Breaking New Ground
BRD REFLECTIONS
(Patrick Chua, Pastoral Team Member, Witness & Evangelism)
READ:
Acts 11 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
After Peter baptised Cornelius and his household (Acts 10), the Jewish believers criticised him and said, “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” Peter had to explain to them that God led him to visit Cornelius where the salvation in Jesus Christ was proclaimed to him and his household and they received the same baptism of the Holy Spirit just like the Jewish believers had received. Peter’s encounter opened up the understanding that the gift of salvation and gift of the Holy Spirit were not just for the Jews (circumcised) only, but to the Gentiles (uncircumcised) as well. This was the key moment for the Jewish believers to break new ground in reaching out to the Gentiles — to the rest of the world!
Next the believers who had been scattered because of persecution went to Antioch and some of them began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. When the church in Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul (Paul). When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.
APPLY:
Look out for the “Gentiles” – people of different backgrounds, cultures, faiths, etc around me. Instead of avoiding them, I should step out of my comfortable zone to engage in conversations to get to know them better.
Peter was criticised by the Jewish believers for entering the home of Gentiles and even eating with them, which was unacceptable to the Jews. Am I ready to be criticised by others in reaching out to someone who is considered unacceptable?
However, Peter did not go alone, he found six brothers to accompany him to visit Cornelius. Likewise, Barnabas sought out Paul to be his ministry partner in Antioch. Is there anyone whom I could partner with to reach out to someone?
DO:
Engage in conversations to get to know someone who is of a different background, culture, faith, etc.
Find someone to partner with me to reach out to this person.
PRAY:
Lord, help me build a caring relationship with someone who is of a different background and culture. May You send someone to partner me in reaching out to this person. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
