Jesus in His Church - The..

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com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. We're going to be studying together Acts chapter 10, a very important chapter together with chapter 9 in the transition, in the development of this book of Acts, as I said it last week. Now, brothers and sisters, remember that the commission that the Lord Jesus Christ gave to the disciples in the beginning of this book was to be witnesses of the Lord, witnesses of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the outermost part of the earth, to all the nations, to the end of the earth.

That is the instruction, that is the promise, that is the command given to the disciples in the very beginning of the book. And in a sense, as we progress through the book of Acts, what we see is the development and the fulfillment of that simple statement that is found in the first chapter in verse 8. And in a sense, beloved of Christ, what we find through the Book of Acts is the birth of the establishment of the institution of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ under the New Covenant. All of this Christianity that we know nowadays, all of these couple of billion of people that claim to be Christian, at least externally, humanly speaking, it is rooted in the spreading of the message that is started in the book of Acts. That is the beginning of church history.

That is the beginning of the history of Christianity. That with this just very simple, small group of men, despised and rejected by the elite of Israel, is how this that we now call Christianity started to spread throughout the world. And as I said, even though now we see our current situation and we see the contemporary situation of what Christianity is in the world, we know that many millions of people, a couple of billion of people profess, or at least more than a billion people profess to be Christian. That means that at least the knowledge of Christ, or at least the name of Christianity, and at least the concept of Christianity has reached different places of the world, of our planet. Now, that was not the case.

Even as you check your Bible, you can see that the thickness of the book, most of the thickness of the book belongs to a period of time in which the people of God were only the people of Israel. Now, I'm saying that, beloved of Christ, because chapter 9 and 10 in the book of Acts is a very important transition, as I said last week, in which we are going to see how the Gentiles, namely those who are not of the people of Israel, are engrafted into the covenant of God. That is how salvation is given to those who are not the people of Israel. For a big part, most of the part of the history of the Bible, the people of Israel, the national people of Israel, were the people of God. And if someone wanted to be saved, let's say under the Old Testament, that person needed to come through the covenant of Moses and become an Israelite as a covenant member.

And that's how that person could know the God of Israel, who is the only God of the universe. Now, we are seeing a very important transition, as I said, in chapter 9 and chapter 10, because now we see that these people of God, that was only the people of Israel, is now given that privilege, that title is also given to Gentiles. When I speak about Gentiles, it is those who are not of the national people of Israel, or namely those who were outside of the covenant that was given to Moses as we have been studying through the book of Exodus and also through the book of Leviticus. That was the covenant that was given to the people of Israel. So the Gentiles, to those that this good news of salvation is now reaching, these are the people that were outside of that covenant.

It's very important that we understand that because brothers and sisters, The fact that we now as Gentiles, because we do not come from the national people of Israel, the fact that we are Gentiles and we can call Christians now under the new covenant was not the rule under the old covenant, under the Old Testament. The people of God, as I have now just said, it was the people of Israel. And the Bible, beloved of Christ, brothers and sisters, this is very important. The Bible speaks about this engrafting of the Gentiles or this inclusion of the Gentiles as a mystery that was hidden before. That it was given in the way of a promise to Abraham and to the patriarchs, but it was hidden to the people of the old covenant and that was revealed under the new covenant to the holy apostles and the prophets.

quickly go before we read this chapter 10 so that I can just make that clear and that's going to be the foundation for a study quickly go to Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3, here the Apostle in Ephesians chapter 3 in your Bibles, go there please, will make precisely the point that I'm just trying to make before we read Acts chapter 10. And the point is that the salvation that was for the Gentiles under the new covenant was a mystery that was not known before. So that's why the Apostle says in Ephesians chapter 3, beginning in verse 1, For this reason I, Paul, who was the Apostle who was converted as we explained it and we studied in Acts chapter 9, For this reason I, Paul, I prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, those who are not of the people of Israel, assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, How the mystery was made known to me by revelation. The mystery was made known to me by revelation. As I have written briefly.

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ. which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." It was a revelation of the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Now, we as Gentiles, we see our membership into the people of God at something that it is the rule and something normal.

but the inclusion or the engrafting of the Gentiles was the manifestation or was the revelation better of a mystery that in other generations had not been revealed as it was revealed to the apostles and the prophets of the New Testament. This is going to be very important, brothers and sisters. Why? Because in chapter 10, the one that we are about to read, I hope very soon, this chapter 10 is the revelation of that mystery to Peter. The revelation of that mystery that the Gentiles are fellow heirs of the promises given to the people of Israel through the person of Jesus Christ and in the gospel.

chapter 10 is the revelation of that mystery to Peter but perhaps now you have the question in your mind how come this is going to be the revelation of that mystery to Peter in this case if the same Lord Jesus Christ had already told the disciples when he was alive before his death and before his death and even after his resurrection He had told them already about the Kingdom of God taken from the people of Israel and given to another people who will bear fruits, there in Matthew. Or even in the Great Commission, the same Lord Jesus Christ said to the disciples, go and make disciples from all the nations. Or even, very clear, even in the beginning of Acts, Acts 1, 8, they are told to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and to the outermost part of the earth. How come then this thing needs to be revealed? Well, brothers and sisters, just all of this promise was not even given there with Jesus Christ.

It was given in Genesis 12 to Abraham that all nations of the earth were going to be blessed in Abraham by faith and in the seed that is Jesus Christ. But you see, we need to understand that for us, for humans, and even for Christians to understand the purposes of God and the actions of God is always needed that there is a supernatural revelation. It is needed that God speak to us directly in our heart through His Word so that we will understand and also of course This requires the sovereign will and grace and illuminating power of God in making his plans known to people. That's why you preach the gospel, you teach these things, and many times people do not get it or do not understand or do not comprehend the message. Because it is required that people do not only understand things with the mind, but also that there is a divine intervention opening the eyes and this is exactly what is going to happen here with Peter in this chapter 10 that we have.

So I have just tried to put a framework there, beloved of Christ, so that you will understand the importance of this chapter 10. So, what is this chapter 10 about? How can we summarize this chapter 10 that we're about to read? Can we speak about the story of salvation of Cornelius and his household and his close friends? Yes, of course, that is the main story of chapter 10, the salvation of Cornelius who was agentile and his family and his friends.

Can we speak of the vision that Peter had in that process of bringing the salvation to Cornelius and his family? Yes, of course, we can speak about that. And we will speak about that vision that Peter had, that he was to bring the gospel and the means of salvation to Cornelius and his family and the relatives. And that is contained in the chapter. but the most important thing and even deeper that what these narratives of these stories are given us here in chapter 10 the deepest or better the deeper teaching of this chapter and the intention of Luke I believe brothers and sisters is to show us the progressive revelation of God's purpose of salvation for the Gentiles.

Again, it is this progressive, progressive, that is a step by step revelation to the church, and in this case is going to be to Peter, but through Peter to the church, of his purpose of salvation beyond the people of Israel, but also for the Gentiles. Now, the Lord could have explained this just simply by speaking to the church and telling them or just simply illuminating their minds that they would have known, they would have understood the purpose of salvation for the Gentiles. Even there in Acts chapter 1, He could have just simply opened the mind and made them understand in fullness and completeness that this message was as it was for the Jews and for the people of Israel, it was also for the Gentiles. But, however, in the marvelous and in the glorious workings of God, brothers and sisters, in the marvelous workings of God, he decides, as always, to do things in a marvelous and glorious way. And he's providentially, he's going to teach the church and going to reveal this to the church, not only with the story that we have here in chapter 10, but with the salvation of Paul.

the salvation of Paul he's chosen a chosen instrument to the Gentiles to the kings to the kings of the earth and to the children of Israel this is the apostle to the Gentiles and also he's going to reveal it to Peter who was a pillar of the church in Jerusalem and Judea and then this is going to be confirmed to the church then in chapter 11 imagine he could have just simply spoken told him illuminate him immediately but in his providential workings the lord is going to instruct and is going to teach the church progressively he's going to reveal this progressively step by step that salvation is also for the gentiles And I'm amazed to see that the lives of all of these people are genuinely involved in this intention of God to teach this to the church, and not only to them, but also to us. That He, in His workings and in His glory and in His providence, worked out the salvation of Paul, the persecution of the church, his trip to Damascus, and the healings that Peter did in the previous chapter, and the centurion, all Cornelius here in chapter 10, all of these he worked providentially to show and reveal to the church that salvation in Jesus Christ, that the gospel of God is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek or for the Gentile. Why? Because in the gospel of God, the righteousness of God is revealed. And the righteousness of God is revealed to all independently of their national background.

Why? Because as we're going to see, salvation is not through the Messiah covenant, but salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ who shed his blood to establish the new covenant have that in your mind in a sense i could just stop there and that is the message of chapter 10 brothers and sisters it is this progressive revelation step by step in this case is going to be to peter as a pillar of the church that this salvation this this a way of salvation that was for the jews or under the old covenant as they thought it is for the gentiles also Having that in mind, let's read now carefully this story, this narrative. Let's pay attention to each one of the details, beloved of Christ, so that we will understand how this story fits into all of this framework that I've tried to explain now. So this is chapter 10 of the Book of Acts. This is the Word of God.

Let's read it together with reverent hearts, paying attention to each one of the words. slowly and understanding how the narrative flows so that we will be able to be ministered by the Spirit and edified in our souls with the glorious and powerful words of our Savior. This is the Word of God Acts chapter 10. Let's read it together. At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people and prayed continually to God.

About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, Cornelius, And he stared at him in terror and said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one, Simon, who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat. But while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens open and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the earth. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat.

But Peter said, By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice came to him again a second time, What God has made clean do not call common. This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate, and called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you.

Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them. And Peter went down to the men and said, I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming? And they said, Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you, to come to his house and to hear what you have to say. So he, Peter, invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up, I, too, am a man.

And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I asked them, why you sent for me?

And Cornelius said, Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the nine hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms have been remembered before God. Send, therefore, to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon a tanner by the sea. So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now, therefore, we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.

So Peter opened his mouth and said, truly, I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ, his Lord of all, You yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism that John proclaimed, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day and made Him to appear, not to all people, but to us, who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him, all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through His name. While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word, and the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even unto the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter declared, Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Amen. This is the word of the Lord. Now, brothers and sisters, as I said here, we have this very important transition in the development of this book in which we are going to see the progressive revelation of the Lord to the church, in this case through Peter, of his purpose of bringing salvation to the Gentiles.

And this purpose, this providential purpose of God of bringing salvation to the Gentiles, as I said, it is not beginning only here in chapter 10, but it's also beginning in chapter 9 with the salvation of this hater, this uttermost, this foremost sinner. The Apostle Paul saw the salvation of these men who was a hater of the church is the beginning of the providential workings of God in bringing this salvation that was reduced to the people of Israel. These people that were alienated far away from the promises of the people of Israel, they will also be recipients. of the glorious news of salvation in the person of Jesus Christ. And Luke has been very careful to point us towards that direction, not only with a conversion of Paul in chapter 9, but also telling us that around that time, Peter, who was a pillar in the church, was already going from one place to another, away from Jerusalem, that he was already ministering away from Jerusalem because the church was growing.

He went to Joppa, or to Lydda, and then to joppa and then he performed those miracles of those that we spoke of last week now brothers and sisters this chapter here is going to start now telling us about another location and another character and this is going to be cornelius the centurion who lives in caesarea and he is an a man who is a soldier we are told that he is a centurion of a cohort that was called the italian so here we have a gentile The story is going to start, of course, if the purpose of this story is revealing to us this progressive revelation of how salvation is available also for the Gentiles through Peter unto the church, of course, the story is going to start with a Gentile, and this Gentile is Cornelius. who is a soldier, who is a man of authority and power in the Roman Empire. He was a centurion of this cohort that is called the Italian. A cohort would have been a group of 600 soldiers and these 600 soldiers would have been divided in groups of 100. And that is why you have the word in English century.

A centurion will be a person that was in charge of 100 men out of those 600 men that will comprise the Italian cohort. This means that this gentile man, this Cornelius, was a man that was not only a gentile but also was a man that was committed with the purposes of the government of the Roman Empire. He was a man that was committed with the principles and with the agenda, if you want, of the Roman Empire and this secular gentile hidden nation. He was so committed that he had become a soldier and a person in authority protecting and living in Caesarea which was a city that would have been perhaps 50 kilometers away from Joppa and Lydia where the apostle Peter was and this city would have been a very important city therefore the presence of the army or the presence of the military presence there with centurion so brothers and sisters picture it in your mind here lucas is starting just to give us this information and we have this centurion this gentile man cornelius who is a man of authority and power committed to the to the to the agenda to the purposes of this secular hidden nation And Luke is not only give us that piece of information, but also he's going to say that being a Gentile, that he's a God-fearing man, a devout man, not only Cornelius, but also his household. Imagine a man, a secular man, a Gentile man, a man who was outside of the covenant of Israel.

This man was not only committed to his secular purposes, but also Luke says to us that he was a God-fearing or a devout man. That means that he was a man that was after or that was in the purposes of the God of Israel. That was a God-fearing man, a devout man to the God of Israel. Now, the commitment of this Gentile, when it comes to the spiritual and when it comes to the religious things, had shifted from the Roman principles and the secular principles of the empire. And now he had become, with his family, a God-fearing and a devout man of the God of Israel.

Now, this man was not a covenant member of Israel because, as I said in the beginning, for a Gentile to get into the covenant of Israel, that person would have to be circumcised. A God-fearing person, a devout man, is just simply a person that believed and that followed the God of Israel and that feared the God of Israel, but was not a member of the covenant of the people. of Israel. Here we see brothers and sisters the workings of God in the life of these Cornelius who had been born in a secular hidden Gentile world and who had received all of these teachings and all of these principles from a Gentile world yet God had been working in him so that the heart and the intentions of this person will incline and move towards the God of Israel. But we're given more information about him.

This man, it is a man, he was a man of prayer and the ninth hour in a particular day, this man Cornelius was praying and he's going to have the first vision that we have in this chapter 10. An angel of the Lord is going to appear before this Gentile, this man of war, this Cornelius. An angel of the Lord is going to appear and this man who is fearless, who by experience and by trade, by the things that he does, he is used to face fearful things and difficult things before the divine presence of an angel of the Lord is filled with fear. and this angel of the Lord has this vision of the angel of the Lord better while he's praying and says Cornelius of course he's filled with fear with this divine vision that he has of this angel and this angel as we know and as we have just read there is going to confirm something to Cornelius and also is going to give him and instruction. Pay attention to what this angel says because this is going to be very important for us to understand how this revelation progressively is given to Peter.

While this angel says Cornelius and he stared at him in terror and said what is it Lord and he said to him the angel says to Cornelius Your prayers on your arms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now here we start to see the tension in the way that Luke is writing this story. I don't know if you can see it there, beloved of Christ, but we are told practically here that a non-covenant member, that is, that a person who is not in the covenant of Israel, a person that is away outside of the covenant of Israel, a Gentile, is doing works that is namely praying and namely giving money or giving alms and these things are being accepted by God and even he's going to use this language of ascending as a memorial before God using very similar language to the sacrifices of the Old Testament that will come before the Lord as a fragrant aroma and that will be accepted by the Lord from His people, covenant people. Now Luke starts to give us this a little bit of tension of this Gentile, these men of war, that it is doing things, praying and giving money, and that this is coming before the Lord as a memorial, that this is being accepted before the Lord. The angel of the Lord is not only going to confirm that to Cornelius, but also he's going to give him an instruction.

So not only your prayers and your alms are being accepted and ascending as a memorial before the Lord, but Cornelius, go or send someone to Joppa and bring one Simon called Peter. He's lodging with one Simon, a tanner whose house is by the sea. The angel of the Lord is going to instruct him and say, go and bring this Peter. That's the only instruction that is given to him. And Cornelius, as a God-fearing man, is going to manifest his obedience by getting two servants of his household, who we had been told that his household was also comprised of people that were God-fearing.

So he takes two of his servants and also a devout soldier, perhaps one of his soldiers, and he's going to send them to go and try to find this Peter, who is A Joppa would have been 50 kilometers away. Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to see the providential working of God in doing all of these things to reveal to the church that salvation is for the Gentiles. Do not stop to be amazed of the workings of God. in every second of our lives, in every second of history, that He is in control of everything that takes place. And in a sense, everything takes place moving towards a direction, and that is the fulfillment of His sovereign and perfect will for Himself and to the glory of His Son, Jesus Christ, and the exaltation of the Church as His chosen people.

Also, I don't want you to have confusion in your mind because we can see here that these Cornelius had already been praying and giving alms and this thing had come and had been accepted before the Lord, yet he was not yet saved. he was not genuinely saved yet we're going to see the salvation of cornelius and his family later in the end of the chapter but these people or at least cornelius who was offering these things he was not yet saved but here we can see brothers and sisters the work of the holy spirit in the life of those chosen by Him who are being drawn unto the person of Jesus Christ. And this shouldn't be a surprise to us because the New Testament is very clear that the Holy Spirit works in the life of those who are not yet believers. We see it in the drawing of believers who are going to be saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And also in a terrifying way, we see the workings of the Holy Spirit at a certain extent without saving faith in the life of apostates who fall from the faith.

That's what we have explained in Hebrews chapter 6 and also in 1 Timothy chapter 4. But this is the workings of the Spirit. Now, these deeds, these works of Cornelius were not accepted because of himself, because of Cornelius, but rather they were accepted because of the workings of the Spirit of God in him as he was being drawn unto Christ for salvation. that's the vision that is what he sees this Cornelius and immediately now Luke is going to change and is going to speak about the vision that Peter is going to have because as these three men sent by Cornelius are approaching Joppa now we are told that we have the apostle who is being providentially prepared by God who has been providentially given the message that he's going to preach for the salvation of the Gentiles at this place where he was sustained as an apostle he goes up to the housetop is the word that you have there he goes up to the housetop to pray and he is hungry so he instructs it seems people that they would cook something for him and as he is meditating and praying he perhaps smell the food that is being cooked and then he enters into a trance he enters into a trance and then is when Peter is going to have this vision In the Spirit, Peter is going to see heaven that is open. And from heaven, there is a great sheep that is coming, held from the four corners that is filled with all type of animals, reptiles and birds of the earth.

And there's going to come a voice from heaven that says to Peter, rise, Peter, kill and eat. The apostle is instructed to take of all of these type of animals that are coming down from heaven in this great sheet, to take and to kill and to eat. The answer of the apostle is, of course, by no means, Lord, I have I have never I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. But there's another voice from heaven that says what God has made clean, do not call common. The apostle is going to have this vision three times.

now brothers and sisters even though we have here of course information about food we have studied that in Leviticus chapter 11 and in our studies in the book of Leviticus the people of Israel had certain foods that they could only eat or better Food was defined by God unto them or for them in Leviticus chapter 11. Everything that the Lord had not allowed them to eat was simply not food. It was something that was common and something that would have made them unclean. Here we have this vision of the Apostle Peter in which he's seen all this type of animals and perhaps unclean animals and things that were not foods and he's commanded to take, to kill and to eat. This is this vision in which the Lord is going to start to progressively reveal.

Now, remember that I said that is the purpose of the chapter, to progressively reveal to the church through Peter. Peter is not going to understand the vision as it is given to him immediately. He does not understand. Actually, we're told that he's very confused. But some point, very important point that I want you to notice here, brothers and sisters, it is how the covenant people of Israel had made the law of Moses, traditions of men that were so much bearing on the conscience of people, that here we have an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ hearing the law of the law, telling him to do something, and the apostle is saying, by no means, Lord.

I'm not going to do what you say. I'm not going to think or do this what God has made clean and that I should not call common. I will not do that. He sees that the law is having this weight upon him, that it is pressing him to the point that he does not pay attention or careful attention to the commandment that is given from this voice from heaven, that it was, of course, the voice that represented the authority. of God.

Now, as I was thinking about this, brothers and sisters, this can easily happen when we disconnect the commandment from the person that gives the commandment. The commandment is not to bear weight on us or is not to be important on us or any person of the church or person of a child of God just because of what the commandment is. But rather, the commandment should derive its importance because of who it comes from, namely, God. Because God will never go against His own righteousness and God will never go against His own law. So Peter would have heard this and would have said I do Lord what you command me to do and I follow your instructions because I know that what you say it is always congruent it's always in alignment with righteousness and there's no contradiction between the things that you say and my understanding of things.

The root of the obedience to the commandment has always to be established in who is the person that provides or gives that commandment. Now there's going to be confusion in Peter that even goes for a long time or that goes even beyond this point. we are told if you remember in Galatians chapter 2 that Peter is going to be confronted about this particular matter about eating or not eating food that was the food of the Gentiles or food that was not food for the Jews and Paul the apostle is going to confront Peter about this particular matter and his behavior when he came to food and things that were not food so behaviors with the Gentiles or behaviors with the Jews that is the burden that is the weight that the commandment can have in the mind of a person but the most important thing here beloved of christ is that this revelation of the gentiles would be progressively given to him it was being progressively given to him. Peter is in confusion. He doesn't understand what it means.

That's what we're told in verse 17. Now, while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had had might mean, he was in confusion. He did not understand what that vision meant. He would have been thinking about should i eat that or should i not eat that what is the meaning of that vision now this vision of course brothers and sisters was pointed not so much to food that should be eaten or food that should not be eaten or what is food and what is not food but rather as we know and as we will read this this vision is pointing to the inclusion of the Gentiles or rather the fact that God has made the Gentiles clean or the message of salvation is also for the Gentiles but he did not understand it. So then we're told in the story that these three men that Cornelius had sent, they arrived and they stay outside at the gate.

And then while Peter is still pondering and thinking about this vision and these things that he has just seen, there's going to be another divine communication. First communication that he had was the vision of the heavens being open and then this great sheet with all of these type of animals and him being told to kill and eat and he is now confused. But now there's going to be another instruction that is going to increase progressively revealed as I said in the beginning is going to give him more understanding of what it is. The Spirit we are told in the end of verse 19 that the Spirit says behold the three men are looking for you verse 20 rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation for i have sent them without hesitation that means making no distinction That is, do not take and do not make any distinction of the men that are coming to you. So now here the Spirit is saying, there are going to come three men and they're going to speak to you.

And you are to go with them without any type of hesitation, without making any distinction. Now, why would the Spirit say that to Peter? Well, because the men that were coming were Gentiles. These were two servants of Cornelius, and this was one of the soldiers. There were three Gentiles that were going to come to Peter.

So Peter is now having more information about this revelation that is given to him, that there are three men coming. You are to go with them without hesitation, without making any distinction. more information is going to be given to him and his understanding of this whole thing is going to progress and it's going to increase. So then Peter goes down and of course he's still confused so he says what is the reason that you're coming here? And then the testimony of what these three men will say to Peter is going to give a deeper understanding of the vision and the revelation he or they the three guys of these three people are going to tell them tell him three a couple of things verse 22 cornelius this is what the three men said to peter cornelius a centurion An upright and God-fearing man who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, to come to his house, to enter his house and to hear what you have to say.

Brothers and sisters, basically what these people are telling Peter is, Peter, you, a Jew, a covenant member of the people of Israel, we're coming to you from these Gentile secular men outside of the covenant. And this man is a man that it is of reputation among your people. but he was directed by a messenger of your God. He was directed by a holy angel of your God and now he is inviting you to come and enter, go into his house because he wants to hear what you have for him and for his household. We know, and as Peter is going to then say it in the next section of this chapter, that the Jews will not have dealings with the Gentiles, lest they will come to their house and associate with them and have communion with them or spend time with them.

They will simply not do it. Why? Because the Gentiles were considered to be common, but not clean or unclean. Remember, the people of Israel under the law, they were the holy ones. They were the set apart.

They were the chosen nation. They were the people of God. They were different to the other hidden nations, the hidden or the Gentile nations. So these men are telling these apostles, we have this gentile boss of us who has had this visitation of an angel of your god he is a man of reputation can you come into his house there is a greater understanding how do we know that because peter instead of saying okay let's go in verse 23 it says that he invited them into his guests We can see that now with the action of Peter, that he now has a deeper understanding of the vision. And his understanding is basically, I should not make any distinction of Gentiles.

I can relate to them. I can invite them into my house. I can associate with them. I can have fellowship with them. This is what the vision represents.

This is what it means. So God was telling me or giving me this vision about foods that I should not eat, but he told me that what he has made clean I should not call common or unclean. And then he's sending these Gentile men to me and he gives me the instruction of doing and going with them without hesitation or making any distinction. Of course. the vision means that I should not make any distinction with the Gentiles and I can be with them so Peter invited them into the house to be his guest to associate with them something that it was not seen in a good way by the people of Israel but we will see that Peter is still far off from understanding the meaning of the vision.

The next thing that we are told is that in the next day Peter rose and then went with this man. But here we're given a couple of pieces of information that are going to be very important for the end of the chapter, brothers and sisters. And this is that both Peter and Cornelius are going to do something that they were not instructed to do. Now, remember that both Cornelius and Peter, both of them received a vision from an angel of the Lord, and both of them are acting in obedience based on the vision that they received. Cornelius was supposed, upon that vision, to send men to go and bring Peter, and Peter, from the vision that he received, was supposed to go with those men to the house of Cornelius.

But now, Peter and Cornelius are going to do a couple of things that they were not instructed to do. First, Peter is going to take with him brothers. he's going to take with him brothers we are told the next day he rose and went away with them and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him we're going to be told in the end of the chapter that these brothers were Jew that these brothers were circumcised we're told in chapter 11 that is that Peter is going to take six actually we're told in chapter 11 that he takes six circumcised brothers with him. The Spirit has said to him, go with this man. But now Peter is going to do something that he was not instructed.

He takes six circumcised brothers. These are six members of the covenant of Israel. Okay, six brothers that belong to the same tradition of Peter, Jews. and in the same way Cornelius is going to do something similar he was instructed to bring this Peter that was going to tell him something but because of his expectation and because of the emotion that is going through him he is going to gather his relatives and his close friends were told in verse in verse 24. So Peter is taking these six men to accompany him, circumcised men of the covenant of Israel.

And then on the other hand, we have Cornelius with this expectation of these men that is coming with this message of God, this messenger of God. And he calls his family, his relatives and his friends. So there are many people now waiting for peter so then when he arrives he entered the house here we we can see that the conscience of peter now is being cleared with his understanding of the vision that he's not to make any distinction from the gentiles that he can have fellowship with the gentiles so he enters into the house and then with cornelius sees him he's going to fall at his feet and worship Something similar we see with Paul and Barnabas later in Acts and how they reject the worship that they receive from men. Of course, Peter says, I'm just a man as you are. You're not to worship me.

So then he stands up and then Peter goes into the house. And then now he's not only going into the house of a Gentile brothers and sisters, but it's a house that is with many people, all these close relatives and friends that Cornelius had invited to wait for Peter. That's why Peter is going to make that statement. Read it carefully there in verse 28. This is what Peter says to the people or to Cornelius.

You yourselves know how unloveful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. Now, he doesn't understand the full meaning of what he's saying here. He's basically saying, God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. That's why I'm entering into the house.

That's why I can now have free conscience just to be with you in the house. And this is the purpose of the vision. And we know that he's still not clear because he's going to ask a question. So when I was sent for, in verse 29, I came without objection. I ask then, why you sent for me?"

There's pieces of information that is still missing for him to understand the vision and the message that God wanted to communicate, not to Peter, but to the church. This is the way that God is progressively revealing the purpose of salvation for the Gentiles. to the church through the apostle Peter. So then Cornelius is going to narrate and is going to tell him the things that he had already done. But remember that the two servants or the people that had gone to Peter to get him, the two servants and the soldier, they had already told him much of this information that Cornelius is going to narrate now.

So Cornelius is basically going to say, four days ago, as I was praying at the ninth hour, I had this visitation or this vision from an angel, and he told me, Verse 31, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your arms have been remembered before God. Cornelius is just telling Peter what took place. Send therefore to Joppa so that you will go and get Peter who is there. And then in the end of verse 33 it says, now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord. brothers and sisters only that those three verses 30 31 32 and 33 four verses that is what cornelius says to peter and after peter hears that he completely and fully understands the message of the vision verse 34 it says so peter opened his mouth and said, truly, I understand.

Some other translations will add or have the word now. He would say, truly, I understand now that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. What did Cornelius say? That by the spirit, allowed Peter to fully comprehend the message of the vision. He basically said the same thing that the three servants or the two servants and the soldier had already said, but he said something that he did not know.

Verse 31, Cornelius, this is what the angel of the Lord said to Cornelius, Cornelius, your prayer had been heard and your arms had been remembered before God. Peter was now receiving from the mouth of a Gentile. Brothers and sisters, pay attention to this. Peter was receiving from the mouth of a Gentile. the testimony, the confirmation that the Lord God of Israel was pleased, was accepting, was remembering, as he says there, was receiving with acceptance the works and the deeds of a person who was not a covenant member.

that it is that the Lord was being pleased with the righteous deeds or with the good deeds or works of a person who was outside of the covenant now this is not only impacting for the apostle but this is theologically profound Brothers and sisters, the distinction that existed between the Jews and the people of Israel and the Gentiles, the wall of separation that existed between Israel and the rest of the world was the law. was the Mosaic Covenant. The purpose of the law that was given in Exodus and in Leviticus was that the people of Israel will be set apart from the nations and they will enter into a relationship with the God of the law, with the God of the covenant. That means that if a Gentile wanted to have a relationship with that God, they needed to submit under that particular covenant so that they could have a relationship. God could not be pleased by anyone apart from the Mosaic covenant and apart from the law.

The law was this wall of separation that existed between the chosen, the set apart people of Israel and the rest of the people of the world. So now, here we have in the ears of a Jew, of an Apostle, the Apostle Peter, that we have a Gentile, a person who is not under the Mosaic law, but because of the work of the Spirit, does not need to do the things of the written law, but can do the things of the Spirit that leads his conscience. It is an amazing thing, brothers and sisters, because now here the apostle is understanding that this relationship that God can have with people, it is not only through the covenant given to the people of Israel, but rather and primarily and more exceedingly, it is through the new covenant established with the Lord Jesus Christ that it is for all people from all tribes and from all nations that's why he's amazed in verse 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. Now, brothers and sisters, we know that no one is able to do righteous works apart from the intervention of the Holy Spirit. So that it is not everyone who calls unto the Lord, Lord, Lord, didn't we do all of these things, are the ones that enter into the heaven, into the kingdom of heaven, but rather those who do the will of the Father.

And the will of the Father under the New Covenant is not regulated by the stipulations of the Law of the Mosaic Covenant, but rather is defined by the workings of the Spirit of Christ in the life of a person, independently where they come from. The Gospel of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes Believing requires the intervention of the Holy Spirit. This gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Why? Because it is in the gospel that the righteousness of God is revealed unto everyone.

And it's also from heaven that the wrath of God, it is revealed unto all that do unrighteousness. The wrath of God is revealed to all who do unrighteousness. So the means of salvation, which is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, has an extension that goes beyond the boundaries of the old covenant. So the eyes of the apostle are open, are open to see completely that the way that these people are going to receive salvation at the uttermost part of the earth is of course in the name of Jesus Christ who is the one that fulfills the requirements of the old covenant and destroys the wall of hostility that existed between the jews and the gentiles i can imagine all of the thoughts and the excitement and how he was filled with the holy spirit to see these people brothers and sisters that were eagerly awaiting to receive the good news of this God, that is the God of Israel, but who has sent His Son to be not only the Messiah of Israel, but the Savior of the world. That is the good news, that salvation now was not only for the people of Israel, but the salvation was to the outermost part of the earth.

so filled with the spirit and with the anointing that comes from on high and with this glorious truth of the gospel and its extent until the uttermost part of the earth and the sufficiency and power of this message to save jews and gentiles then the apostle is filled with glory and his mouth is filled with words that come from on high so he preaches the gospel the vision now it is clear this Peter has not been called not to make a distinction from Gentiles and Jews. The vision is not for him. The vision is a vision from God. God is the one that does not make distinction between Jews and Gentiles. the vision was not for him just to say yes you can partake and you can enter and you can have fellowship with the Gentiles but rather the completeness of that vision was that God himself has made clean covenantally speaking the gentiles so that they can be partakers of the blessings and the glories of being called a child of God all of that revelation given to the apostle so he of course when there is something that needs to be said.

Remember that Cornelius said we want to hear what you have to say. When there's something that needs to be said, so then the preacher or the Christian or the believer is not to open his or her mouth and to speak about morality, is not to speak about how to be a good person, is not about to speak join my church come to my church is not about to speak or is not supposed to speak about how to be a good citizen or a good husband or a good wife or how to have a better life but rather when the mouth of the christian is to be open as per the commandment of the lord then the thing that needs to be uttered beloved of christ is the gospel of the lord jesus christ so peter opens his mouth and he speaks of these good news of peace that were initially given to the people of israel even from the time of john the baptist when he came proclaiming the the message of repentance and how the lord jesus christ was anointed from on high with the Holy Spirit, with power, and how the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was a ministry of power, of healing the sick, of resurrecting the dead, and how the Lord Jesus Christ was attested by God that He was His Son, and how, because of that, people hated Him, and therefore He died upon the cross, which He calls Him it calls it a tree, but the Lord Jesus Christ was raised on the third day and made appear, he appeared to all the disciples. The apostle preaches in the spirit the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and points to the fact that they are the witnesses of this glorious savior of this one that came not only to be the messiah of the people of israel but also the savior of the world and this is the messiah of whom all the old prophets of the old testament speak of and prophesied about that this is the one that is to come. So he says in verse 43, to him, all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Brothers and sisters, we are so used to speak about our position before the Lord as innocent that our sins have been forgiven through his name but think about this when the apostle when the apostle proclaimed this before Cornelius and his family and the relatives We are told in verse 44 that, "...

as He was speaking, the Spirit did not wait for Him to finish. But when He mentioned that this Jesus Christ who died upon the cross, who was powerfully resurrected, of whom they are the witnesses, and who have seen Him resurrected, eating, and going, and coming, this Christ who is the Son of God, Not only the Messiah of Israel, but the Savior of the world, when they were listening to those things, the Spirit of God fell on these Gentiles when they heard the message of the gospel. I holy a divine visitation, reality, spiritual reality, no man-made religion in traditions, no man-made rituals, things that are supposed to be done and followed, but the divine visitation came from on high to these Gentiles, to these people who are outside of the covenant of Israel. and then salvation was given. Everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sin.

And in an attesting way, just as the apostles and the disciples had received at Pentecost the empowerment that comes from on high in the Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost, Then here we see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, not on the Jews, but on the Gentiles as a confirmation that these people are partakers of the divine nature through the person of Jesus Christ. So then providentially, the company that Peter had brought remember that I said six men he was not instructed to do that but he had brought these six men with him circumcised it's in verse 45 we're told and the believers from among the circumcised those who were with him who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even of the Gentiles very important that these six brothers are with him because in the next chapter then Peter will have to explain all of these things that took place to the church and is the confirmation or is the support of these people that were with him the testimony that will bring the church to the understanding that salvation is not only for the jews but also for the Gentiles and in the same way that in Pentecost the empowerment that came from on high was manifested in the speaking in tongues of the people proclaiming the glories of God in the same way upon these Gentiles brothers and sisters these common and clean that were not covenant members now they are united by the baptism of the Holy Spirit into one body the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and they are saved. Here we start to see how, as the Gospel message is spreading through the world, how we start to see how the giving of the Spirit, it is equivalent to salvation. So that what Peter or Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12, that being baptized in the Spirit is to be saved, starts to have that doctrinal and practical formed. In the past, the apostles and the disciples had been saved before they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

And we see it also in Acts chapter 8, as our brother explained to us. And here now, we see how now the baptism of the coming, better of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on these people, it is manifested, of course, with the salvation of their souls. and a confirmation that it is not about where you come from it is not about the type of people or the country where you come from that makes you saved or gives you salvation but rather it is the mercy disposition of God on giving unto whom he wants and wills the Spirit of God unto salvation so they started to speak of all of these glories of God and for that reason we can see here this glorious pattern beloved of Christ that after salvation it comes baptism so who is preventing these people from being baptized Peter says and these people are baptized and after baptism it needs to come what it happens here in the end of this chapter that these people are going to ask the apostle to remain with them for some days. After salvation, it comes baptism and after baptism, genuine salvation and the obedience to the ordinance of baptism, it needs to come fellowship with the apostles. Fellowship with their teachings.

Fellowship with the New Testament. Fellowship with the Word of God. Spending time with the witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. Trying to know and understand the ways of Christ. now brothers and sisters perhaps our hearts are a little bit indifferent to this reality because we are gentiles and we have been born in a time in history in which we know that the message of salvation is given to us as gentiles but i just want you to think about this that if it was not the will of god the mercy the kindness of god to extend salvation to the gentiles and to give salvation to all the nations of the world we would be living right now in complete darkness and wickedness and unrighteousness, not even knowing and happy in our ways, satisfied completely in our ways.

All of this, beloved of Christ, is to point to one particular thing, that through the obedience of the Law, the Mosaic Law, No one can be saved. So because no one can be saved through the obedience of the law, that wall of separation has to be demolished. And when it is demolished, that covenant becomes obsolete. And when it becomes obsolete, there is need of the establishment of a new covenant. A new covenant that was promised even before the Mosaic covenant of the law was given.

So that through that covenant, which is not by obedience to the law, by the promise of faith in Jesus Christ, everyone can be saved. So then salvation, it is extended to the Gentiles. So those who have been chosen, before the foundation of the world are initially chosen in Christ before they even become Jews or Gentiles. So the people of God are not Jews and Gentiles, but rather they are the people of God. So that's why Paul will read or will say in Ephesians, if you go quickly there just to finish, in Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 11.

just before the passage that we read in the beginning there in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11 he says therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11 therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision which is made in the flesh by hands Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Apart from this disposition, brothers and sisters, of God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, to give us salvation, we were without hope and without God. That's why Peter will say in his first letter, once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. once you had no mercy but now you have mercy now you're the chosen race you are the peculiar people of god gentiles not gentiles but all of those who have faith but now it says in verse 13 the apostle but now in christ jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of christ The Jews and the people of Israel thought that the only way to get near to God was through the obedience to the Mosaic Law. Now the apostle says, but now you who were far off, you Gentiles who were without God, had been brought near by the blood of Christ.

for he himself is our peace, who has made us both, Jews and Gentiles, one, and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he may create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace. and might reconcile us both, Jews and Gentiles, to God in one body, through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you, Gentiles, who were far off, and peace to those who were near the Jews. For through him, Christ, we both have access in one spirit to the Father. This word access is the similar word in the Hebrew to the access that the high priest will have to the Holy of Holies.

So through him, those who are in Christ have access in the Spirit of God to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Once you're saved, you're baptized, and then you have fellowship with the apostles. Why? Because this is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure that is the church being joined together grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

In him you also are being built up together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Brothers and sisters, I hope that you can see this with your hearts and rejoice that apart from this mercy, this divine mercy from on high, we would be dead in our trespasses. We would be blind. Even there might be some people within the sound of my voice that the things that I'm saying are completely dull and indifferent to their hearts because they are dead in their trespasses. salvation is now in the person of jesus christ there is no good work there is no good deed there is no sufficient prayer there is not any righteous deed that we can do to be brought before the father in the spirit it is only through the person of Jesus Christ who came to fulfill the requirements of the law so that he would give himself as a sacrifice before the Lord.

He will propitiate the wrath of God that we deserve because of our breaking of the law. He will triumphantly resurrect and by his blood he will establish a better covenant. in whom or in which we are safe secure and kept independently if we are jews or gentiles or if we speak english or not if we are rich or not it is only by grace the grace that was needed so that providentially God would work all of these things with Cornelius and Peter and the messengers and the angels and the visions and the understanding to communicate to the church the exceeding value of knowing Jesus Christ in salvation. So that all Jews and Gentiles can say that there's nothing that surpasses the exceeding knowledge of Jesus Christ. the Savior of the world, the one that has promised that from every tribe, every nation, every tongue, He is going to make a kingdom of priests unto Himself.

From every area, from every nation, from every tribe of this planet, there is people who have been chosen in God to be servants of God in the person of Jesus Christ. And this is what empowers beloved of Christ to take the gospel to Judea, to Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and to the outermost part of the earth. That this message is the message of salvation. It is the message for Jews and for Gentiles to preach the gospel with certainty. that he is the one that is going to bring to fulfillment everything that he said.

And there is no king, there is no ruler, there is no power, there is no authority in this world that can overcome the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no coming together of the kings and the rulers of this world and the governments and the systems of this world, even in the power of Satan and his demons, they can overcome the ruling, exceeding kingship, kingly power of God through Jesus Christ, who is going to break them with a rod of iron, who is going to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords, to whom every single tongue will confess that He, Jesus Christ, It is the King. He is our Savior. He is our Redeemer. And He has commanded us, beloved of Christ, to take this message of salvation to those who are dying.

Now this message that can reach, that can be preached, that will be preached to all creatures to the end of the world, that this message will be preached for those come to him by the Spirit and be saved in Christ, that the church may be encouraged, beloved of Christ, to live and abide in this Christ who has saved us, who has redeemed us, who has cleansed us, and who has given us this glorious message of the gospel. There's nothing that needs to be added to the message, the message that Peter preached, the message of salvation, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ according to what is written, and that by believing in Him, there is forgiveness of sin, that by believing in Him, there is entering an eternal life, the message of the Gospel, which is foolishness for the world, but is power for those who are saved. Nothing to be added to this glorious message, because the pure message of the Gospel is the means by which our God has decreed that He is going to save those whom He loved before the foundation of the world, for the glory of the Lamb of God who was slain on our behalf, that we might rejoice and sing in eternity, holy, holy, holy, to the Lamb of God who was slain and who is now reigning in heaven in majesty on high, and we will spend eternity at His feet in the fullness and in the completeness of love and in glory, not because we deserve it but because he loved us first and he drew us to him and he gave us what we do not deserve eternal life in the person of Jesus Christ dead ones in our trespasses now being made alive in Jesus Christ excluded ones under the law now being partakers of the divine nature in the person of Jesus Christ and through the new covenant in His blood. May our hearts be filled with love, genuine love and gratitude towards this Savior. This is my prayer for each one of you who are within the sound of my voice.

Amen.