Acts Message 24

The God wants our church to grow

Acts 10:1–16 NKJV

1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Intro: Does God want our church to grow? There is no doubt about it.

Gods words tells us He wants our church to grow.

1 Timothy 2:3–4 NKJV

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Yes God wants our church to grow

But how?

Example 1st Baptist Starke.

Lady I met one day. You need to come join our church.

The number 1 best way to start a church is seeing people saved.

Remember no one is saved without Jesus.

Salvation through Jesus is the only way to salvation. VS 1-2

Acts 10:1–2 NKJV

1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

If there was a way to be saved saved without faith in Jesus Christ, it would be someone like Cornelius.

Look at his life.

He was a good man.

He was a generous man.

He was a religious man

He was a praying man.

But Cornelius still needed to be saved.

There a lot of Cornelius’s in church’s today.

No one is good enough to go to Heaven no matter how good they are.

The nicest people you have ever known will spend eternity in hell, if they do not, by faith, repent of their sin, and give their life to Jesus.

It is a sad reality that people are hopelessly lost without Jesus. People we know and love.

People we've never met. People who have never heard the good news are hopelessly lost without Jesus.

Some church people want to think that somehow those other people will be okay.

But the Bible is very clear on this matter.

We are told to GO. We are to share Jesus, to have gospel conversation with people.

Jesus didn’t tell His disciples to “everything that I taught you, everything that you have see, just keep it to yourselves”

Do tell people that I am the way, the truth and the life.

No He said GO.

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

What did Jesus tell Nicodemus?

You must be a good person.

No, you must be born again.

*We must believe in Jesus to be saved. We must receive Him as our personal Lord and Savior. We must be born again by believing in Jesus Christ.

God wants our church to grow.

God seeks those who need to be saved. VS 3-8

Luke 19:10 NKJV

10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Acts 10:3–8 (NKJV)

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.

6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”

7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.

8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

What you willing to do to see someone saved?

Are you willing to go to jail?

Are you willing to lose your job?

Are you willing to have people hate you?

Are you willing to be laughed at?

Look what God does.

Acts 10:3 NKJV

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

Around 3 pm God sends and angel to Cornelius. Elab on him seeing the angel.

Acts 10:4 (NKJV)

4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

Amplified Bible (Chapter 10)

gazing intently at him

There is fear, but look at his response “What is it Lord?”

The angel knew His name, and knew the things he had done.

“Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

God knew his heart. Elab

But, without Jesus there is no salvation.

Acts 4:12 NKJV

12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

God wants all people to be saved.

Cornelius needed to be saved, but he didn’t have a relationship with Jesus. God had a plan.

God had a plan for you to be saved.

He has a plan for others to be saved. He will use you to accomplish, Are you willing?

Acts 10:5–6 NKJV

5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”

The angel did not tell him what to do.

Sharing to gospel is for followers of Jesus to do.

God had a man who would tell Cornelius all about Jesus.

Acts 10:7–8 NKJV

7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

He picks two servants and a soldier, tells them the plan and sends them on their way.

God will send you. Not talking about a mission trip, but to your friends, family, co-worker, neighbor.

Have you prayed for a lost family member or friend who lives some where else?

Somebody is praying for someone you will come in contact with.

God where ever, to who ever God sends you to.

God wants our church to grow

He will show you what to do, VS 9-16

God may have us to something (as church, or just you) that may seem different, something we or you have never done.

Something that is uncomfortable)

Acts 10:9–16 NKJV

9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

READ EACH VERSE AND ELAB

Acts 10:9–10 NKJV

9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance

Peter was a praying man. If you want to know what God want you to do, pray.

Peter is hungry, thinking about eating some fish.

During Peters pray he is going to see something awesome.

Acts 10:11–13 (NKJV)

11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.

12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

Elab on these verses.

Peter is seeing all kinds of animals that the Jews did not eat. Unclean.

God tells Peter kill and eat.

Kill it and grill it.

What was the purpose behind this vision?

God wanted to show Peter a few things.

God had somethings He wanted Peter to do.

God will have you do things you may not want to do.

God may have you do things that are our of your comfort zone.

Peter. The one who had no problem speaking his mind.

Acts 10:14–16 NKJV

14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Not so Lord.

Amplified Bible (Chapter 10)

No, by no means

Peter was not going to eat anything common (unholy) unclean. Elab on this

READ VS 15

What was God telling Peter.

God can clean up anything or anyone. So far Peter had been evangelizing the Jews. Now he is sending him to a Gentile.

Salvation is for every race and tongue and nation. Aren't you glad? If it was just for the Jews, there would be no hope for you and me. Part of God's salvation vision was about race. But the biggest part was about grace.

Salvation is for all people. It doesn’t matter have bad someones sin is (how unclean) their sin is, God will clean them up.

God is great at cleaning up messes.

If Peter was going to evangelize to the Gentiles, he would be invited into their homes to eat. Elab

For our church, God has a plan. SR Adults. (Greg)

SR Adult VBS

Acts 10:17–23 (NKJV)

17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate.

Divine appointments.

18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.

19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.

20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

Peter was uneasy about this vision, the Lord gives him peace.

21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”

22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”

23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Yes God wants our church to grow? He may use people and ways that may seem strange.

Do you want our church to grow? You must be willing to get on broad.

We have to willing to reach who ever God leads us to.

You have to be willing to share Jesus with anyone Gods directs you to.