Session #5

Acts 9:32-11:18
“The New Context” • 10.21.08 • The Power Of One: One Man, One Life, One Mission
Intro.

- Our chapters this morning represent 12 years of time. Saul is out of the picture, but some significant, necessary activity takes place.
- Luke turns back to Peter, the unofficial leader of the Apostles. God works mightily through the big fisherman at the end of chapter 9, performing miracles through him.
- He heals a paralyzed man and brings a woman back to life.
• Acts 9:42,43 : “And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.”
- Meanwhile, in Caesarea, there is a Gentile man, devotedly praying to God. An angel is sent.
• Acts 10:4-6 : “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. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.’”
- The next day, Peter is praying and the Lord shows him a vision that will change the course of the history of Christianity. The vision is of unclean animals that God has commanded Peter to eat.
- The representation is that of the Gentiles, who are to be welcomed into the family of God, through Christ. Just as Peter is understanding this, Cornelius’ Roman soldiers reach the house.
- At Cornelius’ home, Peter puts all the pieces together.
• Acts 10:28 : “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.’”
- After preaching to this Gentile group, Peter witnesses an amazing phenomenon: Before he finishes speaking, the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles in the same way He came upon the church in Acts 2! Peter seems to have no choice but to recognize what God has done.
• Acts 10:47,48 : “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.”
- Back in Jerusalem, word has reached the elders of the church and there is no shortage of confusion and bewilderment.
• Acts 11:2,3 : "And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, 'You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!'"
- Peter recounted slowly the entirety of the narrative of chapter 10 from his perspective. After he was finished, the elders were tongue tied.
• Acts 11:18 : "When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, 'Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.'"
- Consider a few things for this morning's muse: This almost didn't happen! This is one of the more important stories in the history of Christendom, in that it marks a pardigmatic shift in emphasis.
- God is opening the door of salvation to the nations, the Gentiles, and Peter is at the very front of that movement of God. It is the stage upon which all of Paul's ministry will stand.
- Peter has to fight against natural tendencies to participate with God in this global enterprise. They are the same tendencies that foul us up as well.
- Contrary to what many might believe, God still gives us these opportunities daily to open the doors of grace and to move toward participating with Him in adventures that would rival the book of Acts. Let's consider them in order of their appearance. Peter had to fight against

I. Traditions (10:13-16)
II. Fears (10:17-20)
III. Peers (11:1-3)

Text

I. Traditions (10:13-16)

• Acts 10:13-16 : "And a voice came to him, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' But Peter said, 'Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.' And a voice spoke to him again the second time, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again." : Peter is waiting for lunch and redeeming the time, praying on the roof.
- During that state of prayer, God comes to him and tells him to kill and eat the animals that appeared in the vision before him.
- Most of the animals represented were outside the bounds of the Jewish diet. But it was the Lord who was telling him to do this.
- Peter seems to always contradict the Lord as his first response. Peter was a "no" man when it came to the Lord.
- Turn with me to Matthew 16. Peter has just been told that he has confessed a heavenly reality. But Peter takes it too far. Jesus has told that disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to die. Peter responds:
• Matthew 16:22,23 : "Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 'Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!' But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.'"
- The ringing rebuke from Christ remains here to this day on the rooftop of Simon the Tanner. Peter is still mindful of the things of men.
- God is trying to turn his attention to a work that will revolutionize the entire Earth and he can't get past what man, traditions have taught him.
- It took the Lord 3 times to communicate this same vision. Three times He clearly points out that the things that He used to consider unclean, were now sanctified because of His work.
- Look again: What God has cleansed you must not call common. The word "cleansed" means to be declared clean and consecrated.
- The Lord, through His work on the cross, fulfilled the law and now, there was not an issue of clean or unclean. That has passed away.
- Peter though has not quite understood this. He has spent his whole life relating to the Lord through a law that was now fulfilled in Christ.
- These kind of things define and ensnare us just as easily. Traditions die hard with Christians. Let me see which ones I can recall.
- Years ago, it was the tradition of the church to use a hymnal for their worship service. An organ only was the only way that God could be approached.
- Then it was the KJV only crowd. That was the only version one could read and the only one that God endorsed!
- God is calling us to a dynamic relationship with Himself. Sometimes, He'll put a sheet out in front of you, calling you to something uncomfortable, non-traditional or just left of center.
- If we are to be in position for God to work, we must be willing to follow obediently.

II. Fears (10:17-20)

• Acts 10:17-20 : "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. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'Behold, three men are seeking you. 'Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.'" : Verse 17 is better translated "Peter doubted within himself." He was fearfully confused, tied up about what this vision meant.
- This vision troubled him not because it had happened. God spoke to Peter and he was comfortable with that reality.
- But it was the ramifications of what this vision could have meant. What was God truly trying to make him understand?
- What is represented here is not a man who is afraid to act, but one who is afraid to act in a wrong way!
- Peter is just like any one of us. He received from the Lord but was sometimes, as this clearly illustrates, paralyzed by a fear that he might not have this thing right. "Lord are you sure?"
- At the same time, the Romans Soldiers, men who made a definite impression had come looking for Peter.
- Fear is definitive motivator, either to do or to abstain. Peter had to conquer his fear in the space of moments of time.
- Now, please note that when Peter contradicts the Lord initially, God does not cast him off as a failure. His grace sufficiently meets our human weakness.
- In the same way, here is Peter caught in the horns of a dilemma. Should he stay or should he go? If he goes there will be trouble; If he stays there will be double!!
- I love that God does not let Peter just sit there in paralyzed bewilderment. He comes alongside of Peter, meets him in his weakness and whispers in his heart.
- Arise, go down, go with them doubting nothing. I have sent them!
- This is the same dynamic that we saw in the life of Ananias, afraid to go to Saul because he "had authority." God does not tell Ananias that he's a loser! He offers more for Ananias' comfort.
- Matthew recounts that Joseph had similar feelings of fear with Mary. He wanted to do the right thing. He did not want to disgrace her, but was going to put her away quietly.
- To Joseph, God came and dispelled his worries by giving some more information.
- To those who want to believe, who are not afraid to act, but are afraid to act wrongly, the Lord gives more.
- Turn with me to Mark 9. This is the story of the man with a demoniac son. He is desperate and needs Jesus to do something miraculous. Jesus asks him a simple, yet difficult question:
• Mark 9:23,24 : "Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.' Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, 'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!'"
- Jesus heals this man's son. The God of the Universe responds in a positive way to that kind of honest admission and that kind of faith!

III. Peers (11:1-3)

• Acts 11:1-3 : "Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, 'You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!'" : After the miraculous conversion of Cornelius' household and the subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit, Peter is well convinced that God has put his stamp of approval on the Gentiles.
- He was personally involved, having put aside his loyalty to tradition and having put his fear in it's place. Now comes that final test. He must face his peers.
- The Apostles, Peter's friends, the men who walked with Jesus Christ. The guys with the same knowledge of God's word. The men who knew of God's Spirit and the brethren are involved.
- The brethren, men under Peter's influence. Men who listened to Peter and considered him an authority. These same people now heard of what had happened.
- I wonder how? Was it a website? Did they get the Caesarea Gazette? Whatever the case, they heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
- This was a revolutionary concept to their minds, a game changer if you will. This scandalized them and caused them to wonder how this had taken place.
- Now, let's pause here. These men have only heard what has taken place. They have heard the news, but have not comprehended the wonderful ramifications of this event.
- As a result, instead of celebration, there is criticism. Peter, fresh off of this event returns home for the first time in a while, pumped up and excited about what has happened.
- He has seen life transformation, a brilliant display of God's grace, splashed over the lives of Roman Soldiers! Here he comes, up the stairs and he is met with this:
- "You went where and did what with who?" Peter, what were you thinking? You know better than that! At this point, I'll ask you to notice the source: The Circumcision.
- It seems that even in this early part of Church history, there was a group, a loud group, who had already infiltrated the ranks of the church.
- These are people that we'll pay a little closer attention to in the future. For now, recognize that they are very similar to all religious people.
- Forget that the Gentiles were dramatically drawn to God, converted and filled with the Holy Spirit. Our question is do they read the KJV? Our question is do they worship from hymnals?
- These men had the nerve to contend with Peter. Peter, instead of defending himself, started to share the story, from the very beginning.
- Peter recounts the story, describing all that God revealed to him. Peter strengthens his argument by reminding them that this activity was not his idea. Jesus had spoken that Peter's baptism would signal the new proof of conversion.
• Acts 11:16,17 : "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?'"
- At this brethren were silent. Who could argue with God? Who could hear this and say, "Ah, that was just you?" The answer is nobody!

Conclusion

- If God is going to call men to exciting new experiences in the faith, we as men must commit to that ideal, over the traditions we embrace, the fear we feel or the peers who might criticize God's work.
- Can you be that man? There are still Gentiles and Cornelius' today that are waiting for your answer!