A Defense of God's Grace (3)

Acts 11:1–18 NKJV

1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” 4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ 10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” 18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

If scripture repeats itself, there is a reason.

We need to take notice and figure out what that reason is.

1. God’s eternal purpose includes people from every nation.

Ephesians 3:8–11 NKJV

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Genesis 12:3 NKJV

3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Revelation 5:9–10 NKJV

9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Acts 10 starts the change.

Acts 11:18 is really where it starts for the church.

Acts 11:18 NKJV

18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

Paul calls this the mystery of Christ and tells us that it had not been previously revealed.

This was a concept that blew the minds of the Jews!

It was completely agains everything they had ever been taught.

(1)A. It is fundamental to understand that God’s purpose includes us in the process.

God’s purpose included the Jews doing something they had never done before.

A major theme in this account is God’s initiative to take the gospel to the gentiles.

God gave a Peter a vision of unclean animals and told him to eat them.

Peter questioned him and God said again to eat them.

God sent an angel to Cornelius with specific instructions to go get Peter and where to find Peter.

Then he made sure that the men arrived just as Peter was thinking about his vision.

Then vs 18 Luke writes that “God granted the gentiles repentance.”

We clearly see the work of God in Salvation.

Philippians 1:29 NKJV

29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

YET… God’s purpose and plan includes us.

1 Corinthians 1:21 NKJV

21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

(1) B. If you are not involved in God’s process you are not a part of God’s purpose.

If we are not actively pursuing someone in some way for the sake of the gospel we are outside of God will for our lives.

Remember - God’s eternal purpose is to call out people from every kindred, tribe, people and nation to be His children.

And you and I are part of that plan.

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Sunday night I pointed out that there is no reason that every Christian shouldn’t lead at least one person to Christ in their lifetime.

This is our life’s mission.

So why do we struggle with this?

Because we are no different than the people we see in Acts 10 and 11.

2. We all have inaccurate thinking in our Christian lives.

(2) A. We inaccurately put human tradition over salvation.

Peter and the church struggled with this.

Acts 10:12–16 NKJV

12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Acts 11:2–3 NKJV

2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

Before we judge the Jews we need to think about ourselves.

We will often elevate church tradition or certain ways of doing things about reaching the lost.

We say we want to see people saved but when people start fishing for souls in ways we normally don’t we struggle.

Beer league softball.

Another area the church falls into this is the tradition of corporate evangelism.

Bring them to church and let pastor preach the gospel.

Let them walk the isle.

Let someone else worry about them.

I’ve fulfilled the great commission because I invited then to church.

This has been an acceptable tradition for a long time.

Churches plan calendar events around this tradition.

(2) B. We inaccurately think the church should be full of people like us.

This was a big deal for the Jews.

The law instructed them not to have interaction with the gentiles, now they were going to be a part of the church.

We know this was an ongoing struggle.

We need to be reminded that the church doesn’t have to look like us.

Baby christians come in having no idea what it means to be a child of the king.

They don’t know how to live.

They don’t know how to act.

We must patiently teach them!

(2) C. We inaccurately put God in a box.

We want God to do things our way.

The Jews could have easily said: Ok, its ok for God to save the Gentiles but they need to become Jews.

For God to save them as they are doesn’t make sense.

We need to be careful that we don’t think like this.

We can’t change an unsaved person.

Don’t try to get them to conform to your standards and clean them up before salvation.

they have no ability to change on their own.

We can and should show the from scripture what sin is but remember as a lost person they don’t know any better.

Give them the gospel.

Pray for God to save them.

Then let the Holy Spirit change them.

Trust God to do His work.

The Jews didn’t have this all figured out. They simply trusted what God was telling them.

3. God changes our inaccurate thinking so we can be instruments in His plan.

(3) A. God changes us as we walk humbly with Him.

God changed Peter’s heart on a rooftop during a time of prayer.

We will never see the church or the world the way God wants us to if we are not spending time with Him and having an open mind to the things He is teaching us.

James 1:19–22 NKJV

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

(3) B. God changes us through uncomfortable circumstances.

Peter didn’t start his prayer time looking for some new ministry idea.

Peter argued with God before he obeyed.

The Jews were not trying to figure out how to go around the law and reach the gentiles.

The Jews had to hear the hole story in complete detail before they were willing to obey.

Aren’t we seeing this right now?

God has forced us into an uncomfortable situation over the past few months and it has changed the way we think.

(3) C. God changes us through repeating the same lesson.

He told Peter the same thing - the vision - 3 times.

Then Peter has to recount the entire thing again so the Jews get it.

There is a reason this account is repeated in Acts 11.

We you start seeing recurring themes in scripture.

When you start thinking pastor is preaching the same thing over and over - but he’s simply preaching through a book of the Bible.

Take notice!

(3) D. God changes us by drawing us to the truth of His Word.

When we are quick to hear we will see the truth.

It isn’t always easy to obey, but the answer is there.

Peter understands the importance of this as he tells them the story.

He wants them to see God working and hear the Words of God in it.

This passage ends in a clear and simple way.

Acts 11:17–18 NKJV

17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” 18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

As a preacher that’s all I am doing - recounting the words of God and letting them do their Work in the lives of Christians.

Are you involved in God’s eternal purpose?

It was important that the Jews changed their thinking and got this so they could be a part of it.