Who Decides? God Decides.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Good morning greeting
Scripture
Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can more like You, and more made into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much, that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all to often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possible can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.
10 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God. 3 About three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.”
4 Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?”
The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, who was one of those who attended him. 8 After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. 12 In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. 13 A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”
14 “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”
15 Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” 16 This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven. 17 While Peter was deeply perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, right away the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon’s house, stood at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon, who was also named Peter, was lodging there.
19 While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them with no doubts at all, because I have sent them.”
21 Then Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you’re looking for. What is the reason you’re here?”
22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was divinely directed by a holy angel to call you to his house and to hear a message from you.” 23 Peter then invited them in and gave them lodging.
The next day he got up and set out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. 24 The following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.
26 But Peter lifted him up and said, “Stand up. I myself am also a man.” 27 While talking with him, he went in and found a large gathering of people. 28 Peter said to them, “You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner, but God has shown me that I must not call any person impure or unclean. 29 That’s why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So may I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house. Just then a man in dazzling clothing stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered in God’s sight. 32 Therefore send someone to Joppa and invite Simon here, who is also named Peter. He is lodging in Simon the tanner’s house by the sea.’ 33 So I immediately sent for you, and it was good of you to come. So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.” [1]
Context
This week we begin chapter 10 in the book of Acts. The end of this chapter, what this section is building up to and the text we will look at next week is one of the three sermons that Peter gives in the book of Acts. So, go ahead and pre-read that sermon of Peter’s before next week to get ready!
Last week, we shifted our attention from Paul/Saul and back to Peter for a short time. Remember how we have moved into the last division in this book, where first The Gospel of Jesus began in Jerusalem, then it went out to Judea and Samara, and now we are seeing it going to the ends of the earth; this kind of step back the text is taking, serves as a reminder that even though The Gospel is going out to new places that it had never been before, God hasn’t forgotten his children, his people and the ministry and the church in these areas are continuing and strengthen and believers are learning to trust in The Lord all the More. So, just because we won’t be hearing about them for a while, doesn’t mean things aren’t happening and doesn’t mean they aren’t important.
In fact, everyone, every church, every gathering of believers is important in God’s eyes. He loves His children, He loves you child of God. He weeps when you weep and always has something better in mind for you than you what you had imagined or wanted. His love runs deep, but we have to ask ourselves, does our love run deep for Him…. We know it’s supposed to…. But…... Does it really? Does your love Him run so deep, that you will share the Love of God with others (through the gospel) no matter who they are, what they have done, what they have said, what they might do? Brothers and Sisters, we don’t really get a say in that who get’s to receive The Gospel. We don’t. Only God gets to decide who we should we share The Gospel with, and as we will find out, God has Made that decision. It’s everyone, no matter who. So, From the text I want you to see these actions of God while we learn Who Decides? God Decides.
Message
The first action of God is that: God gives a message.
10 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God. 3 About three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.”
4 Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?”
The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, who was one of those who attended him. 8 After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
We begin by being introduced to a Roman army officer, Corenlius. He was a centurion, in the Italian Regiment; meaning that it was very likely that he and the men beneath and above him were Italian. He was a man that feared God and taught his family to do likewise. One day during one of the customary prayer hours, an angel came to him, and left him awestruck. The angel, a messenger from God, told him that his prayers, his worship of God has been heard; it must have been very pleasing to God. God had not forgotten or ignored Cornelious, this much he would have been sure of in this moment. The angel continues, and tells him to send men to find Peter where he was lodging. Cornelious, clearly an excited and anxious worshiper of God did not hesitate, he did not question. He did exactly what he was told to do, sending 3 to go find Peter and explained to them what was going on.
I can safely bet that everyone in this room has been a messenger at some point in your life. This could have been something like your mom having you run outside to tell dad that dinner was done. Or maybe your older sibling told you to run and grab mom because your younger sibling got hurt on the playground. This was someone else’s message, but it was your job to go and give it to someone else so that some sort of action could follow, like dad would come in for dinner or mom would come out to check on your sibling.
Notice something in the text here. God gave Cornelious a message. In fact, when you look through the Bible; almost every text that specifically mentions Angels, shows that they have a message to deliver. In fact, the Hebrew word for Angel also means messenger, so angels are God’s messengers…. Here, God sent a message through His messenger. This in turn, meant that Cornelious had messages to send out. Now at first, this message was given to his soldier and servants, but they in turn where to go and give a message to Peter; that is in this case, come and share The Gospel with us. We in turn, every one of us have been given a message that we are to go and share with others as well. This is The Good news, the best new, no news is Greater news; that God has provided the way for us to be forgiven of our Sin! That Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sin and by accepting His payment and submitting your life to Him you are made pure and Holy before God. So, you, yes you have a message from God, news from God, you in turn as a holder of that news of that message are to GO and share it with others; no matter who you are, no exceptions. God gives a message; remember that because Who Decides? God Decides.
The next action of God is that: God decides who’s clean.
9 The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. 12 In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. 13 A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”
14 “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”
15 Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” 16 This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven. 17 While Peter was deeply perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, right away the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon’s house, stood at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon, who was also named Peter, was lodging there.
19 While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them with no doubts at all, because I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you’re looking for. What is the reason you’re here?” 22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was divinely directed by a holy angel to call you to his house and to hear a message from you.” 23 Peter then invited them in and gave them lodging.
One day after the angel visited Cornelious, Peter goes off to spend time in prayer around noon. It was lunchtime, and Simon the tanner and house were making food, all the while Peter was becoming hungry and fell into a trance. In this trance he saw something. He saw something coming down from the sky. It had all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. Peter then hears a voice, Get up, kill and eat. Peter response with a big, “no, no way!” I have never eaten anything unclean God, and I’m not about stop now, because I’ve know this guy (his name is God, and he made this law that I’m not supposed to eat those things)…. It looks like Peter forgot who he was talking to doesn’t it……. A reply comes, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” Translation, remember how Jesus came and changed everything? This has been changed too, God has made these clean. Don’t pretend or act like they are not clean. This happened three times then it went away. Peter, was perplexed, he had to think on this. Just as this was happening, the men sent from Cornelious arrived and called out for him. The Holy Spirit then tells Peter, go with these men, I have sent them. So, Peter goes, asking why they were here and they answer. Peter welcomes them in and soon they will go on their journey together.
Observe here two sets of cups. As you can see, one is clean; you would be ok to drink out of this cup. The other one is dirty. You could drink out of it, but I wouldn’t drink of it; you might get sick. Now, what God wants you to see, when you look at person is not that they are this dirty one. He wants you to see that each person is like this one (throw away dirty cup).
What do I mean by this? I mean that YOU have to look at yourself. You have to see what kind of prejudice you have against a person, a family, a group of people, or a nation. So, everyone! No matter who they are or what they have done or what they might do and recognize that this person is not beneath you. They are every bit of made in the image of God as you are, and are every bit deserving of your respect, and especially they every bit deserve to have You, yes You share The Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. If you look at any person, and see this dirty cup, someone less important and undeserving, then you are a disobedient disciple and need to repent immediately, just as Peter is doing here. God delights when his children share The Gospel with other, no matter how small or meek the attempt may be; every attempt is a victory that honors your God, that returns your love for him with love right back at Him. So, know this; you don’t get to withhold The Gospel from people, because God decides who’s can receive it and He has said that all may.
The next action of God as we learn that he decides is that: God tells you go.
The next day he got up and set out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. 24 The following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.
26 But Peter lifted him up and said, “Stand up. I myself am also a man.” 27 While talking with him, he went in and found a large gathering of people. 28 Peter said to them, “You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner, but God has shown me that I must not call any person impure or unclean. 29 That’s why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So may I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house. Just then a man in dazzling clothing stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered in God’s sight. 32 Therefore send someone to Joppa and invite Simon here, who is also named Peter. He is lodging in Simon the tanner’s house by the sea.’ 33 So I immediately sent for you, and it was good of you to come. So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.” [2]
Peter and company set out to Caesarea, where Cornelious was expecting him and had called in his friends and family as well. Peter entered, and Cornelius not knowing better, fell down to worship Peter and Peter rightly corrected him, saying that He also was a man and was not worthy of worship; only God is worthy of worship. Peter went in, and addressed the crowd, reminding them that by Jewish custom and law it would was illegal for him to be here in the presence of and in the home of a gentile. Worse yet… one of those Romans who we as a culture hate so much! Peter then shares that this idea; these laws are wrong. God has shown me that no person is impure or unclean, I’m allowed to and supposed to go to all people. This, from what God shown me is why I am here today, because by my old ways and my old self I would never have come; but Jesus has changed me. So…. Why am I here? Cornelious then shares how he was visited by an angel and told to send for Peter to come to us, so.. here we are.
There is a thought, this way of thinking that lives deep in the hearts of many American Christians. It’s a heart that doesn’t understand that God tells us to go out, to go out everywhere, as you go (which means you are to go) we are to share Jesus with others. This wrong thought, that you ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO, OR SHOULD NOT, OR CANNOT, or that only the pastor is supposed to do this is an influence from the devil. It’s often referred to as “Staying in the Holy Huddle (only associating with church folks)” or circling the wagons (like how frontiersman would put their wagons in a protective circle so that no intruder or attacker could come in, which means also no one can go out of the circle).
Beloved, doing this is exactly what God what Jesus what our bible’s tell us what not to do. Look at Jesus (who we are supposed to copy), he went and he ate with sinners, he dined with the lowest of the low, he spent time with them, he loved them, and he taught his disciples to do likewise just as God is teaching Peter now. So, we need to honestly ask ourselves, do I associate with people outside of church and outside of my family? If you don’t then disciple of Jesus you have work to do right now. I know there is bad people out there, I know there is people who are bad influences, but God never once tells us to avoid them, he tells us to share God’s love with them and not do what they do. You hate the sin, not the sinner; of which you are, we all are too. There sin is no worse than that thing you are hiding from everyone, God knows, yet he loves you. What makes you think God can’t love those people as well? God tells you this one thing with regards to His gospel once you accept it, to Go and tell others about it. Because you don’t get to decide who is going to be saved. Instead, you get to be an instrument of God’s mercy and love by sharing Jesus with others. This is a miracle and precious gift in and of itself. From there, Who decides? God Decides.
Conclusion
Beloved. Are you a decider in regards to sharing your faith? No, you are not, and if you are, you are not supposed to be. Stop stealing God’s glory, stop taking from your God. God decides and he showed us these things about his decision. He showed us that God gives a message, the message of The Gospel that his to be shared with others. He showed us that God decides who’s clean. He has decided that all may and should receive The Gospel, but He get’s to decide who will respond and who will ultimately be seen as clean. We don’t get to know that part, but we do know that God tells you go, yes go and share God’s Love, Go and share The Gospel with everyone you can. Because it’s not you who decided; God decides. Don’t let your prejudices or anger or self-righteousness get in the way.
With all of that being said, I would be remised if I didn’t share the Gospel (or the Good News) of Jesus Christ with you today, for the benefit of both believer and non-believer in the room. This begins all the way back at the beginning, God created everything, and he created all things good. He gave His most treasured creation (us, mankind) the ability of free will, the ability to choose Him or rebellion. Man was deceived by Satan and desired to be like God and sinned (or rebelled against God). This brought the curse of sin and death into the world and it remains with us to this day; which separates us from God. God though, loved His creation (mankind) so much that He worked through history to redeem all mankind that would turn to Him from sin so that we can experience a full and perfect relationship with Him again. This was through the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the pay for sins. Accepting this free gift from God, makes you new and forgiven. All you have to do accept this free gift by repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus and you will get to experience the good side of God’s justice forever. So, now that you know this, you can no longer plead ignorance. I invite and urge you to respond today non-believer and apply this to every part of your life believers in the audience today.
With that, Let’s conclude. Brothers and Sisters, I love you all. During our last song together, if you need prayer, or want to talk more about Jesus, or have something you want to talk about, I’ll be here, don’t be afraid to come on down. Let’s pray. Father God, we thank You for who You are and what You are doing to us here in this place. May whatever it is that You are doing in each of heart here, continue as we leave go out into the world this week. Change us, mold us, make us, re-arrange us, that we can be both better lovers of You and better showers of You. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.