Embracing Radical Inclusion Through Christ's Resurrection

Devotional

Day 1: Love as the Mark of Discipleship

Jesus calls His followers to be known by their love for one another, transcending all boundaries and divisions. When we love as Christ loves, we reflect His heart to the world, showing that we are truly His disciples. This love is not limited to those who are similar to us, but extends to all, regardless of background, belief, or circumstance. The challenge is to let this love define our relationships, even with those we find difficult or different, so that the world may see Christ in us. [21:53]

John 13:34-35 (ESV)
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Reflection: Who is one person you find difficult to love—how can you show them Christlike love in a tangible way this week?

Day 2: The Holy Spirit Breaks Down Divisions

The Holy Spirit works powerfully to overcome the barriers and divisions we create, inviting all people into God’s family regardless of their background or status. Just as the Spirit united Jew and Gentile in the early church, we are called to recognize and celebrate the diversity of God’s people, refusing to categorize others as “us” and “them.” The Spirit’s work is to erase these lines, reminding us that in Christ, there is only “us”—a single, beloved community. [24:35]

Acts 11:15-18 (ESV)
"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Reflection: What is one division or category you tend to create in your mind—how can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you see others as “people like me”?

Day 3: Openness to the Spirit’s New Work

God continually invites us to be open to the new things He is doing, even when it challenges our long-held beliefs or comfort zones. The apostles listened to Peter’s testimony about the Gentiles and allowed the Spirit to change their hearts, moving from criticism to joy at God’s inclusive work. Being open to the Spirit means holding our opinions loosely, listening carefully, and being willing to let God reshape our perspectives for the sake of His kingdom. [32:19]

Romans 12:2 (ESV)
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: What is one belief or opinion you hold that you sense God might be inviting you to reconsider or surrender to Him today?

Day 4: Submitting Our Beliefs to Christ

To follow Jesus faithfully, we must submit every belief, opinion, and judgment to Him, allowing God to align our hearts with His inclusive love. This means being willing to let go of elitism, prejudice, or any sense of superiority, and instead seeing all people as beloved members of Christ’s body. When we open our hearts in this way, God softens us, convicts us, and invites us to rejoice in the diversity of His people, welcoming those we once excluded. [34:45]

Philippians 2:3-5 (ESV)
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: Where do you notice pride or a sense of superiority creeping into your thoughts—how can you practice humility and submission to Christ in that area today?

Day 5: Joyfully Welcoming God’s New Work

Our calling is to pay attention to the movement of the Holy Spirit and joyfully welcome the new things God is doing in our midst, especially as He brings together people from all walks of life. We are not responsible for making God’s work happen, but we are invited to keep up with the Spirit, rejoicing in the diversity and unity He creates. As we do, our church becomes a place of true welcome, gratitude, and celebration of God’s grace for all. [37:36]

Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: How can you actively look for and celebrate the “new thing” God is doing in your church or community this week?

Sermon Summary

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Today, we gather in the joy of the resurrection, reminded that the ripple effect of Christ’s victory over death is meant to reach every corner of our lives and every person we encounter. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit are not reserved for a select few, but are gifts for all. Yet, even as we celebrate this truth, we must confess how easily we fall into the habit of dividing the world into “us” and “them.” Whether it’s by background, belief, or even the churches we attend, we are quick to categorize and slow to embrace.

Reflecting on a recent meeting with other pastors and city officials, I recognized how instinctively I sorted people into groups—those like me and those not like me. This tendency is not unique to me; it’s a universal human impulse. But the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit are God’s answer to these divisions. The story from Acts reminds us that God’s Spirit moves ahead of us, breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile, insider and outsider, and inviting all into the family of God.

Jesus’ ministry was marked by radical inclusion. He healed lepers, welcomed women, blessed children, and reached out to Samaritans and Roman soldiers—people considered “other” by the standards of his day. In every encounter, Jesus demonstrated that God does not divide the world as we do. As followers of Christ, we are called to see every person as made in the image of God, beloved and worthy of grace.

This calling is not easy. It requires us to hold our opinions and convictions with humility, always open to the Spirit’s leading, even when it challenges our long-held beliefs or biases. The apostles themselves had to learn this lesson, listening to Peter’s testimony about the Holy Spirit’s work among the Gentiles and allowing their hearts to be changed. We, too, are invited to submit our categories and judgments to God, trusting that the Spirit is always doing a new thing—often in ways that surprise us.

Our task is not to manufacture unity or force inclusion, but to pay attention to the movement of the Holy Spirit and respond with joy and welcome. When we do, we become a community that reflects the beautiful diversity of God’s kingdom, rejoicing in the new people God brings into our midst and giving thanks for the ongoing work of grace.

Key Takeaways

1. The resurrection of Jesus is not just a past event but a present reality that erases the divisions we create between “us” and “them.” The ripple effect of the resurrection calls us to see every person as “like me”—a fellow image-bearer of God, equally in need of grace and equally loved. This vision challenges our instinct to categorize and exclude, inviting us into a deeper unity rooted in Christ. [26:00]
2. Jesus’ ministry consistently broke down social, religious, and cultural barriers. He reached out to those who were marginalized, excluded, or considered enemies, demonstrating that God’s love knows no boundaries. Following Jesus means actively rejecting the divisions our world erects and embracing the radical inclusivity of God’s kingdom. [28:49]
3. The Holy Spirit often moves ahead of our understanding, bringing new people into the fold and challenging our assumptions. Like the apostles, we are called to listen carefully, remain open to being changed, and allow God to overturn any belief or bias that stands in the way of his inclusive love. True faithfulness means submitting even our most cherished convictions to the lordship of Christ. [32:19]
4. Openness to the Spirit’s work requires humility and a willingness to be transformed. Holding our opinions loosely and maintaining a soft heart toward those who are different is not a sign of weakness, but of deep trust in God’s ongoing work. The Spirit may challenge us to include those we once excluded, urging us to participate in the new thing God is doing. [33:27]
5. Our role is not to manufacture the work of God, but to pay attention, respond, and rejoice. The Holy Spirit takes the initiative, bringing diverse people together in Christ. When we welcome those whom God brings, we reflect the true nature of the church—a community shaped by grace, diversity, and the joy of God’s ever-expanding kingdom. [36:35]
** [36:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:34] - Opening Hymn: This is the Feast
[06:12] - Confession and Forgiveness
[21:53] - Gospel Reading: John 13
[23:22] - Dividing the Room: Our Instinct to Categorize
[24:35] - The Holy Spirit Overcomes Divisions
[26:00] - The Ripple Effect: Erasing “Us” and “Them”
[27:55] - Jesus’ Radical Inclusion
[28:49] - God’s Vision for All People
[29:54] - The Acts of the Holy Spirit
[30:28] - Peter’s Explanation and the Apostles’ Change of Heart
[32:19] - Openness to the Spirit’s Leading
[33:27] - Submitting Our Beliefs to Christ
[34:45] - Letting God Overturn Our Judgments
[36:35] - Rejoicing in God’s Diverse Kingdom
[37:36] - Following the Spirit’s New Moves
[39:26] - Announcements and Celebrations
[53:13] - Closing and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 13:34-35 — “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

- Acts 11:1-18
(Peter explains to the apostles how the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles, breaking down the barrier between Jew and Gentile.)

Observation Questions

In John 13:34-35, what does Jesus say will show the world that we are his disciples?
According to Acts 11, what was the reaction of the apostles when they heard that Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit? How did Peter respond to their concerns?
The sermon described how the pastor instinctively divided people into groups at a meeting. What were some of the categories he mentioned? [[23:22]]
What are some examples from Jesus’ ministry where he broke down social or religious barriers? [[28:49]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do people, even Christians, so easily fall into the habit of dividing the world into “us” and “them”? What does this reveal about our hearts? [[24:35]]
In Acts 11, what does the apostles’ willingness to listen to Peter and change their minds teach us about being open to the Holy Spirit’s leading? [[32:19]]
The sermon says the resurrection is a present reality that erases divisions. What does it mean for the resurrection to have a “ripple effect” in our lives and relationships? [[26:00]]
How does holding our opinions and convictions with humility help us stay open to what God is doing? [[33:27]]

Application Questions

The pastor shared how he quickly sorted people into “like me” and “not like me” at a meeting. When are you most tempted to do the same? What are your usual categories? [[23:22]]
Think of a time when you felt excluded or when you excluded someone else. How did it feel? What would it look like to respond differently in light of Jesus’ example? [[28:49]]
The sermon challenges us to see everyone as “like me”—a fellow image-bearer of God. Is there a specific person or group you struggle to see this way? What might help you change your perspective? [[26:00]]
The apostles changed their minds after hearing Peter’s story. When was the last time you changed your mind about someone or something because of God’s prompting? What made it possible? [[32:19]]
The sermon says our job is not to manufacture unity, but to pay attention to the Holy Spirit and respond with welcome. What are some practical ways you can “pay attention” to the Spirit’s work in your daily life? [[36:35]]
Are there any beliefs or opinions you need to submit to Jesus, especially those that might keep you from loving or including others? What would it look like to do that this week? [[34:45]]
The pastor said, “We get to be the kind of people who look around our church and see people who are different than us and rejoice and give thanks that God has brought them in.” How can you help your church or small group become more welcoming to people who are different? [[36:35]]

Sermon Clips

We see all people as people like us, made in the image of God, sinners who have been forgiven, children who have been claimed by a loving God. In God's kingdom, there is no longer us and them. There is only us. Only us. [00:27:24] (23 seconds)

And if that's my firmest belief, then to be a follower of Jesus, I have to submit every other belief to him. Every other belief to Jesus. I have to have a willingness to let God overturn anything in me, any opinion, any idea, any judgment. [00:34:45] (23 seconds)

Why do we do this? Why do we categorize people like this, as like us and not like us? Because it is devastating to the work of the Holy Spirit, who is working to bring all people together under Christ. But we do it all the time. Jew and Gentile. Black and white. Citizen and alien. Gay and straight. Rich and poor. Well -educated. Uneducated. People from my side of the town. People from the other side of town. Native to Colorado. Invaders from California. Lutherans. Evangelicals. Liberals. Conservatives. Nuggets fans. And losers. [00:25:06] (51 seconds)

As a Christian, I have to have a willingness to let God change me to align more perfectly with his work in the world. And that's a hard position to maintain. So today is a day to submit our beliefs to God. Today is a day to submit our beliefs about people not like us to a God who wants to include all people in his kingdom. [00:35:07] (27 seconds)

If we let him, we can harden our hearts too, or we can soften them. But God is on the move in the world through the Holy Spirit, bringing all kinds of people to salvation. We are invited to change our hearts so that when the Holy Spirit brings someone we previously thought as not like us, our response is joy and welcome, rejoicing in the new thing God has done, rather than suspicion and exclusion. [00:36:22] (31 seconds)

This is the gift of the ripple effect. It's the great diversity of people that God is bringing to faith in his Son. And we get to be the kind of people who look around our church and see people who are different than us and rejoice and give thanks that God has brought them into just as he brought us in. [00:36:53] (22 seconds)

Can you imagine if you saw everyone in those terms as people like me? Do a little mental experiment right now. Let's do it with the most controversial issue in our nation today. Who did you vote for, for president in the last election? You got it in your head? Now, if you dare, imagine people who voted differently than you. Put them in the mental category as people like me. Can you do it? Is it difficult? [00:26:24] (38 seconds)

We will never meet anyone who is not made in the image of God, who is not a child beloved by the Father. But here's the deal. God will not wait for us to figure it out. God will not wait for us to get on board with his work to welcome all people. [00:30:00] (21 seconds)

We are a receiving people. We are a responding people. The Holy Spirit is the one who takes the initiative. The Holy Spirit is the one who goes first doing new things, doling out the gifts of God. Our job is to pay attention and to keep up as best we can and frankly enjoy the ride. [00:37:15] (22 seconds)

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