Peter Preaches the Gospel to the Gentiles

Introduction

The Book of Acts is an historical account of the founding and expansion of the Christian Church. The Old Testament faith and writings of the Hebrew people served as the foundation for the new Christian faith.

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Acts 1-7 - Jerusalem

Acts 8-12 - Judea and Samaria

Acts 13-18 - The ends of the World (Paul’s missionary trips)

Acts 7 - Stephen defends his faith

Acts 8 - Church was persecuted and scattered throughout; went everywhere preaching the Word; Philip preaches the Word to the Ethiopian

Acts 9 - Paul (Saul) is converted on the road to Damascus; preached Christ in the synagogues

Acts 10 - Roman Centurion, Cornelius, devout man who feared God. He was a God-fearer (A gentile who was attracted to the moral and ethical standards of Judaism and even attended synagogue to listen to the teachings of the Old Testament).

Caesarea-headquarters of the Roman governor (Pontius Pilate)

Verse 3 - In a vision, an angel appeared to him and told him to send for Peter. Sent two of his servants to Joppa (about 35 miles away) .

Verses 9-13 - While on their way Peter was praying on the housetop, Peter had a vision. Three times a sheet filled with animals that Jews were forbidden to eat was lowered from Heaven (Jewish dietary laws, Leviticus 11)

Each time, a voice commanded Peter to “kill and eat”.

Verse 14 - Each time, Peter protest against the command, NO LORD. I have never eaten anything unclean.

Interesting that he was still faithful to Jewish law

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I/WE SAID NO LORD! OH LORD HELP US! WE’RE NO BETTER THAN JESUS!

Verse 15 - Each time Peter was told, Do not call anything unclean that God has made clean.

NOT JUST ABOUT UNCLEAN OR DESECRATED FOOD. GOD HAS THE POWER TO MAKE SOMETHING/SOMEONE/ANYONE CLEAN! GOD HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM.

SIN, STRONGHOLD, ALCOHOL, DRUGS, INFIDELITY

DO YOU NEED GOD TO MAKE YOU CLEAN? TO TRANSFORM YOU?

Verses 17-23 - While Peter is trying to understand what happened, the centurion’s servants tell Peter that centurion was told in a vision to send for him.

Verse 23 - They stayed overnight (invited them in) and they left the next morning. He took some Jewish brethren with him.

THIS WAS CRAZY!! AGAINST EVERY CUSTOM OF THE DAY!!

Verses 24-33 - Peter arrives at centurion’s home, the centurion tries to worship Peter but Peter tells him “Stand up, I myself am also a man.”

Peter then reminds everyone that is was unlawful for a Jewish man to keep company or go to one from another country. HE WENT IN THE HOUSE!

Verse 28 - “But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

PETER WAS OBEDIENT!

Verses 30-33 - Centurion explains his vision and why he sent for Peter and concludes with this statement, “Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

Peter’s Message to Cornelius’ Household

Verses 34-43 - Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY. But in every nation WHOEVER FEARS HIM and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ —HE IS LORD OF ALL — that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout Judea, and began in Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, who they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. AND HE COMMANDED US TO PREACH TO THE PEOPLE, AND TO TESTIFY THAT IT IS HE WHO WAS ORDAINED BY GOD TO BE JUDGE OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. TO HIM ALL THE PROPHETS WITNESS THAT, THROUGH HIS NAME, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS.

LORD OF ALL — COLOR, ECONOMIC STATUS, ETHNICITY, PAST RELIGIOUS BELIEFS —

IT’S ABOUT YOUR HEART, BELIEVE HIM TO BE YOUR SAVIOR, REPENTANCE, LORDSHIP, OBEDIENCE.

DIED FOR MY SINS

ROSE FROM THE DEAD

ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN

POURED OUT THE HOLY SPIRT

DO YOU BELIEVE IN HIM, DO YOU KNOW HIM?

WHY AM I ASKING YOU? BECAUSE HE COMMANDED US TO PREACH...

WE ARE GOING TO BE JUDGED...

THE HOLY SPIRIT FALLS ON THE GENTILES

Verse 44 - While Peter spoke the Holy Spirit fell upon the gentiles!

Verse 45 - The Jews (those of the circumcision) WERE ASTONISHED, the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles

The gentiles began to speak in tongues AND MAGNIFY GOD (TO BELIEVE HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS/TO PRAISE OR RENDER HONOR TO GOD) just like the Jewish Christians had back on the Day of Pentecost (NO DISTINCTION)

PETER DEFENDS GOD’S GRACE

Until this time, Christianity was a sub-category of Judaism, but now door is open to Gentiles.

CHAPTER 11 - Peter had to “contend” (argue, fight, confront, dispute) with the Jewish Christians.

Peter explains the whole story (the Vision of the unclean animals, God telling him it was ok to eat them, because what God has cleansed you must not call unclean, trip to Caesarea, who was I to question God

Verse 18 - THEN GOD HAS ALSO GRANTED TO THE GENTILES REPENTENCE UNTO LIFE

COME TO THE LORD!

THE INVITATION IS WIDE OPEN TO ALL!

COME AS YOU ARE! DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU CLEAN UP YOUR ACT. WE’RE ALL SINNERS, WE NEED GOD!

BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS AND YOU WILL BE SAVED!

JOHN 1:12 — BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME...