"This news made all the brothers very glad."
Acts 15:3
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And then we read about other responses to that same work:
Peter's response when God instructs Him to share the good news with non-Jews:
"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him.
Acts 10:14-15 & 28
The early church responds to Peter's preaching to the gentiles with skepticism:
The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them."
Acts 11:1-3
The Jews are scandalized at the idea of God acting on behalf of the Gentiles:
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
Acts 13:44-45 & 50
The Jews respond to Paul sharing his calling:
"Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' "The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!"
Acts 22:21-22
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In general the Jews were jealous and bitter towards the Gospel going out to the Gentiles. Even Christian Jews were turned off at this notion. Peter himself, even when directly commanded by God, found the idea less than desirable. Time and again we see this response, and it is the very thing that lands Paul in prison, and ultimately beheaded in Rome.
It would, however, be a mistake to view this as a Jewish problem...
People just don't like the idea of 'those people' receiving blessing.
I don't either, and if you are anything like me...
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We are admonished in scripture to "consider others better than yourselves."
How do we respond when other people are blessed?
Do we ask, 'what about me?'
Do we think through the reasons they should be disqualified from blessing?
Do we compare ourselves with them?
...are we jealous?
Or does the news make us "very glad?"
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I want my heart to be like that of the Phoenician and Samaritan Churches...
I want to genuinely desire the blessing of other people, and rejoice when they receive it!
...Jesus teach me!
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