We are God's Plan A - A Gift of Salvation for All

I was really impacted this Easter by the purposeful way Jesus came to save us. Scripture tells us he came to seek and save the lost. It was a deliberate choice, based in love for his creation, and it was costly.

Matt 28:16-20 & Acts 10:9-48

Jesus invites us to follow and for us to bring others to Jesus so he might invite them to follow as well.

When I lose sight of the gift of salvation, it affects my heart and desire to see lost people saved. When I lose sight of the gift of salvation, I can forget that the person next to me, Jesus died for them too. And when I lose sight of the gift of salvation, life can become about me. Jesus invites us to follow and for us to bring others to Jesus so he might invite them to follow as well.

In Acts 10, in a vision, Peter wrestles with God because he lost sight that the gift of salvation is for everyone. God challenged him on a rooftop, to go and eat with the gentiles. To eat food that was unclean and be with a people that were unclean. Peter stood firm and argued that he had obeyed God’s law and not eaten unclean food. Yet God corrected Peter “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This was bigger than food. It was about the gift of salvation — Jesus had made a way for all people and all of creation to be saved. We are all impure, unclean, and separated from God.

The vision led to application, because immediately Peter is invited by some servants to go to Cornelius’ home — a gentile. God told Peter to go, and he obeyed. And at the house, as Peter was part way through sharing the gospel, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message, and they were saved.

My prayer for each of us, is to keep our sight on Jesus. To dwell and embrace further the gift of salvation and to step through the barriers that prevent us from sharing that gift of salvation with others. Like Peter, God is telling us to go.

God bless

Pastor Stephen