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ACTS 11:1-8
REVELATION 21:1-6
JOHN 13:31-35

REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “Jesus accepts all.” Jesus accepts all means that the salvation of Jesus is not discriminatory; it is available to all. Dear friend Jesus, accept all because:

1. His salvation is for both Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles)

2. His love is for all, therefore we must love all.

Firstly, beloved in the Lord Jesus accepts all because although He is a Jew, He makes His salvation available to non-Jews or Gentiles. In the first scripture reading (Acts 11:1-18), the Jewish Christians including Peter had hitherto thought erroneously that salvation was only for the Jews but, after having a special revelation from the Lord, Peter said to the Jews “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”  When they heard these things, they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:15-18). Beloved in the Lord, the church of Christ has no room for any form of tribal or ethnic and racial discrimination, nor does it have room for any form of class, gender and political discrimination. Jesus’ salvation is for all and sundry, the only qualification is repentance, baptism and faith in Him. The Holy Spirit is available to anyone who accepts Jesus as his or her Lord and Saviour, regardless of his or her background. It is, for this reason, that we are assured in the second Scripture reading that “To the thirsty, I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” (Revelation 21:6) Nothing indicates in Jesus’ assurance that a person thirsty for salvation must come from a particular ethnic group, class, gender or church denomination. For emphasis, anyone, regardless of his or her background, who is thirsty for salvation will be accepted by Jesus so long as the person is willing to come to Him. It is, for this reason, that Paul states unequivocally that “For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:27-28)Truly, Jesus accepts all!

The second reason to prove that Jesus accepts all is that His love is unconditional. Earlier in John 13, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. It is a profound act of love to wash the feet of your enemy. In the third Scripture reading (John 13:31-35), we see Jesus instructing His disciples to love everyone and that includes our enemies. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) In all sincerity, how many of us will bow down to wash the feet of the person who will betray us and have us suffer and put to death? Jesus’ love challenges our understanding of love. He teaches us to unconditionally love everyone including our enemies. Ordinarily, many of us in the place of Jesus would have excluded Judas from the gathering, knowing his evil intentions, but Jesus washed His feet and fed him. After Jesus had served Judas by washing his feet and feeding him, Jesus told him, “…what you are going to do, do quickly.”(John 13:27). Dear friend, Jesus loves everyone, including His enemies. He has taught us these thought-provoking words, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44-45). Those of us who are true believers of Jesus have no choice but to trust and obey our Lord Jesus Christ when He admonished us,“… I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:15-17). In other words, follow the footsteps of Jesus and love everyone, including your enemies. This is a difficult teaching, but the only way we can please our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(Matthew 19:26)

In summary, my dear friend in Christ, Jesus accepts all because His salvation is not only for the Jews but also for the non-Jews. Jesus accepts all because His love is unconditional and all-encompassing, in that, even his enemies are beneficiaries of His love. We are greatly encouraged and admonished to follow and obey the example and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ so that when He returns the second time, He will find us worthy stewards of the new heaven and new earth, which is the dwelling place of God among us. May the Holy Spirit cure us of any discriminatory tendencies and sentiments so that, like Jesus, we shall accept all. Amen.