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This morning we are picking back up in our study of the book of Acts.
If you’re new to MCF, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible, and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse in order to not only understand what God’s Word is saying, but what it means in our lives as well.
With that said, while we took a break during the Holiday Season, for the last year we’ve been going through the NT book of Acts. A book that was written by a 1st century disciple named Luke for two primary reasons:
Number 1 - To give us a history of the church. How it started and who was involved.
Number 2 - To give us a template for how Jesus intends for us to take the message of the gospel to the rest of the world.
So, if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to www.mcf.life where you can listen to several of those messages leading up to today.
You may or may not recall, but when we were last in Acts, we had just finished , which in many respects, represents one the most important chapters in the book of Acts.
Important because in chapter 10 God clarified that salvation through faith in Jesus wasn’t just meant for the Jewish people.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The whoever being anybody that would call on His name.
Because as we’ve learned so far, up until , many of the Jewish Christians had made the assumption that Jesus had come primarily to save the Jewish people.
But God turns that assumption on its head as through a series of events in , He makes it abundantly clear that Jesus offers eternal life not just to one group of people, but to all people.
That being said, through chapter 10 we learned a lot about who salvation is for, how a person can be saved, and what the signs of salvation are in ones life.
Now, if you weren’t with us through chapter 10, you might be thinking, “Wow, that sounds like good information. Wish I would have been here for that.”
And so as we come to chapter 11 today, we are going to get basically a recap of what
Well, here’s the good news. As we move into chapter 11 today, Luke is going to recap chapter 10. In fact, he’s going to devote the first 18 verses of chapter 11 to retelling the entire story of chapter 10.
Now, a good question would be, “Why is Luke repeating himself?”
For a couple of reasons:
First, when it comes to the Bible, in order to drive a point home or reinforce a teaching, Biblical writers would often employ a powerful teaching tool called “repetition”. And as a teaching method, repetition does a couple of things for us:
#1 - Repetition reinforces what we just learned by restating it.
Reason #1 - One of the teaching tools that the Bible continually uses is the tool of repetition.
Teachers do this all of the time. In fact, I often to do this in a sermon. I’ll make a statement, and then I’ll repeat the statement a couple of times in order to reinforce it. Why? Because I want to make sure you remember it.
#2 - From a Biblical standpoint, repetition is always an indicator that this is something really important to God. Something He wants us to take to heart and implement into our lives.
We see this throughout the Bible. For example, when Joshua is getting ready to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land in , God uses repetition to encourage and strengthen Joshua. Check this out in :
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Notice the repetition of the term “Be strong and courageous”. This is God’s way of reminding and reinforcing to Joshua that as long as he keeps his eyes on the Lord, he has nothing to fear. And so to reinforce it, God repeats it three times to him.
And so God has the writer retell it in order to reinforce its important and make sure we get it.
And so God has the writer retell it in order to reinforce its important and make sure we get it.
It’s kind of like when your instructing your kids about something important, and so you repeat it several times in order to get your point across and make sure they understand.
That’s what God does with us. In order to reinforce something really important, He repeats it.
And is one of those cases. And it’s one of those cases because who can be saved, how they can be saved, and what the signs of salvation are, is an important subject matter, wouldn’t you say?
So that’s one reason Luke retells this story.
But there’s a second reason as well. Because outside of God wanting to reinforce this important theological subject matter, there is a practical matter at hand. And it’s one of explanation.
And so just to make sure we all understand, God has Luke retell the story from chapter 10. Which means, we need to listen up and make sure we fully comprehend what God is saying to us about this important subject matter.
But while that’s the main purpose in retelling this story, it’s not the only purpose. Because outside of God wanting to reinforce this important theological subject matter, there is a practical matter at hand. And it’s one of explanation.
Here’s what I mean by that:
Question - Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you made a decision or took an action that got you in some hot water.
A decision that led to questions, criticism, and disbelief from others?
Causing you to have to explain and justify the decision or action you took?
Anybody ever been there?
For example:
Example #1 - Maybe you told your wife you were going to Best Buy to just look around, but then you came back with a 65” Smart TV.
And as you arrived home and walked through the door with TV in hand, the look of disbelief and confusion on your wife’s face was a definite sign that things were about to go south.
In fact, before you could set the TV down, the barrage of questions had begun. And now you have some explaining to do in order to justify such a large purchase.
Example #2 - Or maybe you made a decision at work without talking to your supervisor or your boss. And now the decision has come back to bite you as your boss calls you into their office to question and criticize your decision. And now you have some explaining to do.
I think we’ve all probably been there, right? In a place where we made a decision that didn’t set well with others, requiring us to explain, justify, and defend our decision.
As we come to chapter 11 today, along with a recap of chapter 10, that’s what Peter is now facing. Because if you recall from chapter 10, Peter made a decision that wouldn’t have set well with his religious friends.
Acts 11:1
A decision that would cause disbelief. A decision that would create criticism. A decision that would require Peter to give some explanation.
And what was true for Peter will be true for anybody who takes a Biblical stand for faith in Jesus. Because the fact of the matter is, putting your faith in Jesus is a decision that will often cause disbelief, create questions, invite criticism, and require some explanation.
What was the decision? To discover that and reacquaint ourselves with what we learned in chapter 10, let’s pick back up in as Luke retells the story. Luke writes:
1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
Luke says the decision the Apostle Peter made , was to eat with men who were uncircumcised. And it apparently had upset the group known as the circumcision party.
Seems kind of odd, right? Odd because what’s the big deal with Peter having lunch with these guys? And Odd because, why do we need to know these men were uncircumcised. Seems like a little too much information. Thanks Luke, not sure we needed to know that.
But what we have to remember is whenever the Bible refers to somebody that’s uncircumcised, it’s meant to be a form of identification and association.
Identification, because in the bible, it’s what designates a Jewish person from a Gentile. WE see that throughout the Bible beginning in Genesis 17.
Because in Bible, Jewish people were circumcised and Gentiles were for the most part not.
Acts 11:1
Not only that, but it represents religious association.
Acts 11:
Because for the Jew, circumcision is more than a physical act. Circumcision represents a spiritual act representing the covenant promise that God made to Abraham concerning the promised redeemer.
When facing criticism, show them what God’s Word says.
We talked about that promise during our Christmas series. And if you recall, God made Abraham a promise that through his offspring, the Jewish people, the promised redeemer would come. The redeemer being Jesus.
And so to solidify this promise between God and Abraham, God had Abraham conduct a symbolic act that would be an ongoing sign of this promise. And the symbolic acts was circumcision. Listen to what God says to Abraham in Genesis 17:
10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.
So, as you can see, circumcision is a big deal to the Jewish person. And for good reason. Because listen to what God says will happen to the Jewish person who isn’t circumcised.
14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
So, if you don’t get circumcised as a Jew, then you’re out of the covenant promise.
All that to say, circumcision determined if a person was a Jew or a non Jew, which also determined if they were in a covenant relationship with God or not.
Which brings us back to Peter having lunch with some uncircumcised men. Because apparently there is a group of Jewish Christians, called the “circumcision party” who have a big problem with Peter eating lunch with non Jews who in their mind are not a part of the covenant promise.
And so they confront Peter and basically say, “Peter, what were you thinking? You know we don’t associate ourselves with Gentile sinners! You’re a Jew Peter. Their Gentiles! Peter, what were you thinking?”
And now Peter is left to explain his decision and his actions.
And his explanation is going to be based on his experience from chapter 10.
Because in chapter 10, God reminded Peter that circumcision was never meant to save someone, but to symbolize a promise. God reminded Peter that Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. God showed Peter that because of what Jesus did, there is now no Jew or Gentile, or Baptist, or Catholic, or Lutheran, or whatever badge you want to wear. That through faith in Jesus we become one people associated with one savior.
The Apostle Paul puts it like this in :
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And after his experience in Chapter 10, Peter now understands this. He gets it. But some of his religious friends haven’t figured this out yet. Along with faith in Jesus, they are still clinging to their need fo rituals and religion. And now he’s facing the backlash of his decision.
So, that’s where we find ourselves as we move into chapter 11.
So, a great question at this point would be, “How does this situation apply to us”
Ironically, it applies in the same way. Because when a person, like Peter, begins to recongize that salvation isn’t about religious or denominational association, at that point they have to make a decision.
A decision to abandon religious thinking and embrace a relationship with Jesus.
A decision that will often cause disbelief, create questions, invite criticism, and require some explanation.
Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about. Because the truth is, since you put your faith in Jesus, and have embraced Biblical faith, you’ve faced some backlash.
Since making your faith declaration, there are people in your life who are asking questions and maybe even criticizing your decision.
Since leaving your religious background or denominational association, there are people in your life who are in shock or disbelief that you’re attending a church like MCF and associating with the people out by Taco Bell.
You see, anytime we
Because after all, you’re Lutheran, and Lutheran’s don’t associate with non-Lutherans. Or your Catholic, and Catholics don’t associate with non-Catholics. Or you’re Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Berean, or whatever other title you’ve associated yourself with over the years. And now you’re at the church out by Taco Bell? And some of those closest to you are saying, “What are you thinking?”
You see, it’s no different for us than it was for Peter.
The Apostle Paul puts it like this in :
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And after his experience in Chapter 10, Peter now understands this. He gets it. But some of his religious friends do not. And now he’s facing the backlash of his decision. And so will we.
And so, like Peter, we need to be prepared for that kind of criticism, and in the midst of the criticism be able to explain our decision of faith in a way that hopefully leads others to the truth of God’s Word. I think this is Peter was referring to in when he wrote:
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
And so, as we come to chapter 11 today, I have two goals, one being theological and the other practical.
The Theological Goal - As we walk through this passage to simply remind and reinforce who salvation is for, how a person is saved, and what the sign of salvation is.
The Practical Goal - To learn from Peter how we should approach and explain our faith to someone who may be in opposition to our decision to abandon religious thinking and put our faith in Jesus.
And in doing so I’m going to give you four responses
And so, to get us started, let’s continue in chapter 11 as Peter now responds and explains his decision and his actions.
Picking back up in verse 4 Luke writes:
4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 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?” 18 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.”
1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 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?” 18 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.”
What I want you to notice, is that in order to explain his decision and actions, Peter retells the story of his experience in chapter 10. And in doing so he gives us four steps to explaining and addressing criticism when it comes to faith in Jesus.
So, let’s start with step # 1, and I would state it like this:
1. When explaining the reason for your faith decision, start at the beginning.
And while that was significant, what was even more amazing about his encounter was the fact that Cornelius was a gentile, a non Jew. Because as I said earlier, up until this point, it was uncertain if Gentiles could be saved. But through this encounter God makes it evident that Gentiles can indeed be saved.
And this is where the problem now comes into play as Peter leaves Cornelius’s house and heads back to Jerusalem. But apparently, the word of what happened at Cornelius’s house traveled faster than Peter did. And by the time Peter gets back home, the word is out about the Gentile conversions.
And so through a series of spiritual events, Peter
Notice what Peter says as he begins his explanation. Luke writes:
Criticism Came:
1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
When facing criticism for your faith, start at the beginning.
4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order:
It’s interesting to note, that when confronted about his recent interaction with the Gentiles, Luke says Peter begins by telling the story of what happened in order.
In other words, he begins his explanation by going back to where it all started.
So, why does he start there?
He starts at the beginning, because if you want to lead somebody to Biblical truth, and you want them to be open to what you have to say, you have to take them on a faith journey.
A faith journey that doesn’t begin with religious debate, scripture references, or denominational stances.
A faith journey that begins with a story.
You see what typically happens, is when somebody confronts us about our decision of faith or really any decision, in that moment our instinct is to go into defensive mode. Our instinct is to strike back. That’s true, right?
But that kind of response isn’t going to get us anywhere with anybody. That’s why Peter said in , when defending our faith, we are to do it with gentleness and respect.
And a great way to do that is to begin by saying, “Hey, I know you don’t like or your struggling with the decision I’ve made.
I know you have a lot of questions.
I know your confused by my actions.
I know you you think I’ve abandoned my religious heritage.
So let me tell you a story. Let me start from the beginning. Because I think if you’ll hear me out, you might understand why I’ve made this decision and why I’m eating with the people out by Taco Bell.”
So, response #1 - start at the beginning. This then leads to the second step, and I would state it like this:
2. When explaining the reason for your faith decision, tell your story.
Notice what Peter tells them as he starts from the beginning. Luke writes:
When facing criticism for your faith, share your spiritual experience and journey.
5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’
What Peter basically does here is give them a condensed version of the revelation God had given him in chapter 10. And in telling the story, he highlights three pivotal moments in his story.
We see the first one in verse 5. Luke writes:
5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me.
5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air.
I would label the first pivotal moment:
Pivotal Moment #1 - Spiritual Revelation
If you recall from chapter 10, this entire event started when Peter went up on a roof to pray.
A moment where he was seeking God.
A moment where his mind and Spirit were open to the leading of the Lord.
A moment where he was seeking spiritual guidance and direction.
A moment where he was seeking to hear from God.
And it was in that moment that God spoke to Peter and gave him a vision.
A vision that involved a large sheet dropping from heaven full of animals, birds, and reptiles. It was a moment of spiritual revelation.
And it’s a moment that can only happen if Peter is spiritually engaged. If Peter is seeking God.
Here’s why it’s important we understand this.
For most people who come to Biblical faith, it started with a moment like this.
Acts 11:
A moment when they were seeking God.
A moment when their heart was open to His leading.
A moment when they were seeking for something more in their spiritual life.
A moment when they were asking questions and seeking answers.
A moment that opened their hearts to hear from God.
And it’s in a moment like that, that God responds. And he begins to open our eyes to the truth. And he begins to show us what we need to do next.
This leads to a second pivotal moment in Peter’s story. And I would call this moment:
Pivotal Moment #2 - Uncomfortable Obedience
Luke writes:
7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.
As Peter continues to tell his story, he now focuses on the vision and the dilemma it created for him. Because as Peter sees the sheet drop from heaven full of animals, birds, and reptiles, he hears a voice say, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
And as we learned in chapter 10, this would have been a religious no no for Peter. Because while some of the food in the sheet would have been ok to eat, some of it was not.
Because as we learned in chapter 10, the Jews had religious food laws from the OT that kept them from eating certain foods.
And that’s what you have to explain
And now God is telling Peter to eat the forbidden food, and it’s created a dilemma for Peter as he grapples with obeying God’s command to kill and eat.
The question then is, “Why would God command Peter to eat food that the OT forbids them from eating?”
And what was true for Peter
If you recall, what God is trying to show Peter isn’t so much about food, as it is about what Jesus has done.
That because of Jesus, what was unclean can now be made clean.
That because of Jesus, religion and rituals no longer rule the day.
That because of Jesus the walls of separation between God and man and between Jew and Gentile have been torn down.
Acts 11:11-
That Jesus is the one who saves, not rituals or religion. That Jesus has come for the Gentile, not just for the Jew.
Jesus has changed everything.
And as you might expect, because of Peter’s religious upbringing and background, he struggles with this notion.
Acts 10:1-
And the truth is, for the religious person who is seeking God, this revelation initially is a real struggle.
For example, for the person raised Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, or whatever your religious background is, it’s a real struggle and creates quite a dilemma when you begin to realize, that while your religious heritage is important, and it’s brought you to where you are, it can’t take you where you need to go spiritually.
It’s a real sturggle to suddenly realize that your denominational association isn’t what makes you right with God.
It’s a real struggle to suddenly realize, that if you want more of God in your life, and you want what God truly desires for you, you have to set your religion aside, put your faith in what Jesus has done.
This is the place Peter finds himself at as God challenges Him to move out of his religious box and into a new way of thinking.
It’s a moment of uncomfortable obedience.
And that’s what you have to convey when explaining your decision to those who may question it.
To share how you grappled with letting go of religion and embracing relationship.
To share how you grappled with leaving behind denominational thinking and religious association.
To share how leaving
But how you finally realized, if you were going to grow spiritually, you had to obediently go where God was leading you.
And let’s be honest, that’s exactly what has brought some of you to MCF. You came here because you new there was something more that God wanted for you.
You were tired of going through the motions. Tired of going to church just to satisfy a routine or a ritual. You wanted something more.
And it was hard. It was hard to leave what you’d always known. It was hard to embrace something that friends and family said was wrong. But you knew you couldn’t stay where you were at. So, you walked into uncomfortable obedience.
This then leads us to a third pivotal moment. A moment I would label:
Or they
Pivotal Moment #3 - Spiritual Confirmation
Luke writes:
11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’
At this point in the story, Peter recalls the moment the three men sent by Cornelius show up at his door.
If you recall from chapter 10, Cornelius was the gentile Roman soldier at the beginning of chapter 10 who was praying and seeking a relationship with God. A prayer that God responded too. Going back to Chapter, listen to how Luke describes it:
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.
This is what Peter is now referring to in chapter 11 as he explains what happened.
And what Peter’s explaining is that it was a moment of spiritual confirmation as his own vision and the story the three men tell him of Cornelius’s encounter with an angel collide.
A moment of spiritual confirmation as what God has told Peter conincides and collides with what God had told Cornelius.
And now Peter has confirmation that this is from God and something he needs to pursue.
And again, the same is true for people who are truly seeking to know and have a relationship with God. Because as they seek God, and God begins to push them out of their religious comfort zone, God often brings spiritual confirmation.
So, what does that kind of confirmation look like?
I think it’s different for everybody. For some, it might be an invitation to attend a certain church. Or something somone says to you, or maybe even something you heard on the radio or television that confirms what you’ve been sensing.
But something happens as God honors your uncomfortable obedience and brings spiritual confirmation that you are on the right path.
For me, it’s happened in different ways.
For example, in my early days of faith, when I was just beginning to seek the Lord, I was holding onto some un-forgiveness towards a certain individual who had done harm to myself and my family.
And not only was I holding onto un-forgiveness, but I had also made it a point to let other people know what a scoundrel he was. And to be honest it was keeping me from growing spiritually.
And so one afternoon as I was driving the tractor, I turned on the radio and was listening to a sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley. Guess what he was talking about? Un-forgiveness.
And as Dr. Stanley spoke, I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit and I knew I needed to deal with my un-forgiveness.
And so as I prayed about it, and as I prayed I felt like the Lord told me to go drive by this individuals house, and when I saw him, to get out, and go apologize to him for the things I had been saying about him.
I was like, “Say what Lord? Are you kidding me? Go talk to him? Apologize to him?” And the Lord said, “Yup, that’s what I want you to do”. This was my sheet coming down from heaven.
So, I said, “Well, I’ll drive by, but if he’s not out there Lord, I’m not stopping”.
And so, I drove to his house, and wouldn’t you know it, as I drove by, he was outside working on his fence. And I was thinking, “Well that’s just great Lord.”
And so, I stopped, got out of my truck, walked up behind him, and tapped him on the shoulder. And as you can imagine, it startled him as he turned around and saw me standing there.
At that point I said, “Hey, I recently put my faith in Jesus. And I’m trying to grow in that. And for that to happen, I need to apologize to you for some things I’ve been saying about you. And I’d like to ask for your forgiveness.”
And much to my surprise, tears started falling down his face, and he said, “Brad, I recently put my faith in Jesus too. And I’ve been meaning to come talk to you, because I need you to forgive me as well.”
You see how that works? That’s what you call spiritual confirmation.
And it’s a pivotal moment that helps us not only move forward, but helps others see how God was at work in our story.
Because there are some things you just can’t orchestrate. Some things that are divinely orchestrated to encurage us and
This leads to a third step in explaining our decision of faith.
Not only do we need to start at the beginning and tell our story:
3. When explaining the reason for your faith decision, direct them to the truth of God’s Word.
Luke writes:
15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
Peter now moves to his encounter with the uncircumcised gentile named Cornelius. And he tells them what happened when he arrived at his home.
He tells them first about how he shared the Gospel with them. How he told them about Jesus.
He then tells them how the Holy Spirit took over at that point and began a work of transformation in Cornelius and his family.
How the Holy Spirit fell on them and how the same thing that happened to the Jewish Christians on the day of Pentecost was now happening to the Gentiles.
He then tells them how it reminded him of something that Jesus had said. And he quotes what would one day Matthew would write in : Matthew writes:
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
You see, what Peter is doing, is showing his religious friends, that what has happened with the Gentiles is in fact something Jesus said would happen. That this is God’s Word in action. In other words, it’s Biblical.
It’s what Jesus was talking about and what He said would happen. In other words, it’s Biblical.
And that’s exactly what we have to do when explaining our faith decision to others. Along with sharing our experience and our story, we have to point them to the truth of God’s Word. That what has happened to you isn’t weird or strange. That it’s not the result of some bizarre experience. That what has happened is Biblical.
To share scriptures with them like where Paul writes:
17 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?” 18 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.”
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
And :
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
This is where you point them to the truth of God’s Word and say, “Listen I’m so thankful for my religious heritage and upbringing. But God wants us to have more than a religion. And God’s Word actually says that. It says He’s provided a way for us to know Him and have a relationship with HIm. And it comes through faith in Jesus. Jesus Himself says it in . He says:”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Do you see how that works. Once you’ve told them your story, you point them to the truth of God’s Word. You show them, that what you’ve experienced, and what has happened to you, is in fact, Biblical.
And for the religious person, this will be a real revelation.
Then this leads to a final step in your explanation process.
4. When explaining the reason for your faith decision, testify to the change that has happened in your life.
Luke writes:
17 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?”
As Peter closes out his explanation, he points to the evidence of changed lives. He says, “Listen, I saw the change in them when they put their faith in Jesus. There was no denying it. The evidence was unmistakable. So who am I to question God?”
And the same must be true of us when explaining our faith. Because once we’ve shared our story, once we’ve pointed them to the truth of God’s Word, we can now point to the evidence of a changed life.
To say, “Listen, you know me. You know how I used to be. You know the kind of lifestyle I used to live. You know the things I used to say and do.
But I’m not that person anymore. Just like the Bible says. When I put my faith in Jesus, the old me died and a new me was born. According to what Jesus said in , ’ve been born again. The old Brad is dead, and the new as come.”
And I’m going to tell you right now, that’s hard to argue with. That’s hard to disprove. Because the evidence of your new life in Christ backs up everything you just shared. And it leaves those who criticize with little to nothing to say. In fact, listen to how Peter’s critics responded:
18 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.”
They were like, “Well, I guess there’s nothing more to say. Apparently God is working in their life.”
You see, it’s hard to argue with the evidence of a changed life. And I can promise you, once you’ve shared your story, once you’ve pointed people to the truth of God’s Word, and once you’ve shown the evidence of it in your own life, you’ll leave your critics with little to nothing to say.
No, they may not l like it, but what can they say? You’ve changed for the better. You’re a better friend now. A better son now. A better daughter now. A better husband now. A better wife now. You’re living your life to know and please God. Your life has done a complete 180. What can they say?
I know for me there have been many moments in my life where I’ve had to defend and explain my decision to follow Jesus. Moments where friends, family, and even strangers worked to discourage my hope in Jesus.
And if that’s been the case for me, I have a feeling it’s been the case for some of here today.
In fact, I recently had somebody share with me that their decision to attend MCF had resulted in a lot of family turmoil. And that can be discouraging.
So , as we close this morning, I want to close by encouraging you when it comes to your decision of faith. And to do that, I’d like to encourage you to recall your own story.
To recall the moment that God began to speak to you. To go back to the beginning. To the moment God began to move you to a new place spiritually.
To recall how that took place. How he spoke to you. How He moved you out of your comfort zone. How He brought confirmation and how he encouraged you as you moved forward.
To recall what His Word has taught you. How it opened your eyes to the truth. How it challenged you to step out of religion and into relationship.
And most of all, I want you to consider the change your decision to follow Jesus has brought into your life. How it’s transformed and restored you. How it’s transformed and strengthened your marriage. How it’s changed our perspective and outlook on life. How it’s brought hope and certainty and moved you from darkness to light. I want you to consider the change it has made in you. To remember the words of the Apostle Paul who said:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
My hope is, as you consider your own story, that regardless of what others say, you’ll hold onto the hope that God has given you. That you’ll find encouragement today in your own story. A story of redemption. A story of new life. A story that no one can dismiss or argue with.
Let’s Pray