Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. 39We are witnesses of everything He did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed Him by hanging Him on a cross, 40but God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” (Acts 10:34-43, NIV)
Isaiah 42:1-3 describes for us what true servant leadership is. That leadership is expressed most fully in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Acts 10:34-43 goes into a bit more detail about how that happened. Peter’s speech about what Jesus has done for us is delivered to those gathered in the house-hold of Cornelius, a Roman centurion whom Peter visited after receiving a vision from God that commissioned him to preach the gospel to Gentiles and not just to Jews. To all those at Cornelius’s house who want to know more about this saving gospel, Peter explains the major events of Jesus’ ministry: Jesus was baptized, anointed with the Holy Spirit, performed works of mercy and miracles which freed and healed those who were oppressed, was crucified by hostile powers, was raised on the third day, and appeared to his disciples, commanding them to preach the message of saving grace and tell his story. So here we have a 360° picture of what a life of servant leadership looks like. It is empowered by the Spirit, brings justice and healing to those oppressed by sin and sorrow, and witnesses to others about the saving grace of Christ. (that witness needs not be verbal, though it can be, and certainly is in this passage). Peter continues the theme from Isaiah 42:3: servant leadership looks out for the lost and the least. And he sets that theme in the midst of the whole wonderful symphony of the love of Christ, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). There was such love for us in the heart of the Triune God that Jesus was willing to endure the ultimate humiliation in order that we might be freed, healed, and given justice. Jesus is our model. May God’s grace empower us to follow it. Contemplate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and His amazing love for us. Then find one simple way to show that love to the next person you encounter. Lord, help us accept Your love for us, a love without breadth, depth, width nor length. Fill us with the joy of those freed from sin and oppression. And teach us how to show Your love to others. Amen! Comments are closed.
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