BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

Did you see how, in the opening lines of Acts 9, Luke writes that Saul wanted to stop people “who belonged to the way” (Acts 9:2)? He doesn’t say “Jesus followers” or “Christians.” Saul despises people who belong to a specific way of life.

Why? Because Saul is a well-trained religious authority. According to everything the religious leaders taught, to truly love God, he must stop these lawbreaking Jesus people. Notice that Saul is not a malicious malcontent bent on violence. He’s a zealous, God-fearing Jewish leader who had received misguided training.

On the way to harass Jesus followers, the risen Jesus blindsides Saul, literally. Even so, Saul stumbles along to Damascus, stunned and sightless all the way there. Once he arrives, the once-powerful persecutor finds himself hoping for mercy from the very community he had tried to tear down. Now, Saul wants to join the way.

Meanwhile, Peter’s entire paradigm explodes because of an offensive—yet eye-opening—vision that God gives him. Peter shares the God-fearing zeal we see in Saul (who becomes Paul after he joins the crew). But that zeal is not enough. Peter still thinks that God loves some kinds of people more than others. But then, the vision.

A sheet floats in carrying all kinds of animals that no decent Jewish person would ever think to eat. But a voice says to eat whatever and stop tagging “unclean” on things that God has made clean.

Really complex ideas form in this vision, not to mention Peter’s subsequent encounter with the Roman Cornelius. So the entire scene warrants deeper study. But through it all, Peter walks away proclaiming one huge takeaway: “I truly know now that God does not show favoritism toward people” (Acts 10:34).

Imagine how stunned you might feel upon learning that God loves everyone you were taught to reject or even hate? Peter’s eyes were wider than ever after that dream.

The door has swung open, and it turns out that God has always loved every human being he created with an impartial love that shows no favoritism.

Reflection Questions

• Compare Peter’s mission to Cornelius’ household (Acts 10) with Jonah’s mission to Nineveh (Jon. 1-4). What common themes do you notice? How might Peter be acting as a reverse Jonah in today’s reading?
• Where do you see the mission of Jesus advancing through the early church’s practice of hospitality in today’s reading?