Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek
19 November 2024
Reading From Acts 11-12
“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
–Acts 11:15-18
As Peter recounted the happenings at the house of Cornelius, he refers to the outpouring of the Spirit “as he had come on us at the beginning.” This reinforces the understanding of the event that it was the same kind of experience that had been enjoyed by the Church on the Day of Pentecost. Both of these outpourings had a way of bringing people together from all different backgrounds. On the Day of Pentecost, there were Jews gathered from all over the ancient world for the festival. These celebrants lived in many diverse cultures “Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”[1]
This was truly a reversal of what had happened at the Tower of Babel. Yahweh had broken the prideful, rebellious ambition of mankind by confusing their languages, a result of which was scattering them so that they would obey His command to go forth and be fruitful and multiply. By the power of the Holy Spirit He is now bringing sons and daughters together from all those wonderfully diverse ethnicities and cultures. From the Old Testament we know that He intended Israel to be a welcoming beacon of spiritual light to all nations, but unfortunately we know from their history that by the time of Jesus, they had become inwardly focused and exclusive. Through the blood of Jesus, by grace through faith in Him, people from every tribe, tongue and nation have the opportunity to join the eternal family of God. There is no place for racism or any form of prejudice in the Body of Christ. In Him we are one. The outpourings of the Spirit are part of God’s plan to accomplish this unity.
Not only does the voice of God speak to people regardless of ethnicity or cultural background, He also speaks to and through and empowers people no matter their gender. Jesus spent time with the Church many times after His resurrection. “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”[2] We know they obeyed the Lord in this from Acts 1:14 where Luke tells Theophilus that, “they all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”
It was at one of these prayer meetings that the Spirit came upon them. The very first verse of chapter two tells us, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.” They were all gathered together in one accord. Artwork that only shows the men receiving an endowment of power from on high is inaccurate. We know that the women were also filled to overflowing and spoke in other tongues from Peter’s confirmation of the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy.”[3]
In every age, God finds a way to break through cultural chauvinism and this is one such example of how He disrupts the norms of whatever society His sons and daughters find themselves in. We know that chauvinism is not when He intended for life on Planet Earth because His very nature has both masculine and feminine characteristics. “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”[4] He also said that it is not good for man to be alone. Woman was made from man and the highest symbol of spiritual intimacy and unity is found in the holy covenant of marriage. When male and female image bearers come together, two become one, it is intended to be the closest reflection of His image that we have on Earth. This is what makes matrimony so very holy.
Every born again follower of Jesus throughout the ages makes up the universal Church, the Bride of Christ. The ultimate goal of our faith is perfect unity and harmony with God. That we are partakers of His divine nature. This will happen to its fullest extent at the marriage supper of the Lamb. In the New Eden, God’s relationship with His sons and daughters will be as He originally intended before it was spoiled by sin. There in that wondrous paradise, Elohim’s dream of dwelling with His people without any hindrance or disruption will come true. What a day that will be!
“Lord God, the issue of unity in the Body of Christ is one that requires much prayer and fasting. We ask You to help us come together, Lord. We know that we cannot make unity happen in our own strength or by our own devices. We must have the powerful intervention of Your Holy Spirit. Forgive us for our own prejudices. Liberate us from the shackles of hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Fill us to overflowing with Your loving Spirit. Empower us to reach out to others with Your love across ethnic and cultural lines. May we value one another because we are all unique parts of Your beautiful creation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
–Ephesians 5:25-27
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
–Revelation 19:7-9
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
–Revelation 21:1-2
[1] Acts 2:9-11
[2] Acts 1:4-5
[3] Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2:17
[4] Genesis 1:27
Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God 
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