Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.
Acts 11:1-3
God has been challenging me lately to be doing more within the community to reach people for Jesus. It is easy and comfortable to stay within the confines of the church walls to be a Christ follower. It is easy in my position as Youth Pastor to just stay and work with the people who have already given their hearts to God, and to help them develop their own faith. It is easy to mentor and assist people to develop their leadership ability, but it is also easy to forget the great commission that Jesus gave and that was to go into the whole world and witness to the fact that Jesus can save lives. Jesus is able to heal brokeness. Jesus is able to forgive sins. He is able to help us move on in life and move beyond the hurts that others cause, and he is able to mend the torment of the past.
What strikes me about the verses above is the way that the Jewish believers criticised Peter about going into the house of Gentiles. This verse challenges me because we are very good at staying within the confines of our "homes". That we are great at witnessing to ourselves and that we are not very good at telling unbelievers about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
So what are you going to do about this thought? Are you going to witness to your friends and family who don't believe, or are you going to keep it all to yourself? There is a whole community that you live in that doesn't know what Jesus can do for them, and if you don't tell them, they might leave this world never knowing.
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