Isn’t that a question we all ask? Am I good enough? Did I do enough good things this week? Does God really love me for who I am or who I try to be?
He does. Really love you I mean.
We were studying Acts this week- great book that Acts. Crazy adventures, Paul, Peter, stoning, healings, I mean, I don’t know if there is a movie out there with as much excitement or adventure, but the book answers one main question- Is Theophilus (the Roman official to whom it was written) also loved by God? Can he be a part of the family?
Now you need some background to understand how big of a question this was. Romans were looked down upon by everyone in the empire, who weren’t Roman. Nobody really liked them because they were the rulers, the ones who had the special privileges. but the Jewish people of that day especially didn’t like them because they didn’t worship the true God (The Romans were polytheists). So you can imagine the racial tensions…
And then comes Paul, a man…a jewish man…and says to these yucky romans- God loves you too! In fact, he loves you enough to send Jesus to die in judgement for you, so that you don’t have to. He even rose from the dead to conquer death for all who will believe Him. Jesus…a jew…Paul… a jew… this is a book that says, God loves the whole world (From Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ENDS OF THE EARTH!) Picture it today, God loves the native of Vanuatu, the Chinese Buddist, the Muslim Imam…you get the picture. (By the way…my friend Dionne takes great pictures!)
Does Theophilus decide to believe? We don’t know.
And by the way, in case you are wondering, yes, God loves you too- no matter what! Even if you are a Roman :)
Teaching Adventures 