Building on the Cornerstone

Next in the story of the early church (Acts 13), Barnabas and Paul set out on a mission trip. From their journey, we see our own call to serve others and to witness for Jesus. We see how they responded to opposition, and are called to embrace opposition and witness in all of our life.

Continuing on in the study of Acts (Acts 12:1-18) brings a challenging story. In this part of the story we read of the death of James and the imprisonment of Peter. An angel visits Peter and he is able to escape prison. Here we find a challenge, as God saves Peter while James is killed. Join in this deep conversation about faithful deliverance and trusting God even when it doesn’t make sense. Remember that when you may be panicked, God is not.

What do dinner options have to do with God’s love for every person? Well, Peter gets a message that greatly expands the menu choices of early Christians (Acts 10). God told Peter, what He has made clean should not be called unclean. Now this wasn’t just a message just about food, as Peter will see when he meets a Roman centurion that sent for him. Peter sees that God’s love is with this Gentile as much as it is with him. From this story it is clear that God’s love is for all people. Everyone.

Because Jesus loves everyone. So should you and I.

We return to the book of Acts, with an amazing story of the power of Jesus entering into someone’s life. Someone whose life has been stained by violence against the Christians. But there is no stain, no past, that Jesus cannot transform (Acts 9:1-43). We all have stains, but there is a greater power that can transform our stains. By following Christ, you are freed from your past because your identity lies in Jesus. And watch as Jesus uses the freedom found in Him as a testimony for others just like you.

Think about how many crosses you came across today. Wes Baldwin stops in with an insightful message about the truly unexpectedness of the cross. Today the symbol of the cross has been so transformed from what it represented during Jesus’ time that the original power of this symbol can be lost. When we really understand what the cross represented, we can better understand our just and loving God.

It’s all about the journey, so don’t stop believing. We are all on a journey, and get to meet different people along the way. Philip was on a journey where he met a eunuch reading scripture and started a conversation (Acts 8:26-40). From this story, we can see that impact we can have when we meet people where they are, as they are, and join them on their journey to know Jesus.