Acts 10_23-33 A Promise Kept (3)_Preparing the Soil

Read Acts 10:23-33 – In Mark 4:26, Jesus gives a short, but instructive parable on evangelism: “And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.” So, the farmer plows, plants, and then, he’s helpless. The seed sprouts while he sleeps, and he knows not how. He can plant, but he can’t make it grow. It’s like I Cor 3:6: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” It a huge load off us to know when it comes to sharing Christ, the results are all His. We are helpless to produce the new life that only Christ can give thru the HS.

But we can prepare the soil. The farmer cannot make the seed grow, but it will not grow if soil is not prepared and seed planted. This passage teaches how to prepared the soil. In this case, a lot of work has already been done in Cornelius’ heart before Peter ever arrives on the scene. But having been sent, having arrived, Peter does some interesting things that will help us be better preparers of the soil of people’s hearts – more receptive to the gospel. How can we be better seed-planters?

I. Share the Load

Now Peter had company. 23c) “Some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.” They were 6 in number (Acts 11:12). Peter wanted support as he went to uncharted territory of Gentiles; he wanted witnesses (which became of great importance); and he training others. Ministry is always enhanced when the load can be shared. That’s not always possible. Sharing one-on-one as God opens doors, like Philip with the Ethiopian, is always our call.

But sharing the load when possible is wise. When Jesus sent the 12 on their maiden evangelism tour in Mark 6:7, he sent them “two by two.” Later, when He sent the 72 in Lu 10:1, he sent them “two by two.” Jesus Himself was usually accompanied by the twelve. The first missionary teams were Paul and Barnabas – later Paul and Silas, and others. We’ve seen that when it comes to church leadership, there was always a plurality of elders, never just one.

Sharing the load in ministry has many advantages. It means more than one person is praying for an unsaved person or group. A shared vision may result in finding multiple ways to get the message out. Sharing means that where one is weak, another is strong. When one is discouraged, he or she may be encouraged by others. Sharing in ministry encourages and binds us in love.

This is true in sharing Christ with neighbors. Husband and wife can work together to great effect. Or imagine a couple of friends praying for another friend and searching together for ways to prepare the soil of that heart.

A Belgian workhorses can pull about 8,000 pounds when harnessed. But put 2 together they can pull from 18,000 pounds to over 25,000 pounds. That’s the power of teamwork. It’s true in ministry as well. Sharing gives a beautiful pix of the unity of God. So find someone with whom to share the load.

II. Shun the Limelight

Peter arrives at Cornelius’ house with an impressive resume, having healed a chronic lame man in Lydda and raised Tabitha from the dead at Joppa. So, 25 “When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.” That’s a pretty human reaction, right? This guy has raised a dead person. So to cover his bases, Cornelius fell down and worshiped him.

But Peter will have none of it. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” Peter never took credit that belonged to Jesus. And he had no desire to be worshiped. He gave credit where it belonged – to God alone. He was not a glory hog.. He knew the truth of Isa 48:11: “For my sake, for my own sake, I do it, . . . My glory I will not give to another.” That’s not because God is selfish but bc He deserves all the glory, and it will benefit everyone when He gets it. Peter shuns the limelight. He’s happy to be used by God, but unlike many in our day, he doesn’t seek applause. He’s a happy servant!

God specializes in bringing down proud hearts. Neb, Babylon’s great king, ruled the known world for 40 years between 605 and 565 BC. He was helped by one of the wisest of God servants, Daniel. He built a great empire, so he thought. God thought differently. Jer 27:6: “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him.” To God this great king was just a servant as God also refers to him in Jer 25:9 and 47:10.

But Neb got proud. God warned him thru a dream to repent of his pride but he would not. So, Dan 4:29 “At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty? 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you.” Neb lived like a beast living in the fields for the next 7 years. He took the glory that was God’s.

So, can God trust us with success? Or do we like the acclaim of being up front? Do we love to hear what a great job you are doing? It is a particular temptation for pastors. Power can easily go to our head. Perhaps the greatest evangelist since Paul was Geo Whitefield. As a child he thought he might one day preach, but when the reality began to develop, he said: “I remember once in Gloucester, I know the room, I looked up at the window when I am there; I know the bedside and the floor upon which I have lain prostrate. I have said, Lord, I cannot go; I shall be puffed up with pride and fall into the snare of the devil.” He later preached to thousands upon thousands -- taught Wesley how to preach outside, and God used both powerfully. But when conflict developed between Whitefield’s Calvinist orientation and Wesley’s Arminian, Whitefield said, “We cannot have this division. I will step aside and you take leadership.” He tempered his ambition, glorifying God.

But it’s not just pastors. Any child of God can be infected with pride. We must ask, Can I take it when someone gets the position I want? Am I okay if the decision doesn’t go my way? When you I don’t get proper recognition, can I deal with that? Humility prepares the ground for the gospel. Power plays deny it. We have truth, but we must share and live it humbly. The message is His, not ours. We must get out of the spotlight and get Jesus into it.

Spurgeon, after one of the most successful pastoral ministries in history, left for France for his health concerned he would not return. He whispered to his secretary, “Remember, a plain stone, C.H.S and no more; no fuss.” That attitude reflected his whole life and needs to reflect our as well.

III. Spurn Limitations

Peter learned not to limit God’s reach and so must we. 28 “And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection.” That was an incredible admission in those times.

The Jews considered themselves as God’s chosen people and looked down on the rest of the world. So for a leading Jewish member of this largely Jewish church to approach these Roman citizens on an equal basis was unheard of. “I should not call any person common or unclean”. Peter got the message. He is in saying, “I’ve learned that God’s love extends to all people regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity, financial background, position in life or political persuasion. All equally need God and God is equally available to all.” Peter has learned that prejudice has no place among God’s people.

That doesn’t mean we don’t call people to repentance. We must. But the offer is for everyone, not just some. If someone persists in rejecting Chris, He says Mt 7:6: “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” If someone will not repent, we can’t just say, “That’s okay.” But the gospel is for everyone, no matter how different. If we limit it, we are no better than the Pharisees who thought themselves the only repositories of God’s favor.

In the mid-70’s Fuller Seminary launched the church growth movement aimed at identify factors needed to grow churches. One element was called the principle of homogeneity – meaning successful churches must target people of common background – ethnically, financially and culturally. They used to go interview at Grace Community Church pastored by John MacArthur in Panorama City because it was close by, and starting with 500 people when he came in 1969, for the next several years it doubled in attendance every year.

One day they called and said, “We can’t come to your church anymore because you blow the paradigm of homogeneity. You guys don’t do any of that stuff.” John said, “Well, we’re just preaching the gospel. We have 11 languages (at that time) in five-mile radius. We don’t target anyone; we target everyone. The Word of God is cross-cultural. It goes everywhere.” And it hasn’t stopped. As I was preparing this sermon, Grace Church accepted 100 people into membership – representing 14 different languages. The message is for everyone, Beloved. We cannot be selective. Jesus didn’t die for some; He died for all who will believe and Rev 5:9b says those around the throne of God will one day sing, “For you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” By our witness and by our prayers and by our giving, we can be part of making that happen. There are no limitations to the grace of God.

IV. Seek Leading

A shotgun approach to evangelism seldom works. But lovingly looking for God’s leading makes it personal. Peter showed love by coming against all the natural inclinations that had defined his existence up to this point. And he says: 29) “So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” “I came without reservations, but, by the way, why did you send for me?” Do you see what he’s done? He knows why he is there. But rather than launch immediately into a presentation of the gospel, he asks a question. He begins to pull them out. He wants to know their heart. And if it was a good thing to do with someone who was very prepared, like Cornelius, imagine how important it is for someone who is neutral or even antagonistic!

Cornelius answers by sharing his angelic visit. This shows us how God had reached out to him. In essence he answers, “I sent for you Peter because God first sent for me.” Cornelius wasn’t searching. He wasn’t seeking. He was happy with himself, but God intervenes and says, “Send for Peter.”

This doesn’t mean you have to have a vision to be converted. Every saving event in Acts is different –the Ethiopian finance director, Lydia, the Philippian jailer – all different. But God initiates them all! It says of Lydia in Acts 16:14b: “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” No one responds to the gospel except God opens their heart. So Paul says in Eph 1:4-5: “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” All who come to faith in Christ have been chosen by Him. We must plow the ground, but opening the heart? That’s God’s work.

Anyone who is really converted knows that’s true. That’s very good news, by the way. It means if you’re really on a search, really trying to find God and trying to know God, if you really want him, don’t search with anxiety. Search with confidence. Why? Bc if somebody says, “I’m afraid I’m not going to find him. I’m trying to find him. I’m not sure I’m going to find him.” Look, you’re discouraged bc you’re giving yourself too much credit. You’re not capable of missing God. You’re not capable of aching for God. You’re not capable of longing for God unless He was already helping you. And for those plowing the ground it means, rest easy after you’ve shared the message.

Conc – Plowing the ground happens by prayerful, loving concern for others. J. Vernon McGee shares a great story. As a student in college, he was zealous to share Christ, but had learned to seek the leading the HS. One day he was hitchhiking when a brand-new Model A Ford stopped. The driver was a salesman for drug companies who was headed for Memphis where McGee was going. Said he’d be happy to take him as long as they could make some stops to get orders. McGee began to pray, “Lord, I’d like to witness to this man, but You have to open the door. If I try on my own, he’ll think I’m a religious nut and throw me out.” Nearing Memphis, the man suddenly blurted out, “Wifey and I went to church yesterday.” He laughed, “I don’t go often. But that preacher said the funniest thing. He said Jesus was coming to this earth again. What do you think about that?” Talk about an opening!

McGee says, “I told him, ‘The second coming of Christ means nothing to you now. You’ve got to come to Christ and accept what He did for you the first time He came if you are to have an interest in His second coming.’” The man was wide open to hear the gospel, and when McGee asked, “Wouldn’t you like to accept Christ as Savior?” he said, “I sure would.” That is Spirit-led, lovingly shared planting the seed. It doesn’t always sprout, like that time. But sometimes it does. So let’s keep plowing away. Let’s pray.