ACTS 10:1-48 GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES

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1 1 ACTS 10:1-48 GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES I. Introduction. A. The Gospel was limited to the Jews in the first few years. B. It then came to the Samaritans as a result of the spreading out of the believers in Jerusalem at the stoning of Stephen. C. Jesus had given a command to take the gospel to the whole world. 1. This hadn t happened. From what we will read in chapter 11 it didn t seem like they had it on their mind. 2. Jews were taught by their Rabbis that Gentiles were nothing more than fuel for the fire of Hell. D. So 8-10 years after Pentecost, the walls of division begin to fall, and the Gospel was brought to the Gentiles. II. Acts 10:1-8 Cornelius has a vision. A. 10:1-2 The centurion who feared God 1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always :1 A Centurion - Roman Soldier a) A legion of soldiers would have approximately 6,000men. Over these 6,000 men would be 60 men, of which Cornelius was one. 2. Cornelius had seen what Rome had to offer and was not satisfied that this was the truth. 3. He was a God fearer - that is, one who came into the worship at the synagogue and yet had not been circumcised. a) Cornelius was frustrated with the official Roman religion (emperor worship), and so he turned to Judaism, but still lacked spiritual conversion. 4. Cornelius was a religious man, yet unlike many today who consider themselves religious, he realized that he was still in need of more of God. 5. He was not satisfied with his efforts to discover truth; he wanted to have truth. a) It seems popular today for people to be content and even proud of the fact that they don t have answers but that they are in a conversation about God.

2 2 6. Let Cornelius serve as an example. B. 10:3-4 Those who seek after God will find Him. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do." 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 1. The Lord is not a God who is trying to keep the truth of Himself hidden from people. a) He is called the light of the world and therefore desires to illuminate the hearts of all men of the truth of His Son Jesus Christ. 2. Notice that angels do not preach the Gospel. 1 Peter 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven -- things which angels desire to look into. a) The Lord has not committed the preaching of the gospel to angels but to His church. 1Thessalonians 2:4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. b) We are privileged to be the witnesses of the gospel. c) Not only that, but we are entrusted with it. The meaning is this. God has put faith in us (those who have been plucked from the fire) to proclaim the good news about His Son to others. C. 10:5-8 Cornelius is instructed to call for Peter. 5 "Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 "He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do." 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. 1. Without hesitation, Cornelius sends servants to call for Peter.

3 3 III. Acts 10:9-16 Peter has a vision. A. The lesson of accepting Gentiles into the church is about to be taught to Peter. 1. The journey begins with him in the house of a tanner, seeing a vision instructing him to eat unclean animals, answering the request to come to the house of a Gentile soldier, preaching the gospel to Gentiles, to finally defending the place of the Gentiles in the family of God in chapter 11. B. Peter is in a tanner s house :6 and 9:43 both mention that Peter is at the house of a tanner. a) This is obviously a point that the Holy Spirit wanted us to see. 2. A tanner is one who works with animal skins or leather. 3. Because they work with dead animals, tanner were considered unclean and to be avoided. 4. The point we will see is that the Lord is going to break down the racial divisions that existed in the Church towards Gentiles. 5. Peter being in a tanner s house becomes symbolic of how Peter should not treat Gentiles as unclean and to be avoided. 6. Even as he found it okay to stay at this house, so it was okay to embrace the unclean Gentile. C. 10:9-16 Accept that which is unclean 9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." 14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. 1. The next lesson comes as a vision instructing Peter to accept unclean animals as food, which was forbidden in the law of Moses. 2. The point is not food but rather that of accepting that which is called unclean. a) In this context it was the Gentiles that God was about to bring into the Church, not food which was unclean. 3. The Lord tells Peter to allow those things that were unclean to enter into his body in preparation of the entrance of the Gentiles (whom they also considered unclean) into the body of Christ.

4 4 D. Jesus makes us clean. 1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1. You are clean tonight, and don t think of yourself as some defiled, left-alone, common thing to be despised. a) Jesus has cleansed you, and you are useful, treasured and loved by Him. IV. Acts 10:17-33 Peter travels to the house of Cornelius. A. 10:17-22 Peter is met by Cornelius servants. 17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." 21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, "Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?" 22 And they said, "Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you." 1. Notice that the Lord also tells Peter what He is doing. 2. Be leery of those who would seek to try and tell you what they have had revealed to them about your life if the Lord isn t telling you the same thing. 3. The Lord spoke to my Pastor while speaking with me 19 years ago about starting a church. B. 10:23-26 Peter lodges with a Gentile. 23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man." 1. Peter not only was staying at a tanner s house, but now he was sharing a meal and sleeping in the same house with a Gentile. 2. Notice, however, the obedience of Peter. a) I truly admire this bold step of Peter. It is easy to be bold when everyone else is being bold, but what about when you are the trail blazer? b) Are you available to be a trail blazer, led by the Lord? Are you willing to be obedient to the Lord even if your obedience will be looked upon as radical and full of error?

5 5 3. Notice the qualities of a trail blazer. a) Peter spent time with Jesus. b) 10:9 - Peter was a man of prayer. c) Peter feared God more than the opinion of men. d) 10:25 - Peter was a man of humility. C. 10:27-29 Peter explains his encounter with the Lord on the housetop. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 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. 29 "Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?" 1. 10:28 - Peter now understands what the Lord was revealing to him in that vision of the sheet with unclean animals. The Gospel is for the Gentiles also. 2. Thank you, Peter, for your obedience to the command to open up the door of fellowship to the Gentiles. 3. Why not Paul, since he was the one called and appointed to be the Apostle to the Gentiles? a) Paul s word probably wouldn t have been accepted like Peter s among the church leaders. b) We see that God used Peter to open the door to the Jews at Pentecost, the Samaritans at Samaria, and now the Gentiles at Ceasarea. D. 10:29-33 Cornelius explains the vision he had. 29 "Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?" 30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 'Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.' 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God." 1. We are given further insight into what Cornelius was praying. a) He wanted a fuller revelation about Jesus and salvation :33 - Notice how much of what Peter was to say they wanted to hear. ALL THINGS COMMANDED. a) This is one reason why the Lord sought to fulfill Cornelius desire.

6 6 b) We can say Lord, give me all, but does all mean even those things which might be harsh? V. Acts 10:34-43 Peter s message 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ -- He is Lord of all that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." A. 10:34-35 God is not willing that any should perish. B. 10:37-38 Jesus was anointed of God and did mighty deeds. C. 10:39 The Jews crucified Jesus. D. 10:40 God raised Him up from the dead. E. 10:42 Jesus commanded the apostles? to preach that Jesus will judge. 1. The judgment will be based upon our accepting or rejecting Him. Are You Ready?! VI. Acts 10:44-48 The response to Peter s message 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. A. 10:44 The Holy Spirit comes upon the believers. 1. This is the third time we have seen the Holy Spirit fall upon people. a) Acts 2 - Believers are gathered in the open room. (1) This was for power to be witnesses and a clear evidence that God was with them. b) Acts 8 - The Samaritans believers are given the gift of the Spirit after Baptism. (1) This was power for them to be witnesses but also a clear statement that God was with the Samaritan believers

7 7 c) Now here the Spirit is given again, this time while people are still hearing the gospel. (1) This was power for them to be witnesses but also a clear statement that God was with Gentile believers. 2. Each time the coming of the Spirit upon people was different. This should keep us from making a strict order on how it will happen. 3. This pouring-out is proof of what Jesus had told Peter in the vision. 4. The church today is in need of this same power. VII. Conclusion A. We should be obedient to the Lord and His word and not allow our traditions to keep us from what the Lord is doing. 1. Traditions can be great guidelines to follow, but they never should trump the Word of God. B. The Lord will judge all people: are you ready? C. We need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.