Sunday Morning Service

Acts 11:19-30 (Click title for audio access)

"Confirmation"  •  8.28.11  •  Sunday Morning Service, Calvary Christian Fellowship

Intro.

- Studying the book of Acts is like looking at the owner's manual for something you have owned and kept running using non-standard methods.

- A little duct tape here, a few paper clips there, a wing and a prayer and voila! Many years pass and your kick the front part before you start it doesn't work anymore!

- You go back to the owner's manual and you find that you have gone far from the page. What you have in front of you resembles what you purchased, but the resemblance is slight.

- The portrait of the church that we discover is dangerous to look into because when we do so, we can tend to feel a sense of guilt for not measuring up. That's never God's Spirit.

- He never guilts us into anything and such feelings should be rebuked as coming from another source. What we do see and sense from the Lord is an invitation to come into this life.

- From this section, I see 3 signs of life that I'd call your attention to.

I. Daring (v.19-21)

II. Depth (v.22-26)

III. Duty (v.27-30)

Text

I. Daring (v.19-21)

•  Acts 11:19  :  "Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only."  : Acts 9:32 through Acts 11:18 is a lengthy parenthesis, necessary to the story of the growing church, but not in chronological order.

- In Acts 8:4, Luke mentions that the scattered church went everywhere preaching the word. They went north into the areas of Phoenicia, a general region, west of modern day Syria.

- One might think of this lightly, but remember that they were fleeing for their lives because of what they believed. Here they are exposing that belief by what they spoke.

- If you were to look at this area on a map, you would see a question mark type land mass. Throughout that area above Caesarea, were Phoenician settlements.

- There would be a healthy Jewish population living there, but this was a Gentile region. The church was scattered not only by land but by sea, all north of Jerusalem. From Phonecia to Cyprus.

- Cyprus was and is an island right in the center of the Mediteranean sea between what is Syria and Turkey today. It is one of the oldest sources of well water and is a strategic place.

- It has been ruled by every major empire and is thought to be the place where cats were first domesticated! Cyprus was a thriving island in the time of the book of Acts.

- We finish our geographic tour with the city of Antioch, which is several miles north of the Mediteranean sea, deep into what is modern day Turkey.

- Ancient Antioch was another of those special cities in Biblical times. It was situated on the banks of the Orontes river and was right in the middle of major trade routes.

- Libanius, a Greek philosopher would say of Antioch several hundred years later that "If the gods ever really leave heaven and come to earth, I believe that they must come together and hold their councils here, since they could not spend their time in a fairer place." [i]

- As beautiful a place as Antioch was, it was just as legendary for in it's vile morality.

˚  "The Eurantes River spilled its garbage into the Tiber."          Juvenal[ii]

- This means that people gave credit to Antioch for the depravity that eventually found expression in Rome! That's like blaming Utah for Las Vegas!

- It's fascinating to consider that Christians, having been in Jerusalem, now returned to a place so wicked! Of course, they had no choice, but what a benefit this would be to Antioch.

- There are some who believe that we should only have minimal contact with the world, seeking always to separate ourselves into little Christian communities. That wasn't an option for them.

- What can be said is that the influence of a Christian witness is vital in the world!

- These Hellenized Jews who were forcefully expelled from Jerusalem, went back into their native lands, preaching or talking about the word as they went.

- At that time, the scattered Christians limited themselves to sharing with Jews only, the modus operandi for the church of that day. They were in conformity with church policy as they knew it.

- Even then, without the use of communication devices, God was working to spread things out.

•  Acts 11:20,21  :  "But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord."  : I love that word "but!" It sounds subversive: "The modus operandi was a Jew only crowd, but a few experimented with boundaries of grace by sharing with non-Jews!" Ooh!

- These wild untamed are unnamed men traveled to Antioch speaking with the Hellenists, in this case, not Hellenized Jews, but Greeks. They were trying out the gospel on Greeks!

- Peter had seen the birth of the Gentile Roman Church. Here was the Greek church birth. Their contact with the Gentiles started out inncocently.

- The word "spoke" refers to chatting or making small talk, simply being friendly. The word itself seems to be onomatopoetic being used of birds chattering away.

- Their chatter and small talk eventually worked into the full intention of preaching the Lord Jesus! You could say that their small talk became the big talk when the subject turn to Jesus!

- We have seen discussions turn to sharing the good news. We've seen announcement. We've seen the decree of Good news. Every form of speech for a Christian should lead us to Jesus Christ!

- When you fully grasp the good news of Jesus Christ, you will not be able to not share Him! When you consider what His name affects in the heart of an unsaved man, you will want to share!

- These unknown men did not have apostolic authority, but they had the authority and efficacy of God with them. The hand of the Lord, significant of His power and strength, was with them.

- His hand with them, bringing power to their preaching and people to the Lord!

- A great number believed in Jesus and turned themselves toward the Lord! We read that and just blow by as if it's just an ordinary everyday occurrence!

- These are souls who once were destined to spend eternity in hell that we will now see in Heaven. These are lives that went on to bear Christian fruit in their neighborhoods and employment!

- These are ones who turned from wickedness to righteousness, from darkness to light, from PC's to Mac! All from these unknown, but faithful men.

- Whose lives will be turned to Jesus because of you? What destinies will be changed because you were faithful?

- Why does Luke share this with us at this juncture in Acts? He is sharing this information to further corroborate the story that he has just told regarding Peter.

- Peter had been given a dream. He had been given scripture. He had taken along witnesses. When the circumcision heard the tale from the beginning, they believed.

- Now, Luke is saying that without collusion, God's Spirit was effectively working in the same way in Antioch, miles away from Caesarea and without the involvement of an Apostle!

- In the case of these men, there was not just a family that had emerged. There was a great number and a church that was beginning to thrive in Antioch!

- In point of fact, Antioch will become the center of early Christianity!

II. Depth (v.22-26)

•  Acts 11:22-24  :  "Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord."  : As with Peter, the news of the gospel spread came to Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been the center of Christian ministry. In a few weeks, we'll see a council that meets to establish conduct from Jerusalem.

- The church in Jerusalem sent out Barnabas to go out and investigate what was going on. What Barnabas found was not a superficial community. He found a deep work taking place.

- Barnabas, aside from being an outstanding Christian man himself, was also a man who was bent on encouraging people. This was his disposition.

- His name is actually Joses, but the church nicknamed him Barnabas, meaning "Son Of Encouragement." When Saul, couldn't find a friend, Barnabas swooped in and stood for him.

- When it came to sending a delegate to look in on what was happening, the church in Jerusalem sent their best man!

- If he found a great work, he would encourage it. If he found a less than stellar work, he would encourage it to grow in the right way.

- Having arrived what he found was the grace of God. In other words, he found evidences of true Christian conversion and life stemming from authentic Spirit experience!

- Like many of us, when we leave one place where we experience the grace of the Lord and travel to another of the same order, we find something familiar to us! It's the grace of the Lord!

- Barnabas found it and he rejoiced! What a contrast to the reaction of those of the circumcision who had responded with harsh criticism!

- One man, predisposed, gifted of the Lord to be an encourager and another, a group looking for proof to the contrary. One man rejoices, while the group looks on with skepticism and disbelief!

- Which would you rather be? Of what sort would you ask God to reveal in you?

- For Barnabas, this was a wonderful act of God's Spirit and he did what Barnabas always did: He encouraged them! He came alongside of them and called them to continue.

- Literally, he told them to cleave themselves unto the Lord, to hold onto Him. What would that mean? How would that look?

- Keep doing what you are doing! Keep running after the Lord! What makes you passionate for the Lord? If I saw it in your life, I'd come alongside of you and tell you the same thing!

•  Acts 11:23 (NLT)  :  "When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord."

- Shakespeare once said "To thine own self be true!" Barnabas said, "To thine God be true!"

- Barnabas did this because of who God made Him to be. He was a man that was characterized by goodness, empowered by the Holy Spirit and full of faith!

- What a description! What words would best describe you? Would these be accurate terms?

- Antioch was bustling at the seams and in such an oxygen rich environment, more were added! God will grow that which best seeks to represent Him!

•  Acts 11:25  :  "Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul."  :  When we last saw Saul, the brothers from Jerusalem had sent him to Tarsus, which was his hometown.

- Barnabas needed help in Antioch and the man that could be of greatest help was Saul.

- It's likely that this is the period of time that Paul talks about in Galatians 2:1. When Barnabas went to seek after Saul, it may have been around the 10th year of that 14 year period.

- That would coincide with the scholars opinion of the Cornelius story and further show a connection between these events.

- Barnabas sought after Saul, indicating an intense search, looking through the eyes of many. It was not an easy search, but Barnabas needed to make it.

- What is telling is that Barnabas came from Jerusalem, but when he needed help in the growing church of Antioch, he went to Tarsus.

- It's almost as if he went to Saul because the church in Jerusalem wasn't ready to be of help! Perhaps he felt that they would be overly critical. In any event, Saul was the better choice.

•  Acts 11:26  :  "And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch."  :  Saul's time away from the limelight was not likely a silent time at all.

- Saul was a man that took time to learn, work and live, but he kept himself sharp by preaching as fast as he learned. Luke does not include those details, but brings him back here.

- Why? Because Saul is to become to the ministry of the Gentiles what Peter had been to the ministry of the Jews!

- Barnabas had brought Saul before the Apostles. Now, he brings them before the church of Antioch. They assembled together for a whole year.

- What did they do? Saul's primary job was to teach. He was to teach the Word of God! What does a growing church need? To be taught. What does a veteran Christian need? Teaching!

- That is the primary job that I hold. It is my biggest priority within my week and the main reason we will always come together for. Saul taught and so will I.

- They had a year of the greatest teaching any church could possibly imagine! It was in that place where the people of the church, formerly known as the way, were called Christians.

- The term means "Little Christs." This was hardly a nice moniker among the masses. The same suffix was applied to slaves of other men. Slaves of Claudius were called Claudians.

- The world took notice of the group and the congregation accepted their slurs, turning them into a badge of honor! Is that your heart?

- They call you something derogatory and you respond, "Yep!" What can be done about people like that? Absolutely nothing!

III. Duty (v.27-30)

•  Acts 11:27-30  :  "And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul."  :  In the days of the thriving Antioch church, everyone came to visit, including men with prophetic gifting.

- Paul will later write about the church being gifted with Prophets, people with insight from the Lord into things that He is doing in the Earth.

- Among this group from Jerusalem was this man named Agabus. He spoke to them about a world wide famine.

- This famine would hit in the days of Claudius Caesar whose reign lasted from 41 to 54 AD.

- During his reign, there were three famines, the first in his first year, the second in AD 45, the final one in AD 52.

- Famine happened throughout his entire reign, but the one that happened in AD 45 is the one that Agabus is prophesying about, putting this about 12 years after Acts 2.

- Now, the important part of this is the result of hearing this prophecy. The church responded.

- There would be a famine all over the world, but it would hit especially hard in Judea.

- Some might take the attitude, "Who cares what happens over there? Let's take care of ourselves and our needs." That is not the Antioch approach. They saw need and they responded!

- According to several commentators, Henry Ironside, himself a commentator, had conducted research looking for an equivalent action in history before this time.

- He could find charitable work among people who belonged to the same nation.

- It was also easy to find familial response. However, in history, when a nation heard of another nation's trouble, the nation in the better condition prepared to divide the spoil.

- This is the first recorded charitable action taken by a nation on behalf of a foreign nation. Christians took the lead in that department.

- The disciples took action. Whatever means were available to them, were used for relief.

- They took up an offering that would help to sustain the churches in Judea, who would be devastated by the famine.

- They responded out of faith, trusting that Agabus had properly prophecied and began to work. They gave according to what each person had.

- It was heart felt and given out of a sense of duty for others in need.

- The other significant part of this is the beginning of Barnabas and Saul's first missionary journey, which is predicated on their dispensing of this gift.

Conclusion

- In our lives, there must be a little daring, a great depth and a sworn duty. You will be asked to take risks, which will force you to greater depths and will work out in you a duty to perform.

- The outcome of such a life is an experience of the hand of God with them, which is what every one of us wants more than anything.

---

[i] http://www.neh.gov/news/humanities/2000-07/antioch.html

[ii] http://www.gty.org/resources/Sermons/1739_The-First-Gentile-Church#.TlnRqDtvAxY

Thursday Night Bible Study

Leviticus 8-Leviticus 9 (Click title for audio access)

"Ordination"  •  8.25.11  •  Thursday Night Bible Study, Calvary Christian Fellowship

Intro.

- Leviticus 8 and 9 deal with the ordination of the priests, who would facilitate the worship of God through the vehicle of sacrifice.

- The details are of importance to us as we consider the priestly life because God has told us that we are a Kingdom of priests.

- Therefore, what happened to these men physically and in time, provides a portrait for our life and the exercise of our priestly duty in the world that we live in today.

- To this point, God has shown us the what of worship, namely the sacrifices and offerings. In the two chapters before us, I believe that we'll get a better picture of the why of worship.

Text

•  Leviticus 8:1-3  :  "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ^'Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; and gather all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.'"  :  The ordination of the priests would be a public meeting, before the people, who would witness this.

- Why would they need to be consecrated? After all, they were members of the right family, having been born in the line of the priests! They were born for it, but they also needed to submit to it!

- God's ministers must be ordained and clothed before the eyes of the people, so that they see that it is God who called and appointed them.

•  Leviticus 8:4-12  :  "So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. And the congregation was gathered together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And Moses said to the congregation, 'This is what the Lord commanded to be done.' Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. And he put the tunic on him, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the intricately woven band of the ephod, and with it tied the ephod on him. Then he put the breastplate on him, and he put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate. And he put the turban on his head. Also on the turban, on its front, he put the golden plate, the holy crown, as the Lord had commanded Moses. Also Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the laver and its base, to consecrate them. And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him."  :  The priest's vestments all speak prophetically of Christ, a subject we covered in Exodus 28-30.

- Before anything was put on the priest, he was washed, cleansed. The Priest is not a dirty man that is clothed with beauty. He's a clean man clothed with beauty!

- These Priests were physically washed in the water of the bronze laver. We are washed in the water of the word of God, cleansed by what the Spirit reveals to us.

- This section deals with the ordination of Aaron, the Annointed or High Priest.

- The tunic, the undergarments were placed on him first, then the sash or belt. These are simple garments that speak to a holiness that goes where only God can see.

- Nobody saw the linen tunic, except for this first exhibition, but when the priest wore it, it symbolized a submission that was not simply outward adornement.

- A Christian is not simply one who is outwardly presentable, but one who is clothed through and through. One who is not is simply hiding their hypocrisy. Jesus was without guile or hypocrisy.

- After that he was clothed with the robe, representing righteousness, a righteousness that speaks of that which is granted to us in Christ.

 - The Ephod represents the responsibility that the priest had for the nation before God.

- Above the Ephod was the breastplate which also had stones which represented each of the tribes of Israel. The Priest carried the nation of Israel on his shoulders through these implements.

- He would come bearing physical reminders of the nation before God, in the same way that Jesus would take the nation upon His shoulders and the way that we are to carry others to Christ!

- The Urim and the Thummin were black and white deciding stones, light and perfections, meant to reveal direction from God.

- Moses used the anointing oil, that perfumed mixture and used it to consecrate the altar, the utensils, the laver and it's base, all of which were in the outer court.

- The implements, were sufficiently set apart and dedicated to the use for worship exclusively, all as the Lord commanded.

•  Leviticus 8:13-21  :  "Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons and put tunics on them, girded them with sashes, and put hats on them, as the Lord had commanded Moses. And he brought the bull for the sin offering. Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering, and Moses killed it. Then he took the blood, and put some on the horns of the altar all around with his finger, and purified the altar. And he poured the blood at the base of the altar, and consecrated it, to make atonement for it. Then he took all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and Moses burned them on the altar. But the bull, its hide, its flesh, and its offal, he burned with fire outside the camp, as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then he brought the ram as the burnt offering. And Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and Moses killed it. Then he sprinkled the blood all around on the altar. And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burned the head, the pieces, and the fat. Then he washed the entrails and the legs in water. And Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses."  :  Moses performed the first sacrifice which was tied to the priests, who were being set apart for the ministry. That blood of the bull was to make atonement for the altar, as well as the priest.

- The priestly life and ministry comes from having been atoned for. One cannot minister for Christ, unless he or she has first received the gift of Christ!

- One cannot minister the gift of reconciliation, unless they have put their hands on the sacrifice! You must never forget that while you are a priest, you are first a sinner, saved by grace!

- The burnt sacrifice for the priest, that admission of faith, was a satisfying aroma to the Lord.

•  Leviticus 8:22-30  :  "And he brought the second ram, the ram of consecration. Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and Moses killed it. Also he took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. Then he brought Aaron’s sons. And Moses put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. And Moses sprinkled the blood all around on the altar. Then he took the fat and the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh; and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened cake, a cake of bread anointed with oil, and one wafer, and put them on the fat and on the right thigh; and he put all these in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and waved them as a wave offering before the Lord. Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar, on the burnt offering. They were consecration offerings for a sweet aroma. That was an offering made by fire to the Lord. And Moses took the breast and waved it as a wave offering before the Lord. It was Moses’ part of the ram of consecration, as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, his sons, and the garments of his sons with him."  : This second ram, the animal of consecration, had been prescribed by God.

- It's blood was to be put upon the tip of the right ear, thumb and big toe of Aaron and his sons.

- This was to speak of the blood covering what they would hear or listen to, where they would extend their hands and where they would walk.

- What a visual illustration! I'm sure this would never leave their minds, whenever it came time to listen to something. "Oh wait, my ears are consecrated to the Lord!"

- When a hand went out to do something, there was a reminder of what the true use of those hands would be for. "Is this redeeming?" one might ask themselves.

- Are my feet taking me to a place that is consistent with the blood that has been applied?

- The blood of Christ, His cleansing blood, covers all that we hear, all that we do and every direction that we take. Consecration isn't unless that standard is applied!

- One other application that I might make about consecration. We often think of this in negative terms, ie. things that I shouldn't do that are negative things. I belong to God so I don't cuss.

- The same is true in the opposite way. There are things that you will want to get involved in that are good, but the blood demands that you prioritize properly.

- I want to hear that great speaker on Friday night, but if I do so, I neglect my family. The blood demands that I put that priority first.

- I would love to go and put my hands to use on that project, but doing so neglects my primary ministry. The same with out feet. Consecration is all about avoiding what is bad and prioritizing good!

•  Leviticus 8:31-36  :  "And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, 'Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of consecration offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ What remains of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn with fire. And you shall not go outside the door of the tabernacle of meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are ended. For seven days he shall consecrate you. As he has done this day, so the Lord has commanded to do, to make atonement for you. Therefore you shall stay at the door of the tabernacle of meeting day and night for seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, so that you may not die; for so I have been commanded.' So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses."  :  This was a week long ceremony that God was to have with the priests prior to beginning their public work.

- Their first priority was to eat of the offering and the bread of the basket. Their first priority as priests was to eat with the Lord, for seven days, speaking of fresh, continual relationship.

- It's been truly said that one cannot minister for the Lord until they have been minister to by the Lord! You cannot give out what you have not put in!

- During this retreat time, they were to keep charge of the Lord. Literally, they were to keep guard over the things of the sanctuary, meaning that they were to be concerned with God's place.

- Why? So that they may not die. Their concern for their attitudes, actions and life in God was a matter of life and death! I wish we saw our relationships with God in that light!

- It may not be physical death to us, but there can be some serious decay when we take our relationship to God and the ministry that He has given us with only a light esteem!

•  Leviticus 9:1-7  :  "It came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. And he said to Aaron, 'Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. And to the children of Israel you shall speak, saying, ‘Take a kid of the goats as a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering, also a bull and a ram as peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the Lord will appear to you.’ So they brought what Moses commanded before the tabernacle of meeting. And all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord. Then Moses said, 'This is the thing which the Lord commanded you to do, and the glory of the Lord will appear to you.' And Moses said to Aaron, 'Go to the altar, offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. Offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as the Lord commanded.'"  :  On the 8th day, the number of new beginnings, God would reveal himself to the priests and begin an era of the priesthood.

- Aaron needed to be sacrificed for. Before he could minister, he had to be covered again! This is the weakness of this system, as animals were needed on a frequent basis to cover sin.

- All was to be done as the Lord commanded. That is stated in one way or another 6 times!

- Priestly ordination is God's idea, not Moses' idea. It's God's will to ordain His Priests where they are, where they minister and to whom they minister!

•  Leviticus 9:8-17  :  "Aaron therefore went to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. Then the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him. And he dipped his finger in the blood, put it on the horns of the altar, and poured the blood at the base of the altar. But the fat, the kidneys, and the fatty lobe from the liver of the sin offering he burned on the altar, as the Lord had commanded Moses. The flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp. And he killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar. Then they presented the burnt offering to him, with its pieces and head, and he burned them on the altar. And he washed the entrails and the legs, and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar. Then he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and killed it and offered it for sin, like the first one. And he brought the burnt offering and offered it according to the prescribed manner. Then he brought the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt sacrifice of the morning."  :  These are the first offerings made unto the Lord, first for the priests, then for the people, all offered in the prescribed manner.

•  Leviticus 9:18-24  :  "He also killed the bull and the ram as sacrifices of peace offerings, which were for the people. And Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar, and the fat from the bull and the ram—the fatty tail, what covers the entrails and the kidneys, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver; and they put the fat on the breasts. Then he burned the fat on the altar; but the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved as a wave offering before the Lord, as Moses had commanded. Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces."  :  in this section, we get to the heart of why there have been so many details. All of the offerings have been offered before the Lord.

- All has been done specifically to God's design, according to what He has commanded. Aaron lifted his hand to bless the people and came down from the pace of offering.

- The priest's first duty was to bring sacrifices to the Lord. That is our desire on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings. We come to bring sacrifices to our God, that speak of His worth.

- Then, we turn to bless one another. Aaron lifted his hand toward the people to bless them. The Hebrew word means to salute, asking for another's welfare.

- To bless someone is to seek from God, the very best that He has for that person or group of people. Worship is incomplete without ministering to God and turning to bless His people!

- When Aaron did this and Moses joined him for that purpose, God's glory, His supernatural, physical presence was revealed to all the people and in a second, the fire He promised came!

- The people saw this and shouted, the word implicit of a shout for joy! It was true! Their God had come to dwell, tabernacle with them! He was there! What a comfort and a great joy!

- And yet, almost as quickly, reverence put them on their face before God! I would venture to say that this is what happens when a person effectively ministers: There is joy and fear, mingled!

 Conclusion

- God gave us these chapters to remind us of our Priesthood and the priority that it carries because of the power that it bestows! God wants to meet with His people through His people!

Sunday Morning Service

Acts 10:17-Acts 11:18 (Click title for audio access)

"Peter and The Christian Dream"  •  8.21.11  •  Sunday Morning Service, Calvary Christian Fellowship

Intro.

- Last week, we began a journey tracing the providence of God in Peter's life. God is about to have Peter endorse the greatest paradigm shift in the history of man's relationship to God.

- Christianity is about to breach the walls of Jewish experience and become a global enterprise that will span beyond their time and space and right into ours!

- God in His providence has to get Peter from Jerusalem and the mindset that salvation is only for the Jews. That's going from zero to sixty, something that God never does with His people.

- God has led Peter through various circumstances which have softened his perspective. In Joppa, Peter is given a repeated vision of ceremonially unclean animals that he is commanded to eat.

- What could it mean? That's what we'll get to here today.

Text

•  Acts 10:17,18-23  :  "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."  : Peter was completely at a loss for what this meant!  What was God trying to communicate? What did God intend for him to know? We have the benefit of the full story. Peter did not.

- Before he could figure it out, Cornelius' delegation arrived, conducting an interview around town which eventually led them to the Tanner's seaside house.

•  Acts 10:19-23  :  "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.' Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, 'Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?; And they said, 'Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.' Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him." : Peter kept bringing the vision back to the forefront of his mind. He did not want to shake it.

- I don't doubt that he kept asking God for His help, knowing that this vision came from Him. As Peter did this, God answered him regarding the men who had come.

- Please note again that God only gives Peter what he needs for that moment. You have to make the first step to get the next instructions! Go with these men without doubting.

- God had lead them and He is assuring Peter that it's right to drop his guard. What a trip that must have been for Peter! God told them to come get me!?

- "They are waiting to hear words from me!?" There will come a time when someone will need to hear something from you, given to you by the Lord for them!

- Peter did not just come to this day. All of his experience led him to this moment. God is doing the same thing in your life. There is no wasted moment, no wasted experience, no wasted study!

- God is using it all, storing it inside your heart, for moments like these!

- The delegation stayed for the evening and got going the next day.

•  Acts 10:24-27  :  "And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, 'Stand up; I myself am also a man.' And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together."  : Joppa to Caesarea was a 30 mile trip. They walked to the door and Cornelius had been waiting!

- Cornelius had followed closely to everything that God had commanded him. He even brought in his family and friends. Speaking to one man about Jesus is speaking to one large group of people!

- When Peter came in, Cornelius fell down and worshipped him. Peter rebuked him. Get up! I'm just a vessel!

- Peter was eager not to take any of the credit for what God was doing through Him. That is a very wise decision that each of us need to make daily!

•  Acts 10:28-33  :  "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. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?' So Cornelius said, 'Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God."  : Peter has decoded the message. It was Gentiles who now had been cleansed by the work of Christ! It wasn't about foods, it was about men!

- Jesus had told Peter that he was going to make him a fisher of men, not foods!

- Cornelius knew what had been the dividing line. He knew Jewish customs and that this was a stretch for Peter, but Peter had other knowledge that was given to Him by God!

- Both men understand that God has orchestrated this event. He has brought them together.

- God literally put up an exhibit for Peter to look at! God revealed truth to Peter which gave him the freedom to go without objection. From here Cornelius tells what God has told Him!

- Cornelius recounts his story and tells Peter to have at it! They were eager to hear what God's message was. They were hungry for what God had for them.

•  Acts 10:34,35  :  "Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."  : God does not show partiality! This is the truth that Peter had come to know, to come into the possession of.

- God was not partial to the Jews over the Gentiles. God is not responsive merely to urban professionals or people without tattoos or people who we deem presentable to God.

- For Peter and the Jews listening to this, this was an amazing revelation! The Jews hated the Gentiles and vice versa. Nothing in their experience would have pointed to this.

- This was not something that could have come from his own thinking. It was something that God took great care in communicating to Him. God is not one to show partiality.

- Literally, the Lord is not one who shows respect for persons. Whoever fears Him. Those who reverance Him and do works of righteousness. These are accepted by Him.

- I like the way that the NASB translates this verse:

•  Acts 10:35 (NASB)  :  "but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him."

- Anybody is welcomed to come and let Him make them whole! Now, what does this mean regarding good works and the righteousness of Christ.

- It cannot mean that God looks at a person who by their works, has earned a right to God. God must look my way because I reverance Him and do good works.

- Some look at Cornelius and wonder what his sin was. He was a good man, but he was not saved because of the sin that affects every religious person: Seeking to save oneself!

- That is the sin of Cornelius and religion: The pride that would seek a Savior other than Jesus!

- What is indicated here is simply this: God will not overlook such a man simply because he is not from the nation of Israel, a major blow to the prevailing theology of that day.

- This man had been given a certain amount of light. He had responded to it and now God was going to give Cornelius more specific revelation through Peter.

•  Acts 10:36-39  :  "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."  :  The Lord began His work of salvation first among the children of Israel. Jesus was presented first to them.

- Paul will explain this in the Book of Romans with the statement that the gospel was for the Jew first. Jesus was their Messiah and God came to them, preaching peace through Him!

- God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself! Jesus is that message of peace, though He is not Israel's alone! Peter says it : "He is Lord of all!"

- I do not make Jesus Lord. You do not make Jesus Lord. He is Lord and we either acknowledge that or we do not! He is not the Jewish Lord only, but the Lord of the Gentiles as well!

- Peter goes on to summarized Christ's mission, from Judea, Galilee, from the message of John, to Christ's miracle working power.

•  Acts 10:40-43  :  "And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.'"  :  "We" being the Apostles, had been witnesses of Christ's life, ministry, death and resurrection. "They" are the Jewish Sanhedrin at that that time.

- They killed Him but God raised Him and showed Him. The disciples were to proclaim Him!

- Jesus commanded them to preach. That command has not been fulfilled. We are called to the same commission, though it's not a new truth. All of the prophets witness of Him!

- Through the name of Christ, whoever trusts in Him receives remission of sins.

- That is the gospel message that Peter the Apostle gave: Believe in Jesus, receive the remission of sins! The word "remission" essentially means to be released from sin.

- It means that a person is pardoned, freed, no longer bearing the guilt of sins commited. God desires greatly to forgive people from their sins. It is God's delight to forgive.

•  Acts 10:44-48  :  "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, '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."  : Before Peter could even get to the glory moment of calling these people to believe, God's Spirit fell upon them.

- Right before Peter could give the invitation, God gave them the Holy Spirt. Peter looked around, as well as the fellow Jews that had come along from Joppa.

- The comment that is the poignant moment of the chapter: They received the Holy Spirit just as the Apostles had! This was Acts 2 all over again, except that it was the Gentile version!

- The logic was clear: These need to be baptized! In the Mediteranean sea no less! Imagine what those next few days would have been like! What an amazing retreat that would have been!

•  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!'"  : The Apostles and brethren refers to the members of the scattered church. Judea was the region or county that surrounded Jerusalem.

- Gentiles had been receptive, hospitable to God's Word! The people from the nations had opened themselves to the Word of God.

- In Judea, there was little reaction, but in Jerusalem, there was a much more direct and negative response, especially among those of the circumcision, another name for the Jews!

- When these people heard the news, the contended with Peter about it. The best word to describe this is to criticize. And their criticism was hostile and constant.

- It expressed itself in this: You went in and ate with them! It seems minor to us, but this is what they had come to believe was a sacred command of separation.

•  Acts 11:4  :  "But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:"  :  Peter rehearsed what had happened, setting forth the details from the beginning. 

- Verses 5 through 15 recounts the contents of chapter 10. Verse 16 lets us into Peter's mind.

•  Acts 11:16-18  :  "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?' When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, 'Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.'"  :  Jesus had told Peter what was going to take place and now Peter was seeing that word come to pass.

- They had been baptized with the Holy Spirit. Now these gentiles had the same, literally the equal experience that they had! How could Peter stand against God? He gave the Spirit to them!

- Peter did not want to be guilty of standing or hindering God's way.

- Having listened to this account of the truth of what happened, the people were silenced, literally, they held their peace and gave honor to God.

- God has given repentance to life! He has given you and I that gift! We have been given repentance to life with God!

Conclusion

- God's providence is working in your life today, breaking down prejudice, setting you in motion or putting you in a position to see destiny's change.

- Maybe there are few Cornelius moments in life, but just one would be amazing! Let us be faithful with what we have been given.