The Gospel Unites -Acts 16

Those of us who by God’s grace have believed in Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross should have a more diverse circle of friends and acquaintances than the world around us.  The gospel reaches people from every social, economic, political, racial, cultural, demographic,   and intellectual group and brings them together as God’s dear children.

Think about it.  Most of the world builds their circle of friends around these classes and very rarely do they intentionally reach out beyond that in which they feel most comfortable.   If I’m rich, I usually hang with those at my social standing or higher.  I rarely go lower, unless I have too (see 1 Timothy 6:17-19 for positive Biblical approach).

If I happen to be a young person, those are my friends.  Very rarely do I spend quality time in building relationship with the old folks and vice versa  (see Titus 2:1-8 for positive Biblical approach).

If I’m into my family.  Family is it (see Galatians 6:10 for positive Biblical approach).

But they really are no different than the most of us Christians.   We do what is comfortable.  We hang with our crowd.

But the gospel isn’t about our comfort.  It is about breaking down all those barriers in a place called the church.  God sovereign builds His Son’s church with people from every  nation, tribe, peoples, and languages(Revelation 7:9).  The gospel is about the glory of God.  And God is glorified in diversity.

The message yesterday  at church was about this very truth.  God brings together in Philippi, a diverse group of people, by His grace and for His glory to form a church.  A rich religious woman, an exploited demon-possessed slave girl and a hardened Roman soldier/jailer.   People who probably under normal circumstances would have never met, but by God’s grace now worship together the same risen Savior.

Does our church reflect the glory of God in its diversity?   Are we excited and grateful for all the  brothers and sisters that God has brought  our way.  Now it is very possible,  even within the sovereignly orchestrated diversity that God ordains each church to have, that we can still choose to mingle and fellowship within our church with those who are most like us.

The gospel is bigger than our personal comfort.   At its core  a Holy(think set apart) God,  sent His only Son to become man.  The distant between you and your brother is never greater than the distance between God and us and Jesus bridged that gap.  The gospel bridges all  gaps between my Christian brothers .

Because of the Gospel’s power to unite, make the effort  this week to fellowship with a Christian brother or sister from our body that is different from you socially, economically, politically, culturally, intellectually or demographically – to the GLORY OF GOD!