"In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:34, 35). These words were written by Luke as he witnessed the encounter of Peter with Cornelius. You might recall that in this event in Acts chapter 10, is the fulfilling of the commandment given by Jesus before his ascension into heaven. He said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8,).
Notice, the emphasis is on “fulfilling.” It is not “fulfilled.” That is, the work of evangelism is a work that shall never end while time continues on. More about this later. But here in the Judean city of Caesarea is a Gentile man who “fears God; a man of prayer and also of great charitable works (10:2). He was also a man lacking in the one thing that would make him truly and finally accepted by God. He did not know the Son of God. He did not know Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. This absence of knowledge, had it continued, would have brought the judgment and wrath of God upon him. You and I can be a fearer of God and do many wonderful works deemed to be righteous and yet that is insufficient to be accepted by God. Acceptance by God means to be declared just or innocent when it comes to the transgression of God’s laws. One’s justification is not found in doing works of righteousness, or even in the fearing of God and praying to him. Justification, as the apostle Paul declared, is by “faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:8). This “faith” has as its object Jesus Christ.
Luke records a vision being given to Cornelius by the Lord in which this voice from heaven said, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4). What a wonderful and encouraging thought this is that shows, not only the compassion of God, but also his purpose to bring salvation to one of his own. With these words from this voice from heaven, events are set on their course for Peter to come and to preach the gospel to Cornelius and to all his household. And through Peter’s preaching and the ministry of the Holy Spirit (See 10:44), salvation came to Cornelius and to all in his household who believed in Jesus and his work of redemption accomplished on the cross of Calvary and his resurrection from the grave.
The rest of the book of Acts is the written history of how the gospel goes forth to the nations, fulfilling the commandment given by Jesus before his ascension into heaven. Now taking up the previous thought of fulfilling verses fulfilled, the work of making disciples is never completed on this side of glory. This great work continues in our homes and in our churches today. It continues in our communities and also in places beyond the borders of our cities, states, and even country.
The folks at Lanes Church were reminded of this in a very wonderful and experiential way when two pastors from the Ukraine visited with them recently. Pastors Oleksandr Yvalov and Sergei Datsko were in the States visiting with ministries who have supported their work over the past years. Pastor Sergei is supported by Discipling Ministries International (DMI). Those, among our churches, who have traveled to the Ukraine and seen firsthand the work of these two brothers have rejoiced in God using them to bring the gospel to those whom he has prepared to hear its glorious message of salvation. Both of these brothers, since the Russian invasion in February of 2022, have put their lives in danger to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of people who have been impacted by this war. Both Sergei and Oleksandr live in the Kharkiv region. This region in the Ukraine is under constant attack by the Russians. Pastor Sergei had a missile to come through the ceiling of his home in Kharkiv. The missile failed to explode. Under these daily threats, they are doing a tremendous work and we at DMI are blessed to know these men and to try to support them in their work.
Brothers and Sisters, we serve a great God, a Sovereign God who is pleased to “work in us both to will and to do for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). And it pleases God to work in us to continue the work of Peter, the other apostles, and untold numbers throughout history in our “being witnesses of Jesus” both near and far away. We, at DMI, are so grateful to those who have supported this ministry to the Ukraine that began in 1993. While most have not participated personally by traveling and ministering there, yet you have been a participant working hand in hand with those who have traveled there. Together we have been laborers working together to continue fulfilling the work God has given us to accomplish. This door of ministry to the Ukraine has remained opened to us by the grace and mercy of God. In spite of this war going on, God still has a work for us to do there, and it is my prayer that you would continue to support this ministry in the days to come.