God Moves...
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 6 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction |
For four weeks we spoke of God preparing for a move. Today, we find that God moves. We find that God moves without partiality. We find that God moves through the good news of the gospel. We find that God moves through the working of the Holy Spirit. Are you prepared to move? If God calls you to move today, are you willing to move? Will you move?
Focus Passage | Acts 10:34-48
Opening Passage | Acts 10:34-40
34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. 36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—37 you yourselves know the thing that happened throughout Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 We are witnesses of all the things that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He be revealed,
Outline |
God moves without partiality (vv. 34-35)
God moves without respect of person - ‘…God is not one to show partiality…’
Man looks on the outside of man of man and then makes a decision on how to respond to them or whether to accept them. One of the Greek renderings of the word “partiality” gives a great description of the bend of man. The Greek rendering of this word means, “accepter of a face.” This is man’s natural bend. We live in a society that shows partiality all the time based off of wealth, beauty, and popularity.
However, we know that all of this will fade (1 John 2:15-17). We are warned to not show favoritism to those that are wealthy. As James writes, most of the time those are the ones dragging us into court (James 2:1-7). Let us mark the words of Peter here within his message to Cornelius and the words of James. As he writes, My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism (James 2:1). Why Does James state that we are not to show favoritism, because God does not show partiality in his judgment, God is not one to show partiality.
Every one will give an account before God, who shows no partiality
12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
The only way to avoid condemnation is through a reverence for and relationship with the Father through Christ - ‘…who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him…’
Religion is not the answer. Cornelius had that. Prayer itself is not the answer. Cornelius did that. Works will never save you. Cornelius excelled in that.
As Jesus, Himself, stated, some of the most alarming words of the Scripture…
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Jesus will judge the world without partiality - ‘…this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead…’
God moves through the gospel (vv. 36-43)
Cornelius and those that were with him knew of the events that had transpired (vv. 37-39). So, what exactly did Cornelius know by knowing of all these events. Cornelius knew without knowing he knew, the gospel. Just as God moved that day through the presentation of the gospel, He still moves today. However, I wish to take a minute and remind each of us the truth of the gospel, the Good News, or as Peter states, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all) (v. 36). This is our number one calling as Children of God, to preach peace through Jesus Christ. We are each called to be heralds, criers, shouters of the peace that is found only in Christ Jesus. What do we need to cry out to a dark and dying world?
Because of the love of God, Jesus Christ died for our sins - ‘…They also put Him to death by hanging Him on the cross…’
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
While man thought they were doing God a favor by crucifying our Lord, they were truly being obedient to the sovereign will of God (Acts 2:23).
God has known from the beginning that His creature, man, could not save himself. Therefore, God from the beginning has been sharing the gospel and pointing toward the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (v. 38).
Because of the love of God, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead conquering sin and death, the penalty of sin - ‘…God raised Him up on the third day…’
As Peter stated early…
23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
Because of the love of God, we have a command to shout out the good news - ‘…And He ordered us to preach to the people…’
We have the same command to shout as the prophets, the prophets testify of Him. Moses declared, the Lord your God will raise up a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear (Deuteronomy 18:15). David spoke of the coming Messiah as a prophet (Psalm 21-23). Isaiah wrote of Jesus (Isaiah 53). Jeremiah spoke of Jesus (Jeremiah 23). To sum it all up, the author of Hebrews writes…
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.
The good news that we have to declare is that there is forgiveness of sin in Christ. Yes there is a penalty for sin (Rom 6:23a), but praise God, there is forgiveness of sin as the gift of God (Rom 6:23b). As Peter states to Cornelius and those within the sound of his voice then and my voice today, that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins (v. 43b). This truth has already been declared previously within Peter’s sermon to the people that saw the lame man healed. While everyone is looking for peace in fame, money, relationships, drugs, liquor, etc., there is but one source of peace and that peace is found only in Jesus Christ.
12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
Paul further writes…
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
13 for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Have you called upon the name of Jesus? Have you confessed your sins before the Lord Jesus Christ and admitted your need for forgiveness and salvation (John 1:8-9). The same promise that Peter declared and that Paul declared was same promise declared by the prophets of the Old Testament, the last prophet, John the Baptist, and Jesus Himself, as the Father spoke through Him.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
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,
Once again, I ask, “Have you called upon Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?”
Finally…
God moves through the Holy Spirit (vv. 44-45)
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles.
It is the Spirit of God that draws men to Jesus
It is the Spirit of God that convicts men of their sin - ‘…the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening…’
It is the Spirit of God that redeems men from their sin
Conclusion |
How is the Spirit of God working on you this morning? Are you convicted of your need for Jesus? Are you convicted of unrepentant sin in your life? How is God moving in your life this moment? How is God calling you to respond?
For those that say that they are saved this morning, do you show evidence of your salvation? For Cornelius and those around him, the evidence of the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues (v. 46). Does that mean we speak in tongues today? No. Jews sought a sign and that sign was tongues. However, if one is redeemed in the Lord, we are told that there will be a change in their life (2 Cor 5:17). That their life will produce fruit that only follows those who have accepted Christ. Do you bear fruit of a Christian or a lost person.
What about those who are saved? Have you followed in believer’s baptism? Have you taken the first step of obedience. As we find in our text then, should be acknowledged today, baptism is of utmost importance. As Peter asks…
47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
Baptism was not an option for the 1st Century believer and it should not be today. Is the Spirit of God moving in your life and telling you to come forward and follow in believer’s baptism. Is God telling you this morning that you are no longer to be a life long visitor of Central Baptist, but you are to commit this morning, you are to join with the family of God right here at Central Baptist?
What is the Spirit God calling you to do today?
