Chapter Ten and Eleven: Arise, Kill and Eat

Redemption

Redeeming what has been made unclean

Acts 10:1 CSB

1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment.

Who was Cornelius?

What sets him apart from the characters we have seen in Acts so far?

Cornelius was a gentile. Up until this point the characters we have seen have primarily been either Hebraic Jews or Hellenistic Jews. This story of Cornelius and his family not only marks a narrative shift in the story of Acts, but a cultural shift within Christianity. For the believers, the Gospel was reserved for the Jewish people. This shift highlights a blind spot within Israel’s view of their identity and the world around them.

Israel saw themselves as God’s chosen people, which was true. They also saw all other nations as enemies, which in a sense was also true. The nations were enemies to God but not because of bloodline. It was because of sin. Sin makes all people enemies to God, even Israel. Even Israel’s name means “Fighter of God”. God did not choose Israel because of their genealogy, but rather that they might set an example for all other nations that Yahweh is the one true God.

God’s intentions were never to only save Israel, His plan was to make a way for redemption for all people of all nations.

John 3:16–18 (CSB)

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

“For God loved the world”, as Nicodemus heard those words, it would have created within him a great deal of confusion.

How could God love the whole world?

Why would God give His Son for people outside of the House of Israel?

What Nicodemus didn’t understand, what the disciples didn’t understand was that God was sending His Son to redeem that which was lost.

What does the word “Redeem” mean?

Acts 10:2–8 CSB

2 He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God. 3 About three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.” 4 Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, who was one of those who attended him. 8 After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Cornelius surrounded himself with other believers

There is something to be said about the company we keep. Often times it can make the difference between success and failure.

Who do you surround yourself with?

Do the people you spend time with build you up or tear you down?

Do your friendships bring you to Jesus or pull you away?

Psalm 1:1–6 CSB

1 How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 4 The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

And so the men that were with Cornelius go to find the Apostle Peter.

Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 10)

9 The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. 12 In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. 13 A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”14 “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”15 Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” 16 This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven.

“What God has made clean, do not call impure.”

What are some things that God has made to be holy that we have made unclean?

Christ died so that we might not live for ourselves but live for Him. He has made us righteous by becoming sin on our behalf and taking the penalty we deserved upon Himself. Because of that grace we should pursue holiness in our lives. Christ has made us clean.

Our words: When we do not use our words to build up

Proverbs 15:1–2 CSB

1 A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. 2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.

Ephesians 4:29 CSB

29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

Anger: It is not a sin to be angry, but when our anger causes us to sin it becomes dangerous. Even Jesus got angry, but His anger lead to righteousness and was for the sake of others. It did not lead him to bitterness, unforgiveness, or malice towards others. Even His anger was expressed in love.

Ephesians 4:26–27 CSB

26 Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity.

James 1:19–20 CSB

19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

Sex: Gender identity, sexual orientation, pornography, premarital sex, all these things that culture forces on us can be a difficult thing to process. Our brains are designed by God for intimacy. Emotional intimacy, spiritual intimacy, physical intimacy and sexual intimacy, all within the correct context.

Emotional, spiritual, and physical intimacy exist in every relationship we have. They are developed by having authentic conversations with others about our feelings, about the struggles we are having, about the things that are going well, or the things that are going poorly. These areas of intimacy are strengthened through confession and accountability. They are found when we hug our friends and give high fives. They are essential for relationships.

When God created man in the Garden, He revealed to us His intent for us. God created Adam and Eve. One male and one female. If man was designed for polygamy, He would have given Adam multiple wives. If man was designed to be homosexual, He would have given Adam another man to be with. If man was designed to objectify others for sexual means or for any reason, He would not have created Adam in His own image. If man was designed to be alone, God would not have given Adam a community to be a part of. If man was designed never to work, God would not have given him a job to do in the garden. If man was designed to serve God as a slave, God would have never given Him the freedom to choose. All these things show us God’s intended design for our lives.

The perverted/distorted intimacy. “What God has made clean, do not call impure.”

God has created sex and sexual intimacy as a beautiful gift for a husband and wife to share, for the purpose of procreating and developing those different types of intimacy within a marriage.

When not done in the right context, sexual intimacy becomes sexual immorality.

What do we do with sexual immorality?

Pursue grace through repentance

Pursue sanctification

Grace

Luke 15:11–32 (CSB)

11 He also said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Living life out of context leads to brokenness but the love and grace of God bring us back into context

Sanctification

What does it mean to be sanctified?

Philippians 1:6 CSB

6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

When we put our faith in Jesus, He gives us His Holy Spirit to transform us more into His likeness.

1 Thessalonians 4:3–8 CSB

3 For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4 that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God. 6 This means one must not transgress against and take advantage of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. 7 For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. 8 Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

God’s will for our lives is for us to pursue holiness. Using our power to abuse others or take advantage of others, watching pornography, thinking lustfully about others that bear the image of God is not God’s will for us. Instead, when we are tempted God is calling to us so that we might pursue intimacy, pursue Him instead.

1 Corinthians 10:13 CSB

13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

God empowers us by His Holy Spirit to choose to do good in any situation we find ourselves. To choose sanctification rather than sin.

Who can come to Christ? Only Jews, or can Greeks come too? Only the righteous, or can sinners come too?

Anyone and Everyone!

Cornelius would come to believe in the Gospel and he and his family would be changed for all eternity. It would open the door for God’s redemptive story to reach the nations. It would make the way for me to stand before you today and share this message of hope and love that God has for you.

D.L. Moody and the power of God’s love

Anecdotes and Illustrations of D. L. Moody Related by Him in His Revival Work How a Young Irishman Opened Moody’s Eyes

I want to tell you how I got my eyes open to the truth that God loves the sinner. When I went over to Europe I was preaching in Dublin, when a young fellow came up to the platform and said to me that he wanted to come to America and preach. He had a boyish appearance; did not seem to be over seventeen years old. I measured him all over, and he repeated his request, and asked me when I was going back. I told him I didn’t know; probably I should not have told him if I had known. I thought he was too young and inexperienced to be able to preach. In course of time I sailed for America, and hadn’t been here long before I got a letter from him, dated New York, saying that he had arrived there. I wrote him a note and thought I would hear no more about him, but soon I got another letter from him, saying that he was coming soon to Chicago, and would like to preach. I sent him another letter, telling him if he came to call upon me, and closed with a few common-place remarks. I thought that would settle him, and I would hear no more from him. But in a very few days after he made his appearance. I didn’t know what to do with him. I was just going off to Iowa, and I went to a friend and said: “I have got a young Irishman—I thought he was an Irishman, because I met him in Ireland—and he wants to preach. Let him preach at the meetings—try him, and if he fails, I will take him off your hands when I come home.” When I got home—I remember it was on Saturday morning—I said to my wife: “Did that young man preach at the meetings?” “Yes.” “How did they like him?” “They liked him very much,” she replied: “He preaches a little different from you; he preaches that God loves sinners.” I had been preaching that God hated sinners; that he had been standing behind the sinners with a double-bladed sword, ready to cut the heads of the sinners off. So I concluded if he preached different from me, I would not like him. My prejudice was up. Well, I went down to the meeting that night, and saw them coming in with their Bibles with them. I thought it was curious. It was something strange to see the people coming in with Bibles, and listen to the flutter of the leaves. The young man gave out his text, saying: “Let us turn to the third chapter of John, and sixteenth verse: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ ” He didn’t divide up the text at all. He went from Genesis to Revelation, giving proof that God loved the sinner, and before he got through two or three of my sermons were spoiled. I have never preached them since.

The following day—Sunday—there was an immense crowd flocking into the hall, and he said, “Let us turn to the third chapter of John, sixteenth verse: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life;’ ” and he preached the fourth sermon from this verse. He just seemed to take the whole text and throw it at them, to prove that God loved the sinner, and that for six thousand years he had been trying to convince the world of this. I thought I had never heard a better sermon in my life. It seemed to be a new revelation to all. Ah, I notice there are some of you here who remember those times; remember those nights. I got a new idea of the blessed Bible. On Monday night I went down and the young man said, “Turn to the third chapter of John, sixteenth verse,” and he seemed to preach better than ever. Proof after proof was quoted from Scripture to show how God loved us. I thought sure he had exhausted that text, but on Tuesday he took his Bible in his hand and said: “Turn to the third chapter of John, sixteenth verse,” and he preached the sixth sermon from that verse. He just seemed to climb over his subject, while he proved that there was nothing on earth like the love of Christ, and he said “If I can only convince men of His love, if I can but bring them to believe this text, the whole world will be saved.” On Thursday he selected the same text, John 3:16, and at the conclusion of the sermon he said: “I have been trying to tell you for seven nights now, how Christ loves you, but I cannot do it. If I could borrow Jacob’s ladder and climb up to heaven, and could see Gabriel there and ask him to tell me how much God loves me, he would only say, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” How a man can go out of this tabernacle after hearing this text, saying, “God does not love me,” is a mystery to me.

The greatest thing that could ever happen in our lives is to discover the love that God has for us.