EXPECTATIONS WHEN FOLLOWING CHRIST
ACTS 10:24-48
INTRODUCTION: THE LIFE OF A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IS FULL OF CONSTANTS. THERE IS THE CONSTANT OF AN ABUNDANT LIFE. THERE IS THE CONSTANT THAT JESUS WILL NEVER LEAVES YOU OR FORSAKE YOU. THERE IS THE CONSTANT THAT WE ARE A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST JESUS.THERE IS THE CONSTANT THAT WE ARE A COMPLETED WORK IN CHRIST. THESE ARE IMMUTABLE; REMAINING WITH US THROUGHOUT OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. THEN THERE ARE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE EXPECTATIONS. THESE EXPECTATIONS POP UP ON US, AND I THINK ARE DEPENDENT ON WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR CHRIST, NOT WHAT WE ARE IN CHRIST. IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT WE ARE DOING WILL ULTIMATE LEAD US INTO THINGS WE SHOULD EXPECT.
HERE IN THIS PASSAGE WE HAVE PETER. AN APOSTLE THAT GOD HAS BEEN WORKING THROUGH AND IN. RECENTLY, PETER HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION. WE HAVE ALLUDED TO THAT IN PAST MESSAGE – HIS TRIP TO THE SAMARITAN VILLAGE TO VALIDATE THE WORK OF PHILIP, HIS RESIDENCE WITH SIMEON THE TANNER, HIS VISION OF THE SHEET FROM HEAVEN WITH THE DECLARATION OF GOD REGARDING WHAT IS CLEAN AND UNCLEAN.
PETER IS ON FIRE FOR JESUS RIGHT NOW, AND THAT SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT IS GOING TO BRINGS SITUATIONS IN HIS LIFE (EXPECTATIONS) THAT HE WILL NEED TO IDENTIFY AND DEAL WITH APPROPRIATELY IF HE IS TO MAINTAIN HIS ZEAL FOR THE THINGS OF CHRIST!
TRANSITION: GUESS WHAT, SOME 2,000 YEARS LATER WE FACE THE SAME EXPECTATIONS – IE: THINGS WE CAN EXPECT BASED ON WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR GOD, NOT WHAT WE ARE IN CHRIST!. SO, LETS LOOK AT A FEW OF THEM THAT WE FIND IN THE PASSAGE BEFORE US.
I. THE SUBTLE ATTACK OF PRIDE – 10:25
Acts 10:25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.
a. THIS PERHAPS IS A UNIVERSAL EXPECTATION FOR BELIEVERS
b. NOTICE THAT IT IS THE FIRST THING THAT PETER ENCOUNTERS. ANY WONDER?
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18 (MSG) First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
i. PRIDE IS DEFINED AS -- a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority.
ii. ANYONE SEE HOW PRIDE COULD GET IN THE WAY OF LIVING ALIFE FOR CHRIST?
iii. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ALL ABOUT WHAT GOD DID FOR US.
iv. ANY ACTIVITY NEEDS TO BE A RESPONSE TO THE AWESOME WORK OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES, NOT THE LOOK WHAT I CAN DO OR AM DOING, ….
c. TO HIS CREDIT, PETER DEALS WITH THIS ISSUE QUICKLY, AND CORRECTLY
i. PETER MADE HIM GET UP
1. CORNELIUS FELL DOWN AT THE FEET OF PETER IN AN ACT OF WORSHIP.
2. WHY? MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE VISIT OF THE ANGEL.
3. WHAT A TEMPTATION THIS HAD TO BE FOR PETER – A MAN OF POWER, INFLUENCE, AND AUTHORITY WAS WORSHIPING HIM
a. TEMPTATION HERE FOR PERSONAL GAIN.
b. TEMPTATION HERE FOR SELF-ELEVATION AND IMPORTANCE
4. PERHAPS PETER UNDERSTOOD THE DANGER OF PRIDE
a. “GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN”
b. “THOUGH EVERYONE ELSE FORSAKES YOU, I WILL NEVER DO THAT.”
ii. PETER ACKNOWLEDGED HIS EQUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CORNELIUS
1. I AM NOT SURE HOW BIG A PROBLEM THIS IS FOR THE PRESENT DAY CHURCH, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST – THE RELATIONSHIP WE ALL HAVE WITH HIM.
2. IN GOD’S KINGDOM THE IS NO “ONE UPMANSHIP”.
a. WE ALL CAME TO CHRIST THE SAME WAY
i. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
b. AND WE ALL GET INTO HEAVEN THE SAME WAY
i. WE RECEIVE REWARDS FOR WHAT WE HAVE OR HAVE NOT DONE FOR CHRIST AS A BELIEVER
1. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
ii. WE RECEIVE THOSE REWARDS AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
1. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
iii. WE LAY THOSE REWARDSD AT THE FEET OF JESUS
1. ALTHOUGH I DO NOT HAVE TIME NOW TO DEVELOP THIS PASSAGE, WITHIN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THE 24 ELDERS ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHURCH
2. Revelation 4:10-11 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
iv. HENCE WE ENTER HEAVEN THE SAME WAY WE CAME INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST – BY HIS WORTH, NOT OUR OWN.
WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT OUR PRIDE DOES NOT GET IN THE WAY OR HINDER WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. WONDER WHAT THE END RESULT OF THIS ENCOUNTER WOULD HAVE BEEN IF PETER HAD ACCEPTED THE WORSHIP OF CORNELIUS? I AM THINKING WE WOULD HAVE THE FIRST CULT! Hmmm…
II. THE LEGALISTIC ATTACK OF OUR PAST
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.
a. LET’S FACE IT, BEFORE CHRIST, WE ONLY HAD ONE WAY OF VIEWING THINGS – THE WAY OF OUR SINFUL NATURE
b. LET’S FACE IT, BEFORE CHRIST, WE ONLY HAD ONE WAY OF DOING THINGS – THE WAY OF OUR SINFUL NATURE
c. ADD TO THOSE, THE TRADITIONS, DOGMAS, AND LEGALISM OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, AND PETER HAS ONE HUGE MOUNTAIN TO OVERCOME.
d. PETER DEFINES HIS PAST LEGALISM AND PREJUDICE
i. UNIVERSAL TRUTH – WELL AWARE
ii. LEGALISTIC TRUTH – AGAINST OUR LAW
iii. PRACTICAL TRUTH – ASSOCIATE WITH OR VISIT A GENTILE
e. THIS ALONE WOULD HAVE KEPT PETER AWAY FROM HIS DIVINE APPOINTMENT
f. THE TEACHING OF GOD
i. THE TRANCE AND THE SHEET
ii. THE “TEST” OF PETER
1. PETER IS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT GOD IS TESTING HIS JEWISH RESOLVE, NOT REMOVING HIS LIMITING NOTION
2. GOD WAS WILLING TO WORK WITH PETER TILL HE GOT IT RIGHT
g. THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THE RIGHT VIEW
i. UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTION – BOTH TO US AND OTHERS
ii. WE UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF OUR CALLING – THE MESSAGES GETS OUT AND LIVES ARE CHANGED
iii. WE UNDERSTAND THE PREJUDICE OF OUR BELIEF – IT BLINDS US TO THE REAL NEEDS OF OTHERS
iv. WE UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE OF GOD
REALLY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE LIFE OF OUR PAST IS THE TESTIMONY OF OUR FUTURE, WITH THE MIRACULOUS WORK OF CHRIST IN THE MIDDLE. NOW, IF WE ALLOW THE ATTITUDES, ACTIONS, AND DOGMAS OF OUR PST TO INVADE OUR FUTURE, WE HAVE NO TESTIMONY, AND HENCE NO WITNESS!
IF PETER HAD ALLOWED HIS PAST BEFORE CHRIST TO RULE HIS LIFE AFTER CHRIST, HE WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE TO THE HOUSE OF CORNELIUS.
III. THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
Acts 10:36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
a. THIS REALLY IS OUR GOAL AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST – THE GOSPEL – ITS PROCLAMAITION AND IMPACT!
b. WE NEED TO EXPECT OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
c. WHAT WE DO NOT EXPECT, WE WILL NOT SEE
d. NOTICE, ONCE PETERS PRIDE AND PAST WAS CONQUERED HE COULD ACCOMPLISH WHAT GOD INTENDED FOR HIM
e. THE GOSPEL IS NOT COMPLICATED – IT IS SIMPLE
i. GOD IS INTERESTED IN THE WHOLE WORLD – HE LOVES THE WORLD
ii. THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD COMES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST – JESUS IS THE FOCUS OF THE GOSPEL
iii. THE MINISTRY OF JESUS WAS ANOINTED BY GOD – THE GOOD NEWS COMES FROM GOD NOT MAN
iv. JESUS DIED AND GOD RAISED HIM – GOD WAS SATISFIED WITH THE DEATH OF CHRIST FOR US
v. YOU ARE LEFT WITH AN ETERNAL CHOICE, HOW WILL YOU APPEAR BEFORE GOD – IN JUDGMENT OR WITH FORGIVENESS
f. THE RESULT IS BELIEF
i. THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT
ii. THEY FOLLOWED IN OBEDIENCE.
IF I CAN LEAVE YOU WITH ONE SIMPLE TRUTH TODAY, IT WOULD BE THIS – GET YOURSELF OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT GOD CAN ACCOMPLISH THROUGH YOU WHAT HE IS DOING IN THE WORLD TODAY!
