Sermon Tone Analysis

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I. Introduction

The Holy Spirit reveals the importance of God’s work through Peter by moving Luke to refer to the events of the ministry in Cornelius’s household three different times in the Book of Acts.

Although the Apostle Paul is often referred to as the Apostle to the Gentiles, Peter received a message from God giving him the instructions of taking the gospel to Cornelius’s family, thus he had the privilege to open the gospel door to the Gentiles.

(Acts 10-11; Through the Bible; Barnes Notes; The Expositors Bible Commentary) Whenever, God starts a new work, a work done differently than what was usually done, the cancer of traditionalism births forth the death of criticism.

A ministry matured in the Holy Spirit defeats that criticism.

It is Christian in that in God’s kingdom there is no Jew or Gentile.

They is no male or female.

There is no black or white.

This story shows us that in God’s kingdom there is no place for discrimination.

\\ In Acts 10, we find the same principles given to us.

I’m not going to read the whole chapter, you can do that this week.

But let me give you some highlights.

A Roman centurion named Cornelius has a dream.

He lives in a town called Caesarea.

This is a town named after Caesar.

Cornelius was probably retired from the military or at least as retired as a centurion could be because you never really retire.

Now often men like Cornelius who commanded hundreds would have a pretty loyal following.

After all when you serve on the front lines with men and survive for many years and proved yourself, you often earn respect and admiration.

So to keep these commanders from marching into Rome and taking command, the Caesar would create towns out on the fringes where these commanders and often their men would “retire.”

They would be too far away to revolt and cause trouble but close enough to be valuable resources if needed.

In verse two it says that he was god-fearing.

This was defined as someone who prayed regularly and gave to the poor.

The Jews even respected him.

But he probably wasn’t an actual Jew.

First of all, he was a Gentile.

But Gentile could go through a complicated process of becoming a Jew although they would never be a full-fledged member.

Besides his military commitments probably prevented him from doing even if he wanted to.

\\ Well, Cornelius has a dream.

He is told to have a man named Peter brought to him so that Cornelius could hear some important news about what God was doing.

Meanwhile Peter has a vision of a all kinds of animal many which are supposed to be unclean and unsuitable to eat under Jewish law.

Yet, God instructs Peter to kill and eat them.

Peter says, “No way!

Never!

It is wrong.”

Perhaps Peter thought it was a test.

But God tells him not to refuse by calling anything impure that God has made clean.

Three times this happens and afterwards Peter is perplexed.

He doesn’t know what this vision means until the men from Cornelius come.

The Spirit tells Peter to go with them.

\\ When Peter arrives and talks to Cornelius he begins to understand his vision.

Peter learns from Cornelius what his vision means.

Peter says in verse 28, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him.

But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.”

The Jewish law has discrimination and this was racial discrimination built into it.

But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.

Thus Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

And then in verses 35 through 35, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

\\ God accepts everyone who does what is right.

Aslan accepts everyone who does what is right.

Reconciliation of the races!

This is where the kernel of the gospel lies.

\\ God’s plan for us is to be one people under God regardless of culture, of language, of skin color, of race, of economic background.

We are to be one in Christ.

\\ Revelation 5:9 shares a vision of what this kingdom looks like in its ultimate fulfillment.

\\ CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK...At People: Unclean to Clean \\ \\ God gives Peter a vision to help him see people like God does.

God can change the way we look...at people!

\\ \\ • How would people describe you in one word?