Reality #4

Experiencing God Reality #4

God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.

Acts 10:1-16

I. Introduction

A. Tell the story

II. God speaks to reveal His will

A. Explanation

1. God has a complete plan that includes Cornelius, Peter, and many more who will follow from their leadership

a. His plan is very specific in this case – Cornelius must send for Peter, Peter must be able to accept the invitation, and Peter must go meet Cornelius to share how he can be saved

b. God has already been working on both

i. Cornelius – a God-fearer while being a member of the Italian Cohort – a man of authority and influence

ii. Peter – Was staying with Simon the tanner. An orthodox would not generally stay with a tanner as they worked with dead animals and hides. This would have made them unclean and yet He has already brought Peter to the point of doing this

c. He was bringing the two together

2. This act will result in the salvation of Cornelius and the growth of Peter

3. God speaks to both men through visions to enact His plan – In both cases, it is a very specific plan to bring the two together

B. Application

1. God is still doing His work of redemption in the world and He works through his people

2. He still speaks to reveal His will to us

a. Through His Word, through prayer, through circumstances, and through the church

3. Apart from His guidance, we are oblivious to His plan. We must listen to His voice so that we know His plan.

III. God speaks to overcome our will

A. Explanation

1. For Peter, this was a hard ask. Peter had always been a devout Jew and followed the law

2. The vision would have been utterly gross for a Jew – All of the animals including clean and unclean, followed by the words “kill and eat”

3. The idea of eating unclean animals would have been repugnant culturally as well as morally. They didn’t eat that food generally, but with his understanding of the law it would have seemed wrong

4. Of course, the underlying idea is that Peter would also have called Cornelius unclean – Peter would not have been found going into Cornelius’ house and he certainly would not have been friends with Him

5. Yet, God is breaking down these barriers to see the gospel spread throughout the world

6. God must get through Peter’s will to enact His own will.

7. Thus, God says to Peter, What God has made clean, do not call common.”

8. It was God’s desire to make Cornelius clean and Peter was not to see him as common

B. Application

1. What walls would God have to break down in our hearts to get us to follow him?

2. The different identities in our culture are what tend to divide us: political, sexual, racial

3. Would we cross these lines to fulfill God’s will?

4. Would we be willing to set our will aside to seek God’s will

IV. God speaks to save

A. Explanation

1. Cornelius was a god-fearing man, but he did not know the way of salvation through Jesus

2. God speaks to Cornelius to send for Peter because Peter holds the plan of salvation

3. Peter would never have given the plan of salvation to a Gentile and therefore God speaks to him to explain the importance of accepting all that the Lord is accepting of

4. God is speaking to save Cornelius and to spread the gospel through Him

B. Application

1. Who has God told you to share with

2. He has spoken in His Word on the subject – Matthew 28:18-20

3. He has placed people in your life and in the circumstances surrounding you and them for you to share your faith

4. Are you willing to obey Him?

V. God speaks to build our faith

A. Explanation

1. Can you imagine just how awkward it must have been to listen to the Lord and send men to look for Peter?

2. It must have been equally as awkward for Peter to go and stay with Gentile

3. But, in both cases, God is found to be faithful

a. Peter is right where the Spirit told him he would be

b. Peter sees God working in people he never imagined – the Gentiles

4. God is speaking and working. His people need only listen and be faithful

B. Application

1. Ziplining – The first step is always the hardest. Once you take that step you find that the line is strong enough to hold you and you relax and enjoy the ride

2. In the same way, we must step out in faith when the Lord speaks. When we do we will find him to be faithful and we will trust Him more.

VI. Conclusion

Ham Flavored Ice Cream Debuts in New Jersey

A dairy farm and creamery is turning heads and furrowing brows with the release of a summer-only flavor that recalls a favorite New Jersey delicacy—pork rolls.

Windy Brow Farms announced in April their newest flavor of ice cream: Taylor Ham, which contains flecks of French toast to go along with the actual ham. As part of their social media campaign, they responded to several users who asked why it wasn't simply called "pork roll" flavor, a query to which they responded, "It doesn't market very well."

The family-owned farm originally opened in the late nineteenth century as a fruit farm but later switched to dairy after a devastating fire in 1940. The current ownership duo, Jim and Linda Hunt, have been the proprietors since 2000, and their son Jake opened the creamery in 2013.

The flavor's release is part of the creamery's fifth anniversary, and part of an attempt to find flavors that represented New Jersey's unique culinary scene. Taylor Ham joins other flavors with farm-fresh ingredients like Baked Apple & Goat Cheese, Maple Bacon, and Roasted Pumpkin.

Potential Preaching Angle: What's unclean to you is clean to someone else, don't let your cultural background prevent you from enjoying God's creation

Source:

Joshua Jongsma, "Taylor ham ice cream brings distinctly New Jersey flavor to Sussex County farm," NorthJersey.com (05-01-18)