NT Framework - Comfort and Familiarity, are they holding you back?

Snug as a bug; even an apostle can be wrong when their comfort and contentment contend with and oppose the command of God. 

More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com 

This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).

Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner. 

Transcript

Welcome And Series Setup

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament framework. Today, a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.

Peter Moves Toward Caesarea

SPEAKER_01 0:11

Paul is converted in chapter 9, and then you come to chapter 10, and this is here we go with one of the apostles who was snug as a bug in Jerusalem, right? Not excited about going out, but he has been making some movement in chapter 10. Um chapter 9. And he's in a region over on the coast known as Joppa, very close to where, you know, Jonah got on a book with a boat with some Phoenician sailors and set sea, set to sea centuries before. And that's kind of where Peter was. In the midst of all this, he's he's up at this little place north there called Caesarea. Caesarea is right on the coastline, it's a very beautiful place. And um that's a place where a man named Cornelius lived. And so basically, Peter's got to get to Caesarea. And there's a series of visions and so forth. But the fact that Peter is now going to go to a Gentile centurion's home, a man named Cornelius, right, who was overseeing a group of men called the Italian cohort, a group of soldiers, is remarkable. So what we're seeing now is if we've already seen the Jerusalem Pentecost and we've seen the Samaritan Pentecost, we're going now to what might be called the Gentile Pentecost, right? So through a series of visions and so forth that both Cornelius had and Peter had, Peter has this interesting vision that convinces him that Gentiles are no longer to be called unholy and unclean.

The Sheet Vision And Cleanliness

SPEAKER_01 1:49

It's the vision where there he was on the rooftop, it was about time to eat lunch, and this white sail came down out of the sky, and in it were all sorts of clean and unclean foods, kosher and non-kosher, just all thrown into the same sail. And Peter looked at that and he said, I'm not gonna eat that. You know, the voice said, Rise and eat. And he said, No, I'm not gonna eat that. And then he saw the whole thing again, right? And he said, Rise and eat. And Peter said, I'm not gonna eat that. Are you crazy? I've never eaten that since I was born. Never eating that stuff. And then, of course, it happened again, rise and eat. And he said, No. And the voice said, What God has declared clean, no longer consider unclean, right? And this was preparatory for this man, because there was no way he was ever gonna step foot across the threshold of a Gentile household unless he was convinced that they were not unclean.

Why Peter Brings Six Witnesses

SPEAKER_01 2:57

And uh Peter was pretty smart. Um if you read this whole account, you'll see that he took six Jewish men with him when he went to this centurion's house. How many witnesses did you need to have under Jewish law? Two or three, right? Two or three witnesses. He took six. Uh he was taking no chances because he knew that before he ever even got back to Jerusalem, the word would get back to Jerusalem before him. And he would be met at the gates of Jerusalem and he would be stoned. Outside the city. Because they would not permit him to come into the city and bring his uncleanliness inside the city. So, and in fact, he is. He is met by Jews outside the city toward the end of chapter 11, and he has to explain the whole thing about the vision that I just explained to you and what happened. So

Peter’s Message About Jesus

SPEAKER_01 3:59

we're going to look at what happened here at Cornelius' house in chapter 10, in verse 34, where Peter has already stepped across the threshold into their house. And Cornelius is there with all of his loved ones and friends. And opening his mouth, Peter said, I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation, the one who fears him and does what is right is welcome to him. That's an interesting verse for Calvinism to try to deal with. What I mean there is that these people are not believers, okay, um, but they are positive to God, which is very interesting. Okay. They are fearing God, and they're doing what is right, according to Peter. Now that can't merit salvation, but God is now sending someone to them, right? To give them the message by which they can be saved. So verse 36, the word which he sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ, that's peace with God through Christ. He is Lord of all. You yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea. I mean, these people knew. They lived in Caesarea, it's right there by Jerusalem. Starting from the Galilee, and after the baptism which John proclaimed, he says, You know Jesus of Nazareth, you know, the despised one we talked about last week. How God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all these things, said Peter. Things that he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, and they also put him to death by hanging him on a cross. God raised him on the third day and granted that he became visible. Now, what he's doing, he's preaching the gospel, right? The death and the resurrection. The death and the resurrection. These are essential core components to the gospel. Verse 41 not to all the people was he visible, but to witnesses who were chosen before him by God. That is, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. So we saw him as a physical body, he was eating, he was drinking, it wasn't a ghost, it was a physical resurrection body. And he ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the one who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. Look, the gospel does come with a threat. I mean, if he's risen, well, first of all, he's undefeated. He's undefeatable. He's inconquerable. I mean, if you keep if you kill the guy and he comes back, I mean, what are you going to do? I mean, you're done, right? Um, so he's been appointed to be the judge. I mean, if a person's not right with God and they die physically, that's it. They will ultimately face the judge. And um, that's not a very tantalizing thought if you're not right with God. So he has been appointed to be the judge of the living and the dead. Verse 43 of him all the prophets, Old Testament prophets, bear witness that through his name everyone who believes in him receives the forgiveness of sins.

The Spirit Falls On Gentiles

SPEAKER_01 7:08

Now, while Peter was still speaking these words, what happened? He's just speaking, he's just preaching his sermon. Right? As that is happening, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. Now, now these are Gentiles. These are who Peter thought previously were unclean. I mean, how can the Holy Spirit fall upon somebody who's unclean? See? And all the circumcised believers who came with Peter, I told you there were six of them, right? Mentioned six over in chapter 11. They were what? They were amazed. Because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. So the order was Peter was preaching, they were hearing it, right? They believed, and while they he was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, and they began to speak in tongues, right? And then Peter says, Well, surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, you know, just as we Jews did, can he? And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Baptism And Closing Invitations

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Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app. And until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.