How Far Will God Go To Reach Lost People?

Text: Acts 10

Title: How far will God go to reach people?

Subject: How did God overcome barriers to reach the gentiles?

Complement: by extraordinary means – including the “conversion” of Peter!

Big idea: How far will God go to share the gospel?

Story - Joe Rogan podcast (Largest audience globally)

He hosts The Joe Rogan Experience, a podcast in which he discusses current events, comedy, politics, aliens, religion, philosophy, science, martial arts, and hobbies with celebrity guests. His podcast is one of the most influential and most watched podcasts in the world.

He launched The Joe Rogan Experience in 2009; by 2015, it was one of the most popular podcasts in the world, regularly receiving millions of plays per episode.

Spotify obtained exclusive distribution rights to The Joe Rogan Experience in 2020 for $200 million.[3]

Rogan's audience has since grown significantly, and in 2024, he renewed his deal with Spotify for an estimated $250 million, but will no longer be exclusive to them.[4]

Wes Huff = apologist … got an invitation.

**Talks about authenticity of the bible – and the resurrection of Jesus

Brought along copies of ancient scrolls of the NT – Gospel of John and matthew…

** Is this God??? ... finding a way to get the gospel out? (…a fascinating opportunity to reach the unreached with the gospel!)

I want to ask you a question ... What kind of people do you avoid?

Every one of us knows someone like that… we may tend to avoid or ignore people who…

…When we avoid people …we say to them, “you’re not important to me”

One of the ways we justify our attitude toward these people is by sticking a label on them. Once the label is on, our mind is made up. Case closed.

In the NT era Jews had a big label on all non-Jews – “unclean”!

Read passage... Acts 10:1-8

1. Situation – Cornelius Knows About God – But Doesn’t Know The Gospel.

God reaches out to Cornelius in a vision...

Acts 10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

**Caesarea – capital of the Roman province of Judea

CAESAREA – strategic city (Capital of the province)

• Herod built a port facility and a new city!

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• The harbor was an engineering achievement

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• The southern breakwater - built of huge stones in a semicircle of 2,000’

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• northern breakwater is 900 feet long.

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• Great statues of Augustus and Roma were erected at the entrance.

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• An inner harbor appears to have been dug into the land where mooring berths and vaulted warehouses were constructed.

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• Historian Josephus describes construction of the harbor and city in detail.

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• The city was Hellenistic in design and style and named Caesarea for Caesar.

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• On a platform near the harbor Herod built a temple for Caesar

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Caesarea became the capital AD 6 - of Judea and official home of the Government

** Meet Cornelius - A centurion in the Roman Regiment.

Army Officer …300-600 soldiers are under his authority.

**Key detail - Cornelius is a “gentile” !!!

**Though Cornelius is a high-ranking Army man - he is also a devout man of faith.

He wasn’t pleased or impressed by the paganism of the roman empire

The stereo-type soldier he is not!

• Cornelius accepted monotheism – and was able to see through the empty paganism of his day.

• He seems to have accepted the ethics of Judaism – generosity/ kindness to the poor

**We also know he is a man of prayer...

He has a strong spiritual interest – he’s a Seeker of God...

*** perhaps there Is A Cornelius In Your Neighborhood/workplace...

An Angel appears to him!!! Verse 3!!

“Cornelius”! ...Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been “received” by God!!!

** Send men to Joppa and ask for a man named Peter! (5-6)