The Inclusive Gospel

Introduction

There are three main characters in this passage:

Cornelius

Peter

Holy Spirit

We have seen the Holy Spirit on mission starting with the apostles in Jerusalem and most recently through Philip meeting an Ethiopian eunuch and Paul on the road to Damascus

This passage raises two hot-button topics. One is supported by this passage, and one is not.

Acts 10 (ESV)

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.

The Spirit speaks to Cornelius (1-8)

Cornelius

From Caesarea - a military town along the coast of the Mediterranean and the capital of the Roman occupation in Israel

Jews hated Caesarea - called it the ‘daughter of Edom’ - symbolic name for Rome

Cornelius was a centurion - part of Italian cohort - cohort = 600 men - centurion oversaw 100 men and would have been paid as much as five times as much as an ordinary soldier.

Everything about Cornelius (even his name) would remind a Jew that they were under the rule of the Romans.

Cornelius was a ‘devout’ man - not a full convert, but a heart sensitive for God

Feared God (with all his household)

Gave alms generously

Prayed continually

- since he gave alms generously and prayed to God (not gods)

Cornelius even seemed to live out the greatest two commandments - Love God and love neighbor — but he still needed Jesus!

Being good doesn’t save you

Believing there is a God in general doesn’t save you

Being religious doesn’t save you

Only Jesus saves.

Galatians 2:16 (ESV)

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

it is not ‘justification by’

spirituality

sincerity

generosity

It is justification by faith in Jesus Christ ALONE!

This is the urgency for the mission of the Spirit - this is the urgency for the mission of the church.

The Spirit speaks to Peter (9-33)

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour (noon) 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.”

Some of you - this describes your church experience on a Sunday morning as we get close to the end of the service. Pray - hungry - fall into trance - have a vision of bacon

Just like with the story of Saul and Ananias, God uses a dual vision to bring together the two key players for the advancement of the gospel.

Peter’s praying — dreaming of food - one pastor calls this the first ‘pig in a blanket’

What Peter sees — sheet being lowered with animals, reptiles and birds

Voice says to eat the animals

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.

1. Eat it. No way. 2. Eat it. Nope. 3. Eat it. No Thanks.

“by no means, Lord” - contradiction, can’t call him Lord and say NO

God’s Word is the final word on holiness.

One way that Israel showed she was holy - set apart - was by living differently than the surrounding nations because of the Law.

God had spoken the Law to Moses, giving the boundaries which made Israel separate and holy. Now God was speaking again, moving the boundaries.

— I wonder what Peter was thinking? Was this a trick question? Nice, try, God. I may not have been the sharpest disciple, but I know the answer to this one!

God’s word comes to Peter and he says “By no means, for I have never. . .”

Peter’s rationale was that his tradition dictated his actions.

It was not that God’s people were no longer called to be distinct and called to holiness.

That call has not changed. When Peter writes his first letter to the New Testament church he will quote Leviticus 11

1 Peter 1:16 ESV

16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

 It is rather that the lines of holiness were being redrawn. 

God’s Word was redefining Peter’s understanding of holy living.

— we cannot let the world or tradition or our own ideas define distinct and holy living. 

Two very obvious implications flow from this truth:

God’s people must be distinct in how they live in comparison with the rest of the world.

the distinction was no longer to be drawn along physical boundaries; rather it is was to be by the bend of the heart.

That distinction, that holiness, is defined by God’s Word alone.

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Phillips Message paraphrases it, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within ...”

Whereas the rest of the world is chasing the best job with the most money an attempt to find happiness, the Christian is praying about the right job that brings God the most glory because joy is found in nothing this world can offer.

world - hates its enemies; God’s Word says to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

world - sex outside the bonds of marriage is ok; God’s Word says the gift of sex is to be enjoyed in the covenant union of marriage between one man and one woman.

world - ok to say certain things, swear, gossip; God’s Word says you are to speak only that which builds others up.

world - ok to tell little white lies; God’s Word says you are to have integrity and be truthful in every way.

If there is NOT a noticeable difference in the way you think, talk, and act from those around you, you are either still in church or you have become just like the world.

You cannot make a difference IN the world if you are not different FROM the world.

***

Leonard Ravenhill has written (source unknown), “The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world, and make that man holy and put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.”

Are we really willing to allow the Word of God to change the way you live? (really think about this - when was the last time you changed something in your life because of the Word of God?)

If not, do you really believe it is the Word of God?

This was a significant change!

One pastor likened this story to a Baptist receiving a vision with a pack of smokes and a bottle of Scotch being lowered from heaven.

b. There is a power that changed the rules.

Peter lived his whole life in that 1400-year rule, and now one day, when he is hungry during a prayer, the rules completely change.

Surely before this he had been tempted by a BLT

Surely before this he had been made fun of by non-Jews regarding their dietary rules.

Had Peter eaten one of these foods then he would have been unclean, but now it was ok?

But the rules were not changed then though they are now. Why? God made the rules so only God is the one who can change the rules.

Only God has the power to make the unclean clean.

God, through Jesus, makes the unclean clean

This is the greatest miracle of the gospel.

ILLUST - have you ever worked with dirty hands? In the garage I would get my hands very dirty and inevitably I would get my clothes dirty. I would never meet my wife right after work for a nice dinner without changing my clothes first.

Sin is like that. We get our hands dirty when we mess with sin. and it doesn’t matter how hard to try to avoid it, sin will stain you. Just like I would never show up to a nice dinner in my oil-stained work clothes, you cannot stand before God with your sin-stained self.

Isaiah 1:18 ESV

18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

In what way was the common made clean? It does NOT mean that God has made everyone righteous. That cleansing only comes through faith in Jesus.

We see here that only God has the power to make the unclean clean - satisfy the rules through Jesus.

**God brought the animals that were outside the menu back inside the menu, but God is not concerned so much about our diet

God, through Jesus, has brought the people who were outside the people of God inside

* Jesus has made you clean. You are clean. No matter what others say, no matter what your past shows, no matter what the Enemy says, Jesus makes you clean.

Gods goal is not to change his diet - it’s to change his mission - sometimes God used the smaller to lead us to bigger You

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.” 30 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.”

The Spirit works through the gospel (34-48)

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. 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.”

The gospel is shockingly inclusive

“Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

God does not favor certain people

God welcomes ALL to receive his grace through Jesus.

Red, yellow, black, and white.

but it doesn’t stop at just race - the gospel welcomes ALL - rich / poor, men / women, Americans / undocumented immigrants, English-speakers, Spanish-speakers, those who live in Granger, Edwardsburg, Elkhart, South Bend,

While throughout the Bible there has always been a way for people (Jew or Gentile) to have access to God’s grace, Gentiles were not included as apart of the people of God

God shows no partiality . . . do you?

Are there people from outside the church you’d rather not share the pew with you?

Are there people INSIDE the church you’d rather not share the pew with you?

This is not simply a message that God now shows no partiality - it is a message of mission to reach others different than ourselves for the gospel.

God didn’t have Cornelius come to Peter, he had Peter GO to Cornelius

This wasn’t a passive acceptance of racial integration in the church, it was an active pursuit to share one faith, one Lord, one baptism with people outside of our culture and comfort zone.

ILLUST - Many of us would not have a problem moving over in our pew to allow someone of a different race or culture sit next to us, but have you ever thought of how you might befriend someone of a different race or culture so that you might invite them to that open seat next to you?

the gospel still exclusive

While there is always room at the cross, you must still kneel before the Savior.

It is here that I need to address a misapplication of the inclusive nature of the gospel.

There are some who would say that just as this story shows how the Gentiles as a group of people marginalized from being included into the people of God were now, through the gospel included into the church, so too, those in the LGBTQ community who have also been marginalized from the church should now be included as part of the people of God.

While the gospel welcomes everyone to come as they are to receive grace through faith in Jesus, it does not affirm everyone to stay as they are.

The inclusion of the Gentiles into the church is not the same as the inclusion of practicing LGBTQ persons into the full life of the church.

It is clear throughout both the OT and the NT that the practice of homosexuality is a sin and falls short of God’s goodness when he created humans for each other as male and female.

It is clear that receiving the gospel reorients EVERYONE’S sexuality to bring it under submission to Christ

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

The proper understanding of this passage is not that LGBTQ persons should be included into the church because God shows no partiality but that the church should pursue the Spirit’s mission of showing no partiality in offering the gospel to those in the LGBTQ community.

The gospel is simply powerful

Sometimes, we can become so familiar with the gospel that we forget how truly and simply powerful it is.

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.

The Holy Spirit works through the simple gospel message

Only Jesus saves

God’s Word is the final word on holiness.

Jesus makes the unclean clean.

The gospel is shockingly inclusive.

The gospel is still exclusive.

The gospel is simply powerful.