Untitled Sermon (2)

Good Morning, I'm very thankful to be with you all this morning. I love church planting, the vision cast, the growth of the early church and its members. I believe it's just a really exciting time to see what God is doing in the lives of the families here. For context My wife and I have been a part of 3 church send outs, and then we have also been core staff of a plant. We recognize it's not for the faint of heart or spirit and so please let me encourage you this morning. The labor is tough, but the reward is great. Keep pushing forward, keep leaning in, remain faithful to God, His word, and his calling and gifting in each of your lives.

This morning Steve has tasked me with Acts 10 and I will go on through the first half of 11 as well. There is a really significant shift that is getting ready to happen in the church that we are going to unpack this morning. There is so much we are going to see that is fulfillment of OT scriptures as well as better understanding some scripture shared by the Gospel writers.

Without further, lets pray and jump in.

READ 10:1-8

Set Bible Down and start discussing.

Acts 10 opens up with Cornelius, a Centurion of the Italian Regiment, Roman Army. Means the guys is kinda of a big deal. The scriptures say He and all his family were devout and God fearing- Now this is Luke’s way of saying that these were followers of Yahweh, without being Jewish converts. They were Gentiles. Not Jews. So they did not practice all the cultural aspects of Judaism. But they did practice the commands of God.

Cornelieus receives a vision from an Angel of the Lord asking him to send 3 men to Joppa to bring back Peter, who is staying with Simon the Tanner.

Now there is a lot about these 2 passages here that I think we need to unpack. We have a vision to a gentile man. This Gentile man is being prepared by the Holy Spirit for what is to come. He does not know why hes received this vision.

We also have the Holy Spirit working in Peter who is currently residing in the home of a tanner. This is significant because Tanner Simon would be considered unclean by Jewish law for he is handling dead animals. And We have Peter an Apostle and follower of the law staying with Him in his home. So we see the Spirit starting to work here with Peter in the passage as well, lets keep going.

Starting reading in V 9-16

Peter who is on the roof of Simon the Tanners house is praying to God. And during this time he becomes in trance. He sees a vision of what looks like a sheet coming down held by the 4 corners with all kinds of 4 footed animals, reptiles and birds. Peter hears from a voice, “Get up Peter, Kill and Eat” Peters response is Surely not Lord!. And He declares I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean. Isnt this very reflective of Peter though, from what we know of Him. Peter is a man who has followed Jesus for a long time, many hours with him and we find him again pushing back. Matt 16:22-23 After Jesus predicts his death, Peter rebukes Jesus, “Never Lord, This shall never happen to you, and Jesus says- Get behind me Satan. Again in John 13:6-8, During the last supper Jesus is washing the feet of his disciples, Peter protests saying you should never wash my feet, Jesus says unless I wash you, you have no part with me. Peter is being pressed by Jesus to change HIS ways and HIS understandings for that of JESUS and HIS WAYS..

Peter is stubborn. Any one else identify with Peter besides me? Anyone else feel like they hear when God is calling them do to something, or the Spirit is nudging them in a direction, that they rebuke that voice or nudge?

So what happens– the voice speaks again.

The voice speaks again, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” This same vision is repeated 3 times. Then the sheet is pulled up to heaven.

A couple things here.

1 The word ALL is important here. ALL kinds… meaning ALL kinds of people.

2 Peter is really struggling with the change of heart that is being asked of him, so 3 times the vision is repeated. This is a HUGE change for him. Huge. He is having to change his understanding… it is dramatic and world changing. Its a radical change.

READ 17-23

Have you ever experienced that moment when you feel like the Holy Spirit is asking you to do something? Maybe it's to go speak to someone new, walk across the room and share something with a complete stranger, or go somewhere you haven't been, or were hesitant to go. Here was Peter experiencing that same moment.

So Peter goes downstairs, and says I am the Man you are looking for, why have you come?

So you have 3 Gentile, Non Jewish men, speaking to Peter a Jew. Verse 22, they are giving account of why they've been sent, including “well respected by all the Jews, and a Holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house, so that he can hear your message” The Holy Spirit has been working in the background here ok, preparing for what is about to happen.

Remember that question we just asked, ever had that moment when the HS asked you to go and do, and you didnt know why. And then when you do it, you realize you and that person had the same life event going on, or they needed something and you just so happen to be the expert in that… light bulb moment right.

Peter is having that as well. These 3 “unclean” gentile men have come to him, requesting that he travel with them, to hear the vision that Peters has just received. Peter experiences that AHA moment, and applies it right here. So Peter invited them to stay the night. So we see this as another moment Peter is being worked on by the HS, setting aside the Law to invite these men into the home- Something is changing…

READ 23-26

The next day they set out with 6 of his Jewish brothers from Joppa. Why 7? 7 is the number required to provide witness and testimony.

They travel the roughly 30 miles to Caesarea, and Cornelius is waiting for them, having called all his relatives and close friends. When he enters Cornelius falls at his feet, but Peter quickly pulls him up and says, Im just a human as you. This moment is about Peter and his heart change, Peter was kind of an important guy, he held some clout in the community, so when Cornelius a mighty man, humbled himself at his feet, Peter quickly stops and pulls him up. He is having a heart change here, we are equal, the ground at the foot of the cross is level… There is no more favoritism or elitism any longer. So they talked together and walked inside.

READ 27-29

From the jump in V28: Peter tells them, you know it's against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a gentile home like this or to associate with you. But GOD has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for, now tell me why you sent me.

Anytime we see a BUT GOD moment, hold on, because something important is coming!

Peter is setting aside his prejudice as is Cornelius, they are setting aside their ways and traditions to come together under the working of the Spirit.

READ 30-35:

THIS IS THE AHA MOMENT!

God did not need to use Peter to reach Cornelius, God used Peter for Peters sake.

V34. Peter replies I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism! In every nation (thats the ALL from earlier) he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for people of Israel, that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of All!

That Means its FOR ALL OF US. ALL OF US.

You are poor its for you.

You are rich, it’s for you.

You suffer from depression, it’s for you.

You have crippling anxiety, it’s for you.

You have a problem with drugs and alcohol, it’s for you.

You have a pride problem, it’s for you.

You dont look like me, or act like me, or talk like me, its for you.

If our skin isnt the same color, doesnt matter its for you.

Our language isnt the same, doesnt matter its for you.

You live in Africa, Asia, The Middle East, China, It’s for you.

Peters vision from God, and the unlocking of His mind, the turn from his old ways of thought, show us there is no favoritism. The Gospel is available to all who fear the Lord, and do what is right, repenting and turning to Jesus.

ITS FOR ALL OF US. THIS IS US!

Close the book its done. Boom.

READ 35-43

Peter goes on to recount the messaging of John the Baptist and Jesus, his death, his crux, and that God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear. We were with those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He is establishing his authority and the level of understanding of the RADICAL SHIFT that just occurred for the Gospel.

And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all, the living and the dead. Jesus, is the one the prophets testified about, saying that EVERYONE who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name!

Yall THIS IS US.

READ 44-48

As Peter is saying this, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believes who came with Peter were amazed at the gift of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. This is a parallel to their experience in Acts 2.

Now Peter is V28 starts to lean into why this is important, and something we will see continue throughout our journey through Acts. Peter says its against our Laws to associate with you, Jews and Gentile, the same as we see in John 4:9, with the Samaritan woman at the well…Jesus the Jew goes over to her… Jesus first modeled this behavior for us, now we see Peter explaining for us, God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. There is no more favoritism, the message of Good News of Jesus is for all people! He is putting the traditions to rest, in the name of Jesus. Breaking the barrier of clean and unclean. Its not about the food, Jesus already cleared that up in beginning in Mark 7:15 speaks of it not being the food that defiles us, its what comes out of a person that makes us unclean- Jesus declaring all foods are clean.

This is the beginning of the start of something new. Just like you all have here with the church plant, an opportunity to break old traditions or ways of thinking and begin new ones. Peter is experiencing the Holy Spirit falling upon the Gentiles and completely shaking up their original thought that God and his messaging was only for the Jews. Can you imagine that mind blown moment He is having and experiencing.

Well, lets start into Chapter 11, because news has reached the apostles and other believers in Judea, that the gentiles had received the word of God.

READ 11 the account.

So Peter gets back to Jerusalem and the Jewish believers begin to criticize him. It begins with you entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them… remember those laws Peter was referring to in Chapter 10:28… So they are wanting an explanation of why Peter broke with the laws.

Can yall imagine being Peter in that Moment? Hes just had his mind blown and is excited, people are repenting and turning to Jesus and getting baptised and now he gets called to the principals office?

BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WORKING!

So Peter provides a testimony of the event, retelling the story. And Peter does so very intentionally pointing out that this ENTIRE situation was driven by God and the Holy Spirit, not Peter and his ways. He knows his audience speaking to the Jewish believes adding in V8, that he knew and followed the Jewish laws of diet. Although again, Jesus already cleared that up- BUT REMEMBER WHO he is currently talking to- They havent yet figured it out!!

Mark 7:15 Its not what goes in us that defiles us, its it what comes from the heart

Peter even remarks he took Jewish brothers, as witness to his account. He recalls As I began to speak how the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as he fell upon Us, and how he recalled John the Baptist words of baptism, so who was Peter to stand in the way of God?

WELL THIS IS BIG, PETER IS NOT GOING TO PUSH BACK HERE. CHANGE OF HEART! ITs not the food its the heart.

Mark 3:29, How can I speak against the Spirit.

When they heard Peters account, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, we can see that God has also given Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.

What does it mean for us today?

I think when we begin to consider how important the guidance of the holy spirit is in our lives we have to remember back to the story. we have to remember back when Peter gets this vision and he doesn't understand what to do with the vision, And yet he follows the guidance of the spirit and comes to find that as he walks across the room his interaction becomes very clear that this is a message that God has given him to deliver or giving us to deliver with someone else.

As you continue in your growth as a church plant be confident in walking across the room, be confident and inviting others, be confident in sharing your stories and testimonies of the faithfulness of God in your life and the wonderful things that he has done.

when we begin to try and see people as Jesus sees people and hear people as Jesus hears people then we see people as people created in the image and the likeness by our father. Jesus says that the message is for everyone for all, that means our interactions will change. that means the way that we speak with our family will change, that means the way we speak with the people at the cash register at Walmart will change. that means when we drive by the road and see the man with the sign that says help hungry it means we see the way Jesus sees. it means our general conversations become more aware to is this person a follower of jesus, does this person know who Jesus is or how can I share Jesus with this person. that just because they don't look or act or sound like me does not make them unclean or impure. there is no more unclean and impure. The invitation to repent to turn to Jesus is available to all.

What does it mean for us as the church?

We see that this message is for the church in the understanding that the good news of Jesus is not just for the Jews it is for the Gentiles for all of us as well. as we will continue to see through the book of Acts specifically in the second half of chapter 11 we will see that this the beginning of the spread of the gospel extending Beyond its walls of the Jewish communities to the Gentile communities and the world. this is really the initial steps of discipleship discussions, the beginning of missionary mindsets, the end of favoritism and the abolishment of the elitism that existed. there is no longer and US versus them mentality, this is the ground is level at the foot of the cross moment for everyone.

Two, we should be excited as Christians and believers and followers of Jesus to see others repent and follow him. I think this extends not just to other believers and Christians but also other churches. I think that we have a responsibility to cheer on and support other churches, other Church plants, other small groups. it is not an US versus them mentality it is a we want to see the gospel expand and reach as many folks as possible. we want to live out the great commission. we want to be people who reflect Jesus's heart and his willingness to meet that Samaritan woman at the well or to be like Peter and take the message to those who have been outcasted. I think this is our mission as the church.

God did not need to use Peter to reach Cornelius, God used Peter for Peters sake.