Infinite Worth of Man

One of the strangest phenomenon's I have come across in my Christian walk is that of Christians who claim to believe the Bible, and claim to be saved, yet they horde their salvation. Do you know what I mean?
Suddenly they become elevated and those who really need to know Christ become lower.

"There's no way he could ever know the Lord."
"He needs Jesus" but this one isn't followed up with a clear gospel presentation.

Christians start looking for excuses to somehow say that someone is not worthy of a saving relationship with Jesus Christ - And the people who really need Jesus more than anything are pushed further away.
Why does this happen - maybe social, political, economic, racial differences run deeper than we thought.
Every one needs Jesus Christ - you are an example of that - you all needed Him and need Him right? So why would our actions say something different - why would our actions shout - "I won't love you and neither will God!"
If that's the case with your attitude or actions then you are in good company because the early believers suffered from the same humanity.
But what they learned is what we need to learn. There is no one outside of God's reach and there is no one that God doesn't want to love intimately.
Peter was a man who struggled constantly - he was zealous then a coward. He was a Gentile-supporter then a hardened Jew. This guy ran the gambit.
The early ministry of Paul speaks of the various debates these two men had about this very topic - does God want to save everyone?
But tonight I want us to look at the experience that brought him to the realization that man, all man, is of infinite worth in the eyes of God.
Acts 10:34-48
Context: Peter has been up on his roof praying when God showed him that all foods were clean, in other words, don't worry about the food laws, they don't make you righteous. Then he was visited and asked to come to Cornelius' house

Cornelius was a gentile, a Roman Centurion. This would have made him not a God-lover, but rather a God-hater, but we read that he was in fact a God-fearer. This was that group of Gentile "seekers".
Peter is led by the Holy Spirit and sees something incredible vv. 27-29. "no man is impure or unclean"

Now look at what happens to Peter. He is taken out of his comfort zone and taken to a person that he would have no reason even being in the same vicinity as, and he leads him to Christ.

How far out of the way are you willing to go for God?"
It took Peter coming to the end of his own power and understanding and coming to a place of complete submission and trust to be effective in this endeavor. That's where we need to be.

But look at what happens, two great things. First - this person who normally would be persecuting the Christians becomes one. But second, Peter is ministered to in the process. God shows Peter something amazing about Himself.
vv. 34-48
God does not show favoritism
Peter's confession of Christ - He is Lord of all.
v. 45 - a new door is opened for
v. 47 - Peter's revelation.
wrap it up: God wants us today to witness to people that we may think don't deserve it. That means coming to the end of our own power and understanding and stepping out of our comfort zone to achieve what God wants to achieve through us. The we will realize the infinite worth of all man in the eyes of God.