"R U sittin down?" - Momma (Acts 10)

Read Acts 10 before continuing.

Read Acts 10 online: Acts 10

Listen to Acts 10 online: Acts 10

I haven’t seen the horizon for weeks.

It was almost a reversed agoraphobia. Claustrophobia would probably be the correct term. Having lived in San Diego for a couple of years, I realized that I hadn’t seen the horizon for weeks. Even though I lived near the ocean, and had the Pacific to my west. I was surrounded by dorm rooms and high rises and navy bases (yes, plural). You have to understand, for most of my life I woke up to the sun beaming over the horizon of the Sierra Nevada’s, and falling on the horizon of the San Joaquin Valley. That day, I knoew I had to drive to the ocean, to the country, something where I could see the sun rest on the ground.

It was one of the moments of my life when I realized that we humans love walls. The more boxes the better. Borders and boundaries and hedges and fences keep us feel safe. Keep the good in and the bad out.

The revolution of grace came to abolish walls.

The Jewish religious leaders had distorted the law. The law was to communicate the holiness of God’s people. A holiness that should be attractive and draw others toward God. But the corrupted law only built up a dividing wall between gentile and Jew, which Jesus tore down in Ephesians 2:14. In fact, I think we would all be surprised to know that the true law commanded Israel to accept strangers as one of their own. Mi casa, su casa. Leviticus 19:33:

33“‘When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

V1-8

Inviting a gentile to come over for lamb and kosher key lime pie as “one of their own” was a far cry from where the Jewish people were in Peter’s day. Yet, this was God’s plan all along. Cornelius is identified as a “God-fearer” (v1). Essentially, this means Cornelius worshiped Israel’s God, probably at one of their local synagogues. But there is an indication that Cornelius needs more, as we will see in Peter’s encounter. More so, the fact that God sends an angel to prepare Cornelius for a meeting with Peter. This is called preveneint grace by our arminian folk and common grace by our Calvinist folk (though these two theological camps don’t necessarily agree with each other. Yes. This is another wall we’ve created). Essentially, it means that God prepares a person to find Christ, even before they hear the message. In other words he softens them up. Now, all we need is a Christ-follower to be willing to cross the chasm and meet him. BTW – for the believer, this is not a “meet in the middle”, this is not “meet 2/3 of the way”. This is going all the way over to the God-seeker. This is the WAY OF JESUS. Wow, God’s got some real work to do with Peter…me too in fact.

V9-16

For Peter, there are several ways to sin. Eating the food of a gentile is on the top of the list. So, when God commands him to "rise, Peter; kill and eat", Peter hears in verse 12, “rise, Peter; kill and SIN”. For Peter, he heard right – at a certain time of history. It was considered sin to eat certain types of food - like snakes and bugs and pretty much anything on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. But of course, this is more than just food. God says to Peter, “What I have made clean, do not call common”. Jesus had given them freedom. He took down a wall that needed to be removed. If Peter was to have the chance encounter with Cornelius in the next section, Peter needed to enter Cornelius' house. And that couldn't be done if Peter still held to a law that God no longer commanded. The most fascinating part is that Peter is not aware of this freedom that Jesus gave at the cross. The church had been operating for at least 12 years by this point. How many years passed and did Peter not know the freedom he had? There was no wall.

What about me? Jesus died and rose again almost 2000 years.

I smile when I think about this. How many constructed walls are out there? I have been taught not to engage so many different types of people? Sometimes it is implied, sometimes its not.

There is no wall between me and the poor.There is no wall between me and my in-laws. There is no wall between me and a terrorist. There is no wall between the rich and the Hispanic worker. There is no wall between the Uptown and the homeless population. Don’t get me started on denominations. There is no wall.

There is only horizon. The smell of air and peach orchards.

V17-33

As our story continues, you will note that God orchestrates this encounter. In verse 19, “the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” “Without hesitation” is such a powerful act. How many times has someone put their hand out to help you, but you saw the slight “hesitation” in their eyes. They still have a wall to push through.

But the best part of verse 20 is “for I have sent them.” Most of the time we put up walls because we think they please God. What pleases God is that he raises up God-seekers, and he sends you to them to share the message of the Son. He doesn’t want us to keep building walls. He wants us to scale them.

Peter does just that in verse 23. He moves from his “sacred dwelling” and walks to Joppa. And then he does something that would make momma text great aunt Marge right then and there:

R U sitting down?

He walked into a gentile’s home.

It was also forbidden for a Jew to enter into the home of a gentile. By doing so, Peter passed through not one wall, but two.

V34-47

The best line is here in verse 34:

So Peter opened his mouth and said: Truly I understand that God shows no partiality. But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

Then Peter retells his encounter with the angel and the unclean food. By the end of the story, not only do they receive the Holy Spirit, but the baptism of water.

We are free. No walls. No boundaries. Only the Spirit and the revelation of God to guide us through the open valley of life. We are free to move toward those who are in darkness and show them a new light. Feel the grass at your feet and the sun on your face.

We are free.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Peace

Kevin

no blog for today...

took a sabbath today, so no blog. sorry folks. It'll be a twofer tomorrow. I won't make a habit of it, but the koine staff has been burning the candle at both ends for some really cool stuff coming up.

Kevin

You write the blog... (Acts 8) Aug 26

Review Acts 8 before you continue.

Read Acts 8 online: Acts 8

Listen to Acts 8 online: Acts 8

Today, we'll let everyone else do a little work. Review chapter 8. The persecution of Saul led to the dispersion of the Christians from Jerusalem. The church was then scattered from there and throughout the meditteranean. Yet, it seemed to be a good thing.

Seattle Times writes a compelling article on the Chinese persecution of the church. In China, when the western missionaries were kicked out by the communist regime in 1949, the church had to go underground. They were at 1 million in China. Now, the underground church is estimated to be 50 million. (Seattle Times)

In Acts 8, this is what seems to happen. Do you think this is necessary? What do you think of religious persecution today? And an honest question - how much would you be able to stand by your beliefs?

Respond in the comments section. Take as much time and space as you need.

God's Penthouse Acts 7 (Aug 25)

Read Acts 7 before you continue.

Read it online here: Acts 7

Listen online here: Acts 7 Audio

Where is God supposed to live now?

I wonder what the religious leaders thought as they saw the temple, God’s villa being torn down in AD 70? His front porch burned. His grass being trampled by the Gentile Romans. Did they think back to Stephen’s speech about temples and God’s home and what Stephen said about it? Did they ask that question,

“Where is God going to live now?”

It had been taught by the Jewish rabbis that God’s planet was holy, but it worked in a concentric circle. Kind of like the toy that little kids play with. 5 colored plastic rings, one slightly smaller than the other are stacked on top of each other. The higher you stack, the smaller the circle. Until you get to the smallest circle. The biggest ring was the outer gentile world. But you geographically worked the circles until you got to Judea ( a little holier), Jerusalem (a lot holier), then the temple (really holy), and then the you get to the the Holy of Holies within the temple. A small room with a curtain in front of it where only the most sinless priest could enter. It was the holiest room on the planet.

Because that was God’s penthouse.

Now, to the story of Stephen. Here is that formula again. Someone in the church made the Jewish religious leaders angry - this time it is Stephen in 6:8. They arrest and bring him before the Sanhedrin. He preaches. Then, they let him go…or at least that’s the way it is supposed to work out.

Stephen is brought in at verse 6:13 because once again, they have accused one of Christ’s followers of stirring up an uprising. They accuse Stephen of preaching that he would continue Jesus’ ministry of destroying both the law, and the temple – God’s place of dwelling (Mark 14:57-58). There are so many ways Stephen could have responded in 7:1. As he begins to respond, he doesn’t try to defend his position regarding the temple. Instead, he reminds them that God cannot live in their little temple.

Stephen’s sermon is big, bulky and would require an intermission, so we will do a quick scan.

V1-8 The point of this section is that God spoke to and made a promise to Abraham WITHOUT a temple.

V9-16 Joseph – once again, though subtly, no temple is mentioned in God’s conduct with Israel. He deals directly with his people.

V17-43 – Review of the story of Moses. No temple.

V44-45 – Then, Stephen makes a significant statement which we cannot overlook. God used the tent of witness as an avenue to speak to God’s people. But still, no temple. It would seem that God is free to use whatever mode of communication to speak to his people.

V46-53.

And this is where Stephen takes it to his listeners. He shows them that first, Solomon made the temple. But more so, this didn’t mean the temple could house God. Read that powerful statement in 7:49:

49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?

I wonder what the Jewish leaders thought in 70 AD when they saw God’s house crumble?

Sometimes I put God in places that I think he should exist. For me, it is in my plans. I squeeze God into a plan of mine, and then I’m devastated when the plan crumbles. And when that fails I ask, where is God?

God is not in a temple.

God is not in a plan.

God is not in a church service.

God is not in financial provision.

God is not in peace.

God is not in anything because He cannot be contained by anything. God is everywhere. He walked with Abraham and Joseph and Moses ever before there was a temple. Though God is not in the box I need him to be, He is at my side.

God is with me.

We like buildings and boxes and intellectual boundaries. The infinite God cannot be contained by the finite.

God is with me.

More so, we are on a pilgrimage. Just as God's people were, we, the people of Jesus, are a group of gypsies continually moving through life. And as we move, we are blessed that God isn’t in a penthouse at the temple.

God is with me.

Think if Abraham, Joseph and Moses had to wait for the temple to encounter God. Think if I had to wait until Sunday morning to encounter God?

God is with me.

We even think that God will bail Stephen out at the end of this chapter as he bailed Peter out several times before. Right? That’s the formula, that's the box that we like God to be in. He bails everyone else out, why not Stephen? Unfortunately, God allows one who has a “face like an angel” (6:15) to be brutally murdered by enraged priests and religious leaders. I imagine, I hope that Stephen carried that same message as rocks broke ribs and blood poured from his eyes. He didn’t need temples, or perfect plans or even happy endings to THIS life. I am confident that as Stephen crumbled to the ground, this thought was in his mind.

God is with me.

(BTW – some of you may wonder where I get some of these crazy notions. Know that my craziness is shared by others. Besides prayer and my own study, I got the idea that Stephen was arguing against the temple from The New American Commentary: Acts by John B. Polhill. Check it out. It’s an exegetical and theological work).

Acts 6 The Grind of Grace (Mon 8/24)

Read Acts 6

You can read acts 6 online here: ESV Bible

The Grind of Grace

It is one thing to put on one fundraiser concert for the homeless people over christmas, its another thing to invite them over every day for dinner. It is one thing to give someone a buck on the way to work, its another thing to give a buck every day on the way to work. The church of Jerusalem has been in the grind of showing grace to those who need it for nearly 5 years. The arrest and release of Peter was distant history, and now, they are well on their way in establishing the church in Jerusalem. More so, they were facing the day-in-day out of being a source of redemption for their community. The apostles will be pressed to start making some fundamental administrative positions.

V1

As it always goes – work, church, home. People feel misunderstood and neglected. It seems that the situation was inevitable. The Hellenistic widows were many. They had moved from the meditterean to live out their waning years in the “holy city” – much like Florida. The Hebrew Jews on the other hand were well connected and informed about the goings on. They had lived there all their life. Of course the local Hebrew widow "Sarah" would be remembered more than widow "Dionysis" who just moved in from Gaul last week. And that’s exactly what happened. Widows were put on a list When it came to serving (Acts 4:35), the Jewish woman was recognized quicker and serviced faster than the Hellenized woman. Paul seems to work on this issue a little more in 1 Tim 5:1-9. Essentially, he sets up parameters on how the church is to provide for the money and resources of a widow.

V2

The apostles are charged with the duty of taking care of the situation. What a sticky situation. They could handle it so well. And so there response is genius. But what do you think of their response?

Should leaders – apostles, pastors, etc be committed to spending their time praying and studying the word? Do you agree? Do you not agree?

Their response is genius in my book. Sometimes leaders choose volunteers or other employees with the idea that they are less than – less than spiritual, less than educated, less than influential. The apostles order that a person “full of the Spirit and wisdom” be given the job. We have some pretty important roles in Koiné Uptown. I call them our be healed point person, behold point person and be tribal point person. These are not throw away roles at all!! It would be stupid as a leader to empower just anyone to own these responsibilities. They have to – as it says in the text, show some wisdom in that particular area. And they also need to be someone that God has ordained for such a task.

If the apostles are going to give away the ministry, let it be done in such a way that it doesn’t create more distance between the “professional” and “people”. The best way to do that is to take every role seriously, and raise the bar so that if someone wants to serve, it is not a service given lightly.

That's what I got today.

Peace

Kevin

Want to keep up with Godbeat on your phone...

If you can use google reader on your phone (iphone has a google reader app), then simply go to www.reader.google.com, and add the blog: www.godbeat.blogspot.com

Want to be a blessing? Check this out.

Acts 5 Apostles can't help themselves (Fri 21)

I have had a cold. I have had a fever. I have had a fever for two weeks. But I have never been so plagued with disease that if a man passed by I would crawl under his shadow to be cured. But, if I had pancreatic cancer, I'm not certain that I wouldn't try. Martha works at my favorite Starbucks, the one off La Vista. I’m not sure when we started talking about our future aspirations to write a novel, but it was definitely a shared interest. In fact, it was more than an interest for Martha, it was going to be her life. She had already finished her 3^rd draft on a historic novel. She was busy getting an agent. And then, I didn’t see Martha for nearly a year. The next time I saw her, I almost didn’t recognize her. She was recovering from pancreatic cancer. We all know that uncomfortable feeling as you talk to someone who is racked by disease. Like you just got caught by a massive wave, and you don’t know which way is up.

if Peter were alive today, I don’t care how weird it would be, I would fly him to Dallas and bring him to Starbucks. And when he healed Martha, I would take the disease map below, and walk with him to every point on the map. I could imagine it would be like when you walk through a field and brush your hands over the high grass. Everything you touched was healed. I hear about healing ministries all the time, but I believe this would be different. Peter would wear converses and a white t-shirt. He would be common and overlooked. This guy’s face would never be on a billboard: “Peter THE ROCK performs healing at a city near you. Buy your ticket’s today”. But when I was near him I would be struck by how simple he spoke. He didn’t care to agree with a thing I said, but he didn’t care to convince me of what he was about. He just spoke simply. He spoke with a simple boldness that didn’t sound like a bullhorn, dominating and manipulating. It was a boldness that was a simple truth. Frightening but good at the same time – much like lightening. More than anything, his words would reflect his healing. Restorative words that talked about God, love, turning away from... When I would be near Peter, I would believe I was near the divine - The Spirit.

And I would want to tell everybody, except for my religious leaders. Not sure if they could handle it.

12 – 16.

In verse 12, Peter, John and all the apostles stood at the front door of the local religious center – Solomon’s Portico. Today it might be the steps of First Baptist, Jewish Temple, Mosque. Nevertheless, this was in direct disobedience of the Sadducees. Yet, the apostles seemed to think they were going to go where the pain was, no matter if it was in direct disobedience of the city.

Go get ‘em guys.

These steps were filled with the type of people that it should be filled with – those who needed the power of God to renew their body. When they learned that the apostles could give it to them, they would crawl under their very shadow. What a strange, yet beautiful picture. The work of the Spirit through these men were so renown, that people would try to get in their very shadow. Much like the woman in Luke 8:44, who wants to touch even the hem of Jesus’ robe. This was to be expected. In the ancient world, the shadow was thought to be a part of someone’s being and held its own magical power. Yet, we all know that God’s power is not in shadows or hems. People do not need to crawl or chase after God. God came to this planet through Jesus, and still comes to us today. But still, God is not devoid of passion. He will still heal and renew us even if we have limited understanding of His divine power.

17-31

Archbiship of Junani Luwum o f Uganda:

Without bleeding, the church fails to bless.

Of course, when the Divine raises up simple men and women to be a blessing to a community, it causes all sorts of trouble. We can consider this The Empire Strikes Back Part 2 (yes. Another Star Wars reference. My goal is one a year.) the Sadducees step it up a notch. They have them arrested. How does God respond. It’s almost funny. He sends an angel to release them. The angel in verse 20 says to “go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life”. If God had said that to me, I would be like, “seriously”. The first two times that I caused a scene and got a call from the local priest wasn't enough? Yet, the apostles go right back to where all the trouble started. Not only that, they entered the temple was “daybreak”. This would be the time of morning sacrifice – in other words high traffic. It’s like God keeps setting them up for failure. But it turns out very different.

Alright. We know the drill. The Sadducees have them arrested AGAIN and brought before the Sanhedrein. What is Peter’s response for the second time: “We must obey God and not man”. No statistic about the demise of the American culture. No nifty Christian bumper sticker here. Heck, where is his reference that starts off, “in seminary, I learned…blah, blah, blah” (Lord, I repent). Peter simply states the truth once again. “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33-42

When the Spirit speaks, there are two responses. For those who are cold and resistant, it makes them angry as we see in verse 33). It’s not an “you are annoying me” anger. It is a brutal, destructive form of anger. The second response is resonance. For those who at least fear God, it resonates in your heart as we see with Gamaleil in verse 38. He leaves room for the possibility of God. It does not indicate his position as a Christ-follower, but it reverence for God comes out. BE PREPARED FOR THIS. I have to prepare myself. There is no need to force an angry person to listen to you, but there is EVERY need to continue sharing your heart with a person that leaves room for the possibility of God.

Now, having followed the apostles through another of their wild adventures, the verse that I want to land on is verse 41.

“then they left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”

Wow. Don’t know if I’m there yet. But I suspect that whatever resilience and joy the apostles had was not from within anyway. It came from the main character of all the book of Acts. The Spirit. When reading all of these, we have to include the Spirit in our formula. To see the book of Acts only as the action of men and women leaves these stories distant and without relationship to my life. But the book of Acts is trying to say otherwise. It is telling us:

When the Spirit is a part of you, this is what happens:

you are a blessing.

You are simple.

You are bold.

You are fully convinced that Jesus brings the dead to life.

You will be misunderstood.

You will have a profound joy.

Peace friends,

Kevin

Acts 4 Boldness and Bullhorns (Aug 20)

Read Acts 4 before you continue.

BOLDNESS

What a word. In a sense, it speaks for itself. It’s a word that makes me feel uncomfortable. Draws up images of bullhorn preachers on street corners and pick up lines at Uptown bar and grill.

It means nothing to me that Peter was bold. Apostles are bold. It’s what they do well. But today, boldness is creepy and left to FOX and Lou Dobbs. It’s great for sports and war, but not for the front door steps First Community Church of Jerusalem.

Review chapter 4. Underline every time you see the word “boldness”.

You should have found it four times. The term was used about Peter every time.

There was a boldness that I possessed when I told Jenny my feelings for her nearly 8 years ago. I did not stand on a street corner. I did not march before her, wagging my finger and explaining to her why I would be the perfect boyfriend. I didn’t show a video. But, with passion and conviction I told her what I felt. It was compelling type of truth that had to be spoken. More importantly, it was the type of boldness that was open, vulnerable and without manipulation.

A woman doesn’t want manipulation; she wants to see the truth of a man’s heart. She doesn’t want a bullhorn, she wants simple boldness. (by the way women. Take the bumbling, sincere guy over the smooth guy any day. Jenny did. Doesn't mean I'm perfect, but it means that Jenny knew exactly what she got!)

In the beginning, the Sadducees arrested Peter and John for the political implication of the healing, but they were even more afraid because of his boldness in verse 13. One has to understand, they didn’t hear a bullhorn as we might all expect. What they heard was: “parrhesia”. Parrhesia, or “boldness” in greek is truth told without manipulation, generalization or coercion. This boldness earned attention and respect by the crowd because the words came easy and without duplicity. They spoke not to convince the Sadducees of the truth, nor to hide it. They simply spoke (Matt 10:19).

This is how I should talk about God.

This is how I should live.

It says in verse 13 that the Sadducees “perceived that they were uneducated, Koine men,” er, sorry. Slip of the finger. “…common men, and they were astonished.” Notice the Sadducees’ response in verse 15. While Peter and John talked openly about what they believed, the Sadducees had to send them away and close the doors. In the chambers, they “conferred” amongst themselves. The language of verse 16 is classic backroom politics. It’s the type of politics that we revel in when we partake, but burns us when we are the ones being kept out – especially when it is about us. But in the end, all the politicians could do was send them away with threats. Now, when manipulative men threaten honest people, it only emboldens them. And that is exactly what happens next.

Verse 23-31

Now, they praise God while incorporating David’s Psalm. In verse 26 what do they ask for? Not a retreat center. Not a place to hide away. They want more of this – this boldness. An ability to simply speak what is right. No manipulation. No generalization and no “spin”. Simple truth.

Man, what I would pay to live like this. Persecution might come, but imagine a life filled with simple, honest words. To live such a life that I wouldn’t have to explain it away or “spin” it to my grandchildren.

Verse 32-37

Now, look what happens in verse 32. A simple, “common” Peter proclaims the good news of Jesus to his enemies. The Sadducees send him away with threats. How do the people respond? With oneness! They were of one heart and soul! A politicians dream! Yet, the unity that a politician could only dream of was brought about by the Spirit and the faithfulness of a simple, bold man. Whether big or small, everyone of us will create unity when we give up the backbiting and manipulation, and speak truth about Jesus and ourselves.

MANIPULATION

It will only bring me discord.

BOLDNESS

May it bring me peace.

Peace friends,

Kevin

Acts 3 I A homeless man's eyes fall on my pocket (Aug 19)

READ ACTS CHAPTER 3

How many times have I seen it? A homeless man or woman's eyes fall on my pocket. How about the black man at the La Vista Starbucks yelling “Come on now. Come on now.” How many times have I seen it? A lonely person seeking just a little time with me – to fill the unfulfilled parts of the heart? How many times has someone needed a strength I could never give?

We don’t have what it takes.

Acts 3, Peter and John walk pass the gate "Beautiful". They have come for a time of prayer. This would have been in the ninth hour, or 3 o’clock. Peter sees the crippled man. This relationship between Peter and the crippled man would be mutual as was the custom of the day. Peter fulfills a spiritual obligation by giving alms to the poor. The crippled man receives the money he desperately needs (Luke 18:35). So, the beggar and Peter’s eyes meet. Will Peter meet this mutual obligation? What is Peter's response?

“Silver and gold have I none. But what I have, I give to you.”

Peter’s response is beautiful and powerful. It tells me so much about the state of our very first Church leaders. First, it tells me what Peter DIDN’T have. The apostle Peter, the rock on which God built his church (Matt 16:18) didn’t have a buck-fifty on him. If I am to love, to heal, to restore, it is with a power completely outside of my control. It's so hard to admit that. I try to give pocket lint away to people who need to be healed.

"Maybe this is why I keep failing in that relationship?"

What he did have was a gift to physically heal. If I could exchange one for the other! Think about using such a gift with the Sudanese AIDS victims or the mentally ill living under Woodall Rogers. But would I? If I had the choice, would I give up the opportunity to bless another for money?

James Boice tells us a powerful story about Thomas Aquinas: “St. Thomas Aquinas was in Rome. He was walking along the street with a cardinal. The cardinal noticed a beggar. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a silver coin and gave it to him. Then he turned to Aquinas, the great doctor of the church and said, “Well Thomas," he turned to Aquinas, "fortunately we can no longer say, as Peter did, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” St. Thomas replied, “Yes, that is true. But neither can we say, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

But Peter does.

Truly, a part of me wishes that I wish I could make the decision between money and healing - so I might choose healing. My family is broken, my friends are broken, my city is broken. It is at these times I wish we all had the ability to bless and heal. Maybe God doesn’t demand we decide between our own personal wealth and the ability to heal someone physically, emotionally or spiritually, but sometimes I wish it were a choice.

OK. Stop everything you are doing. Take a moment and close your eyes. Ask the question: “How have I touched another so that they may be healed?” With your eyes closed, take the opportunity to work through your rolodex of relationships. Is my presence a transformative presence?

Alright. Continuing – I am fully convinced that Peter wishes that we carry this blessing to EVERYONE around us. Finish reading the chapter and read for yourself. Verse 7-26. Then, come back.

Now, reread verse 25.

“…And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

We carry the gene of blessing, the gene of restoration.

This is not just another verse in the Bible. First, Peter preaches to the Jewish people to turn and follow Christ. Then, he reminds them of their Abrahamic covenant (an unbreakable promise God made to them nearly 2000 years earlier Genesis 12:2-3). He paints a beautiful picture of their purpose. What is it? To be a blessing. To touch the heart of their brother and sister, and transform their lives. To pay for the damage even if it was “his” fault. To call up the dreaded family member. To put it ALL down and talk with your daughter, no matter how silly the conversations. To carry the “gene blessing” to all the nations. We might not have all the riches in the world, but we still carry the power of Christ within us to bless those around us.

What am I carrying with me today as I walk out the door?

Peace friends,

Kevin