Without Hesitation

Go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 10. We are going to work through verses 1 through 33.

One night Judah was arguing with Blair about what they had done in Children's Church. He was confident. He knew what the lesson was. He was prepared to explain to his mother why she was wrong.

There was one small problem with his argument. Blair had put the entire lesson together.

He was arguing about the lesson with the person who wrote the lesson. That is a difficult position to defend. You can have all the confidence in the world, but when your mother's evidence is that she prepared the thing, your case is falling apart.

Judah had the confidence of Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men. He just did not have the evidence. And yes, Tom Cruise is the greatest actor of all time. Some of you disagree, and I am praying for you.

Judah finally admitted he was wrong. I love that boy, and I am glad he did. Being able to admit that matters. But before we laugh too hard at him, how often do we do the same thing with God?

We open the Bible. We read what God has said. Then we begin explaining why our situation should qualify for an exception.

We know He tells us to forgive, but we want Him to hear the whole story first. We know He calls us to love our neighbor, but surely He has noticed which neighbor we got. We know we are supposed to bear witness to Jesus, but we have some very reasonable concerns about how awkward that conversation could become.

We can sound respectful while we are doing it. We can put the word Lord into a sentence that is really an argument about why we ought to remain in charge.

That is part of what makes this passage uncomfortable. Peter loves Jesus. Peter has preached the gospel. Yet God is about to confront something in Peter's thinking that Peter has carried around for a long time.

And Peter's first response is to object.

The Lord is preparing a meeting between a Jewish apostle and a Gentile soldier. There are people who need to hear the gospel, and God is addressing the reluctance of the man He is sending to speak it.

That has something to say to a church that wants to grow. We want people to come to Christ. We want more people hearing the Bible. We pray for God to work in our community. Those are good desires. But are we willing to participate when obeying Him costs us some comfort?

Keep that question in front of you as we read. And keep your Bible open, because we need to let the passage shape the answer.

[Read Acts 10:1–33 from the ESV.]

Acts 10:1–33 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. 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.”

Let's pray.

Father, help us understand what You have said. Show us where we need to repent. Give us love for people we have overlooked, courage to obey You, and a willingness to be corrected. Above everything else, help us see our need for Jesus and trust Him. In His name, amen.

1 Religious people still need the gospel

Acts 10:1–8

Luke begins by introducing Cornelius. He lives in Caesarea, and he is a centurion in the Italian Cohort. He is a Roman military officer, a man accustomed to responsibility and authority.

That background matters. We are meeting a Gentile associated with Rome's military presence. He comes from a world very different from Peter's. If you were trying to arrange the most comfortable possible introduction for Peter, this probably would not have been your first choice.

But look at how Luke describes him in verse 2. He is “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.”

There is a great deal to admire there. Cornelius takes God seriously. His concern for God affects his household. His money helps other people. Prayer has a regular place in his life.

Luke does not present him as a fraud. We should not read the verse as though it says he pretended to care about God or only gave to improve his reputation. The text describes real devotion and real generosity.

If Cornelius lived down the street, people might think very highly of him. They would have reasons. He is the sort of man somebody could point to and say that he cares about others and tries to do what is right.

But he still needs to hear the gospel.

We know that because Acts explains its own story. In Acts 11:13–14, Peter repeats the angel's instructions to Cornelius. Peter would bring him a message through which he and his household would be saved. That tells us what is at stake in this visit.

Cornelius needs salvation through Jesus Christ. His generosity cannot provide it. His respected position cannot provide it. Even his sincere religious interest cannot replace hearing and believing the good news of Jesus.

That truth reaches into a church service like this one. You can appreciate the Bible and still need to trust the Savior it reveals. You can have Christian friends, know the vocabulary, and feel comfortable in a sanctuary while remaining unconverted.

And if you have been around church for years, that can be difficult to admit. You may worry about what people will think. You may wonder how to explain it. But your standing before God matters more than protecting the impression other people have of you.

Being familiar with salvation is different from receiving it.

Suppose somebody spends years studying an airport. They know the airlines. They can explain the gates and runways. They even have strong opinions about the boarding process, which is apparently a requirement for being an adult. But they never board a plane. Knowing the airport has not taken them anywhere.

In the same way, you can know a great deal about Christianity while still refusing to entrust yourself to Christ. Religious knowledge has an intended direction. It should lead us to the Lord Himself.

Jesus confronted that need in John 3 when He spoke with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a religious teacher. He had knowledge, standing, and a serious interest in Jesus. Yet Jesus told him he needed to be born again.

The problem runs deeper than a lack of religious activity. Sin has separated us from God, and we cannot repair that separation by becoming more impressive people. We need the life and forgiveness that only God can give.

Now look at verse 3. At about the ninth hour, roughly three in the afternoon, Cornelius sees an angel in a vision. The angel addresses him by name. Cornelius is terrified, and he responds, “What is it, Lord?”

This is a military officer, and he is frightened. Luke wants us to understand that something has happened to him. Cornelius has received a message from God. This account is not built on a vague feeling he had after a difficult afternoon.

The angel tells him that his prayers and generosity have come before God as a memorial. God has seen him. God has heard him. Cornelius is not hidden from the Lord because he lives outside Peter's familiar circle.

That is encouraging. But pay attention to what the angel tells him to do next. He is to send for Peter. God takes notice of Cornelius and directs him toward the message of salvation.

His good works have not purchased forgiveness. God is graciously bringing the gospel to him.

That also explains why an extraordinary experience is not enough by itself. Cornelius has seen an angel, but he still needs to hear about Jesus. The experience directs him toward the message God wants him to receive.

We need to remember that when somebody talks about feeling close to God. We can listen respectfully and ask what they believe about Christ. The decisive question is whether they are trusting the crucified and risen Savior. A powerful feeling can fade. Our hope rests on what Jesus has done.

We need to hold those things together. Luke honors Cornelius's generosity without making generosity his savior. We can recognize admirable things in a person's life while understanding that person still needs Christ.

Sometimes we struggle to witness to people we respect. We can see the spiritual need of the person whose life is falling apart. We have a harder time recognizing the need of the person whose life looks well organized.

They have a good marriage. Their children are doing well. They are kind to their neighbors. We begin to wonder what we could possibly offer them.

We offer them the truth about Jesus. A comfortable life cannot remove the guilt of sin, and a good reputation cannot reconcile someone to a holy God. Those needs belong to every one of us.

That should also remove any sense of superiority from our witness. I am not explaining how I became good enough for God. I am telling another sinner where I found mercy.

Look at the instructions in verses 5 and 6. Cornelius is to send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. Peter is staying with another Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.

The directions are specific. There is a person to find and a place to go. God is bringing these men together, and neither man knows the whole story yet.

Cornelius knows he is supposed to send. Peter has not yet learned who is coming. But God knows what is happening in both places.

That ought to encourage us as we think about speaking to someone about Jesus. We usually know very little of what has been happening in that person's heart. We do not know every question they have been carrying or every conversation that brought them to this moment.

We should not pretend to know. We can ask questions and listen. We can trust that God is able to work in ways we do not see, and we can be faithful with the opportunity in front of us.

Notice something else. God sends an angel, but the angel tells Cornelius to send for a man who will explain the gospel. God has chosen to involve His people in making Christ known.

Romans 10 describes that responsibility. People need to hear about the One they are being called to believe in, and that means somebody must speak. God uses the announced message of Christ to bring people to faith.

So our confidence in God's power should give us courage to participate. We pray because He can change hearts. We speak because He has given us good news to share.

Verses 7 and 8 show Cornelius responding. He calls two servants and a devout soldier, explains what happened, and sends them to Joppa. He acts on the instruction he has received.

There is something refreshingly direct about that. He does not have Peter's sermon yet. He cannot explain everything God is about to do. He knows the next step, and he takes it.

Sometimes the next step in front of us is that simple. Ask the question. Begin the conversation. Invite the person. You do not have to know how the entire relationship will unfold before you can be faithful today.

And if you recognize yourself in Cornelius, if you have religion but no settled trust in Jesus, do not brush that aside. Keep listening. The Lord who sees your life is directing your attention to the Savior you need.

Religious people still need the gospel. Now Luke turns to the man who will bring it, and we discover that the messenger has some learning to do too.

2 We must obey God when He corrects our thinking

Acts 10:9–23

The next day, while the men are approaching Joppa, Peter goes onto the housetop to pray. It is about noon. He becomes hungry, and while food is being prepared, he falls into a trance.

Peter is praying and thinking about food. Some of you have been conducting that same spiritual exercise since the service started. You love the Lord, but you would also appreciate an update on lunch.

Luke tells us that Peter sees heaven opened and something like a large sheet being lowered by its four corners. Inside are all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then comes the command in verse 13: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

Peter responds, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

We need to understand why this troubles him. Peter is a Jewish man who has lived under the food distinctions given in the law of Moses. Leviticus 11 identifies animals Israel could eat and animals Israel was to regard as unclean. These instructions were part of the way God set His covenant people apart.

Peter did not invent those distinctions. God gave them. So this is more serious than a man announcing that he has never cared for broccoli. His understanding of obedience has been shaped by those commands throughout his life.

Now the Lord is teaching him what the coming of Jesus means for those distinctions and, through them, for his relationship with Gentiles.

In Mark 7, Jesus had taught that moral defilement comes from within the human heart. Mark explains the significance of that teaching by saying that Jesus declared all foods clean. Peter is still learning how fully the work of Jesus changes the way God's people live together.

This is part of God's unfolding plan. The Lord has fulfilled His promises through Christ, and His people must receive what He is teaching them. Peter cannot appeal to his previous understanding as a reason to reject the Lord's present instruction.

Listen to verse 15: “What God has made clean, do not call common.”

Who has the authority to declare something clean? God does. Who needs to adjust his thinking? Peter does.

That is where the confrontation becomes personal for us. We can become so attached to the way we have understood something that we stop allowing Scripture to examine it. We assume that because a thought feels familiar, it must be faithful.

But how long I have held an opinion does not determine whether it is true. Neither does how strongly I feel about it. The question is whether my thinking agrees with what God has said.

That takes us back to Judah and Blair. His confidence could not change who had written the lesson. At some point, he had to let the person who knew correct the person who thought he knew.

And I need that reminder as much as anybody. When I open this Book, I am coming under God's authority. I am supposed to learn from Him, including when that means admitting I have been wrong.

Tom Petty gave us “I Won't Back Down.” That can make a fine declaration of courage when you are standing for what is right. But if God is correcting you, backing down is exactly what you need to do.

Some of us have confused being difficult to correct with being strong in the faith. Those are different things. Christian maturity includes the humility to receive truth and change.

Peter's response is especially striking because he calls the One speaking Lord. There is reverence in his language and resistance in his answer. We recognize that combination because we have practiced it.

We can sing about surrender and then spend the week defending an area of life we have refused to surrender. We can ask God to lead us while quietly deciding which directions we are willing to go.

Listen to the way we sometimes pray about reaching people. We ask God to bring them, then expect them to arrive already comfortable with everything that is familiar to us. We would like them to know the customs, understand the vocabulary, and ask questions at a convenient time.

But people who have not been in church may not know how any of this works. They may have questions that seem basic to us. They may have painful experiences that make trusting Christians difficult. Loving them will require patience.

And before we blame their unfamiliarity, remember how patient somebody had to be with us.

Verse 16 says this happens three times. God repeats the vision. Peter needs to receive what the Lord is showing him, and the Lord patiently makes His instruction clear.

Then verse 17 tells us Peter is perplexed. He is trying to understand the meaning of the vision when the men from Cornelius arrive at the gate.

That timing is part of Luke's point. The vision and the visitors belong together. God is preparing Peter to welcome the people He is bringing to him.

In verse 28 Peter will explain what he learned: he must no longer treat people as common or unclean because they come from another nation. The vision has direct implications for the people he is willing to enter a home with and speak to.

We should be careful here. This does not mean every person is automatically saved. Cornelius still needs the gospel. It means his Gentile identity cannot disqualify him from hearing it or, when he believes, from being welcomed into Christ's people.

Later, in Acts 15:8–9, Peter will point back to God's work among Gentiles and explain that God cleansed their hearts by faith. Faith in Christ brings Jewish and Gentile believers into the same family. Gentiles do not have to become Jews before they can belong to Jesus.

And welcoming people does not require us to stop telling the truth about sin. The Lord who commands love also commands repentance. We can be clear about His standards while being gracious toward people who need the same mercy we need. Disagreement never releases us from the command to love.

Peter will have to keep applying this lesson. Galatians 2 records an occasion when fear of other people's opinions led him to withdraw from eating with Gentile believers. Paul confronted him because his conduct was out of step with the gospel. Knowing the truth does not remove our need to keep obeying it, especially when obedience becomes socially uncomfortable.

God had promised Abraham that the families of the earth would be blessed through him. The gospel's movement toward the nations carries that promise forward. God's mercy has always reached farther than the boundaries His people are sometimes willing to cross.

So we need to examine the people we have quietly ruled out. Maybe we have assumed somebody would never be interested. Maybe their background makes us uncomfortable. Maybe we know something about their past and have decided that is all we need to know.

We might never announce that they are unwelcome. We simply keep our distance. We do not start the conversation. We do not consider inviting them. After a while, our silence makes the decision for us.

Who have you put in that category?

If Jesus commands us to make disciples of all nations, then we cannot reserve our witness for the people most likely to make us comfortable. Our neighbors do not have to share our upbringing or interests before they deserve our attention and love.

We also cannot make belonging depend on becoming a copy of us. A person can trust the same Savior and have a different personality. They can take Scripture seriously and have different tastes. The church has room for that because Christ is the One who holds us together.

Now listen to the Spirit's instruction in verses 19 and 20: “Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”

There is our title. Without hesitation.

The Spirit tells Peter to go with these men because He has sent them. Cornelius sent the messengers from Caesarea, and behind that human action God was carrying out His purpose.

Peter does not have every question answered. But he has received a clear command from God, and he has enough light to take the next step.

That distinction matters. Obedience does not require us to stop thinking. Peter asks the men why they have come. He listens to their explanation. What he gives up is the right to reject God's direction simply because it takes him somewhere unfamiliar.

We have God's written Word. We are responsible to test our impressions by it. A strong feeling does not give us permission to contradict Scripture, and the phrase God told me should never become a way to avoid being accountable to what God has actually said.

But much of what we resist is already clear. We are commanded to love our neighbors. We are called to speak truth, forgive, show hospitality, and bear witness to Christ. We do not need another sign before taking those commands seriously.

John Michael Montgomery sang “Life's a Dance.” There is something familiar about learning as you go. Following Jesus involves growing in understanding while practicing the obedience you already understand.

You may still feel nervous when you invite someone. You may not know the answer to the first question they ask. You can admit that and offer to find out. Being an honest learner is better than pretending to know everything or using your limitations as a reason never to speak.

Look at verse 23. Peter invites the men in to be his guests. That is a real action with real people. He has moved from thinking about the vision to welcoming the visitors.

Then he gets up the next day and goes with them. Some believers from Joppa accompany him. The man who objected on the rooftop is now traveling toward the house God has sent him to.

Joppa has appeared in another biblical account of a reluctant messenger. Jonah went there to find a ship as he fled the Lord's command to go to Nineveh. Jonah 4 explains his struggle: he knew God was merciful, and he resented that mercy being extended to those people.

Peter leaves Joppa moving toward the people God has directed him to. That gives us a searching question. Are we glad for God's mercy to reach the people we find difficult? We have received grace ourselves. We should want others to hear where that grace can be found.

This is what repentance begins to look like. Our direction changes because we receive what God has said. Peter's growth becomes visible in hospitality and obedience.

Where should yours become visible? There may be a conversation you have avoided or a person you have kept at a distance. Start there. Ask the Lord to correct your thinking, and take the step His Word makes clear.

3 We must help others hear the Word of God

Acts 10:24–33

When Peter arrives in Caesarea, Cornelius is waiting for him. But Cornelius has done more than wait. Verse 24 tells us he has gathered his relatives and close friends.

That is such a simple detail, and it says a great deal. He knows Peter has something he needs to hear, and he wants people he loves to hear it too.

Cornelius cannot preach Peter's message yet. He has not heard it. But he can contact his family and friends. He can bring them together. He can make room in his home for the conversation that is coming.

There is an example here that ought to challenge us. We know more about the gospel than Cornelius knows at this point, and yet we can be far less concerned about helping people hear it.

We know Jesus died for sinners. We know He rose from the dead. We know there is forgiveness in His name. But we can carry that knowledge around for years without speaking to someone we love about it.

Cornelius thought about the people in his life and took action. We ought to consider who is already in ours.

A relative. A friend from work. Someone you talk to regularly. There may be a person you have known for years without ever having a meaningful conversation about faith. You know which team they support, what they drive, and how they like their coffee. Do you know what they believe about Jesus?

You can ask. You can listen without planning your next argument. You can show a sincere interest in the person and, when the opportunity comes, explain the hope you have in Christ.

And you can invite them to hear the Word with you.

Sometimes we make inviting somebody sound more complicated than it is. We act like we need to assemble the team from Mission: Impossible. Tom Cruise is hanging from the ceiling, somebody is disabling the alarm, and we are still trying to work up the courage to ask our neighbor to church.

You probably do not need a helicopter. You need a conversation.

You can tell somebody that you would like them to come with you Sunday. Offer to meet them when they arrive. Explain where to go. Make it a personal invitation from someone who will be glad to see them.

If they decline, keep treating them with kindness. A person should never discover that our interest in them depended entirely on getting the answer we wanted. We can respect a no, keep praying, and remain their friend.

Now follow the scene in verses 25 and 26. When Peter arrives, Cornelius falls at his feet and worships him. Peter immediately lifts him up and makes clear that he is a man too.

Cornelius's eagerness does not make everything he does right. He needs correction, and Peter gives it. The apostle refuses worship that belongs to God.

That keeps the gathering properly centered. Peter has a message to deliver, but Peter is not the Savior. The people in that house need the Lord whose message he brings.

That is a word for the pulpit. I need to explain Scripture faithfully and point you to Christ. You should never have to depend on my personality to sustain your faith. You need to know the Lord and understand what He has said.

It is also a word for the congregation. Appreciate the people God uses. Pray for them. Encourage them. But let Scripture govern what you believe. A preacher's confidence, humor, or reputation cannot make an unbiblical claim true.

Keep your Bible open. Ask whether the passage actually supports what is being said. The authority belongs to God's Word, and every teacher is accountable to it.

Peter goes inside and finds many people gathered. In verse 28, he acknowledges the social and religious boundary he has crossed by entering a Gentile home. Then he explains that God has corrected the way he regards people.

We need to distinguish the food laws God gave from the traditions that extended separation into a barrier against people. The Old Testament did not command God's people to despise foreigners. It commanded love for the sojourner. Yet entrenched customs had made this visit feel forbidden to Peter.

Now he stands in the house and acknowledges what he has learned. God has shown him that another person's nationality does not make that person someone he should refuse to associate with.

Think about what that required. Peter had to admit that his earlier way of seeing the situation needed correction. He had to act differently in front of other people.

Sometimes that is what keeps us stuck. We are concerned that if we change, people will know we were wrong. But if we were wrong, receiving correction is a good thing. Continuing in error to protect our pride only deepens the problem.

Peter explains in verse 29 that he came without objecting. Put that beside his response on the rooftop. God has been teaching him, and his actions now reflect what he has learned.

That is encouraging because Peter did not get everything right immediately. The Lord patiently corrected him. But it is also challenging because Peter did eventually get up and go. We cannot use the fact that growth takes time to excuse a settled refusal to obey.

Cornelius then explains what happened four days earlier. In verses 30 through 32, he recounts the vision and the instructions to send for Peter. The details match what we have already heard. Both men can see that God has been directing this meeting.

Then verse 33 gives us the posture of the whole gathering. Cornelius says, “we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

What a way to come together. They recognize God's presence. They want to hear what He has commanded. They are ready for the message Peter has been sent to bring.

That should shape how we approach the preaching of Scripture. We come before God with a willingness to hear Him. We need more than an interesting thought to carry into the week. We need the truth that directs our lives.

Humor can help us listen. An illustration can help us understand. But when the service ends, we need to know what God has said and what obedience to Him requires.

Notice that Cornelius wants to hear all that the Lord has commanded. He has not handed Peter a list of approved subjects. He is ready to receive the message God sends.

Are we willing to do that? Are we willing to hear the parts of Scripture that question our priorities, confront our sin, and require a change in how we treat people?

Sometimes we are excellent at hearing a sermon for somebody else. We can identify the person who needs every point. We may even start planning how to send them the recording before we have considered whether God is addressing us.

Start with your own heart. When the Word exposes a sin, confess it. When it gives a command, take it seriously. When it announces God's promise, trust Him. That is how we should listen.

And now let me speak directly to our desire for this church to grow. Wanting growth is a good thing when we mean that we want people to know Christ, follow Him, and become part of His church.

But wanting it does not make us participants in it. We can discuss attendance, notice who is missing, and have plenty of opinions about what ought to happen while never inviting anybody or making room in our lives for someone new.

Jesus gives the church its assignment in Matthew 28:18–20. His authority grounds the command to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey what He has commanded. That is why helping people hear Scripture belongs to our responsibility as His followers.

It also tells us what kind of growth we should desire. We want people to believe in Jesus and learn to follow Him. A larger crowd can provide more opportunities for that work, but we must care about the people in the crowd. Their questions matter. Their growth in faith matters. A person who comes through the door needs more than somebody counting their arrival.

We cannot keep asking God to reach people while treating participation as somebody else's responsibility. If we belong to Jesus, His mission concerns us.

That does not mean every person has the same assignment or capacity. It means each of us should honestly consider how we are participating. Are we praying for particular people? Are we building relationships? Are we speaking about Christ and welcoming those who come?

We might enjoy being the church where everybody knows everybody. There is real affection in that. But if people are going to join us, we will sometimes have to become the church where we learn somebody's name.

Cheers built a whole atmosphere around familiar faces. Familiarity can feel wonderful. But a visitor should not have to wonder whether every friendship in the room was completed before they arrived.

Take a few minutes to meet somebody. Ask a real question. Introduce them to another person. Help them understand what is happening. Those are ordinary ways to show that our welcome means something.

The gathering in Cornelius's house exists because he sent for Peter, Peter came, and Cornelius invited people. God's initiative produces human participation throughout this passage.

So here is the specific challenge for this week: invite one person to come hear God's Word with you. Think of a name. Pray for that person. Make the invitation personal, and offer to meet them when they arrive.

An invitation is a beginning. Keep caring about the person. Be willing to talk about Jesus yourself. And come ready to hear and obey the same Word you want them to hear.

We stop at verse 33 today, before Peter's message begins. The room is ready. The messenger has arrived. People are gathered to listen. Everything has been moving toward their hearing the good news of Jesus.

Invitation and closing prayer

Let me bring this home. Cornelius needs the gospel, and Peter needs to obey the Lord who is sending him. By the end of our passage, a house is filled with people ready to hear God's Word because both men have acted on what God told them.

Where does that leave us?

Some of you need to take Cornelius's need seriously as your own. You have tried to live decently. You respect God. You may have been in church for a long time. But have you turned from your sin and trusted Jesus Christ?

The message Peter will preach points to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and announces forgiveness through faith in Him. That is the good news I want you to hear today.

We have sinned against a holy God. We have disobeyed Him in what we have done and in what we have refused to do. We cannot erase that guilt by pointing to the good things in our lives. We need forgiveness.

Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, came to us in the flesh. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father. He willingly died on the cross for sinners, bearing the judgment our sin deserves. He rose bodily from the dead, and He calls us to repent and believe in Him.

You can trust Him. You can stop trying to establish your worthiness before God and receive the mercy Christ offers. Turn from your sin. Entrust yourself to the Savior who died and rose again.

If you are ready to do that, call on Him. Tell Him the truth about your sin and your need. Come talk with me today. We can open the Bible together and talk about trusting Christ and beginning to follow Him.

For those of us who already belong to Him, we need to take Peter's correction seriously. Where have we been arguing with God? What have we been calling caution when the real issue is that we do not want to obey?

Maybe there is a person we have dismissed. Maybe we have settled into a comfortable circle and stopped caring whether anybody outside it hears about Jesus. Maybe we have spent more time explaining what the church should do than asking what the Lord would have us do.

Bring that honestly before Him. Repentance begins with agreeing that God is right. Then we need to follow through in the way we live.

Judah finally admitted that Blair knew the lesson she had prepared. There was no need to keep defending his mistake. And there is no need for us to keep defending ours before a God who knows us completely and graciously calls us to follow Him.

You do not have to settle every possible question this morning. You do need to respond to what His Word has made clear.

Think again of the person you could invite this week. Who is it? Put a name to the challenge. Pray for that person, speak to them, and be ready to welcome them. Ask God for the opportunity to talk about Christ, and be willing to take it when it comes.

Then come next Sunday prepared to listen yourself. We need the same humble readiness we have seen in that house: God is speaking through His Word, and we are here to hear Him.

Let's pray.

Father, thank You for the grace that brings sinners to Jesus and patiently corrects Your people. Forgive us for the times we have defended our comfort instead of obeying Your Word. Give us hearts that are willing to receive correction.

I pray for those who need to trust Christ today. Help them see that religious activity cannot save them. Bring them to repentance and faith in Your Son.

Help us love the people You have placed near us. Give us courage to speak, patience to listen, and a sincere desire to see them know You. Make us faithful in inviting others and ready to welcome them. As we hear Your Word, teach us to obey without hesitation. In Jesus' name, amen.