TWO VISIONS; ONE PURPOSE
INTRODUCTION: THE PASSAGE BEFORE US TODAY IS ONE OF GROWTH FOR THE EARLY CHURCH. IN FACT, ONE MIGHT SAY THAT THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE CHURCH LEAVING THE NEST. WITH THIS PASSAGE WE SEE THE CULMINATION OF GOD’S PLAN FOR THE GROWTH AND DIRECTION OF THE CHURCH. PETER IS FOUNDATIONAL IN THIS “LAST LEG”; THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES. SO, IN OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING LET US LOOK AT THE GOSPEL COMING TO THE GENTILES.
I. GOD AT WORK IN A DIFFERENT WAY
WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT BARRIERS, WE ALL NEED TO ACCEPT AND EMBRACE THAT THERE ARE BARRIERS WE SEE BETWEEN PEOPLE; SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, GENDER, RACE, ETC.
FOR THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS, THOSE SAME BARRIERS EXIST, AND BECAUSE WE ARE A REDEEMED PEOPLE, YET STILL WITH OUR SIN NATURE, THESE BARRIERS ARE REAL, AND MUST BE DEALT WITH IF WE ARE EVER TO BE EFFECTIVE IN OUR TESTIMONY FOR CHRIST.
JUST AS LEVEES STOP THE FLOODS FROM HEAVY RAINS, OUR PRECONCEIVED BARRIERS STOP THE FLOW OF THE GOSPEL FROM US TO OTHERS!
a. BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS OF RACE
i. THIS IS THE FIRST BARRIER WE SEE BROKEN DOWN
ii. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HATRED BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE GENTILE
Acts 10:28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
iii. THIS HATRED, UNLESS DEALT WITH, WOULD PREVENT THE GOSPEL FROM REACHING MATURITY.
1. UP UNTIL THIS TIME THE ONLY WAY TO COME INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WAS THROUGH FIRST BECOMING A JEW.
b. BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS OF SOCIETY
i. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME A PERSON OF MILITARY IS BEING REFERENCED IN THE PLANS AND ACTIVITY OF GOD.
Matthew 8:5-9 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.
6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." 7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." 8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
ii. CHRIST NEVER REBUKES A MILITARY MAN FOR BEING IN THE MILITARY
iii. THE WAS A DEEP HATRED FOR THE MILITARY IN THE JEWISH MINDSET. THE JEWS HATED THE OCCUPATION OF ROME IN THEIR LAND
c. BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS OF PRIVILEGE
i. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATION HERE IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF CORNELIUS
1. IN SENDING SERVANTS TO PETER AND A DEVOUT SOLDIER
2. IN THE PREPARATION OF CORNELIUS TO RECEIVE PETER AND WHAT PETER HAD TO SAY
Acts 10:24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
a. CORNELIUS INVOLVED HIS WHOLE FAMILY, HOUSEHOLD, AND SUBORDINATES IN HIS SEARCH FOR SPIRITUAL TRUTH.
3. THE TESTIMONY OF CORNELIUS HAD AN IMPACT ON THOSE AROUND HIM!
I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT TO YOU THAT GOD HAD CHOSEN PETER TO BE THE PERSON TO BREAK DOWN THOSE BARRIERS AS WE WILL SEE LATER, AFTER WE LOOK AT, …
II. GOD AT WORK IN THE LIFE OF CORNELIUS TO RECEIVE THE GOSPEL
a. GOD HAD ALREADY BROUGHT CORNELIUS A LONG WAY IN HIS SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
i. CORNELIUS WAS DEVOUT
1. GODLY
2. PIETY WITH NO ENLIGHTENMENT
3. WORSHIP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
4. HAVING AN AWE FOR GOD
IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT STILL BE LOST
WHILE AT MY FIRST CHURCH, I WAS GIVEN DIRECTION TO THE HOUSE OF A MEMBER THAT INVOLVED MAKING A TURN AT “IKE’S TEPEE”. SO, BEING A LITERALIST AT TIMES, I LOOKED FOR A TEPEE. NEVER FOUND IT. EVENTUALLY I HAD TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS, AND MADE IT TO THE MEMBERS HOUSE. LATER, I ASKED ANOTHER PERSON IN THE CHURCH ABOUT WHERE I COULD HAVE GONE WRONG IN THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN THE TEPEE. THEY TOLD ME THAT “IKE’S TEPEE” WAS ACTUALLY AN A-FRAMED HOUSE. AHA, SO IT JUST KIND OF LOOKED LIKE A TEPEE. I WAS BEING TOO LITERAL! AS I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, I WENT BACK OUT AND LOOKED FOR “IKE’S TEPEE”, NOW BETTER INFORMED AS TO WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE. WELL, YOU GUESSED IT, DIDN’T FIND IT THEN EITHER! SO, ONCE AGAIN, I ASKED ANOTHER PERSON IN THE CHURCH. I WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE STORY ABOUT LOOKING FOR A REAL TEPEE AND THEN LOOKING FOR AN A-FRAMED HOUSE, AND NOT FINDING EITHER. THE PERSON I WAS SPEAKING TO LAUGHED OUT LOUD AND SAID SOMETHING LIKE THIS, “PASTOR, THERE WAS A FELLOW NAMED IKE WHO HAD AN A-FRAMED HOUSE. HE DIED, AND HIS FAMILY EVENTUALLY KNOCKED THE A-FRAME DOWN. THERE IS NO “IKE’S TEPEE” ANYMORE. THEY JUST CALL THE PLOT OF GROUND “IKE’S TEPEE” BECAUSE THAT WHERE IT WAS!
THE WHOLE TIME I WAS LOOKING TO VISIT THIS MEMBER OF THE CHURCH, I WAS ON THE RIGHT ROAD, BUT NEVER KNEW IT BECAUSE “IKE’S TEPEE” WAS NO LONGER THERE!
ii. CORNELIUS WAS GOD-FEARING
1. HAVING A REVERENCE AND RESPECT FOR GOD
2. ONE WHO WOULD HAVE HAD A SEAT IN THE SYNAGOGUE, BUT NOT CONSIDERED A JEW
iii. CORNELIUS WAS GENEROUS
1. A CHARACTER OF ONE WHO SEEKS TO HONOR THE LORD.
2. IN THE MIND OF GOD THERE WAS ALWAYS PROVISION MADE FOR THE WIDOW, ORPHAN, AND STANGER IN THE LAND
iv. CORNELIUS WAS A MAN OF CONSISTENT PRAYER
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
1. THIS WORD CARRIES WITH IT THE SENSE OF DESIRING.
2. CORNELIUS WAS DESIRING GOD – TO KNOW GOD IN PRAYER
UNLIKE THE JEWISH MINDSET OF THE TIME, GOD USES EXTRAORDINARY MEANS TO REACH THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW HIM.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
GOD DOES NOT PLAY FAVORITES
GOD DOES SPEAK IN DIFFERENT WAYS,, AND WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE, PERCEPTIVE AND ALERT TO WHEN GOD DOES SPEAK TO US OR TOOTHERS IN OUR PRESENCE!
GOD WILL ANSWER WITH THE RIGHT PERSON AND THE RIGHT INFORMATION AT THE RIGHT TIME!
ARE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON?
DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION?
IS IT YOUR TIME?
III. GOD AT WORK IN A DIFFERENT WAY IN THE LIFE OF PETER TO COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL.
I GUESS AT THIS POINT, IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME TO ASK, WHY PETER? I THINK SCRIPTURE GIVES US THE ANSWER.
Matthew 16:19 (NIV)
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
ONE KEY FOR THE JEWS
ONE KEY FOR THE GENTILES
a. THE PAST PREPARATION OF PETER
i. WHEN THE GOSPEL WENT TO THE SAMARITANS, PETER WAS SENT TO INVESTIGATE AND CONFIRM
ii. WHEN PETER TRAVELED, HE STAYED AT THE HOME OF SIMON THE TANNER
b. THE FINAL PREPARATION OF PETER
i. UP ON THE ROOF AT NOON TO PRAY
1. PROBABLY WAITING FOR LUNCH – HE WAS HUNGRY
2. PROBABLY FOR A MOMENT OF PRIVACY
3. PROBABLY FOLLOWING THE PATTERN OF THOSE BEFORE HIM
Psalm 55:17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
a. PATTERNING HIS LIFE AFTER GOOD ROLE MODELS
b. SEEN THAT RECENTLY IN HIS RESTORING OF THE LIFE OF DORCAS
SO, WHO IS YOUR SPIRITUAL ROLE MODEL? DO YOU HAVE ONE? YOU DO NEED ONE!
ii. THE TRANCE AND THE LESSON
1. IN THE TRANCE THERE WAS A SHEET
a. GOD HAS CHOSEN AT VARIOUS TIMES TO SPEAK TO HIS SERVANTS IN VARIOUS WAYS – BUSHES, TO DONKEYS TO VISIONS, ….
b. GOD CHOOSES TO REVEAL HIS THOUGHTS TO PETER.
2. IN THE SHEET THERE WAS A TRUTH
a. WHAT WAS UNCLEAN WAS NOW CLEAN
b. PETER RESPONDED AS THOUGH IT WERE A TEST
c. GOD HAD OTHER PLANS; IT WAS A LESSON
3. THE ANIMALS IN THE SHEET WERE UNCLEAN TO EAT
a. ONE OF THE REASON, JEWS DID NOT EAT WITH GENTILES – FEAR OF EATING SOMETHING UNCLEAN BY NATURE OR PREPARATION.
b. GOD WAS SAYING THE ISSUES OF SEPARATION REPRESENTED BY THE FOOD WERE NOW GONE – GOD WAS MAKING A CHANGE
c. THE FACT THAT HE DID IT THREE TIMES, WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IN THAT PETER WAS TO MEET THREE VISITORS (ALL GENTILES!)
JUST AS IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE ON THE RIGHT ROAD AND BE LOST, IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE TO HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS AND BE WRONG!
LET’S MAKE SURE WE ARE WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITH THE RIGHT INTENTIONS, NOT LOST WITH GOOD INTENTIONS!
4. THE CONFIRMATION OF THE MESSAGE WAS IMMEDIATE
a. THE MEN SENT BY CORNELIUS WERE AT THE GATE
b. THE MEN WERE RECEIVED BY PETER.
c. THE MEN WERE RECEIVED INTO THE HOUSE.
IV. GOD IS AT WORK IN US TOO.
a. THE FIRST TRUTH – MAKE SURE WE ARE ON THE ROAD GOD WANTS US TO BE ON.
i. WHAT IS THE DIRECTION GOD WANTS US TO GO AS A CHURCH RIGHT NOW?
ii. MAKE SURE THE INTENTION OF OUR ACTIONS IS WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US TO HAVE
1. ARE WE HURT?
2. ARE WE DOWN?
3. ARE OUR FEELINGS REFLECTED IN OUR INTENTIONS?
iii. AND THE THIRD TRUTH, WE FIND HERE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS ALSO, ….
Acts 10:22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."
1. SINCERITY OF ACTION IS NOT SUFFICIENT
a. CORNELIUS WAS DOING THE RIGHT THINGS BUT LOST SPIRITUALLY
b. PETER HAD THE RIGHT INTENTIONS, BUT WAS WRONG, AND GOD HAD TO CHANGE THEM
c. BOTH WERE SINCERE BUT INSUFFICIENT IN WHAT GOD HAD FOR THEM BOTH.
RIGHT NOW, AS A CHURCH, WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO US AS A CHURCH, LEST WE BECOME LOST OR NUMB(THAT IS WHAT DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE WRONG REASON), OR LOSE THE SINCERITY OF OUR WALK WITH CHRIST.
PETER WOULD TRAVEL AND EFFECTIVELY BRING A NEW STRENGTH INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST.
WE NEED TO BRING A FRESH VISION, A FRESH POWER, AND A FRESH MOVEMENT INTO OUR CHURCH.
WE CAN ONLY DO IT BY ADOPTING WHAT THE EARLY CHURCH DID.
FIND A TIME OF TEACHING FROM THE WORD OF GOD – GOT THAT
FIND A TIME OF COMMUNION WITH THE LORD – GOT THAT
FIND A TIME OF PRAYER WITH THE LORD – GOT THAT
FIND A TIME OF FELLOWSHIP IN THE LORD – NEED THAT
SO I AM ASKING YOU, FOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR CHURCH, FOR THE VITALITY OF YOUR CHURCH THAT YOU DO NOT MISS THESE FOUNDATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH.
DO NOT LET THE EVENTS OF OUR LIFE CROWD OUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE IN GOD’S HOUSE.
DO NOT LET YOUR PERSONAL WALK WITH GOD PREVENT YOU REMEMBERING THE LORD IN COMMUNION
DO NOT LET THE LACK OF TIME MANAGEMENT GET IN THE WAY OF PRAYING WITH THE BELIEVERS
DO NOT LET STUFF GET IN THE WAY OF MEANINGFUL FELLOWSHIP.
GOD WAS TRYING TO TEACH CORNELIUS SOMETHING – HE HEARD
GOD WS TRYING TO TEACH PETER SOMETHING – HE HEARD
GOD IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING – DO YOU HEAR?
