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Today’s passage comes from the book of Acts.
Tuesday Bible Study – tried to study Acts but it fizzled. But now, I think Acts is one of the most exciting books of the Bible.
Acts is the story of the Holy Spirit breaking into fearful and uncertain situations and doing things beyond people’s imagination. The Spirit comes in powerful new ways.
Acts is not just about power or miracles. At its heart, Acts is about something deeper:
When fear drives faith, it turns inward and defensive. But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, it breaks through your fear and restores your God-given outward-looking purpose.
When the future feels unclear and you feel the need to protect what you have— the Holy Spirit does not let your faith shrink. The Spirit breaks through your fear and expands your faith.
A Breakthrough Moment in Acts
Today’s passage describes a major breakthrough of the Holy Spirit.
For the first time ever, the Holy Spirit comes upon Gentiles—people who were not Jewish. This was completely beyond what most people could imagine.
To understand how radical this was, we need to go back to the beginning.
God’s Original Purpose
In ancient times, God saw humanity’s brokenness and sinful ways. God chose Abraham to begin something new.
God called Abraham:
“Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)
And God made a promise:
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing… and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2–3)
God did not bless Abraham only for Abraham. The blessing had a purpose: that all the families of the earth would be blessed.
From the very beginning, God’s promise was outward-looking.
When Fear Turns Faith Inward
But Abraham’s descendants lived through extremely difficult circumstances.
They were surrounded by powerful nations. They were enslaved. They were attacked, conquered, and exiled. Much of their life did not feel like a blessing at all.
When life is hard, something subtle but powerful happens inside you. Fear creeps in.
The focus shifts from purpose to survival. Faith becomes less about blessing others and more about protecting what you have.
God remained faithful. God rescued and preserved them again and again. But over time, the outward-looking faith of Abraham slowly became an inward-looking, defensive faith—shaped more by fear than by purpose.
I’ve seen this happen with many people. When they first meet God, there is joy. They are filled with purpose and desire to serve God and others.
But as they face one challenge after another, it takes a toll on them. The faith that once had such purpose becomes more inward-looking.
If faith remains, it becomes more focused on preserving what you have.
Fear in the Time of Acts
By the time we reach today’s passage, many Jews were living with deep anxiety.
They were dominated by Gentile powers: the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, and now the Romans.
They had lost control of their land and their future. Their identity and very existence as God’s distinct people felt threatened.
They were at risk of being swept away by the huge Gentile world. Gentiles were not just outsiders—they represented danger.
When you fear someone, that fear transforms into prejudice. You find reasons to demonize them, make them something different.
Prejudice separates you from them. It creates boundaries and barriers.
Fear of Gentiles turned into prejudice. Fear made many Jews inward-looking in their faith.
You can see this mindset in the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection.
At the very beginning of Acts, they ask:
“Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
This question reveals a faith that looks inward and is focused on reclaiming safety and control.
Peter’s Fear—and the Spirit’s Work
Peter shared this mindset.
Before today’s speech, Peter is on a rooftop when he falls into a trance. He sees a sheet coming down from heaven filled with animals considered unclean. God tells him to eat.
Peter responds:
“By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” (Acts 10:14)
But the Spirit replies:
“What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” (Acts 10:15)
This wasn’t really about food. It was about boundaries created to protect their identity.
The Holy Spirit was breaking down Peter’s inward, fear-driven faith.
An Encounter Beyond Imagination
The Spirit then leads Peter to Cornelius—a Gentile, a Roman centurion, an enemy figure.
When Peter meets him, he says:
“God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.” (Acts 10:28)
You can see Peter’s faith being transformed.
Cornelius represents the occupying power, but he asks Peter to speak God’s word. It is a reversal no one could have imagined.
Peter begins his sermon, and something extraordinary happens. He realizes the truth that fear had hidden from him:
“I truly understand that God shows no partiality.” (Acts 10:34)
And then:
“Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)
Not just Jews. Everyone.
The Spirit Restores God’s Purpose
While Peter is still speaking, the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles. The Jewish believers are stunned. This had never happened before.
Peter grasps the significance of this moment and says:
“Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10:47)
Baptism—once a sign for Israel alone—is now opened to the world. The blessing for Israel is now the blessing that blesses all people.
This moment restores God’s original promise to Abraham. The blessing is no longer guarded by fear. It is released for the sake of the world.
What This Means for Us
We are part of God’s promise. What began with God’s promise to Abraham and the Jews, we have been brought into.
Your calling, and my calling, is to be a blessing to others.
But the world is a scary and uncertain place. This decade has been a crazy one. This year has already begun with pretty crazy things.
When fear and anxiety rises in your life, it’s important to ask this question: What kind of faith is shaping me?
A fear-driven faith turns inward. It focuses on survival, preservation, and control.
The Holy Spirit does not leave you in your inward-looking place.
The Spirit ruptures your life as it is. It shakes things up. It breaks fear. It dismantles old boundaries. It restores you to God’s bigger purpose.
People have lost purpose in this world. It’s all about survival, enjoyment and pleasure. It’s all about money and making money.
The focus has become securing blessing for myself. Not being a source of blessing.
To get our minds away from our fears and anxieties, we turn inward to the endless diversions and entertainment that our devices allow. People have become very inward-looking.
We need to restore our sense of purpose for living. Otherwise, what’s the point of living?
A Call to Prayer and Trust
When the early followers of Jesus were afraid, they prayed. They were inward-looking in fear, but they did not just remain there. They prayed.
And when they prayed, the Holy Spirit came. The Spirit did not remove all danger—but it gave them courage. It did not shrink their lives—but expanded them.
There are many things to fear. Bring your fears to God. Pray for the Holy Spirit.
We need the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will come.
It will overcome your fear. It will open new doors. It will restore purpose in your life. And it will lead you to places beyond your imagination.
Let this be a year of being filled with the Spirit!
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