God’s Grace To Gentiles. (Acts10)

Introduction/Recap

So we pick back up in Acts chapter 10. Last week we got to look at Peter healing Aeneas at Lydda from being paralyzed, to then raising Tabitha from the dead in Joppa. God is moving in supernatural ways in these early believers. Acts 5:12 “Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles.” They have been given power from God through the Holy Spirit. Remember back in chapter one what their call was. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. The word Witness. Greek its Martus which is where we get the word Martyr. It would have been used in a court setting meaning to testify. So God called these guys to be living testimonies and equipped them for that very task. They need a twelfth person so they raise up Mathias in place of Judas who has hung himself. Of course it was chapter 2 when God poured out the Holy Spirit onto all these believers at Pentecost. With the Holy Spirit came prophesy and all sorts of amazing God given gifts. In Acts chapter 3 we see Peter and John heal a lame man at Solomon's Portico and proceed to give a sermon. People are amazed at these men and their works. Chapter 4 we see John and Peter getting arrested and put on trial for this healing and sermon. They stand in front of the Sanhedrin and confound them. “13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” They left them astonished. 21 “And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened." So they were threatened them telling them to stop speaking in this name again and they walk off praising God for what happened. What a testimony to these men and their faith and boldness. e also know that they had everything in common. They were helping those in need. We see Barnabas give the proceeds of the land and lay it at the Apostles feet. Acts chapter 5 we see the first problems beginning to arise with Ananias and Sapphira. They sell their property keeping some money from the sales and tell the apostles that they gave it all. It was not about them not giving it all, it was about them giving the wrong impression. We see God strike them down. Then later on in the chapter we see the Apostles once again preaching healing and teaching in the temple at Solomon's Portico when the High Priest arrested these men throwing them in prison overnight so that way they could put them on trial the next morning. We see an angel free them and command them to go back to the temple and continue to speak the words of this life. That is Jesus’s life death and Resurrection. These men have the boldness from God to do the very same thing they just got thrown in prison for. We get introduced to some of the Sanhedrin. As Peter stands up and gives a sermon he would say in verse 29 “We must obey God rather then man.” They want to kill these men but a man by the name of Gamaliel speaks up. The Apostles get beat but they leave like this. “41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” Amazing amazing testimony. Then its in chapter 6 that we see the Apostles really institute the first Deacons. People to be in charge of the daily distribution. So they could devote themselves to teaching and the word. We get introduced to the 7 members. We specifically learn more about Stephen over the next 2 chapters. Phillip we also looked at quite a bit. Stephen will debate the synagogue of the freedmen. Men like Saul of Tarsus. 10 “But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.” Stephen leaves them angry. They have false witnesses claim Stephen is blaspheming against God and Moses. They end up putting Stephen on trial where he preaches the longest recorded sermon in the book of Acts. One of the greatest history lessons of all time. It ends up with Stephen seeing into Heaven and seeing Jesus who these men crucified sitting at the right hand of God. They stone Stephen to death at the hands of a man Saul. As Stephen is dying he says two things. Lord Jesus receive my spirit, and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” The first Martyr. Then we learn that this man Saul was ravaging the church committing men and women to prison or killing them. The Christians scatter flee for their lives and we pick back up with Phillip another one of the 7 “Deacons.” Phillip was faithful with where God had him and was doing signs and wonders and preaching the Gospel in Samaria. We saw a sorcerer named Simon who pretended to be a Christian to gain back his fame and popularity. Then we see in the midst of the great work God is doing through Phillip in Samaria God sends Phillip away to a desert road. There we learnt about the Ethiopian Eunuch. God begins spreading the Gospel down to the horn of Africa no doubt through this situation. Phillip was remaining faithful after that in Caesarea. Maybe not getting credit in the same way a man like Paul would for his works, but living for Christ and remaining faithful where God had him nonetheless. Then we pick back up in Acts 9 with Saul of Tarsus where we see his conversion. God changes even the most broken of people. Aren’t we glad about what 1st Corinthians 1:27 tells us? “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;” What amazing news for us today. That God doesn't use the wise to shame the wise, but the broken. Like you and I. Chuck Swindoll says it this way.

885 God is a Specialist at making something useful and beautiful out of something broken and confused.

Chuck Swindoll

We get to see Saul over the course of chapter 9 be transformed. From a persecutor to the persecuted. Two separate plots on his life. Then we left off last week with the healing of Aeneas and the revival Dorcas through Peter. Now we pick up in chapter 10.

Verses 1-8

English Standard Version (Chapter 10)

1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,

2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”

4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter.

6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him,

8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius. He was a centurion.

A centurion was a soldier in Herod Antipas’s army who commanded about one hundred men. As a mercenary, he might serve as a tax soldier or a policeman. Only Luke notes that he is a Gentile; but he is not a Roman, since the Romans did not enter such military roles until a.d. 44.

Darrell L. Bock

Centurions would have been wealthy as well as influential. These men were the best of the best at what they did. He served over 100 men so like a Captain today. The Italian cohort. A cohort consisted of 600 men under 6 centurions. In the case of Judea being remote their might have been more like 1000 men and 10 centurions. Centurions were paid about 5 times more then the men under his command. We find out this is a devout man who feared God. We looked at this back in Chapter 8 with the Ethiopian Eunuch. A God fearing Gentile would be someone who believed in God but has not converted. Those Gentiles who convert to Judaism would be known as proselytes. Proselytes would need to get circumcised and fully live a Jewish lifestyle. God fearers have not done that part. We find out about this man Cornelius that he was generous and prayed continually to God. I for one can struggle especially with continual prayer. It can be way to easy for distractions to get in the way of that prayer time. I know some people who are prayer warriors. I pray that I would be more like them. But we see this man who doesn't even have the Holy Spirit inside of him yet, but here he is praying continually. How much more should we brothers and sisters today, filled with the Holy Spirit, be commited to continual prayer? And generosity. Tom Wright says it this way.

In the normal and healthy Christian life, everything proceeds from God’s generosity, and everything returns to God in thanksgiving (verse 12; compare 1:11 and 4:15). Grace, generosity and gratitude: these are not optional extras of Christian living, but are the very heart of it all.

bio.ntwright

We saw the generosity of Tabitha last week. What a testimony and example. About the ninth hour so 3 PM he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him. If we are keeping track this is now the 3rd time we have seen an angel in the book of Acts. We saw some in chapter one after Jesus’s ascension. We saw one free the Apostles from prison back in chapter 5. An interesting thing is we see Cornelius’s reaction is terror. Everyone likes to picture angels as cute little babies wearing diapers with wings and a halo. When in all seriousness in order for something to strike fear and have most people who saw them face plant on the ground they must be somewhat terrifying. Also it must be pretty telling that they have something to do with God and this man Cornelius’s prayers. Because he says “what is it Lord?” The word for Lord he uses is Kupios which is in Greek, Lord God. God then responds saying “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” His prayers and alms. Cornelius’s prayers have reached God in some way. Chuck Smith says it this way. “Though prayer doesn't change God's mind or God's purposes, prayer does change something- It changes us.” And clearly this man has been changed by his prayer. Also his alms as in his giving spirit are known to God. And are why God chose to bring the gospel to this man. Now God gives him some instructions. Verse 5. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” So God gives him a task. This task is go get Peter from Joppa. We know Simon Peter is staying at Simon the tanners house in Joppa where Peter is doing all sorts of amazing signs and wonders through the power of the Spirit. Interestingly this man Simon would be considered unclean. His job as a tanner would mean touching dead animals and other “unclean substances.” So it is interesting that Peter chose to stay with him. And chapter 9 told us he stayed with Simon for many days. I find this very interesting. It seems Peter has already come a long way from hardcore Judaism. But as we are about to find out he still has a ways to go. I think the really important part is that Cornelius immediately sends some of his best people to go get Peter. No questions asked and immediately. When God calls us to something that’s the way it should always be. We must obey God rather then man. That includes ourselves. We must obey God’s commands and what he is calling us to no matter what we want or how we feel. We are called to sacrifice as Christians. Pick up our cross and follow our savior. He always knows whats best for us and Cornelius is a great example of what this looks like.

Verses 9-16

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. So we pick up with Peter. He is on the roof at Simon The Tanner’s house. Most likely praying and fasting. We know that he grows hungry while he is praying. The people at the house begin preparing a meal for him and as they are cooking it Peter falls into a trance. He saw something like a great sheet descending. Here we see one of the most interesting words used in the Bible. Like. Hos in Greek. We see this word used primarily in Revelation. 62 times in fact. This is the word that John uses when he is trying to explain a concept that he cannot wrap his mind around. My favorite use of this is in Revelation chapter 9. And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 9 they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. What a wild description. Again John is seeing something he has no way to explain. This passage is so wild. We see the word hos 8 times in this short 11 verses. This is talking about a time when a Demon swarm overtakes the earth causing agonizing pain. So bad that verse 6 tells us that people will seek death but can’t find it. Absolutely crazy. The description of these demons is even crazier. It starts LIKE a cloud of smoke. Then locusts came from the smoke with power LIKE scorpions. The torment was like like that of a scorpion when it stings someone. In appearance they were LIKE horses prepared for battle. On their heads were what looked LIKE crowns of gold. Their faces LIKE human faces and hair LIKE a women’s hair, their teeth LIKE lions teeth. They had breastplates LIKE breastplates of iron. And the noise of their wings was LIKE the noise of many chariots. John is trying to explain a concept he has really no was to describe. We see this often with prophets when they cannot quite explain a concept. Jesus’s himself had to use this word here and there. For example. Matthew 13:43 “Then the righteous will shine LIKE the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” So all that to say Luke is explaining a concept that is really hard to explain. You can imagine Peter trying to explain what he saw. It was LIKE a great sheet descending being let down by its 4 corners upon the earth. What this is showing is the gospel spreading to the ends of the earth. In order for that to happen though God needed Peter to be willing to dine and spend time with the considered unclean Gentiles. That’s why we see the rest of the trance. We see animals of all kinds, reptiles, and birds. Rise Peter kill and eat. Peter responds by no means! I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. The laws forbidding eating unclean things is what said the Israelites and Judaism apart from every other nation and time. Romans 11:25 “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” God has now turned away from Israel for the time being. And in order to bring the gospel to the Gentiles the Jews need to put the old law behind. Its hard to be in community with these restrictions. That is what God is trying to teach Peter through this. We find ourselves in the new testament covenant instead of the being held to the same covenant as the old testament. We see this scene happen 3 times. Peter responds the same way each time. We see this man Peter not get stuff on the first time. For example he denied Christ 3 times. Jesus asks Peter is he loves him 3 times and to feed his sheep. We see something very similar here. We pick back up in verse 17

Verses 17-29

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 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. I ask then why you sent for me.”

So Peter is no perplexed at what this meant. Fortunately he didn't have to wait long to get his answer. The men that Cornelius had sent, made it to Simon The Tanners house. They are standing at the gate and ask if Simon Peter is there. God’s timing is an amazing thing. It’s always perfect. If they showed up any sooner Peter would not have had this vision and would not have gone with these gentile men. But God prepared Peter’s heart for this new task. Peter is pondering the vision when the Spirit tells him that men are waiting for him and to go with them. Notice the word without hesitation. Peter is to listen to God’s command and go with them without hesitating. This word is διακρίνομαι in the Greek. Meaning to hesitate. There is no room for hesitating. We see the same when Cornelius sends these men. They just go. No questions asked or hesitation. They go where God is sending them. That’s the call on all of us is it not?

Those who come to Christ by faith are acknowledging that they have placed themselves entirely and without reserve under his authority to carry out without hesitation whatever he may choose for them to do. There is no such thing as salvation apart from lordship.

Robert H. Mounce

So Peter goes down and says ‘I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” Peter learns for the first time about this man Cornelius. He is a centurion which we already looked at but here we get told he is an upright and God fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation. That last part is what surprises me the most. Most Roman’s were not well spoken of by the Jews. Most Jews hated that Rome was over them. So this speaks to Cornelius’s heart even before he is converted. We already saw what it meant to be a God-fearer. In these men’s words Cornelius was directed by a holy angel to send for Peter to come to his house and hear what he has to say. Here is where I think it starts to hit Peter what God is doing and the vision probably makes much more sense now. Like oh that’s what God meant by this! I am supposed to go into a Gentiles house. God is making them clean! That’s exactly what we are seeing. The previously considered unclean are now able to be made clean because of what Jesus did on the cross. No more are they to be avoided and thought to be less then than the Jews. Now it is a level playing field which in Romans, Paul will really drive home. This separation was no longer needed. This new covenant now includes the Gentiles. Praise God for that. So that night Peter invites them in to be guests and will give them a place to rest. It is too late to go on the journey to get to Caesarea. It really makes me wonder what they talked about during this meal and night. I wonder if Peter gave them a sneak peak into what he was going to tell the man who sent them. If Peter told them all about the man Jesus Christ. His rabbi who he got to walk with for 3 years. About how he saw Jesus do all these miracles. Sight to the blind. Making lepers pure. The lame walk again. Raising Lazarus from the grave. Or how about predicting Peter’s death? Or maybe talking about the last supper when Jesus predicted Judas was going to betray Him? To have dinner with Peter would be amazing no doubt. That to me is a fascinating thing to think about. Some of the best conversations and best memories I have are surrounding meals with people. There is a reason it says in Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” The breaking of bread is something God implemented for his church. All to often its something the modern day church forgets about. But I think it is definitely an important element to community. The next day he rose and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. I think bringing other believers with him is super key. We find out that there is 6 of them with him. This does some important things. These men will be eyewitnesses of this event that is going to happen. It will help Peter bring this news back to the rest of the Apostles. It also would bring comfort to him as it would me to have brother you trust while going to someone especially a gentiles house. It says in verse 24 the following day they entered Caesarea. Caesarea as defined by Wikipedia. Caesarea was an ancient and medieval port city on the coast of the Eastern Mediterranean, and later a small fishing village. It was the capital of Roman Judaea, Syria Palaestina and Palaestina Prima, successively, for a period of c.650 years, and a major intellectual hub of the Mediterranean, from the time of Herod I until the Muslim conquest of the Levant.[3][4] Today, the site is part of the Caesarea National Park, on the western edge of the Sharon plain in Israel.

This is where we saw Phillip end up. Whats really cool about the rest of verse 24 is Cornelius was waiting with his relatives and close friends for Peter. He is excited to understand this mystery and for this man sent by God to reveal it to him through the power of the Holy Spirit. And I think most importantly Cornelius is wanting others around him to hear this good news. When we know the cure to the sin problem ravaging the world why wouldn’t we want to share that cure to the whole world? Now we will see Peter walk in and Cornelius will fall at his feet and worship him. Peter lifts him up saying I am Stand up. I too am a man. Cornelius has had this man revealed in a dream so his reaction makes some sense. But of course Peter is a sinful man just like all of us. There is only one person worthy of us bowing before him and that’s God himself. He is worthy of our admiration and worship. No man is worthy of that. Peter makes that clear. It appears that the 2 of them talk outside and Peter goes in to find many people gathered. Then in 28-29 he summarizes his vision and asks why he is here. Then we pick up in in verse 30.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Now Cornelius summarizes the events that took place on his end. We have already looked at this. The end of verse 33 he tells Peter to tell them what he has been commanded by the Lord and we get to dive into verses 34-43

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Lets just go verse by verse now. Verse 34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality. 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him This verse is talking about how anyone who fears God, or believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord they will be saved. Those people are acceptable to God. No matter their background, previous religion, sins, skin color, or intelligence. Jesus’s blood covers everything. When we are born again all of our previous sins and struggles are put on Jesus so we are no longer bound to them. Verse 36 says As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all). In the old testament straight from Genesis 3 there was a promise of hope in the form of a savior. This hope would bring people peace. Faith in that hope is what saved people. Then Jesus came he preached peace. He is the Lord of all and did signs and wonders. Dining with tax collectors, sinners, and ever going to Samaria and talking to a Samarian woman. Of course the only way we can have peace is through what Jesus did. Now instead of looking forward to Jesus’s humble entry we are looking forward to him coming from the clouds and catching us up to Him. The rapture, and after that the triumphal entry riding in on a white horse to defeat Satan once and for all. That is the hope we look forward to which should bring peace. Verses 37-38  you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. These were the good works Jesus was doing. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. Sound familiar? Peter and these early believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and power to be witnesses. Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil it tells us. For God was with him. Now funnily enough verse 39 goes on to use the word witnesses. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. The word witness we saw back in chapter 1. It makes me wonder if Peter is thinking back to the last moments he had with Jesus. Peter was a witness to all that Jesus did. Then they put him to death by hanging him on a tree. Thankfully we know the story did not end there. God raised him up on the 3rd day and made him appear, Not to all people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. We see this fellowship over food once again. So Peter is recounting Jesus’s life for these Gentiles. Next he goes into what Jesus commanded his followers to do. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” The command on everyone who believes in him is to preach and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to judge of the living and dead. Jesus sitting at the right hand of God ruling and reigning. The command to share this good news is crucial. It is one we are reminded of time and time again in the book of Acts. You will remember back in Acts 2:17 ““ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;” The Holy Spirit gives this ability to prophesy. But not necessarily about the future. This is talking about how we can share what God has revealed to us. Though our own personal testimonies or what he has reveled through scripture. This is not an optional thing. We are all given this Spiritual Gift so we must use it.

Closing

English Standard Version Chapter 10

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

So we see as we wrap up. As Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. The people with Peter who were Jews were shocked that this happened to the Gentiles. We basically see a lesser version of the events at Pentecost. The Gentiles are given the same exact ability to speak and tongues and I think this was to prove that there is no favoritism anymore. God is the God of the Jews and the Gentiles. Also we see that they are filled with the Holy Spirit and then they get baptized. That order is crucial. They are clearly saved and filled with the Holy Spirit before the water baptism occurs so if you know anyone that believes baptism saves then point them to this. Baptism was only for the Jewish Christian but starting here even Gentiles can do this. So in closing. Are we willing to follow God everywhere right away? Are we sharing the gospel to the ends of the earth including the people we don’t like or are not like us? Are we living out of gratitude for what Jesus did for us today? This event is the only reason the gentiles like myself have a chance to spend eternity with God in Heaven. That’s something to celebrate and be incredibly thankful for. Let’s pray.