The Thursday within the Octave of the Feast of Pentecost
Posted on June 12, 2025 by under
Scripture: Acts 10:34-48 (NKJV)
10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Devotion
It was a common misconception that the Triune God was partial to the nation of Israel and prejudiced against other nations. Almighty God chose Abraham and fulfilled His promise to make him into a nation. God had formed a nation from the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into the nation of Israel. And finally, God had brought His specially chosen people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.
However, God desired that all nations would be blessed through Abraham (Gen. 12:3, 18:18, etc.). God intended that the Israelite nation would be “a light to the Gentiles … for salvation to the ends of the earth” (Is. 42:6). Most of all, that Jewish nation was to be the nursery to which the Savior would be born, so that “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). Thus, God was not showing partiality. That salvation, which is from the Jews, is the result of the promised Savior’s death by hanging on a tree. The Father confirmed salvation through faith in His Son by raising Him from the dead on the third day. No one gets a pass because of one’s nationality, or any other earthly reason. Without faith in Jesus Christ there is no salvation.
Those who confess their sins and believe in Jesus “will receive remission of sins.” The Old Testament describes faith as fearing God. The New Testament describes faith as loving God. Dr. Luther summarizes and says that believers “fear and love God.”
Collect: O God, Who didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of Thy Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
