by Max Lucado
Caesarea by the Sea is one of the more breathtaking ruins in Israel. Located right on the Mediterranean Sea, one can still see the layout of Herod the Great’s palace, which was built in 22 bc when he was the king of Judea. A longtime Roman stronghold, Caesarea was different from the city of Jerusalem just a few miles away. It was more Gentile than Jew and more Roman than Hebrew.
The book of Acts relates that a Roman army officer named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. A few miles south of the city was Joppa, the town where the disciple Peter was staying. Peter and Cornelius could not have been more different, but they would be called by the same God to change the way Jews and new Christians saw the Gentiles . . . and vice versa.
A great divide had existed in the early church between believers who came from a Jewish background and those who came from a Gentile background. But as you will see in this session, a miracle was about to happen that would forever break down the walls between who was considered “in” and “out” of God’s kingdom. These events would forever prove that Jesus’ message was for everyone. His love was for everyone. His sacrifice for everyone.
The spirit of Peter and Cornelius’ mission is alive and well today. How many of us have had to change our minds about someone or an entire people group? How many of us have experienced prejudice or felt prejudice toward others? It’s a common symptom of the human condition—to judge and ostracize rather than welcome. This is the good news. No one is beyond Jesus. No one is beyond forgiveness. No one is beyond acceptance into God’s family.
