Yesterday, I wrote about a story of the young man who came to church and sat on the floor. A deacon joined him and sat on the floor during the service too. It is easy for us to sit comfortably in our pews and laugh at that story. Mentally, we upbraid the sanctimonious, self-righteous, pharisaical attitude of the congregation and applaud the Christ-like, inviting spirit of the aged deacon. However, I cannot help but wonder who we are more like. I wonder who I am more like.  

It is so easy for us to open the doors of the church to those who look like us, talk like us and act like us. How sad that must make God. The church that is segregated by race, by social status, by financial means or by age groups is a church that has lost its biblical bearing.

If the New Testament teaches anything about the church, it teaches that the church is for everyone. Though we may be so vastly different, all people can come together in the church because we have one common bond… the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

From a great story in Acts 10, let’s learn how God taught the early church and our church to welcome all people. In today’s verses, we read that during Cornelius’ prayer time, he “clearly” saw a “vision” of “an angel of God.” Shocked at the vision, he was even more shocked when the angel addressed him personally calling his name, “Cornelius.” Verse 4 says that “he was afraid.” That is an understatement! Have you ever been shocked as you have been reading God’s Word?