Universality

The Acts of the Apostles presents us with the story of the first Christians and how they spread and grew into a church. In one scene from the Acts of the Apostles, we see Paul and Barnabas as they experience rejection by the Jews they were preaching to, which was a sign to them that they were to preach the Good News of Jesus to the non-Jews, the Gentiles.

This was an important moment for the early Church, as the disciples realized that the Word of God and the Spirit of God were intended to be for all people everywhere.

The Gentiles received their teaching with open minds and hearts, and the faith began to spread. God’s flock began to take on new meaning and new dimensions.

This universality of the faith is echoed in the vision of John in the Book of Revelation, where he describes “a great multitude, which no one could count” standing before the throne and the Lamb, who is Jesus. So, Jesus is both the sacrificial lamb and the devoted shepherd for all people.