The Symphony of Salvation

Pastor Greg Stansel Acts 10:1-48 March 27, 2022

The Lord is intimately involved in taking salvation to the ends of the earth.

I. The Lord prepares the heart of the lost (10:1–8, 30–33) II. The Lord prepares the heart of the messenger (10:9–29) III. The Gospel call (10:33–43)

IV. The seal of the Gospel (10:44–48)

Connect

How did the Lord prepare your heart to hear and receive the Gospel?

Study

Point 1: The Lord prepares the heart of the lost (10:1–8, 30–33)

READ Acts 17:16–33

1) How did the Lord prepare the hearts of the Jewish people to hear the message of the Gospel? How

did the Lord prepare the hearts of those in Athens to hear the message of the Gospel? What can you take from these encounters and use to understand the lost around you? Discuss how you see the Lord preparing the heart of someone in your life that is lost.

Point 2: The Lord prepares the heart of the messenger (10:9–29)

READ 2 Timothy 1:3–14

2) What are the ways we see Paul reminding Timothy of how his heart was prepared to pastor? What

are ways your heart has been prepared to be a messenger of the Gospel? What are ways your heart should be prepared to be a messenger of the Gospel?

3) How will you (note not “can you” . . . but how and when you will) encourage someone to be a messenger for the gospel this week? How will you prepare your own heart to be a messenger of the Gospel?

Point 3: The Gospel call (10:33–43)

READ Acts 10:33–43

4) Discuss Peter’s Gospel presentation in this passage; what gospel truths does Peter present to the

Gentiles? Why does his gospel presentation differ somewhat than his sermons in Acts 2 and 4? What are the essentials we cannot leave out of the gospel presentation?

Point 4: The seal of the Gospel (10:44–48)

READ Ephesians 1:13, 14; 1 Corinthians 2:1–5

5) What does Paul mean in Ephesians by, “sealed by the promised Holy Spirit?” What inheritance are

we to inherit? What comfort does being sealed by the promised Holy Spirit bring you right now?

6) In 1 Corinthians, what does Paul tell the Corinthians about his presentation of the gospel? What would it look like for someone’s faith to rest in the “wisdom of men”? How does this give you hope in sharing the Gospel?

Practical Applications

1. Pray for the Lord to be preparing the heart of the lost in your life (be specific with names) to receive the Gospel.

2. Be actively preparing your heart to understand, believe, and share the Gospel.

3. Rejoice in the Lord and worship Him for giving you His Holy Spirit and bringing you to a saving

knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Pray the passage

O Lord our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You, Lord, are the reason we believe and have faith. You worked intimately in our hearts and lives so that we could come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We pray that you prepare the hearts of the unbelievers around each one of us to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Prepare our hearts to hear, understand, and share the Good News with those whom you put in our path. Turn our hearts toward all people and nations, for you show no partiality.

May we proclaim your excellencies by the power of your Holy Spirit with complete confidence in your ability to save whomever you choose. In Jesus name, Amen.

Memorize & Meditate

“To [Jesus] all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).

Preparing for next week

Read: Acts 11:1-18

Ask: questions of the text.

Pray: through text, for pastor as he prepares, for your heart to hear, for the congregation to hear, for all of us to be obedient.