And Yet Another Divine Appointment
Acts 10:1-48
August 5, 2012
One of the truths that I truly never get tired of
Is the fact that God is sovereign over His church.
Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
And no book in the Bible reinforces that truth like the book of Acts.
From the time of His ascension we have seen Jesus continually intervene to Start, Protect, Guide, Instruct, Build, and Spread His church.
And nothing in this is more encouraging to study than
The numerous divine appointments recorded in this book.
We have already seen two.
The first was with Philip and the Eunuch.
(Remember that story?)
The second was with Ananias and Saul.
(Remember that story?)
And we have been reminded of a precious truth
That is so quickly forgotten in the church today and that is that
God and not the evangelist is the Savior.
Contrary to popular belief we cannot be EDUCATED enough, PERSUASIVE enough, COMPASSIONATE enough,
Or even PERSEVERANT enough to cause men to be saved.
If men are to be saved it only occurs through the power of the Spirit
To convict, draw, enlighten, and produce faith.
God is the Savior.
Now, as we learned last week, that DOES NOT MEAN that
We just sit back and do nothing until God brings a lost person to knock on our door who asks us to tell them about Jesus.
• We’ve already been told to go (Matthew 28)
• We’ve already been told were to go (ends of the earth)
• We’ve already been told what to do as we go (preach)
So we are by no means using the fact of God’s sovereignty
As an excuse to be lazy in regard to missions.
A professing Christian who has no interest in missions
Is a walking contradiction.
Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.”
We are not about to sit back and do nothing.
• We are committed to support missionaries.
• We are committed to send missionaries.
• We are committed to pray for missionaries.
• We are committed to go and witness.
• We are committed to pray for the lost.
Those things are necessary.
But, as you do those things let me remind you not to walk in pride,
And there is no need to walk in anxiety.
You can’t walk in pride because if salvation occurs,
You can know God did it, not you.
And there is no need to walk in anxiety because if salvation doesn’t occur,
You know it is not your fault, you weren’t going to save them anyway.
That is what the truths of God’s sovereignty does for us.
It frees us up to obey without fear of failure
Or without temptation to manipulate in order to produce a response.
We can simply obey the call of God
And leave the results up to Him for He is the Savior.
That being said I want to show you this reality one more time tonight.
And this is really my favorite of all three.
It is so evident that God is doing this apart from any human effort
That this story really just drives home the point in our minds.
There are three main points to this text.
#1 THE CONFRONTATIONS
Acts 10:1-16
What we see here are two confrontations, and it is really amazing.
Let’s look at the first, it is the man Cornelius.
Scripture says he was “a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort”
And so you understand both his commitment to Rome
And his authority in the Roman government.
We also learn that he was “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household,”
“God-fearer” was actually the highest title that a Gentile could receive.
This was Cornelius, having stopped short of full conversion by circumcision.
And we also find that he “gave many alms to the Jewish people” indicating his concern and true heart compassion.
But without a doubt the most impressive characteristic
Is that he “prayed to God continually.”
Paul actually commands Christians:
1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing;”
That does not indicate a continual bowing of the head
But rather a heart always seeking and listening for the direction of God.
That was Cornelius.
• He hadn’t become Jewish, but he was a man after God.
• He wanted to know God’s will for his life.
And you will notice that God confronts this man.
(3-6) “About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. “Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
Cornelius had been praying, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate
That he had been asking for a preacher or anything like that.
God simply interrupted Cornelius’ life and told him that He wanted him to send for Peter, God even told Cornelius where he could find him.
And according to verse 7 Cornelius obeyed.
So obviously God is intervening in Cornelius’ life.
But that is only one of the confrontations.
The next day God is at it again.
(9-16) “On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.”
And so there again, God is obviously at work on Peter’s end.
• Peter is hungry
• While he is waiting he falls into a trance and God gives him a vision.
• This one is strange, God wants him to eat unclean food.
• Peter objects because that is gross to him.
Now Peter should have already known it was ok.
Mark 7:17-22 “When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.”
So Peter was certainly aware at least in a knowledge sense
That eating this food was ok.
The problem was not legality, but rather personal preference.
It wasn’t that Peter couldn’t eat it, it was that he didn’t want to.
God had cleansed it, but Peter still in his own heart considered it unclean.
And God said, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”
Now to show the difficulty Peter had breaking this routine,
God had to go through this three times with him.
And you will notice in verse 17
That even then Peter “was greatly perplexed”.
But the point to be gleaned here is that
God is actively at work engaging both of these men.
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• Both were indeed men who sought God.
• Both were indeed men who prayed and listened to God.
• Both were even men who obeyed God.
But, neither was really looking for this.
It’s not like Cornelius had been searching for a preacher,
Not like Peter had been searching for a Gentile.
God is doing this apart from any personal desire they had on their own.
And that is clearly seen in the next point.
First we saw The Confrontations
#2 THE CONFUSION
Acts 10:17-33
Here is how we know this did not originate with either of these men.
You will notice that they both had a bit of confusion
As to exactly what was going on.
And here is where the story starts getting interesting.
(17-18) “Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.”
So Peter gets a vision, has no clue why,
And coincidentally, these men show up looking for him.
Now the men are at the gate, but Peter is still on the housetop
And doesn’t know these men are there.
So (19-20) “While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. “But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”
Simon the tanner didn’t even have to climb the ladder
To tell Peter he had guests.
The Holy Spirit told Peter, and told him to go with these men.
Now this is interesting, Peter doesn’t know who they are;
He doesn’t even know they are Gentiles.
But the Holy Spirit sends Peter before he has a chance to meet them
And question whether or not to accompany them.
You go.
Don’t hesitate.
I sent them.
Now here comes the first indication of confusion.
(21) “Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”
So it’s clear that Peter is getting the message,
But notice there is something he still doesn’t know.
Why are you here?
Now the men partly answer the question, but not entirely.
(22-23) “They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” So he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.”
So he knows they are here because Cornelius sent for him,
But he still doesn’t know what the real issue is.
In other words, he doesn’t know what Cornelius wants to know.
But Peter is obedient and goes along.
(24-26) “On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled.
So Peter shows up and Cornelius is confused.
He begins to worship and Peter puts an end to that instantly.
(Incidentally the worship of saints ought to be clearly seen as wrong)
And then we get yet another indicator that this is not Peter’s plan or idea.
(28-29) “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. “That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”
Peter clearly says that it is not my idea to be here.
• It is unlawful for me to be here.
• It is uncomfortable for me to be here.
• Indeed I wouldn’t be here if God hadn’t told me to be here.
So now, let’s get down to the point.
“I ask what reason you have sent for me.”
Peter just wants to know what the question is.
But notice, he isn’t the only one who is a little confused.
(30-33) “Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ‘Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ “So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Now I hope you notice what has just happened.
• Both of these men were individually and separately confronted by God.
• One to send for the other, and the other to go against his own judgment.
But neither knows why.
Peter says, “What did you want to know?”
Cornelius answers, “Whatever God wants you to tell me.”
Is that not remarkable?
“I don’t know what I want to know, it wasn’t my idea to send for you.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to tell you, it wasn’t my idea to come.”
I mean this sounds like some third party trick where one guy
Tells two different people something in order to get them together,
And both thought it was the other guy.
(Parent Trap)
Neither one of them would have planned this.
Neither one of them was looking for this.
Now later in Acts 11 as Peter recounts the story to those who are angry at him for going, he does say that Cornelius wanted to know words of salvation:
Acts 11:13-14 “And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’”
But even that doesn’t indicate something Cornelius could ask.
He didn’t have a question.
He just knew that Peter had something to tell him, he had no idea what.
• So we have a man sending, but doesn’t know why.
• We have a man going, but doesn’t know why.
And yet here they are.
Peter and Cornelius standing face to face
Trying to figure out exactly what to do next.
So we have The Confrontation, and we have The Confusion
#3 THE CONVERSION
Acts 10:34-48
Now here we have our two men just sort of standing here,
Not really know what to do next.
But Peter does know God is teaching him about his personal prejudice.
(34-35) “Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”
There is one of those personal testimonies of
“What God is showing me on this mission trip”.
Peter knows that he has some work to do on his racial attitude.
God doesn’t look at the outward appearance, but at the heart.
And if a man fears God and seeks righteousness
Then God isn’t concerned about his race.
And while Peter knew that intellectually,
He had yet to really let that truth sink into his heart.
See the unclean food was a picture of Cornelius and other Gentiles.
The Lord had already given the command, and so the truth was clear,
It’s just that Peter had no interest in putting it to use.
It was like the unclean meat.
Maybe I’m allowed to eat it, I just don’t want to.
Maybe Gentiles can be acceptable to God,
I just don’t care if they are or not.
And yet God is breaking down that prejudice in Peter.
Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
And so Peter learns his lesson.
And then Peter continues.
Now, we will notice that Peter does give the facts about Jesus,
But as he does let me make sure
You notice something about the facts he gives.
Unlike Pentecost…
Unlike the temple sermon…
Peter’s sermon here is not deep, nor is it persuasive,
Nor is it argumentative.
That is to say Peter isn’t trying very hard at all to teach anything profound,
Or to convince anyone, or even to solicit a response.
In fact he doesn’t even ask them to do anything.
It really carries more of the feel here of one
Who is just gonna share a little and then be on his way.
MY POINT: it doesn’t give the appearance that
Peter is trying very hard to convert these Gentiles.
Look at his message.
(36-43) “”The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all) — you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. “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. “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. “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 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. “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. “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
Now what Peter says is accurate and true and the gospel,
But it is not deep or argumentative or persuasive.
Here is in a nutshell what he says.
• Jesus worked miracles
• Jesus was crucified
• Jesus was raised
• Jesus is God’s judge
• Jesus is the One the prophets spoke of
• Jesus can forgive sin
Now that is great stuff and wonderful truth, but it is not persuasive.
You don’t find Peter here trying to argue Cornelius either way.
Peter is merely stating the facts in a very non-confrontational way.
Now look at what happens as soon as Peter mentions forgiveness.
(44-46) “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 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. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.”
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Cornelius and the Gentiles with him believed in Christ and were saved,
And we know that because they received the Holy Spirit.
And do you want proof that neither Peter nor the rest of the Jews
Had any expectation of this?
They were “amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured on the Gentiles also.”
They knew to go, but had no idea that this was why.
They didn’t even think this was possible.
But it happened, and Peter responds:
(47-48) “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.”
Peter knew it was a touchy subject,
But he also knew he was right in ordering their baptism.
This by the way closes the question
About baptism being a pre-requisite for salvation.
It also doesn’t indicate salvation and then receiving the Holy Spirit later since chapter 11 clearly indicates Cornelius was saved here.
But Peter ordered their baptism thus indicating entrance into the church
And then he stayed on a few days.
And we understand why Peter went, it was to unify the church.
We understand they spoke in tongues to prove they had the Holy Spirit.
But the main thing I want you to see is who wanted their salvation and why they were saved.
WHERE THESE GENTILES SAVED BECAUSE THEY WERE SUCH GREAT SEEKERS?
No.
Scripture is clear about Gentiles.
Matthew 6:31-32 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
Ephesians 4:17-19 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”
The only reason Cornelius was even a God-fearing man
Was because God had revealed enough of Himself to make him that way.
WHERE THESE GENTILES SAVED BECAUSE PETER WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THEM?
No.
Acts 10:28 “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.”
Peter wasn’t interested in the least.
These people were defiled and unclean meat.
WHY WERE THE SAVED?
God wanted it.
John 10:16 “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”
Who told Cornelius about Peter?
God did.
Who sent Peter to Cornelius’ house?
God did.
And there again you get the point.
It was God who was saving Gentiles.
It was God who was at work all along.
And that is tremendous news for us.
Evangelism isn’t about our ability, it is about our availability.
God is saving, and He desires to use you, if you’ll let Him.
Why didn’t the angel just tell Cornelius the gospel in his vision instead of having him send for Peter?
Because God wanted to use Peter.
And there it is.
• God doesn’t want you to save people.
• God doesn’t want you to convince people.
God wants to use you to save people.
Be obedient, let Him work and you might be blown away!
Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
