Peter at Cornelius's House

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 11th day of November — Wednesday! Election updates:

State Legislature of Pennsylvania announced that they will conduct their own audit of election results

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there will be a smooth transition to a Trump 2nd Term

Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany showed 234 pages of sworn affidavits claiming election fraud in Michigan

Whistle blower appeared at Laura’s Ingraham Angle last night also claiming massive fraud

NOT a single state is yet to certify their election results— all we are hearing are unofficial and based only on AP projections

There was a news that there will be a big rally in DC this weekend called as the MAGA MILLION RALLY— I will keep an eye how these things will develop and I will give you daily updates!— this is too important not be involve!

Yesterday right here at “The Message” we looked at Peter’s vision— from his vision we learned a couple things— it has a double meaning— not just about food that we should and shouldn’t eat, but it also speaks about people that should and shouldn’t hangout with

We know by now that it was unlawful for Jewish people to visit or even just associate themselves with the Gentiles— this vision came to Peter at the right moment when the 2 servants and a soldier sent by Cornelius arrived the house of Simon the tanner where Peter stayed at in Joppa— without this vision, Peter could’ve been unwilling to go with them back to Cornelius’s house in Caesarea— from this narrative of actual events, we learned:

IT IS WHAT COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH THAT MAKES ME UNCLEAN

IT IS GOD THAT CLEANSE AND PURIFIES

Now, let’s see what happened the day after— open your Bible to ACTS 10:23-48— once you get there, simply type “I’m on it!”

When reading in advance, whenever you’re studying God’s Word— look for words that defines that CHARACTER of God, COMMANDS to obey, PROMISES to claim, good EXAMPLES to follow and bad examples to avoid, ENCOURAGEMENTS & CHALLENGES to keep you going, reasons to be THANK GOD for, PRAYERS to pray

READ ACTS 10:23-48

BOOK

Acts 10:23–48 NIV

23 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. 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” 27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 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. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” 30 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 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 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.’ 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.” 34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 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. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—38 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. 39 “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, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 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. 42 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. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 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.

WHAT: Peter’s arrival at the house of Cornelius

WHEN: The day after Peter received the vision

WHERE: Caesarea— south of Joppa— Northwest of Jerusalem [SHOW MAP]

WHO: Peter with some believers from Joppa— Cornelius with his household and friends

WHY: For Cornelius to hear what God has commanded Peter to tell them

LOOK

STAND UP, HE SAID, I AM ONLY A MAN MYSELF

Peter refused to be considered superior to Cornelius— humility— Paul and Barnabas also said this in ACTS 14:15

IT IS AGAINST OUR LAW FOR A JEW TO ASSOCIATE WITH OR VISIT A GENTILE

Here we see that if Peter did not receive that vision, he could have refused or resisted to come along to the house of Cornelius— while there was no specific, hard and fastened written rule about this— their purity laws often meant that Jews must not interact with the Gentiles in order to remain ritually pure

But in his vision, God told him not to call anything impure that God has made clean— after clarifying these, Peter asked Cornelius why he sent for him— Cornelius explained what happened to him while he was praying 3 days prior— in obedience to what the angel told Cornelius in his vision, he sent for Peter— Cornelius was thankful to Peter that he came and he said...

WE ARE ALL HERE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD TO LISTEN

To listen to everything the Lord has commanded Peter to tell them— Peter then began to speak, and his opening statement was..

GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM

Salvation in Jesus in not based on ethnicity or culture but is an offer to all— Peter acknowledges that faith and a transformed life, not ethnicity or keeping the OT laws, authenticates a person as one of God’s own— Peter went on to share the good news [the gospel]

He told them the good news of peace through our Lord Jesus Christ who is Lord of all [the theology that Jesus’s lordship extends over all— that He is not a cultural or national king, but the true king for everyone in the world]

That God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power— he told them what Jesus had done going around the province of Judea beginning in Galilee— and how they killed him by hanging on a cross— but on the third day, God raised him from the dead and caused him to be seen— Peter said they ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead, though he was not seen by all the people, but by...

WITNESSES WHOM GOD HAD ALREADY CHOSEN

Those who were chosen were commanded to preach and to testify that Jesus is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead— Paul said this too in 2 TIMOTHY 4:1

Peter added that ALL the prophets testified about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins— while peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message— the believers from Joppa who came with Peter were astonished that…

THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD BEEN POURED OUT EVEN ON GENTILES

This outpouring of the Holy Spirit was indicated by their speaking in tongues— after seeing these, Peter said, he saw no reason why they shall not be baptized with water— so he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ

Three things rose to clarity out of these:

God does not show favoritism

Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness

The gifts of the Holy Spirit is not exclusive to the Jews

Let me translate these to sentences that you may easily remember

TOOK

GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM

SALVATION IS OFFERED TO EVERYONE

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE

SING

Deacon Anton— Truth be told