Embracing God's Unconditional Love and Acceptance
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound truth that God shows no partiality and how this understanding should transform our lives and interactions with others. We began by reflecting on the song that speaks of grace abounding in the deepest waters, emphasizing that true faith requires us to step out of our comfort zones and be led by the Spirit. This theme of stepping into the unknown was illustrated through a personal story of a challenging hotel experience, which served as a metaphor for confronting our biases and favoritism.
We delved into Acts 10, examining the story of Cornelius, a Roman centurion who feared God and was generous, yet still needed the gospel. This narrative highlighted the influence of the Jewish faith and the limitations of the law, which, while pointing to God, could not save. Cornelius' encounter with an angel and the subsequent involvement of Peter underscored the necessity of human interaction in spreading the gospel, even when God could have intervened directly.
Peter's journey to Cornelius' house was a pivotal moment, revealing his own biases and the need for a divine awakening to understand that the gospel was for all, not just the Jews. This story challenges us to examine our own hearts for favoritism and biases that hinder the gospel's reach. It reminds us that God uses diverse experiences and people to awaken us to His heart and mission.
We concluded by emphasizing that God does not have favorites, and neither should we. Our mission is to love and accept others as Christ does, being 2 a.m. friends who are there for others without judgment. This requires us to be aware of our biases, repent, and seek God's guidance in loving others unconditionally. As we navigate life's challenges, we must rely on God's grace and allow Him to shape us through our experiences, knowing that His mercies are new every day.
Key Takeaways:
- Faith Beyond Comfort Zones: True faith requires stepping out of our comfort zones and allowing the Spirit to lead us into the unknown. It's in these moments of trust and surrender that we experience God's grace and power in profound ways. [22:48]
- The Incomplete Law: The law, while pointing to God, is incomplete without the revelation of Jesus. It highlights our need for a Savior and the insufficiency of our works to save us. This understanding should drive us to rely on God's grace rather than our own efforts. [34:42]
- God's Use of Diversity: God often uses those who are different from us to awaken our hearts to His heart. These encounters challenge our biases and expand our understanding of God's love and mission. [42:45]
- Experience as a Teacher: God uses life experiences, especially challenging ones, to move knowledge from our heads to our hearts. These experiences shape us, making our faith portable and reproducible as we share our transformed lives with others. [48:12]
- No Favorites in God's Kingdom: God shows no partiality, and neither should we. Our mission is to love and accept all people, recognizing that we are all sinners in need of grace. This understanding should drive us to share the gospel with everyone, without bias or favoritism. [01:06:12]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [22:48] - Personal Story: Hotel Experience
- [28:58] - The Problem of Favoritism
- [34:42] - Cornelius and the Incomplete Law
- [39:48] - The Role of the Law
- [42:45] - Why God Uses People
- [45:36] - Peter's Bias and Awakening
- [48:12] - Experience as a Teacher
- [54:31] - Theological Correctness vs. Spiritual Maturity
- [58:56] - The Burden of the Law
- [01:03:29] - Personal Transformation and Chaplain Training
- [01:06:12] - God Shows No Partiality
- [01:08:09] - Daily Mercies and Dependence on God
- [01:10:00] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Acts 10:1-48
- Romans 3:31
- John 3:16
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Observation Questions:
1. What was unique about Cornelius' character and his relationship with God, as described in Acts 10? How did his actions reflect his faith? [34:42]
2. How did Peter's initial reaction to the vision of unclean animals reveal his biases? What was the significance of this vision in the context of the sermon? [45:36]
3. In the sermon, what personal story did the pastor share to illustrate the theme of confronting biases and favoritism? [22:48]
4. How did the pastor describe the role of life experiences in shaping our faith and understanding of God's mission? [48:12]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why do you think God chose to use Peter, a Jew, to bring the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile, instead of revealing it directly to Cornelius? What does this say about God's method of spreading the gospel? [42:45]
2. How does the story of Cornelius and Peter challenge the notion of favoritism within the church? What implications does this have for how we view others who are different from us? [54:31]
3. The sermon mentioned that the law is incomplete without the revelation of Jesus. How does this understanding affect our reliance on grace versus our own efforts? [39:48]
4. How does the pastor's story about his hotel experience relate to the broader theme of stepping out of comfort zones in faith? What lessons can be drawn from this analogy? [28:58]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt uncomfortable or out of your comfort zone. How did you respond, and what role did faith play in that situation? How can you apply this experience to future challenges? [22:48]
2. Identify a personal bias or favoritism you may hold. How can you actively work to overcome this bias in your interactions with others, especially those who are different from you? [28:58]
3. The sermon emphasized being a "2 a.m. friend" who loves without judgment. Who in your life could benefit from this kind of unconditional support, and how can you offer it to them? [28:58]
4. Consider the role of the law and grace in your spiritual journey. How can you ensure that you are relying more on God's grace rather than your own efforts to achieve righteousness? [39:48]
5. Think about a recent life experience that taught you a significant lesson. How did this experience move knowledge from your head to your heart, and how can you share this transformation with others? [48:12]
6. How can you be more open to God's use of diverse people and experiences to awaken your heart to His mission? What steps can you take to embrace this diversity in your daily life? [42:45]
7. Reflect on the idea that God shows no partiality. How can this understanding shape your approach to sharing the gospel with others, regardless of their background or beliefs? [01:06:12]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith Requires Courageous Steps into the Unknown
True faith calls us to step beyond our comfort zones, trusting the Spirit to guide us into unfamiliar territories. This journey of faith is not about staying where we feel safe but about embracing the unknown with confidence in God's grace. As we venture into these deep waters, we experience God's power and presence in ways we never imagined. This process of stepping out is not just a physical act but a spiritual one, where we surrender our control and allow God to lead us. [22:48]
"For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith? How can you take a practical step today to trust Him more in that area?
Day 2: The Law Points to Our Need for Grace
The law serves as a guide, pointing us toward God, but it is incomplete without the revelation of Jesus Christ. It highlights our inability to achieve salvation through our own efforts, underscoring our need for a Savior. This understanding should lead us to rely on God's grace rather than our own works. Recognizing the limitations of the law helps us appreciate the fullness of grace offered through Jesus, which is sufficient for our salvation. [34:42]
"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways have you been relying on your own efforts to earn God's favor? How can you shift your focus to rely more on His grace today?
Day 3: Embracing Diversity to Understand God's Heart
God often uses people who are different from us to reveal His heart and mission. These encounters challenge our biases and expand our understanding of God's love. By embracing diversity, we open ourselves to new perspectives and experiences that deepen our faith and broaden our view of God's kingdom. This process requires humility and a willingness to learn from others, recognizing that God can speak through anyone He chooses. [42:45]
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who is different from you. How can you intentionally learn from them and see God's love through their perspective?
Day 4: Life's Challenges as a Tool for Spiritual Growth
God uses our life experiences, especially the challenging ones, to move knowledge from our heads to our hearts. These experiences shape us, making our faith portable and reproducible as we share our transformed lives with others. By embracing the lessons from our trials, we allow God to mold us into His image, equipping us to minister to others effectively. This transformation is a testament to God's faithfulness and His ability to use all things for our good. [48:12]
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. What did you learn from it, and how can you use that experience to encourage someone else today?
Day 5: God's Impartial Love Calls Us to Love All
God shows no partiality, and neither should we. Our mission is to love and accept all people, recognizing that we are all sinners in need of grace. This understanding should drive us to share the gospel with everyone, without bias or favoritism. By loving others as Christ does, we become true reflections of His love and grace in the world. This requires us to be aware of our biases, repent, and seek God's guidance in loving others unconditionally. [01:06:12]
"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.'" (Acts 10:34-35, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a person or group you have struggled to love impartially. How can you take a step today to show them Christ-like love and acceptance?
Quotes
I really love this song I keep, like, Nuggets keep speaking But the one that spoke today I mean, this service is The grace abounds in the deepest waters But it also says I won't go there Unless you lead me there. God, uh You know, we We want to play safe And have great faith And know your grace But it only comes When we let the Spirit lead us Where we wouldn't walk But where you call us. [00:19:04] (41 seconds)
And so, as we have this mission as a church, that God's given us to awaken hearts to Jesus every day, and that means, like, everyone everywhere, every day. You know, part of carrying that mission is being a disciple who's a 2 a.m. friend. And by 2 a.m. friend, it doesn't mean, like, hey, it's a love that has no boundaries, a love that never ends. It means that, man, I love you regardless of anything. I accept you. I love you. [00:31:03] (23 seconds)
And the people we tend to be partial and favored to are people like us, who look like us, act like us, have values like us, who agree with us. I mean, let's be honest. Santa Rosa Beach is kind of a bubble in a lot of ways, right? 98 % white. It's a bubble. It's middle-upper class, mostly. And it's easy to just surround yourself with what's comfortable and what's, like, your favorites. [00:28:21] (37 seconds)
And if I would say to you, like, hey, are you to have favorites? And you would say, no, you really shouldn't. You shouldn't have favorites. You're supposed to love all. And I would say we, as a church, and the church in general, we know this. Like, we know that. But it's, the reality is it's really not fully in our hearts. [00:30:21] (23 seconds)
And so we get into this cycle of doing things good and trying to avoid it, but then we also get, we do other things that are bad, and we just kind of stack it up, and we never can have enough good. And so we never feel good enough. We never feel like we're free. We always kind of feel some of this guilt and shame. [00:39:01] (14 seconds)
And so what do we see? A, God chooses those who are different to awaken hearts to his heart. Like, it takes something different to jolt us at times, to get our attention, to awaken us. I mean, here's Peter. Peter had the gospel. Peter was an apostle, a leader of the church. And yet, Peter had something to unlearn and learn, too, that was rather significant. [00:43:52] (26 seconds)
So God uses things different to waken our hearts. And some of those things, why does he do that? Because B, experience is usually the best, is the best teacher. See, God is a great father. He's a heavenly father. He's a good father. Father. And he knows how to do good for his children. [00:47:47] (25 seconds)
Acts 10, 34, it says, Peter opened his mouth and said, Truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, everyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. He had this awakening moment. He went from just being so perplexed to then go, Oh, this is what it means. [01:01:26] (22 seconds)
God says his mercies are what? New every day. Why does God say his mercies are new every day? Doesn't he have mercy for everyone all the time? Why every day? Because we need them new every day. We need them to be new every day. God is a God who says, you know what? Trust me, do good today. I got your tomorrow. Don't worry about tomorrow. [01:07:19] (27 seconds)
Lord, I can't thank you enough. I mean, your grace and your mercy is so great. I mean, it even falls to the unbeliever who's not even aware of how gracious you have been in their life and what you have provided and given. And you've provided not just daily bread, but you've given them opportunity for life eternal. And you give it away free. It's there. Lord, awaken their hearts. [01:09:33] (28 seconds)
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