The Gospel

THE GOSPEL

a prayer to open

Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

May your Kingdom come, may your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

“And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God.

Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.

In Peter’s speech, we have one of the earliest tellings of the gospel. Peter walked with Jesus for three years and was one of the three disciples who had the closest relationship with him. Notice what he deemed critical to share and what he left out. Notice his invitation at the end of his presentation. Notice the arrival of the Holy Spirit in the midst of Peter’s speech. For those listening, there could be no response but to be baptized and then learn the ways of Jesus.

• What are the elements of the Good News Peter shares in this passage?
• How does what Peter shared compare with the gospel you have heard or have shared with others?
• Spend a few minutes remembering you are in God’s loving presence, reflecting on how you might share the gospel with others as you keep Peter’s example in mind.

Pray out of whatever surfaced in your time of reflection.