1. Albrecht…Epiphany 1…Jan. 11^th, 2026…Acts 10:34=43…Jesus is For Everyone Yes, Everyone

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷ you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

INJ Who came to be the light men that all might see Him and believe, DFR:

When you first considered what the theme was for our service this morning, you probably thought it was the most obvious statement ever made. Of course Jesus is for everyone. And it should be. The Bible talks extensively about the universality of God’s grace and His desire that all people should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. It is easy, clear, and simple to say in word, but how easy is it to perform in action? When we examine Scripture, we often find that the message of the Gospel becomes exclusive. Not because God made it that way, but because man makes it that way.

Peter often needed the reminder that God shows no partiality. It wasn’t that Peter actively worked against the Gentiles receiving the Gospel, but that we see he still had a sinful flesh that couldn’t fully grasp God’s purpose for the Gospel. That is at the heart of God’s lesson for Peter at the house of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion. God teaches Peter, and us, that the Jesus is for everyone because everyone is a sinner. God also teaches that Jesus is for everyone because we all receive forgiveness through His name.

Acts chapter 10 begins with a Roman centurion named Cornelius having a vision from God. Cornelius was told that his prayers had been heard by God and he was to send for Simon Peter who was in Joppa and listen to what he had to say. If you didn’t pick up on it, this is very unusual. Not the angel appearing, but that an angel would appear to a Gentile. There are only a handful of examples in Scripture of this happening. This one is very significant because Cornelius and his household are the first examples of Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit and being baptized into the Christian faith.

Meanwhile, about 40 miles to the South, Peter is in an upper room in Joppa. He, too, receives a vision from God. In this vision, Peter sees a blanket open up from heaven and in it is all kinds of animals, clean and unclean. The Lord tells Peter, “Rise, kill and eat.” Peter refuses as it was against the Old Testament Law and He had never eaten something unclean. But, God said, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened 3 more times.

This vision from God had multiple purposes. Yes, God was telling Peter that the Old Testament restrictions he had lived under for his entire life, were done away with. He no longer needed to abide by the Laws that “excluded” the Jews from the nations around them. It was also the beginning of God’s lesson to Peter that the message of Jesus Christ was no longer exclusive to the Jews either.

Before Peter’s vision was even done, these two worlds would collide. Cornelius’ men made the 12.5 hour walk down to Joppa to find Peter and implore him to come bring the Gospel to Cornelius’ household. And God told Peter to go. When Peter arrived at Corneilus’ place, he saw that many of Cornelius’ family and friends had gathered. Peter said, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

Here marks the change in Peter. Of course, Peter knew the message of salvation would go to the Gentiles, but it hasn’t been so easy when it came time to put it into practice. Paul calls out Peter’s hypocrisy in Galatians 2. Peter was joining in a meal with some Gentiles, but immediately withdrew when he saw fellow Jewish Christians arrive from Jerusalem. In that moment, Peter felt it more necessary to abide by the Old Testament Law rather than show clearly that God’s grace is not limited by nationality or heritage.

Can you think of any other times in Scripture where God’s servant was reluctant to share the full Gospel with another people? The Prophet Jonah. He was called to preach to the Ninevites, but he didn’t want to. He thought they were unworthy to receive God’s forgiveness. When you understand who these people were, you could sympathize with Jonah. The Ninevites were Assyrian. They were known for their extreme torture of captured nations and having a total disregard for human life. They were the worst war criminals of the ancient world. To anyone’s eyes, they don’t deserve God’s forgiveness.

And yet, God brought that immoral city to its knees in humble repentance. They feared God’s judgement and received God’s grace and forgiveness. What about you? Does, Jesus is for everyone, always play out in your life? Or are there dividing lines that have rooted their way into your heart – lines that you don’t dare cross because those people are not worthy to receive God’s grace…in your own eyes?

Take, for example, the fraud that has become apparent in Minnesota over this last week. How easy would it be for Christians there, who are frustrated with what they are seeing, to say, “I would never share Jesus with those people, they don’t deserve for what they are doing to this state.”? Or take it down party lines. How dare you share Jesus with someone across the political isle from you. They are evil, they don’t deserve God’s grace like you do! It sounds horrible to hear that out loud, doesn’t it? And yet, it is nothing but the quiet voice of Satan taking root in our hearts.

It was temptation from Satan that led to Peter to withdraw himself from dining with Gentiles. It was temptation from Satan that tried to keep Jonah from preaching to the Ninevites. What is Satan temptations keeping you from doing? Let us remember the lesson God teaches Peter. Jesus is for all because we all need Him. Every single one of us is a sinner and unworthy of the grace and forgiveness of God. And yet, as Peter says in our text, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. And also, everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

You and I are here today because Jesus showed no partiality when He died on the cross. The stripes He bore on the cross were the stripes of every sin of every person, from every nation, tribe, tongue, and creed. Not one sin was exempt because Jesus is for everyone. Peter brings this out when he addresses the household of Cornelius.

He showed them the purpose for which Jesus came – to die for the sins of the whole world and to rise again declaring justification for all who believe. Peter was a firsthand recipient of this grace. Though he had denied his Savior, yet Jesus forgave him and restored him. You and I are firsthand recipients of this grace. Though we have often failed God and wandered far from Him; yet Jesus forgives you and me and restores us to the path of righteousness. Jesus is for everyone because all receive forgiveness through His name.

It was in this moment that Peter fully understood the role of God’s chosen people. It wasn’t that they were superior to any other nation. In fact, we have more recorded about their sins and failures than any other nation in history. The role of God’s people was to be the carrier of God’s grace. Jesus didn’t appear to all people after He had risen. He appeared to His own – those who believed in Him. He chose the women at the tomb; the ever bold-headed Peter; the doubting Thomas; the Sons of Thunder, the meek and humble, the quiet. God chose those who had received His grace and forgiveness firsthand to then share Jesus with everyone without exception.

You have been a recipient of that message. Jesus lived and died for you, in your place so that He could offer you His free and full forgiveness without reservation and without exception. If you have a pen, I would invite you to make a change in the sermon theme in the bulletin. If you don’t have a pen, be sure to take the bulletin and do it at home. Cross out, “Yes, Everyone.” In its place write, “Yes, even me.”

Let this be our reminder to share God’s grace and forgiveness through Jesus with everyone. For all are sinners, just like me; and Jesus has forgiven all sin, even mine. Amen.