VII.
Peter tells the crowd, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ – he is Lord of all.”

As you spend time with this passage once again, what holds your attention? What words/thoughts/images do you want to spend more time with?

VIII.
Acts 10:34-47 (NRSV)

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

IX.
The crowd that day certainly reacted to Peter’s words.

Well, maybe “reacted” doesn’t capture fully what happened? It wasn’t just words spoken by Peter. There is the report that “the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.”

What have you heard about God’s love, God’s gift of peace, God’s presence in the work and words of Jesus, God’s coming near to you and me that so captures you, you must “react” in some words of praise, words of wonder, words of hope?

X.
Listen to Peter again. Where do his words and his spirit of wonder at God’s coming near find you today?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}