Sermon of the Century...on

Prologue

Peter’s Sermon to the Gentiles

Peter

Apostle Simon-Peter, Commoner, blue-collar, Cut off they guys ear, denied Christ 3 times.

First man to preach Jesus’ Gospel besides Jesus.

Threatened and beaten by the Pharisees

Healed people in the name of Jesus.

Announced the fate of both Ananias and Sophira

Rejected Simon the magician

Saw the Gospel and the Holy Spirit come to the Samaritans.

Chapter 9

Goes to Lydda and heals a guy that had been paralyzed for 8 years.

All the people that saw him turned to the Lord.

Joppa we hear about a disciple name Tabitha (Abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she did continually)

She died. The people heard Peter was close so they went and got him and Peter knelt, prayed, told her to rise, and she did.

Many believed in the lord.

Peter stayed there many days with a tanner named Simon.

Acts 10:1–2 NASB95

1 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

Cornelius’ Vision

Cornelius saw and angel of God and the angel said,

Acts 10:5–6 NASB95

5 “Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

Peter’s Vision

Acts 10:11–14 NASB95

11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.”

Remember Matthew 16 Jesus ask Peter who he said that Jesus is? Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said he would suffer and die, and Peter rebuked Jesus, “God forbid it.” Jesus said, Get behind me satan.”

Acts 10:15–16 NASB95

15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

While Peter is trying to figure out what this means, Cornelius’ guys show up and the Holy Spirit told Peter they were looking for him and to go with them willingly.

Peter and Cornelius

Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet to worship him,

Acts 10:25 NASB95

25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

Saw a bunch of people around

Acts 10:28 NASB95

28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

Third time’s a charm.

That’s why I came, but what am I doing here?”

Cornelius - Soldier : Doing what I’m told.

Acts 10:34–43 NASB95

34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. 36 “The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— 37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38 “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 “We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

We have peace through Jesus Christ

Anointed with the Holy Spirit, power, did good and healing all oppressed by the devil, God was with Him.

He was put to death on the Cross.

He was raised on the third day.

He is appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

Through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.

Peter preached a one point sermon with six fundamental statements.

Acts 10:44 NASB95

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.

They had not been baptized, Peter didn’t pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit, They simply heard and believed.

The Gospel is SIMPLE!

Not Easy. Pouring out all of yourself, and allowing Him to pour into you is the most difficult thing to do on a consistent basis.

Matthew 16:24 NASB95

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

Simple NOT easy.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day with my Grandkids. Lincoln - 2.

I would tell him to do something.....Not crying, complaining, he would just, without even looking at me, say “Nope.”

Happily defiant.

Lot’s wife just looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.

I think we lose sight of our unbelievable need for forgiveness and the cost of that forgiveness.

Acts 10:45 NASB95

45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Saw the gifts of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and exalting God.

Acts 10:47–48 NASB95

47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

The Gospel is that simple

We received the Holy Spirit when we believe.

We don’t see the same gifts now.

Not normative.

Mark 16:15–18 NASB95

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

The Holy Spirit has been sent.

the Holy Spirit to the Samaritans

The Holy Spirit to the Gentiles

The Holy Spirit to the followers of John the Baptist at Ephesus.

Outside of Acts, the place that speaking in Tongues is mentioned the most is in Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth.

Believe