Multi-cultural...
Mutli-racial...
Multi-socio-economic...
It is all there!
Acts 13 caught me this morning.
Barnabas: A Greek man
Simeon: North African (a black Jew)
Lucias: North African (Greek, Jew/ Phoenician culture)
Manean: possibly mixed, Jewish or Edomite/Arab; Idumaean.This isn't stated, but it is implied by what is stated.
John Mark: Roman/Jew.
Okay, this is what hit me hard this morning.
"Another was Manean. He grew up with Herod, the ruler of Galilee." (Acts 13:1).
His race or nation were not mentioned. It was who and how he grew up. He grew up with Herod Antipas! You know, the one who beheaded John the Baptist and executed Jesus.
Manean was one brave dude!
Herod knew him well. Manean was raised in the royal court yard with Herod! Now, he is praying with Barnabas and Saul (Paul) as a prophet and teacher. Now Manean is enjoying the movement of the Holy Spirit as He sends out Barnabas and Saul to teach the very things that caused Herod to kill John and Jesus (Acts 13:1).
Truly, when you get it. The good news of Jesus breaks down all the barriers.
Multi... becomes a part of your being. Why? Because our God is a God of inclusion!
Your nation or station mean nothing to the Creator of all things.
I have sat in rooms with tribes that included both the royal and the poor, but what blew my mind the most. They would not have sat together before, but for Christ. Because of Jesus they joined together letting go of their race, station, and tradition. Why? Because of their common faith that God sent His Son for all of man kind.
Our God is a God of multi-surprises for sure!
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