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Acts 10:1-16 NIV
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa. About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “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.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
Additional Scripture References: Acts 10:17-33, Acts 10:25-29, Acts 10:34-48, Jonah 1:1-3
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? Maybe it was a surprise party, a thoughtful note, or an exciting trip. Whatever comes to mind, the gift was likely an unexpected and undeserved surprise. The same is true about God’s grace. Grace means unmerited favor — we don’t deserve it, and we can’t earn it, but God freely gives it. Grace is not a principle, it’s a person, and His name is Jesus.
God’s favor might come unexpectedly, but His character is consistent
In our own limited perspective, it’s easy to believe that what we see is what we get. The truth is that we never know the full extent of what God is doing. While He’s working on us, He’s also working on the people around us. Acts 10, we learn about Cornelius, a God-fearing centurion in Caesarea. With no context, God instructed him to seek out Peter. Less than 24 hours later, God instructed Peter to meet with Cornelius. Both men stepped out in faith not knowing what God was doing but trusting in His plan. No matter our circumstances, if we continue to walk in obedience, we can trust that God is working out the other side.
Sometimes God gives a promise, other times He gives a path, but rarely does He give us both. Without even realizing it, Cornelius and Peter watched God’s plan unfold step by step, leading to a transformative moment as the Gentiles heard the Gospel, repented, received the Holy Spirit, and got water baptized for the first time. Even when we don’t understand, God sets us up to encounter unexpected favor — it’s usually on the other side of what we perceive as an inconvenience.
It’s always been God’s plan to rescue and redeem us. He doesn’t need our strength, He wants our surrender. No matter how much we veer off course or try to hide from our calling, we can never outrun grace. May we learn to receive grace in its entirety so we can extend it to others.
Take time this week to ask the Lord if there are any areas where you’ve been avoiding a step of faith. Ask the Lord to show you His unexpected grace, then resolve to follow His instruction and take the next step.
If someone in your Crew needs care, we want to come alongside you. Our Care Response Team is designed to equip you to walk with people in different seasons of their life.Our team is committed to celebrating life’s best moments with you and offering support through its hardest ones.We would love to come around you for the following life events:
+ Marriages
+ Births
+ Deaths
+ Hospitalizations/Illness
Please submit a request at vouschurch.com/requestcare
This isn’t just another conference. It’s a holy moment to encounter Jesus, be filled with His presence, and reset your heart around what matters most. Over three days of powerful worship, teaching, and community, you’ll be equipped to lead with clarity and live with boldness.
From curated workshops to next-level add-ons, VOUSCon is designed to meet you where you are and where you lead—whether that’s in your church, your workplace, or the middle of a major life decision. Every session is crafted to grow your faith and strengthen your voice.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
When: Thursday, June 19th - Saturday, June 21st
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
VOUSCon is here! On Wednesday before kicking off VOUSCon 2025 in strength and unity we are going to pray.
Don't miss the moment to join us in prayer. Please RSVP by clicking here for our FREE VOUSCon Prayer Night
When: Wednesday, June 18th
Time: 7:00PM
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Join us on the road to VOUSCon as we embark on a 40-day relay run through the state of Florida. From Jacksonville to Miami, runners from every region are invited to participate in carrying the good news. Our finish line? VOUSCon 2025. Led by a core VOUS team, we’ll link arms with partner churches along the way, spotlighting the body of Christ and championing the local church through weekly outreach initiatives.
Starting Line: Sunday, May 11
Finish Line: Thursday, June 19
Serve Day is happening Saturday, July 12th, and we want to get ALL of our crews involved in loving our city so please sign your crew up for a Serve Day project! To see the projects and sign up, please click here! Please have your form in by Wednesday, July 2nd.
When: Saturday, July 12th
Where: All VOUS Locations
Time: 10:00 AM
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS DD
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 12:00 PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
