No good deed goes unpunished! Have you ever heard that expression? Have you ever experienced it? When Peter preached the Good News of the resurrection and salvation through Jesus Christ, Cornelius and all who were listening came under conviction and became Christians. Then Peter stayed for several days teaching all things Christ commanded. In other words, he fulfilled the Great Commission which Christ gave to his followers to make disciples. What could possibly go wrong?
The Jewish believers criticized Peter for breaking their interpretation of the Old Testament law forbidding Jews to enter a Gentile home. So Peter told them how God had gained his undivided attention through a vision. The same Holy Spirit which saved the Jews also fell upon the Gentiles when they believed. One way we overcome prejudice is through education. When we hear what God is doing in different groups of people, we have to rejoice. In time, followers of Christ come to love the people God loves. Sooner or later, we discover that God loves everyone. Do we?
Peter opened the gate for other disciples who went to Antioch and preached to Gentiles. The church at Antioch grew under the teaching of Barnabas and Saul. These Gentile believers were baptized and then they learned all that Jesus commanded. What exactly does Jesus command us to do? Love. If we love Jesus we will obey him. The main way we obey him is by loving each other.
