Message by Leslie M John

Gentiles Received the Word of God. 

”And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught many people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. ” (Acts 11:26)

When Jews rejected Paul’s preaching as we read in Acts Chapter 13 the Gentiles requested him that the word of God may be preached to them. On the next Sabbath Paul spoke to the Gentiles and they heard the word of God. Jews took objection to Paul’s preaching, but Paul and Barnabas were bold enough to speak about Jesus.

Therefore, Jews were envy of Paul and contradicted him. When there was a difference of opinion among Jews and religious proselytes Paul and Barnabas spoke to them and persuaded them to continue in the grace of God (Acts 13:43).

Paul said to them that it was necessary that the word of God be spoken to them first and then to Gentiles and he did that exactly as Jesus commanded him to do. Some say that all these Gentiles saved during the Acts period were the descendants of Jacob, but there is no convincing evidence to show that they were all descendants of Jacob.

”For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13:47).

Earlier, when Lord Jesus was on this earth, He had compassion on Centurion as we read in Matthew Chapter 8, and on Canaanite woman as we read in Matthew Chapter 15. No doubt Jesus came to seek the lost sheep of Israel.

No doubt He resisted His disciples going in the way of Gentiles as we read in Matthew Chapter 10, yet his concern for Gentiles was not with absolute negligence toward them, otherwise, the most familiar verse John 3:16 would have been of no consequence.

”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)”.