love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

April 4 2025