Gospel to the Gentiles
Witness to the world: Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 46:57
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God’s perfect plan continues
God’s perfect plan continues
God’s promise, God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen12:3, 15:5) we have seen the seed and the blessing to the Jews, the Samaritans and this evening we will see it carry to the Gentiles fulfilling the promise.
3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
and the other Genesis passage
5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
For Abram his faith accounted him for righteousness (Gen15:6) our faith today, our obedient faith does for us, as it will for Cornelius and the Gentiles.
The growing church then:
In Judea, Galilee, Samaria all had peace, were edified (Act9:31)
They walked in fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit (Act9:31)
and they multiplied (Act9:31)
(Transition) so now the multiplied church as going to be a diversified church, a fulfilling church as the church is taken out to the Gentiles. Tonight we are looking at Luke’s description of the event, and then there is Peters that comes in Act11:1-18. Tonight we are focusing on Luke’s account.
The visions (Act10:1-16)
Further instructions (Act10:17-23)
A few thoughts
The Visions
The Visions
Visions in the bible are not uncommon. Visions were given with a purpose and there is much we can learn from the two visions in our passage.
Cornelius vision (Act10:1-8)
We have large sections of scripture tonight so may we break things down as we go tonight?
1 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.
Question: What do we learn about Cornelius from (vv.1-2)?
He was a centurion, he was devout, he feared God, he was generous (implied), be prayed continually.
A centurion was over about 100 men, they were considered the back bone of the military force. They were strong leaders by actions just as much as they were in words.
They were considered trustworthy and loyal, strong and courageous, so Cornelius was a trustworthy man and that is how people saw him.
He feared God, or was a God-fearer. These were Gentiles who had lost faith in the worldly gods and had attached themselves to the God of the Jews while yet not becoming a proselyte Jew. They even would attend the synagogue, they sought God, gave to God but knew they were not God’s people.
Question: Can someone be a God-fearer and yet not be a Christian today, if so, how?
3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
Question: What did Cornelius see, hear, do (v.3-4)?
He saw a vision of an angel of God. He heard him, he was alarmed, he asked of the angel, what Lord?
5 “Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
Question: what were the instructions (v.5-6)?
Dispatch men, get a man named Simon/Peter
7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Question: What can we know about the men he was dispatching (vv.7-8)?
So now, a little backstory to our passage, Do you remember the keys to the kingdom Peter was given? He is using them again in our passage tonight. Previously he used them to open the door to the Jews (Act2); the Samaritans (Act8) and now the last time we see Peter use them is to open the door to the Gentiles here in (Act10). This is all transpired about 10 years after the giving of the great commission (Mt28:19-20). God’s timing is perfect and God’s church started in Jerusalem and has been venturing out over time.
(Jerusalem - Joppa - Caesarea picture inserted here)
Peter had just been in Joppa, the Centurion is in Caesarea (v.1) and that is about 65 mi NW of Jerusalem, 35 mi North of Joppa. Caesarea was the Roman capital of Judea. Now about Cornelius
He was a religious man, but was not a Jew. He was as close to Judaism he could be without becoming a proselyte. We know he was “God fearing” he was generous and “gave many alms” and that he “prayed continually.” He was religious all while not being saved. He could not offer sacrifices in the temple for he was not a Jew so he offer the sacrifices of prayers.
Cornelius knew that his religious devotion was not sufficient to save him. Many today think their works, their devotion can save them and get them to heaven. They are not taking into account God’s grace or the severity of their own sin that needed God’s grace. You will see in Act11, in fact let me give you a taste, to see what Cornelius was praying for.
13 “And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; 14 and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’
This would not have been said if Cornelius would not have been praying for the way to be saved.
(Transition) God could have had the angel tell Cornelius to send people to get Philip who was recently in the area, remember he had been in Caesarea (Act8:40). See God has his will, his timing, and uses His people as He chooses. Peter was the one given the keys to the kingdom and Peter was the one who was to use them. But Peter needed to be prepared too.
Peter’s vision (Act10:9-16)
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;
I just mentioned God’s timing, right? So Cornelius is given a vision and immediately he dispatches out 2 servants and a soldier to go find Peter. So now we see it is the next day. that means that the servants and soldier travelled 35mi by foot or the like to get from Caesarea to Joppa.
Question: Where was Peter and what was Peter doing (v.9)?
Peter was on the rooftop, and was praying
Peter was hungry but there were preparations that needed to be done first, maybe food, but I think spiritually he needed to be prepared for what, who was coming.
Peter fell into a trance (v.10). Then the vision starts.
11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.
First came the description (v.11) then the contents (v.12) then comes the instructions
13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.”
Question: what were the instructions given to Peter (v.13)?
Peter is instructed to get up, kill, eat!
But isn’t that what had to be done if you were going to eat, isn’t that a part of the preparation?
Question: How did Peter answer, and why?
No way! I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.
Oh wait, there were things in the vision that to a Jew would be considered unclean. But Peter was not a Jew anymore, he was a Christian and food restrictions Peter displayed in Galatia created a problem too (you can see Gal2:11-12).
So to Peter, there was preparation that was needed spiritually for what was about to happen, but still Peter, tell it to me again needs it again.
Graham Scroggie wrote
“You can say ‘No,’ and you can say ‘Lord;’ but you cannot say ‘No, Lord!’ If he is truly our Lord we can only say ‘Yes!’ to Him and obey His commands.”
(Transition): So Peter spoke up, what he was hearing made no sense to him, and the angel brought further information, and repeated it to him too.
15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
Question: What is the settling fact given here in (v.15)?
What God has cleansed, is no longer unholy.
Now, this is not a salvation issue, but it can be a divisive issue and was within the mostly Jewish heritage church and Paul spends a lot of time about food and stumbling one another in Rom14.
Paul also states all things are permissible (1Cor10:23, 1Cor6:12) but not all things are is good.
(Transition): So two visions, bring to two instructions, but to Peter more instructions were needed for him, now that the prep work was done.
Further instructions
Further instructions
God means of instruction here was an angel who gave Peter specific instructions to take a journey, so may we journey together in looking at this section together.
17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.
Question: How was Peter feeling, thinking according to (v.17)?
Perplexed, in the NASB it is wondered. There are things that may perplex us or make us wonder and that is a good think, God created us to be curious.
Peter was perplexed, in wonder specifically look at this next verse
19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
So, while Peter was perplexed, in wonder, reflecting on the vision, not sure what the vision meant (v.17), the men from Caesarea show up, like coincidence right? LOL.
In the vision Peter is told “three men are looking for you.” (v.19)
(Transition) so we have Peter now being told there are people looking for him now comes more instruction.
20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”
Question: What are the instructions that Peter is given (v.20)?
Peter! Get up, go down, go with, doubting nothing.
21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”
So was there a delay in Peter going? No, why, Because he believed what the angel said that he had faith that was was being said was from God!
Question: Are we told to do the same, to take action even before we understand at times?
Question: What was Peter’s question of the men (v.21)?
Could it be Peter asking the question was just for confirmation of what the angel told him?
(transition) Words have meaning and oftentimes they require actions, do something with the words you are hearing, so look at our last two verses for tonight.
22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.”
23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Previously we have seen what Luke had to say about Cornelius, but now we get to look at what his servants and soldier have to say about him. Just a little fact if you scan the passage we have seen what Luke said, but not that Peter knew anything about anyone except the three me who were looking for him.
Question: What is Peter hearing as answer to his question (v.22)?
There is Cornelius the Centurion, he is a righteous man, a God fearing man, well thought of in the Jewish nation.
He was a man given a vision and direction with a purpose.
(Transition) Wait there is something else that is significant here, let me give you v.23 again, I want you see, notice, not miss out on it.
23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Question: What is the significance of Peter inviting them in?
These were not Jews, these were Gentiles, they would be despised by the Jews and anywhere they were, anything they touched would be considered unclean.
But wait, maybe I let something slip by before. Think about this as we look at this verse again, can God make changes in you before you even know He has made the changes in you?
6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
Notice that he is staying with a “tanner” what does a tanner do? - He dealt with dead bodies and in doing that he would be perpetually unclean (Num19:11-13)
11 ‘The one who touches the corpse of any person shall be unclean for seven days. 12 ‘That one shall purify himself from uncleanness with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and then he will be clean; but if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean.
13 ‘Anyone who touches a corpse, the body of a man who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from Israel. Because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him.
So, here is Peter staying in the home of someone who would have been considered “unclean.” As a Jew he never would have even considered staying in his home. Peter is started to see that the laws of the Jews did not apply to a Christian for they were petty and Christianity fulfilled the law. But yet, Peter wanted to forbid killing and eating what he considered unclean things, so he still had to allow God to do more work in him.
(Something to consider picture inserted here)
God makes changes in the believer, some subtle, some not so subtle and we can see that in what we looked at tonight and you will see ore of that next week.
God calls us to trust Him through His word, and it was words spoken to Cornelius, words spoken to Peter, both called for action!
God’s word needs to be received and applied, put into action
One more thing to consider, take the time to read Act10:24-48 for next week, and be ready to study it together.
(prayer) (Exit slide)