Being Prepared for a Move (Part 2)
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewJust as God was preparing Cornelius to hear and receive the gospel, Peter was being prepared to share the gospel, even to those whom he shunned in the past.
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Introduction |
Just as God was preparing Cornelius to hear and receive the gospel, Peter was being prepared to share the gospel, even to those whom he shunned in the past.
Focus Passage | Acts 10:9-16
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and on it were all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
Outline |
As we continue from what we’ve read, studied, and learned from last week, the men that Cornelius sent to Joppa, some thirty miles from Caesarea, are now approaching Joppa to come meet Peter. Peter, unknowingly, as they approach is going to be primed as Cornelius was for a move.
Any move that takes place will begin with prayer (v. 9)
When God began dealing with Cornelius, he was praying. We find recorded of Cornelius, …prayed to God continually…3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” (Ac 10:2-3 NASB). It was during this time that of prayer that God began to move on the heart of Cornelius and it is also during a time of prayer that God begins to move in the life of Peter and prepares him and the church for a move. As Dr. Luke writes in (v. 9), Peter went up on the house top about the sixth hour to pray.
Every great move of God has begun in prayer. Every revival of God has begun in prayer. The foundation and bedrock of the church is rooted and grounded in prayer. As we look through word of God, we find that the earthly ministry of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, began with prayer. He was led out into the wildness by Spirit to be tempted, but that time was spent fasting, which is accompanied by prayer (Matthew 4:1-2). At the end of being tempted, the angels came to minister to Jesus, and this was through payer (Matthew 4:11).
Within this reference, we may not see that prayer is directly mentioned, but we know it is strongly implied. We find throughout Jesus’ ministry that his ministry was continued through prayer. Often we find said about Jesus that he departed by himself. We also find that as Jesus faced the cross, He faced it in prayer (Matthew 26:36). Finally, as He faced his death while hanging on the cross, He cried out to the Father (Luke 24:46).
Not only was prayer an intricate part of Jesus’ ministry, the church began with men and women fasting and praying to the Father for ten days in anticipation of God’s move on them (Acts 2). And now within our text, we see God preparing for a move, a transitional move, to begin his plan of sharing the gospel to the Gentiles to bring the Jews to jealousy to accept Him.
11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? Far from it! But by their wrongdoing salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
How often do you pray? Do you keep an attitude of prayer? God has called us keep an attitude of prayer at all times. As Paul writes to the believers in Thessalonica:
17 pray without ceasing,
Are we doing just that? Are we faithful in prayer? Are we preparing for a move of God here at CBC? If we are praying, are we praying in anticipation of God to move? That move may not come when we expect it. The disciples prayed in the upper room for 10 days in anticipation of what God was going to do. Let us follow suit. Let us follow the example of Cornelius and Peter, and become men and women of prayer. Let us become a house of prayer as the Lord has called us to be.
13 And He said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”
Both Sinner and Saint, need to call out to the Lord in prayer. We must call upon Him while He is near. We must realize that we are all one prayer away from God doing a mighty move in our lives whether that’s salvation/redemption for the lost or revival/restoration for the saint.d
27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
God meets you and calls you where you are (vv. 10-13)
10 But he became hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and on it were all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
God met Cornelius in a vision as he was in prayer (v. 2). God met Peter while he was praying (v. 9). We also find that God met Peter where he was and in the condition he was and used it to reach him. We find that Peter became tired and hungry while he was on the roof top praying. God uses this to begin his preparation and move on Peter’s heart. Let this not pass you up. We can learn a lesson from this truth before us. Because God uses Peter’s condition to reach him. As Peter is tired and hungry, he falls into a trance and something like a picnic blanket comes down from the sky full of all kinds of animals and God tells him to eat.
God met Peter and Cornelius where He found them - ‘…But he became hungry and wanted to eat…’
The lesson God had for Peter was not a physical lesson but rather a spiritual lesson. He was going to use Peter’s physical condition to get to him and teach him a spiritual lesson.
Cornelius was religious but had no relationship
Peter may have been physically hungry, but Cornelius was spiritually hungry
Many today find themselves in a spiritual condition that can be described in the physical realm
Do you find yourself spiritually thirty
Do you find yourself spiritually hungry
Do you find yourself spiritually exhausted
There’s an answer for all of these conditions and He, who is the Answer, is Jesus Christ!
When God calls you, be faithful to obey (vv. 13-16)
God was calling Peter to reach those he shunned (vv. 11-13)
11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and on it were all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
On the surface, it seems like Peter is just suffering from a heat stroke and having an hallucination, but that’s not the case. God is preparing him for a move. God is preparing him to reach the lost. God is preparing him to reach people he shunned. He is preparing Peter to reach a Gentile, Cornelius in particular. For Peter to be used of God, he needed his heart prepared and worked on.
Within the economy of God, there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile. As Paul writes to the church at Rome:
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
As he also writes to the believers of Ephesus that dividing wall between the Jews and the Gentiles was broken down by the cross of Christ and they are now one.
12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the hostility, which is the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two one new person, in this way establishing peace;
Peter was torn in his response and faltered
We falter, when we tell God, “No!” Whether that is a yes but no answer or just plainly, “No!” When God calls we are to say, “Yes!” every time. That yes may not be a comfortable yes, but it needs to be a whole hearted yes.
C.H. Spurgeon wrote of Peter’s response
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXXI Peter’s Blunder: A Lesson to Ourselves (No. 1,823)
But “Not so, Lord,” is an odd jumble of self-will and reverence, of pride and humility, of contradiction and devotion
This describes our heart to a “T” when we are giving God half-hearted obedience.
He continued…
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXXI Peter’s Blunder: A Lesson to Ourselves (No. 1,823)
In our utterances there has been faith mixed with unbelief, love defaced with a want of submission, gratitude combined with distrust, humility flavoured with self-conceit, courage undermined with cowardice, fervour mingled with indifference
Peter thought he was doing good by telling God know. He was too righteous for that. However, the truth was that he was being so heavenly minded that he was no earthly good. God had a response for Peter and that response is the same for us today.
Jesus Christ died for ALL
Who are we to determine who we are to share the gospel with? We are just go and share. Yet, often we are like Peter and say, “Not so, Lord!” We want to act as if it is beneath us to reach certain people. However, God has called us to reach all people. It doesn’t matter if their LGBTQ+. They need Jesus. The only way they will give up that lesbian, gay, bi, transexual, queer, or plus life is through victory in Christ. It doesn’t matter if they are a drunkard, a gang member, a harlot, a raptist, or dealing with any other addiction, they need Jesus just as much as the good old church lady who has never missed a service and yet still doesn’t know Christ. We are called to go and share. We need to stop putting up walls and divisions between who we will and/or will not share the gospel with just because they are different or we do not like them.
If God loves them and has sent His Son to die for them, we are to share to them!
14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to the uncultured, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
As Peter hears from God…
15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
We are not to share the gospel with partiality. Jesus Christ did not die with partiality and you are not share with partiality. You and I are called to share. Are you doing just that? Are you sharing and are you sharing without partiality?
Conclusion |
For the lost that are here, Do you find yourself in a state of spiritual doubt? Are you thirty, hungry, tried? Do you keep trying to fill that void in your life with drugs, alcohol, some other addiction? Do you keep finding yourself in a state of depression? Today is the day that can have the thirst quenched, the hunger removed, and find rest for your soul. All that is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ not some organized religion or false act of worship.
For the child of God, are you sharing the gospel faithfully? Are you being choosy in who you are share with? Are you determining to share the gospel only to those that look like you, smell like you, act like you? God has called you to witness to only those that are like you! He’s called you to share! He’s not called you to be choosy in your sharing?
All of have a decision to make this morning! What is that decision? What is God calling you to today? You come!