Salvation is not exclusive - Part 1 (Acts 10)
Segun Oladokun
Kingdom Living - Empowered by the Holy Spirit • Sermon • Submitted
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· 163 viewsAs Jesus promised, the Gospel is expanding to the ends of the earth. However, not the way the jewish beliervers expected it. Through persecution the gospel spread. Cornelius a gentile, though rightoues still needed to hear the gospel and be saved. He was accepted into the family of God and received the gift of the Holy Spirit with his family and friends. God does not show favoritism. Everyone is welcome to accpet the gift of Salvation.
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The Reading - Acts 10
The Reading - Acts 10
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Big Ideas in Acts 10
Big Ideas in Acts 10
1. Martyrdom > Persecution > Scattering > Expansion
2. From the blood line of Abraham to blood line of Jesus - all included
3. Visions & Prophetic revelation v Scriptures and doctrine
4. Good works and righteous acts are not enough, every man needs to be saved
5. Dealing with prejudices
6. The sovereignty of God
Acts 10:1-2
Acts 10:1-2
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
Scene 1 - Cornelius
Scene 1 - Cornelius
A centurion - Italian regiment (v1)
Devout - but not a proselyte - & God fearing (with his family) (v2)
Gave generously to the poor & prayed to God regularly (v2)
Righteous, and respected by all the Jewish people (v22)
The sequence of the events that led to Cornelius’ salvation started with Cornelius… or did it?
The process by which Cornelius became a Christian is described in great detail, with many narrative indications of God’s initiative and direction.
Small seeds today…Big Harvest tomorrow
His vision - Acts 10:3-6
His vision - Acts 10:3-6
One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
Although not explicit in the text here, Cornelius was actually praying, when he saw the vision. Acts 10:30-31
There is always the “One DAY”. He prayed regularly, but “One DAY” the Lord sent an angel. Don’t give up, your one day is round the corner. God never forgets.
The angel said “ Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God”...
That tells us something about the type of prayers Cornelius said. What type of prayers is an offering?
If no one notices your generosity, God does.
If no one notices your generosity, God does.
Scene 2 - Peter’s vision - Acts 10:9-16
Scene 2 - Peter’s vision - Acts 10:9-16
About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
The vision is not about food, It’s about souls
Visions v Scriptures
Visions v Scriptures
Carlton Pearson’s story
The Holy Spirit is not introducing a new teaching here. It was always in the plan of God to include the gentiles
Jesus said in Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The ends of the earth includes the rest of the world.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.
Romans 9:25-26
As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”
and,
“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ ”
Peter begins to understand his vision - Acts 10:17-23
Peter begins to understand his vision - Acts 10:17-23
While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along.
Scene 3 - Peter in Cornelius’ House Acts 10:23-48
Scene 3 - Peter in Cornelius’ House Acts 10:23-48
He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
Cornelius had called his relatives and close friends
Peter explained why he came - God told Him to come
He asked Cornelius - May I ask why you sent for me?
Cornelius retold his vision - it’s the second time he did it?
Acts 10:33
So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
Peter now sees this biblical teaching ‘more sharply and more clearly, for it is being demonstrated in a new way’. Although God gave a special status and role to Israel, he declared his intention to bless the nations through his chosen We see that happening in various ways, as some were brought into the sphere of Israelite life (e.g., Ex. 12:38; Dt. 10:18–19; Jos. 6:25; Ru. 4:11–15), and others were blessed by God without joining that community (e.g., 1 Ki. 10:1–13; 2 Ki. 5:1–15; Jonah 3). Job is a foreigner who is described in terms very similar to those used of Cornelius: he was ‘blameless and upright’ because ‘he feared God and shunned evil’ (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). - The Pillar New Testament Commentary
Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
Peter preached the Gospel - Acts 10:37-43
Peter preached the Gospel - Acts 10:37-43
You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and Power
He set people free from the power of the devil, because God was with Him
He died and rose again
Many witnesses saw Him…He is Alive today and forever
He will judge the living and the dead
If you believe in Him you will have forgiveness of sins through His name
The Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message Acts 10:44-48
The Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message Acts 10:44-48
Final word
Final word
Stephen was killed, God could have saved him, but instead He took him
The devil thought he was winning with Stephen dead
He proceeded to persecute the Church.
The church scattered, but so did the seed
What the devil meant for evil, God TURNED it for expansion
God is sovereign
The implication of Jesus’ statement, “harvest is ripe, labourers are few” is that there are people like Cornelius in our community. We just need to find them. However, finding them is not a walk in the park. We will have to labour, work hard at it.
The implication of Jesus’ statement, “harvest is ripe, labourers are few” is that there are people like Cornelius in our community. We just need to find them. However, finding them is not a walk in the park. We will have to labour, work hard at it.