People welcomed by God

[Acts 10:34-48]

Whom do you welcome into your life? If priest Henry Nouwen were to talk about someone he welcomed into his life, he could say it was a severely disabled individual named Adam Arnett. Nouwen taught theological psychology at Yale in the 1970s, lectured part-time at Harvard in the 1980s, and also did missionary work in South America. In the 1990s, he spent the last ten years of his life caring for disabled individuals in the L'Arche community in Daybreak, Canada. Among the disabled individuals he cared for, Adam stood out to Nouwen, and they formed a special connection. After Adam passed away in February 1996 at the age of 34, Nouwen wrote a book titled "Adam: The Beloved," which was published in September of the same year. Many of Nouwen's friends, who held him in high regard, questioned his decision to leave a prestigious university to invest his time and energy in caring for Adam. They couldn't understand why he chose to be in a place where he could provide more help, structured guidance, and greater opportunities for service. However, through Adam's life, Nouwen saw Jesus, and in the book, he described the profound impact of encountering Adam's life and death: ‘... From the moment I saw Adam's body lying in the coffin, I was captivated by the mystery of his life and death. The fact that struck me like a flash of lightning in my heart was that this disabled person had received God's love for all eternity, and had been sent into this world with a unique mission, and now that mission had been fulfilled.’ Henry Nouwen welcomed Adam, this disabled person, as someone sent by God, to be an instrument of God's blessings in the midst of profound vulnerability. When he did so, a fundamental change took place. Nouwen wrote in his book: 'From that moment on, Adam appeared as someone special, extraordinary, a person of promise with amazing and innate talents... His wondrous existence and the unbelievable worth he embodies will guide us to understand that we too are dearly cherished by God, blessed with grace, and loved as His children' (Internet).

The passage reflects on the awe-inspiring spirituality of recognizing the worth and love that God bestows upon us and those He sends into our lives. It encourages us to welcome them in the name of the Lord. Through such encounters, we come to realize how precious we all are as human beings. Understanding how God cherishes and loves us in our very existence can bring about fundamental transformation in our lives. I would like to meditate today on Acts 10:34-48, focusing on the passage titled 'People welcomed by God.' I want to reflect on who the Apostle Peter realized God welcomes, and receive guidance on the kind of people we should strive to be.

First, people welcomed by God are individuals who fear God and practice righteousness.

Look at Acts 10:35 - "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him." After hearing Cornelius' words, the Apostle Peter came to realize that God does not show partiality based on outward appearances (v. 34) and that God accepts those who fear Him and practice righteousness, regardless of whether they are Jews or Gentiles (v. 35). Indeed, Cornelius was one who feared God and practiced righteousness. As we have already reflected on in Acts 10:2, Cornelius was a man who was devout, and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. His piety extended beyond his household, as evidenced by fearing God with all his household. It is not surprising that Cornelius, who lived a life that served as an example of fearing God, would also be described as one who gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always. Cornelius' relationship with God was characterized by both fearing God and loving his neighbor through acts of charity, which is equivalent to practicing righteousness. This is indeed a righteous act.

In the Book of Psalms, we find seven blessings that God bestows upon those who fear Him:

God looks upon those who fear Him.

Look at Psalms 33:18 - "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy."

God has compassion on those who fear Him.

Look at Psalms 103:13: "As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him."

God loves those who fear Him.

Look at Psalms 103:17: "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children."

God provides food for those who fear Him.

Look at Psalms 111:5: "He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant."

God blesses those who fear Him, regardless of their status.

Look at Psalms 115:13: "He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great."

God fulfills the desires of those who fear Him.

Look at Psalms 145:19: "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them."

God takes pleasure in those who fear Him.

Look at Psalms 147:11: "The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy."

Let us, like Cornelius, be individuals who fear God and practice righteousness.

Second, people welcomed by God are individuals who bear witness to the gospel of peace.

Look at Acts 10:42 - "And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead." After realizing that God accepts Gentiles like Cornelius who fear God and practice righteousness, Peter proclaimed the gospel of Jesus before all who were gathered in Cornelius' house (vv. 36-43). The gospel he preached was the good news of peace brought about by Jesus Christ. It was the "gospel of peace" (v. 36). This means it is the gospel that reconciles humanity, who were once enemies of God due to sin, with God (Park). Peter proclaimed this gospel of peace to Cornelius and all the Gentiles gathered in his house, starting from the ministry of John the Baptist (v. 37) and concluding with the crucifixion of Jesus (vv. 39-40). The miracles and healings performed by Jesus of Nazareth in Peter's preaching were acts of salvation that liberated people from the bondage of Satan. Such powerful acts of salvation were possible because God was with Jesus of Nazareth (v. 38) (Yoo). Jesus himself carried out this saving work in the regions of Judea (including the Galilee region) and Jerusalem, and Peter, along with the other apostles, bore witness to these events (v.39). Peter emphasized that the central message of his preaching was the death and resurrection of Jesus (vv. 39-41). The risen and ascended Lord commanded Peter and the other apostles to proclaim the gospel of peace to the people, and through faith in Jesus, people receive forgiveness of sins through His name (v. 43).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of peace. God welcomes those who proclaim this gospel of peace. So, how can those who proclaim the gospel of peace testify to it?

We must proclaim the gospel of peace, just like Peter.

In simple terms, we need to preach. We must open our mouths and proclaim the truth that through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, those who believe in Him are reconciled with God, who was once their enemy due to their sins. Only Jesus Christ can reconcile us with God, and we must proclaim this good news.

We must live a life characterized by the gospel of peace.

Living a life characterized by the gospel of peace means taking on the ministry of reconciliation. Paul says that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18). We can think of this ministry in two ways: (a) It refers to the ministry of proclaiming the gospel of reconciliation between God and people, which we have already meditated on. (b) It refers to the ministry of reconciling neighbors with one another. To fulfill this second ministry of reconciliation, we must, as peacemakers, break down the barrier of the dividing wall that exists between people. Look at Ephesians 2:14: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation."

We must bear witness to the gospel of peace of Jesus Christ through our words and lives. By doing so, we can be called sons and daughters of God. Look at Matthew 5:9 - "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Third and last, people welcomed by God are individuals who exalt God.

Look at Acts 10:46 - "For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God." While Peter was proclaiming the gospel of peace to Cornelius and all those gathered in his house, the Holy Spirit came upon all who heard his words (v. 44). At that moment, both Peter and the Jewish believers who had come with him were astonished (v. 45). How did Peter and the Jewish believers know that the Gentiles, including Cornelius, and all those gathered with him, had received the Holy Spirit? They heard two things: Speaking with tongues and magnifying God (v. 46). Here, the statement that the Gentiles gathered with Cornelius magnified God means they praised Him. This event of speaking in tongues and magnifying God is similar to what happened when the 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit (2:11): "Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." Witnessing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter instructed the Jewish believers who had come with him to baptize Cornelius and all those with him in the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, Cornelius and all the Gentiles who were with him received baptism and became part of the new covenant community of God. They were no longer just Jewish people belonging to God, but believing Gentiles now stood side by side with believing Jewish followers, confidently part of God's people (Yoo).

Cornelius and all the Gentiles gathered with him, who received the Holy Spirit, magnified God. In other words, they exalted Him by praising God through speaking in tongues. God delights in us praising Him, whether in Korean, English, Spanish, or any other language.

Those welcomed by God are individuals who fear God and practice righteousness. They also bear witness to the gospel of peace and exalt God. May we all desire to be individuals welcomed by God.

Desiring to be a person welcomed by God,

James Kim

(Praying to be able to welcome neighbors with the heart of Christ)