Acts 9-10

Read Acts 9-10 here.

Remember, the book of Acts tells stories of how the Holy Spirit was working through willing and available people. Over and over, lots of individuals made themselves available to the Spirit and went when and where the Spirit directed.

Have you ever experienced a nudge or feeling from God to go? How did you respond? How do you make yourself available to God.

The beginning of Acts 9 is the radical story of Saul’s conversion from persecuting Jesus-followers, to becoming a Jesus-follower. In the midst of this, the Holy Spirit directs Ananias to provide hospitality to Saul. Can you relate to Ananias’ hesitation in Acts 9:13-14?

How do you respond to people you don’t expect to be Jesus-followers? Are you open to sharing God’s love with them or have you already written them off as not interested or possible?

Acts 10 is another story of people who are ready and willing when God speaks. Both Cornelius and Peter hear specific directions from God to continue sharing the kingdom of God to the ends of the earth.

Many times, even if we try to be inclusive, there are people we don’t want or expect to be a part of what God is doing. Peter and Cornelius remind us that this is God’s church, this is God’s kingdom. We don’t get a say in who God loves, who God wants to use, and who God wants.

Have you ever excluded a group of people from your community for any reason? Have you ever been excluded at one time, but included later? Cornelius, as a God-fearing Greek (non-Jewish man), was seeking to be a part of God’s kingdom and wanted to know how. To join the Jewish religion, he would’ve had to be circumcised as an adult. God, however, through Jesus, has torn down every barrier. And Peter’s vision, his speech and subsequent decision to baptize them in Acts 10:47-48 would have been seriously good news for Cornelius and his people.

What barriers are still keeping people out of communities of faith? How can we work to break down these barriers?