Untitled Sermon

Background Information

The last time we met, the three people sent by Cornelius the centurion arrived at the house of Simon the tanner. Peter was up on the rooftop where he received instruction from God to go with the men at the gate without any doubting.

Peter had just witness a vision which occured occured three times of a sheet with all types of animals with the instructions kill and eat. Peter was hesitant because he has never eaten anything unclean. And the voice told him don’t call unclean what God has made clean.

We discovered that the vision puzzled Peter and that he does not understand the vision until we get to Chapter 10 verse 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Peter asked why he was summoned to Cornelius home. And Cornelius revealed what happened to him while he was praying. And Cornelius basically tells Peter we need to hear what you have to say. So Peter begins his sermon to Cornelius and those present in verse 34, which is where we begin tonight.

Body

Acts 10:34–35 NKJV

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

Beginning with Genesis 12 where God calls Abraham out to form the great nation of Israel until verse 34, the Jews perception was that there was partiality with God. That God favored the Jews over all the other nations and people groups of the world. So, you would never hear a Jew say from the time of Abraham to this statement of Peter that God shows no partiality.

But God tells the Jews that He is not partial instead God is using the Jews to bring all nations to serve God.

Deuteronomy 10:17 (NIV) 17  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.

2 Chronicles 19:7 (NIV) 7  Now let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery."

God is saying that I have not shown partiality. I used the Israelites to accomplish my will, but that does not mean I am showing partiality. I wanted all the nations to be blessed.

There is a difference between partiality and choosing a people group to accomplish a purpose.