Genisis of the Gentile Church

Acts   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
0 ratings
· 5 views
Notes
Transcript
Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the first time the Gospel has been taken to the Gentiles.
Just as we saw when salvation came to the Jews we see the Holy Spirit fall on to the Gentiles as Peter is preaching which brings about the Salvation of Gentiles.
Often times what happens when change occurs some people have a hard time dealing with it.
The church’s outreach to the Gentiles was thus a crucial step in the outworking of God’s redemptive plan.
That outreach, which began with Peter’s ministry to Cornelius and his household, now continues with the founding of the first Gentile church.
Having moved from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria, the gospel was about to take its final, yet still ongoing, step to the “remotest part of the earth” Acts 1:8
Acts 1:8 ESV
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 Groundwork (vv 1-18)

While Peter was still in Caesarea word reached the church in Jerusalem and the results were not as what was expected.
Even though they were believers in Jesus Christ, such an obvious breach of Jewish custom outraged them.
Acknowledging that Jesus was their Messiah and Lord was one thing, accepting that He was equally the Lord of Gentiles another.
Instead of entering into a heated rebuke of their prejudice, Peter simply recounted the remarkable events leading to the Gentile’s conversion.
Who wants to argue with what the Lord has done?
It was unarguably God saving the Gentiles, as evidenced by the coming of the Holy Spirit with the very same attendant phenomena as at Pentecost.
The SAME Spirit was indwelling the Jews and the Gentiles.
2 key points from Peter retelling his story.
First, he did not act alone but took with him six brethren from the Joppa church.
Their testimony, added to his, made the case even more convincing.
Second, what happened at Cornelius’s house squared with Scripture.
Acts 1:5 ESV
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
This was the beginning of the divine effort to lay the groundwork for the first Gentile church.
At least seven years elapsed from Pentecost until the founding of that church at Antioch.
Why did it take so long from the day of Pentecost until the founding of the first Gentile church?
First, apostolic authority had to be established.
It took time for the believers to become grounded in the apostles’ teaching and for the development of leaders.
During those seven years, the apostles laid the doctrinal foundation for the church.
Second, individual believers needed to be brought to a sufficient level of maturity before they could be sent out.
Immature believers would not make effective missionaries.
Third, it took time to tear down the long-established walls of prejudice.
That was starting to be achieved, so the time was right to give birth to the church in a Gentile land and to move to the last phase of our Lord’s plan for evangelism—“to the remotest part of the earth”.
The Time had come Acts 1:8
Acts 1:8 ESV
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.”
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more