You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all – Acts 10:36.

The first and last person everybody should listen to, if they desire life, is God. We can dispute His word, argue it as much as we may, or even deny it outright; but, God remains the Creator of all things, seen and unseen, and the Supreme Authority over everything. Our discomfort or aversion for this fact doesn’t change anything. What God says is the absolute truth and final word on everything. If you are with me on this, then hear what God says in Acts 10:36.

“You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all”.

The message is simple.

The virgin birth of Jesus was the announcement to Israel that their Messiah had come (Lk. 2:8-12). The Manger baby was the Immanuel the prophet Isaiah spoke about (Isa. 7:14).

His birth announced the good news of peace to the world.

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Lk. 2:14).

The peace that was announced is the reconciliation of sinful humans to God, who is holy, by the removal of the sin that has separated human from God (2 Cor. 5:17-19).

Jesus is the only One who could do this, because He was sinless from birth and lived a completely sinless life on earth. He made peace by His substitutionary death on Calvary cross – the shedding of His blood as atonement for the sin of the world (Rm. 3:25; Heb. 2:17). His sacrifice completely satisfied the justice of God and appeased His righteous anger. Through His death, the only way to God is open to everyone who comes to Him by faith. This is eternal life, which is a gift from God (Rm.6:23).

The resurrection of Jesus has sealed the deal between God and the repentant sinner. It is God’s acceptance of the terms of the new covenant in Jesus’ blood, and the assurance of eternal life with God in the hereafter (1 Pt. 1:3).

By his death and resurrection, God has crowned Jesus as Lord of all His creation. As the Bible declares, “Therefore God has exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11).

Now this Good News has been declared to the world by the express command of Jesus to His disciples (Matt. 28:19-20). It is the Good News the angel of God told Cornelius to call Peter to come and proclaim to him (Acts 10:1-43).

“You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all … They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen … by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (36-43).

Despite Cornelius’ devotion to God and his good works – a memorial before God – they couldn’t qualify him for heaven. His righteousness, as well as that of every human being, was as filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6). Cornelius needed a Savior in Christ Jesus. As Jesus has authoritatively declared, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14:6). So, He invites everyone to come to Him and be saved.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved … Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rm. 10:9-10, 13).

 This is the message from God for every soul.

Who then will you listen to? What message will you believe – God’s message or the world’s.

The choice is yours.