Unity in the Gospel

Intro

“The ground is level at the foot of the cross.” — Billy Graham

We are in a world full of division

Alabama or Auburn (Seminoles, LSU, Mississippi State, etc.)

Pro-Iran or Pro-Israel

Republican or Democrat

Wars fill the news

We make many attempts to heal division and other times we just settle with it is the way it is, but it does not have to be that way, we do not have to settle, we do not have to come up with middle grounds, compromises, etc. we simply have to preach the Gospel

Only the sovereign work of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ can create true unity across divisions that human effort cannot overcome.

Revelation 7:9 ESV

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Divine Preparation

Acts 10:1–8 ESV

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 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. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 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, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Last week we got to see how God was preparing the field for the Gospel to go out on a grander scale than what it had been in going to gentiles.

In what we just read, we see him preparing Cornelius ( a gentile)

He feared God

His household

Gave alms...to...people

Prayed continually

Acts 11:14 helps us know he was not saved yet, he knew a lot of the good truth but did not know the saving truth yet

If we want to be people who bring unity to our communities, we must be in preparation like Cornelius

Fear God

Psalm 111:10 ESV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

When we fear things of this world disunity creeps in, fear divides

anxiety creeps in, pride hurt, comfort attacked

Fear of things of this world drive anxiety while fear of the Lord is an attitude of deep reverence and respect of power

Testimony among your household

How do we live in our personal life?

Is the way you live in your house, in private reflect the Gospel principles you proclaim here

Does your family know you as impatient? Angry? Unapproachable? Joyful? Teachable? Teacher?

When you look at the list of fruits, which list do they pull from the most to describe you?

Serving others

Philippians 2:3 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

How can I use my actions to further the kingdom not my comfort?

Prayerful

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV

pray without ceasing,

As we order our day to day steps in the way God directs we will be in place to be used by Him in extraordinary ways

Romans 10:14–17 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

As we are about to see even though these men were in cities 35 miles (walking to Waynesboro Walmart by way of Shubuta) apart he was preparing both for a special encounter together

See the Gospel has no distance limitations on uniting

Divine Tuning

Acts 10:9–33 ESV

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 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 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 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.” 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. And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 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. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” 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 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 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.’ 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.”

Through all Peters preparation God was tuning his heart towards the gentiles, he was giving him a heart to reach them and mold his mindset to a place where he could be effective in reaching them.

Through the preparation of Cornelius, God was giving favor with the right people to open the right doors

Through the preparation God was giving a hunger for truth to the Cornelius by softening his heart and lifting spiritual blinders

The Gospel does not erase distinction — it removes hostility.

What hostility do you need removed?

Who has God broken your heart for? (And what are you gonna do about it?)

God has burdened your heart for someone or group, a, you just need to pray for wisdom to be able to discern where the door is and how you are to walk through it

God has already started stirring the hearts of who you are to go to, how are you prepared to feed the spiritual hunger they have?

John 6:43–44 ESV

Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Divine Grace

Acts 10:34–43 ESV

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 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. 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, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 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. 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. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

What are the words Peter started with as all this divine preparation came together, a message of divine Grace, the Gospel

How often are we tempted to start with other things?

If people are to find answers to the questions of spirituality, if they are to understand the truth of Scripture they first must believe in the saving power and lordship of Jesus Christ

John 14:26 ESV

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Their is things about Scripture that will not be understood until being guided and taught by the Spirit

Divine Unity

Acts 10:44–48 ESV

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 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. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Let me make something clear: Unity is not the goal — Christ is the goal. Unity is the byproduct.

We are all equal in the Gospel, because we become children of God by nothing we have done, but all because of what he has done.

One of the beautiful things about this passage is it reflects back to Acts 2

When the Christian community took off in the Jewish community it was marked by Peter and the apostles speaking in many different earthly tongues they did not know, again a pointer to the unity the Gospel brings, a glimpse of what heaven will be like

Here though we see speaking in tongues mentioned again, just like on pentecost when they spoke in different earthly languages, it also happened as the church was being established among the gentiles

Acts 11:1–3 ESV

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

Acts 11:15–18 ESV

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

There was a tendency to think some were better than others because of certain spiritual practices, but there's nothing that makes us better than the other

1 Corinthians 14:5 ESV

Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

Conclusion

1. Examine Your Partiality

Ask:

Who do you instinctively avoid?

Who do you silently judge?

Who would shock others if they saw you sharing the Gospel with them?

2. Pursue Preparation

Fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10)

Ordered prayer life

Household integrity

Visible generosity

3. Obey Without Hesitation

When the Spirit prompts, obey.

When Scripture confronts prejudice, repent.

When opportunity arises, speak.

4. Preach the Gospel

Do not offer:

Moral improvement

Political identity

Cultural Christianity

Offer:

Lordship

Cross

Resurrection

Judgment

Forgiveness

5. Celebrate God’s Sovereign Grace

Remind them:

You did not save yourself.

You did not earn inclusion.

You were once “far off.”

If God shows no partiality in salvation, neither must His church in proclamation.