What Is God Showing You — Acts 10

0:00 Glad to be with you all this morning and excited to do our Acts study or continue in our Acts study. We've got Acts chapter 10 and so if you'd like to go ahead and turn to Acts chapter 10, we're going to open up in prayer but I want to look at one verse in Acts chapter 10 before we start and that's Acts Acts 10 and verse 33. We've got kind of a unique situation where you're speaking and and with there's actually this verse in the passage I think that actually makes kind of a good prayer for for us as we get started. So, Acts chapter 10 verse 33, I really want the second half of the verse but we'll read it just so we can kind of follow along. Immediately, therefore, I sent unto thee and thou hast well done that thou art come.

0:47 We'll find out a little bit later that this is Cornelius talking to Peter. Now, here here's the phrase I would like us to catch for the second half of the verse where we see the word now. Now, therefore, we are all here present before god. So, let's let that let that kind of register with our thoughts this morning. Right now, right now, we are all here present before god and then look at what it says.

1:15 We are all here present and we have come to hear all things that are commanded of thee of god and so, let's pray this morning with that in mind. Our heavenly father, the scriptures just reminded us here of a conversation that's happening between Peter and Cornelius and they they've gathered some people together around them and they said, they're acknowledging that that they are in your presence and we want to acknowledge that same thing this morning. We want to say, we are now right here. We're all gathered together. We're in your presence, and we know that you've got a message for us.

1:51 And so, Father, we're going to ask to make that message abundantly clear. We're going to maybe look on ourselves and say, Father, help help me be sensitive to that message. Help me hear it. Unstop my ears. Give me eyes and ears of understanding.

2:13 Enlighten these things to us. May the spirit work unhindered. Father, we're we're we want to be we just want to be ultra sensitive to what you have for us. We're tracking through this book of Acts. So, give us understanding as we study it and we ask this now in Jesus Christ name.

2:31 Amen. Now, go back to Acts chapter one. Acts chapter one. We're going to lead up to this place where Peter and Cornelius are having this conversation but I want to remind us of what the lord's been doing in Acts. We often times think about the Holy Spirit is very prominent here.

2:56 Some people have called this the acts of the Holy Spirit and that's probably a good title for this this book as well but look at Acts chapter one, we see the spirit reference. Acts chapter one and verse eight, but you shall receive power after that the holy ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me. This is a message to you and I as the believer. You will be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaritah in Samaritah and the uttermost parts of the earth. Samaria, excuse me.

3:30 Now, Jesus is speaking these words to the to the believers that are there. There's application for us today but let's think about this for a minute. Did this, when Jesus spoke these words before he ascended back to heaven, did is this how things played out? We'll go back. We remind ourselves.

3:49 Acts chapter two, that was in the the Holy Spirit was given. Where did it happen? Right there in Jerusalem at Pentecost. We see Pentecost and the spirit comes, the church begins, and then what happens? Peter preaches this sermon.

4:07 He preaches he preaches a sermon and 3,000 people get saved. That's in Jerusalem. Also in Jerusalem, we see in Acts chapter three and chapter four, Peter is is continuing. We see other preaching happening at the at the temple and at the synagogue. We see Peter and John doing miracles in Jerusalem.

4:30 Acts chapter five, the apostles are preaching. There's many signs and wonders that are being done. They're put into prison but they're immediately let go and that's happened in Acts chapter five in Jerusalem. Then, also in Jerusalem, Acts chapter six and seven. Did you catch that?

5:29 I don't know why why I'm getting that word tongue tied this morning but just like Acts chapter one verse eight said that you're going to begin in Jerusalem then expand to Judea then go to Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the world. We're seeing that happen and so, we recently were in Acts or let me just remind ourselves in Judea is where that first persecution started happening. Then, we got Philip who comes up with the Ethiopian eunuch. That was in that was that was actually in Samaria that where where Philip and and Ethiopian eunuch conversation was taking place and then Paul's conversion happens right there in that region as well and so we find ourselves go back to Acts chapter 10 and we find ourselves here in Acts chapter 10 in Caesarea and we're still expanding while we're expanding out and so we want to kind of recognize the fact that the gospel is going out in these concentric circles. That all not only, well, let me ask you this.

6:33 In Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaritan, in Samaria, who is the audience? Who is the audience in that in those in those cities, in those those regions? Who were the audience? What what nationality? Jews.

6:50 Jews. It's a Jewish audience. So, now, as the things are expanding, we're also going to expand the nationalities, okay? We're going to bring in more than just the Jews and our candidate for that this morning is Cornelius. He's going to he's going to he's not a Jew.

7:10 Now, would anybody like to venture a guess of how much time has elapsed? We just did a a quick little synopsis from Acts, the beginning of Acts. Acts chapter two where Pentecost began to Acts chapter 10. Anybody want to venture a guess how much time has elapsed there? Who said that?

7:31 Four years? Anybody else got a guess? If you double four, You wish I could. If you double four, you'll have it. Eight.

7:45 Eight years has gone by. So, let's let's let's let's get, we want to understand that now, these apostles, the people that have been given the charge to go into every, to go into the world and make known the gospel, the people that we hear preaching, John, Peter, Philip, all these ones that are preaching and people are getting saved. We're preaching to a Jewish audience and for for eight years, eight years, they're they're like and and it's exciting. People are getting saved. You know, like the when they get thrown into prison and the bars come off, like the the jailbreak happens, they didn't even ask to be let out and the like all this kind of stuff's going on and they're like, the church is great.

8:30 The church is awesome. We're meeting day to day. We're sharing all things in common. Well, sin is bad. Stay away from sin.

8:38 God's god will judge sin but but the gospel is great to be delivered from your sin and this is all going on to a Jewish audience. So, the reason I want to make a big deal about that is that it should allow us to have a little bit of more understanding and some sympathy to Peter of how hard it was going to be to break that trend of eight years preaching to the Jews and preaching to this region and seeing people saved. And now, lord, you want me to talk to Cornelius? John introduced us to Cornelius last week as we read about him in in chapter 10 verses one through eight and so, before we jump in to reading more of the narrative, I want you to hold your finger there and go with me over to Ephesians chapter two please. Ephesians chapter two, just for we're we're making a jump now.

9:40 We're leaving not only are we leaving the regions of of the hometown Jerusalem but we're leaving the Jewish people so to speak. We're we're expanding the the we're expanding the the nationalities to include the Gentiles which is the whole world or or or other people. Look at at Ephesians chapter two, I want to give this overview of what it was like. Well, just hear the compare... The the the distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles.

10:51 The uncircumcision by which is called the the circumcision in the flesh made by hands. That at that time, you were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. See that distinction there? Aliens, strangers from the covenants of promise. These promises to to Israel weren't your promises.

11:11 Having no hope without god in the world but now, because of Christ Jesus, now in Christ Jesus, you who were sometimes far off are made nigh or made near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace who is who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. There's no more distinction now between the Jew and the and the Gentile, okay? So, that's being done. Having verse 15, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of the commandments contained in the ordinances to for to make himself of twain one new man, making so peace.

11:53 And and that he might have reconciled both to God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby. And came and preached peace unto you which were afar off and to them that are nigh. For through him, we both have access by one spirit unto the father. And so you see this how how the Jews and Gentiles are being described, brought into this one body, the church. It started at Pentecost with the Jews.

12:25 It expanded in the Jewish community for years. And now, we're going to expand to the Gentiles. Okay? So let's go back to Acts chapter 10. And while you're there at verse 10...

12:39 Or chapter 10, let's go to verse nine. We jump into the our narrative. Let me just remind you of what happened in verses one through eight. Cornelius had been praying, an angel had visited him and told him to go seek out Peter. Told him specific detail.

13:07 Cornelius immediately obeys, sends two of his servants and a and a devout soldier, and we read in verse nine. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, these are the peoples, the the three men that Cornelius had sent. They went on their journey and they drew nigh to the city. Peter, this would have been the city of Joppa. Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour and he came and he became very hungry and would have eaten but while they made ready, he being Peter fell into a trance and he saw in his trance and he saw heaven open and a and a certain vessel descending upon him as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners and was let down to the earth.

13:55 Wherein were all manner of four footed beast and of of the earth, wild beast, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him saying, rise Peter, kill, and eat. But Peter said, no, not so lord. For I have never eaten anything never eaten anything that is common or unclean and the voice spake to him again and and second time and said, what god has cleansed that call not thou uncommon or call call that now not common and this was done thrice or three times and the vessel was received up again to heaven. Now, Peter doubted in himself or contemplated what this vision he had seen might mean.

14:46 Behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry about Simon's house and stood before the gate and they called out and asked for Simon which surname was Peter because he was lodging there and while Peter thought on this vision, the spirit said to him, behold, there's three men at the door. They seek for you. Arise therefore, get get thee down and go with them. Doubt nothing for I have sent them. Then, Peter went down and met the men just as been described to him and that had been sent from Cornelius and said, behold, I am he whom you seek.

15:26 What what cause is it therefore that you are come? And they said, Cornelius, a centurion, a just man, one that fears god and of good report among the nations of the Jews was warned by god or warned from god by a holy angel to send send for thee in this house and to hear the words that you have. Then called he them in and lodged them. And on the morrow, the next day, Peter went his way with them and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea and Cornelius waited for them and had called other people, other kinsmen together, his dear friends and as Peter was coming in in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

16:19 Cornelius, worshiping Peter. Verse 26, but Peter said, Peter took took him up and said, stand up. I, myself, am a man And as they talked with him, he he went in and found that many were come together. And they they said... And he said unto them, you know how that it is unlawful...

16:41 It is an unlawful thing for me, a man that is a Jew, to keep company or to come unto you an of another nation. But God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Alright, let's pause right there. It's hard place to find a break in what's going on. Peter, remember, he's got, he's got experience, multiple years of experience, his experience of a disciple, being a disciple, following the lord, and his experience as an apostle for those those times from from Acts chapter two up until Acts chapter 10 And so, when he gets this when he gets this vision, it baffles him.

17:44 It happens three times. Then, he's got these people at the door. These men at the door knocking at him saying, are you Simon Peter? Come with me. You gotta go on an errand.

17:57 And we see the Holy Spirit again. We see the Holy Spirit step in and distinctly tell Peter, hey, there's three men at the door. They're going to ask for you. Don't don't question anything. Go.

18:09 Go with them. So, we see all that transpire. We see the greeting, the meeting of Cornelius and Peter. Cornelius, maybe out of his excitement or maybe out of his awe that this is going on. He he bows in front of Peter.

18:26 Peter quickly corrects that situation, says, hey, get up. I'm I'm just a man like you are. I'm a messenger. I'm a spokesperson. Excuse me.

18:41 Then, in verse 28, we read this, we read Peter given his testimony and he says, but god has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. So I think a potential message for us today, a potential lesson for us, is if we consider what's going on so far here, is we think about God is, God's giving Peter an object lesson, is he not? The whole vision with the sheets and the animals dropping. That's an object lesson for Peter, for him to latch on to a truth. Now, what was the truth that God was trying to tell Peter?

19:35 It was that according to Peter's testimony, I should not look upon any man as common or unclean. I should see the world, mankind, as God sees them, created in his image, and God desiring to have a relationship with everyone, everyone that he's created in his image. That was what god was trying to get get across to Peter. Now, see, Peter had been taught differently than that. Right?

20:12 As a Jew, did you catch that when he said, Hey, I'm at your door. I I could get in trouble. You know, it's it's it's not... It's against the law as a Jewish law for me to come in as a as a Jew to come into a Gentile's house to associate with that. Peter was making a true statement there.

20:35 But god had given him this object lesson to to reverse that way of thinking to say, hey, I'm not, that's not, this is a new, this is a new covenant. Remember, Acts is transitionary. Acts is taking us from the Old Testament into the New Testament. Acts is building that bridge between the Old Testament gospels and in the the epistles and so things are happening. Things are transitioning here.

21:35 It says, What comes into a man is not what defiles a man. What you eat doesn't defile because it goes to your belly, not not to your heart and and he makes a statement. He's saying, all all meats are now eligible for people to eat. All things are eligible for for you to enjoy and we get into the book of Galatians and we see more about that but like the the the Jewish law, the unclean meats were no longer and Jesus told them that. Why did...

22:10 Why do you think Peter didn't give that up? Because... Let me let me let me... May... Won't be confusing here, but think about this.

22:24 God is trying to teach Peter a message, teach Peter a lesson. God gives them this whole visual about clean... Cleaning unclean animals. But we don't hear we don't hear Peter say in verse 28, god has showed me that I can eat anything now that I want to. He didn't say that, does he?

22:49 He says, God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. But he's using the object lesson of the clean and unclean foods to show Peter about clean and unclean men, right? I said, I want you to I want you to... All foods are available. We're we're not locked in by Jewish customs, rights, or laws.

23:17 All people are available for the gospel. All people are available to come into the church. Not bound by the covenant of promise. Not bound by that wall of partition that we read about in in Ephesians. So, god had an object lesson that he was teaching Peter.

23:35 Now, this kind of blows me away in the very object lesson that god was teaching Peter. At the very same time, he was advancing his kingdom to share the gospel with Cornelius. You see that? How Peter needed to learn a lesson and Cornelius was seeking for the true and living God. And he used he used Peter's...

24:04 God's teaching Peter to to answer Cornelius' prayer. And I think that's think that's just kind of an an incredible an incredible thing. Let me make a couple other observations while we're here at this at this point. That maybe a direct application for us. Peter, by his own testimony, even though Jesus had told him back in in in his training time that you could eat, you could eat all meats are now considered clean.

24:53 Peter, by his own testimony, says, Lord, I've never eaten anything considered common or unclean. So Peter had kept that religious, that Jewish practice going. Okay? Second thing is, did you catch what time of the day it was that he was praying in Joppa? It was the sixth hour.

25:18 Why was he doing that? Well, that's the time the Jews were supposed to pray. Now, that was another Jewish custom that he had held onto. Peter was doing these things because he thought they pleased God. But were they pleasing God?

25:42 God already released him. Said, Hey, eat whatever you want. It's not what not what comes into a man. The... Of eating meat doesn't defile a man, but what comes into the heart, that defiles the man.

25:55 He had already given him that lesson. Then, there's nothing in the New Testament that says, Jesus never said to the disciples, Look, I want you to pray at these specific three times. I want you to, as a nation, the Jewish nation, always keep these things going, pray at the sixth hour. He didn't say that. But Peter's praying.

26:16 Not that not that prayer was bad, but he thought he was doing something that pleased God. Now, we don't know for sure but anytime we can relate to this, anything I do something that I think pleases god, I think I'm earning merit or favor with god, right? And so, we do the same thing that that that like we we add things. We plug things in to our our Christian culture. We do things that we think are pleasing god and we feel pretty good about it.

26:53 But God gives Peter this object lesson to dispel these things. Like, no, I want your heart. I I don't want a ritual or a rite. I want your heart. And so I I'm seeking relationship with you.

28:06 I'll tell you the solution or the way to prevent that is also found in verse 28. But God has showed me that I should not, and then you fill in the blank. We we we might say this. I've got a witness to one person before I go to sleep every day. Before I go to bed at night, got a witness to one person.

28:38 I've got to be be three verses ahead on the ninety day Bible Challenge. I've got to give at least, I gotta give 12%, not just the 10, I gotta give 12%. You, can... I don't... You you maybe can have your own example of things that we we put into our life, to our Christian life, and and they become this, like...

29:07 But if we would be before the Lord, and we would we would say, God has shown me that... And fill in the blank. God has showed me that I don't have to fast every, you know, once a month. God has showed me that I I don't have to to witness to every every person that I come in contact with. God has showed me that...

29:35 Fill in the blank. Whatever whatever your example is. You know, when we said that we were leaving Judaism behind, when God's design was to leave Judaism behind, remember there was 613 laws they were leaving behind? They were leaving behind some things that people get caught into. I don't hesitate to use the word legalism, but they were leaving those things behind.

30:08 They were leaving the law behind. They were now living in grace. And, and so, that's, that's another lesson for us. Hey, our our question that we could ask ourselves, what has god shown you lately? What is god showing you right now?

30:27 Peter could say, god has showed me this. Can I, do you have that testimony? What has god showed you? What has he put in front of you? Didn't have to be in a vision with animals on a sheet but he's going to use other ways in his word with the godly Christians around you in your own personal prayer time, god's going to show you something.

30:50 God's going to show you. He's going to teach you. You know, the Holy Spirit is powerful and the the spirit is to guide you into all truth. Jesus was a teacher. Everybody agrees that he was a great teacher but he's teaching you right now.

31:56 He goes, I know God is speaking. I know he is speaking, but there's so much noise in my life, I cannot hear it. I was like, wow. That's pretty, that's pretty good observation, personal observation and that's that's true. God is teaching.

32:17 Peter says, god has showed me. God's showing you right now. God's showing you things in your life. What is it? Peter could say this, God has showed me that I should call no man common or unclean.

32:32 Peter, if we could we could later go on and interview Peter, we we might say, God has showed me that I don't have to keep the sixth hour of prayer every day. But I have the opportunity to pray always. Pray always without ceasing. How he took that that that rule or that practice and turned it into something as an as an opportunity, as a as a desire to be fulfilled, not as a requirement to be met. Do you see that difference?

33:06 We make self requirements, it becomes a drudgery. God wants to lead us. He wants to lead us into things about himself that can be enjoyed, look forward to, savored. And that's what Peter, Peter's learning this. And he gets to bring Cornelius along.

33:30 Now, what do you think? If god would show you something and that lesson that god is showing you at the very same time could be he he'd be advancing in his kingdom in a Cornelius in your own life. You see that? If you're if you're at the feet of god, if you're learning, if you're growing without god's bringing others along with you. God's going to use what he's showing you.

34:03 You know, he's so he's so efficient. He's so able to do things in exponential ways. The lesson that he's teaching you, he's going to take that and he's going to sow it into the lives of others. And that's pretty exciting. That's that's Acts Christianity.

34:20 You see? God teaches Peter an important lesson. Peter, a lifelong Jew. Peter, a disciple. Peter, an an apostle and Peter, after eight years is saying, god showed me something.

34:39 Peter didn't learn it all. Peter didn't get to the place where he says, oh, I'm I'm a number one Christian. I can do, I I I've got it all under wrap. No, Peter's still learning. You and I, we're still learning.

35:13 I'll read that second half. But god has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Verse 29, therefore, I came unto you without gangsane. As soon as I was sent for, I asked therefore, what intent have you sent for me? And Cornelius said four days ago, and he he gives us recap of of what had happened to him.

35:36 And look at verse 33. Immediately, therefore, I sent for thee, and you have done well that you are come. Now, therefore, we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded of thee of God. And so one of the things I just want to stress this morning is that God is showing. And we ask ourselves the question, what has God showed me?

36:06 What has God showed me? And while God is showing you something, he's going to use that to bring along others in their faith, whether to salvation or to encourage them in their walk. Now Peter, he does this, and then you know what he does? He gives another great sermon. Look at look at...

36:25 Let let's read his sermon real quick. In in verse 34. Then Peter opened his mouth and said, of a truth, I perceive that god is no respecter of persons but in every nation, he he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. The word of god which was sent to the children of Israel preached peace by Jesus Christ. He is lord of all.

36:52 That word I say, you know, which was published throughout all Judea and began from from Galilee after the baptism John preached. How god anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went up... Went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil. For God was with him, and we are witnesses of all these things which were... Which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, of whom they slew and hanged on a tree.

37:25 Him, the lord Jesus Christ, god raised up from on the third day and showed him openly, not to all people but unto witnesses chosen before god, even unto us, the Jews, who did eat and drink with him after he rose up from the dead and he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that which he which he was ordained of god to be the judge of the quick and the dead. To him, give all prophets witness that through his name, whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins. And this was the message that Cornelius needed to hear. This was Peter relaying the gospel to Cornelius. And so, there was a...

38:24 Some of you know that I am involved with a college campus group of the FCA over at Lorain Community College and this Thursday, we had our we had our Bible study and and we we sometimes do this little exercise called I will statements. I don't know if you're familiar with that or not but it the thought is you hear you hear a Bible lesson and you make a decision and you write out I will blank. I will do blank. And so, Thursday, we had this Bible study and we're... The the Bible study leader said, Hey, I'd like everybody to write out an I will statement, and let's go around the room and share what your why I will statement is for the coming week.

39:15 So I'm there, you know, and I'm participating in the class and I'm writing up my I will statement, you know, all these these things I'm going to do as a result of this Bible study. And the first fellow that gets it, he's he's one of the basketball players. He he... She calls on him first to say, hey, what's... We're we're gonna go around the room, you know, and and he said, his I will statement was be still.

39:48 And I was like, oh, you gotta be kidding me. I was like writing all these actions of stuff I was gonna do, and it was like he did the mic drop. Be still. We hear that verse, you know, be still and know that I am God. My human mindset is I wanna do, do, do.

40:10 I think that's what Peter was doing. I wanted to do. He wanted to do. God's so gracious with Peter. All you track him through his life, how he how he how he taught him.

40:21 And for whatever reason, I still haven't figured out a good reason about this study and all this, but like god taught Peter in triplicate, right? I mean, he denied him three times. He he asked him three times, do you love me? He set the sheet down three times. But Peter, he gives us testimony.

40:44 God has showed me. God has showed me. And you know when he showed him that? It's when he was quiet on the rooftop. Is that...

40:55 That's when he got that word from God. Be still. Be still. And that's a good action item for us as Christians to do. Be still.

41:06 Hear from God. He's teaching. He's speaking. Am I listening? He's speaking.

41:11 Is there too much noise? Is there too much background noise that I can't hear what he wants to tell me? What has he showed me lately? Nothing. What?

41:24 He hadn't showed you anything lately? Well, I mean, you know, I mean, what has he showed you lately? Could we stand with Peter and give testimony? God has showed me this. Heavenly Father, we are thankful for how you put these people before us in your book, even the book of Acts where we've got this Peter as a really gung ho, on fire for the Lord type of a Christian fellow.

42:00 We've got this guy Cornelius that is seeking. He's genuinely seeking. He was a devout man. He was a sincere man. He was praying.

42:09 He was calling out. He was giving. He was doing all he needed to do. He was faithful to every bit of light that you had given him. And Father, you lead both of these men in such amazing ways.

42:22 You teach Peter a lesson and you'd use Peter to share the gospel with Cornelius. Well, father, I pray right now. I pray that for us as a body that we would we would be sensitive to take on the role of Peter to learn the lessons that you would have for us. Help us to be aware not to be caught up in in the trappings of what we think might be pleasing you. Help us to be be so aware of what you're teaching us and that we're being led by you to where we don't have to wonder about what we're supposed to do next.

42:59 We don't have to wonder if we should or shouldn't. We just know with a confidence. God has showed me too. And father, we pray that you would use us in a similar way to minister to those around us to bring others along in their faith. And so we ask these things now in Jesus Christ's name.

43:20 Amen.