WEBVTT 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:06.000 Amen. 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:10.720 If you have your Bible this morning, join me, please, in the book of Acts, chapter number 10. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.119 Acts chapter number 10. 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:18.239 We are going to read and consider this whole very long chapter today. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:25.280 And I know that that excites you greatly for the incredible commitment of time that you're going to make into this service today. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:33.520 Acts chapter 10, as we continue studying the book of Acts, we come to what is really a seismic passage of Scripture. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:38.479 Acts chapter 10 that underscores exactly what we're just saying that Christ came for all of us. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.200 If we're rich, he came for us. 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:43.439 Or he came for y'all, I should say. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:46.799 But for some of us poor folks, we need to be reminded. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:49.359 Jesus paid it all, and thank God he did. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:51.439 Acts chapter 10. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:01:00.079 This week, I had the opportunity to have lunch with an actual celebrity pastor. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:07.439 Now, I know that some of you were kind of raised and brought up to believe that all pastors are a big deal. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:09.040 I appreciate that. 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:12.640 But this guy is a big deal. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:17.120 I don't know call his name, but he's a big deal. 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:24.239 He's not the kind of person that you just call and say, Hey, can we grab lunch tomorrow? 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:28.159 You have to email his secretary. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:32.959 And then his secretary forwards that email to his ministry assistant. 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:36.799 And then the ministry assistant forwards that to his executive assistant. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:41.519 And then he says, Sure, I will give you 45 minutes for lunch six months from now. 00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:43.519 That kind of person, alright? 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:46.239 Well, this week, my day came. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:48.319 And I was going to sit down. 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:50.319 Now I was gonna I was gonna play it right too. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:51.359 I was gonna pay. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:53.040 I was gonna flex on a little bit. 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:54.079 No, it's just one check. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:55.359 Let me let me take care. 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:57.840 Power move, right? 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:05.040 So the day comes and I don't know where we're supposed to eat, and I don't know what time I'm supposed to be there. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:12.319 So I made the mistake of texting him and saying, hey, looking forward to our time together. 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:13.919 What time are we supposed to get together? 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.319 Where you tell me where to go, and I'll be there. 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:22.400 I assumed it wasn't Burger King knowing this guy, and so text him what time are we supposed to eat? 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:24.800 Ten minutes later, he texts me back. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:26.960 I was in Pastor Kyle's office when he texts me. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:32.719 He texts me back and says, Hey, brother, I'm so sorry. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:36.879 But I have to take my dog to the vet. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:40.879 And so I'm gonna need to reschedule. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:43.919 Now I was very cool about it, very pastoral. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:47.280 No worries, brother. 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:50.560 I actually love my dog more than most people I know, too. 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:53.759 So I get it, which is it's true, I really do. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:03:02.639 And I said, Well, we will add uh mittens or whatever to the prayer list at church when we pray it, and I really do hope everything went out, came out okay. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:03.680 And I get it. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:07.199 We get busy, things happen, people have to cancel plans, right? 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:13.039 But for a split second, I had this thought in my mind. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:16.719 I am not as important to this guy as his dog. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:25.840 Now, to be fair, I don't know the dog, it may be a really great dog, but I'm not as important to this guy as his dog is. 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.319 And we all know what that feeling is like, right? 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:39.360 The feeling like we just don't really belong, we're not really valuable, we don't matter, our voice isn't really heard. 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:40.319 We know what that's like. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:42.560 We experienced that from childhood. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:45.360 We don't get picked for the kickball team in school. 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:50.240 Maybe you never got picked for the cheerleading squad, you didn't get the dream job that you wanted. 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:53.759 Maybe more seriously, your parents projected that onto you. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:56.400 You don't measure up, you're not good enough for our family. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:06.240 Maybe you went to school at certain points and you had teachers recognize your last name and say, Oh, you must be so-and-so's little brother or sister. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:07.840 We'll keep an eye on you. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:09.759 We we know what that's like. 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:13.039 To feel like we don't measure up. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:18.240 Like what I'm saying to y'all is this I have been to England with this accent. 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:24.399 And I know that when I talk, they're not exactly thinking, you know, he's really bright. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:25.920 We should listen to what he says. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:27.199 I know that. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:43.439 And there's sometimes even around some of y'all that are from away, you're from Ohio, or you're from Michigan, or these faraway countries in Yankee land, and I know when you hear me talk, you think, man, this hillbilly. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:45.839 Can he read? 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:47.920 Well, barely, but yes. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:50.480 And we know what it's like to feel that. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:52.959 To feel like we're on the outside. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:58.879 We know it's ugly, we know it hurts, and we also know that that comes to church with us sometimes, doesn't it? 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:02.879 And that sometimes we can even project that onto other people. 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:06.720 That those people aren't like us. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:12.639 Those people maybe are equal, but it would be better if they were separate from us. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:16.240 Are we really for them? 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:30.879 And all of those dynamics are going to come to play in this seismic text in Acts chapter number 10 that reminds us as believers that in our church we must be for everybody that Jesus is for. 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:33.360 Amen, Pastor. 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:37.839 We must be for everybody that Jesus is for. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:42.160 Because Jesus is looking for the people I look over. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:44.160 Amen, Pastor. 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:46.879 He's looking for the people that you look over. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:50.480 Now we're gonna read Acts chapter number 10, and then we're gonna dive in. 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:53.600 We've got a lot to do today, and I promise I won't keep you all week. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:59.839 Acts chapter 10, verse number one, and we're gonna read this entire passage, the better part of 50 verses. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:14.240 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian regiment, a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people who prayed to God always. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:21.040 About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:25.040 And when he observed him, he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord? 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:30.240 So he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:34.480 Now, send men to Joppa and send for Simon, whose surname is Peter. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:38.399 He is lodging with Simon, a tenor, whose house is by the sea. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:40.160 He will tell you what you must do. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:49.279 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:53.600 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:07:01.680 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew nearer to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:04.399 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:14.800 But while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened, and an object like a great sheep bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:20.319 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:24.079 And a voice came to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:30.560 But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:37.040 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has cleansed, you must not call common. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:41.439 This was done three times, and the object was taken up into heaven again. 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:53.439 Now, while Peter wondered within himself what this vision, which he had seen, meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house and stood before the gate. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:57.120 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:02.160 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are seeking you. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:06.800 Arise, therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them. 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:12.639 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius and said, Yes, I am he whom you seek. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:14.240 For what reason have you come? 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:26.480 And they said, Cornelius, the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear words from you. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:28.959 Then he invited them in and lodged them. 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:33.679 Well, the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:35.919 And the following day they entered Caesarea. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:40.799 Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:45.600 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:49.440 But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up, I myself am also a man. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:52.879 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:09:00.799 Then he said to them, You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:05.200 But God has shown me that I should not call any man common nor unclean. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:08.639 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:12.320 I asked them, For what reason have you sent for me? 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:24.559 So Cornelius said, Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, your prayers have been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:28.240 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.200 He is lodging in the house of Simon at Tanner by the sea. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:33.039 When he comes, he will speak to you. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:35.759 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:40.159 Now therefore, we are all present before God to hear all the things commanded to you by God. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:50.320 Then Peter opened his mouth and said, In truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:56.639 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:12.240 That word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:19.200 And we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:29.679 Him God raised up on the third day and showed him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with him after he arose from the dead. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:36.000 And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:43.120 To him all the prophets witnessed that through his name, whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:48.879 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:11:01.279 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:09.039 Then Peter answered, Can anyone forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:12.320 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:14.240 Then they asked him to stay a few days. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:18.639 The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord abideth forever. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:33.039 One of the many things that the author of the book of Acts, Luke, is doing in this book, is he is writing an apologetic, that is an explanation or a defense of the Christian faith to non-Christians. 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:48.720 In other words, the book of Acts, for a lot of things that it is, is also a book written by a Christian, about the early Christians, to be read by non-Christians, to explain to them the growth and the beliefs and the community around the early Christian movement. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:59.519 And this is important because within just a few generations of the life of Jesus himself, Christianity, followers of Jesus, had spread to all parts of the world. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:04.879 And people were looking around their communities and thinking, a few years ago there weren't any Christians here. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:06.720 And now we can't get rid of them. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.200 Who are these people and where do they come from? 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:26.240 And one of the big questions that people would have had was this: How is it that this Christian thing that started with Jewish people in a Jewish part of the world worshiping a Jewish Messiah who they preached fulfilled Jewish prophecies written by Jewish authors? 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.960 How is it that it's all Gentiles now? 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:36.559 How is it that Christianity outgrew the Jewish soil that it had been planted in? 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:40.879 And Luke is going to explain that in the book of Acts. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:44.080 And that story starts here in Acts chapter 10. 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:52.320 With the conversion of this man by the name of Cornelius, the very first Gentile, like me, convert to Jesus. 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:58.159 And so today, this story of Cornelius' conversion is very long, it's very detailed. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:01.360 So Luke wants us to know everything that happened. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:07.679 And yet it's filled with important details and important lessons that we need to know for our lives and for our church as well. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:21.279 And so what I want to do today is this I want to tell you the whole story from verse 1 to verse 48, and then circle back and give you three very important lessons because I think you need to have the whole story in mind just to get the point. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:25.519 And so the story begins in verse number one, in the city of Caesarea. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:29.440 The city that's so nice, they named it after Caesar himself. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:33.360 And we're introduced to a man who is a soldier in the Roman army. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.720 Not just any soldier, but he is a centurion. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:42.480 That means he's an officer in charge of, you could probably guess, 100 soldiers of lower rank. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:43.279 He's important. 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.240 He's successful. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:51.840 He's most likely Italian because he is leading a company called the Italian Cohort. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:57.519 These men that are very proud of their Italian ancestry and their Italian heritage. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:59.840 And they're stationed in Caesarea. 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:06.879 Now, this is not, I mean, kind of, it's a far-flung corner of the world, but this is not an insignificant place. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:13.679 Because the Roman Empire fed itself on grain that they brought up from the breadbasket of Egypt. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:15.519 And that came through Caesarea. 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:17.519 This is an important trade route. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:22.000 And the soldiers that were placed here were very important and very skilled. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:28.000 And Cornelio was one of the important commanders of those soldiers. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:42.559 But somehow, as Cornelius was around Jewish people, while he watched their customs and their way of life, he became convinced that their God was the true and the only true God. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:51.919 It's a remarkable fact for a man that had been raised to worship the Roman gods, a soldier who had probably been taught to pray, to Mars, the God of war. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:57.679 And yet, here is a man who, in spite of all of that, believes that the God of the Jews is the true God. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:03.919 And that seems to be working in Cornelius' life because Cornelius, the Bible tells us, is a man who fears God. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:05.120 He's a devout man. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:06.159 He gives alms. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:07.840 He pays his tithes. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:10.000 I really like this guy. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:13.120 He is a man of prayer. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:17.360 He's a man, the text will say later, is well respected. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:18.799 He's generous. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.320 He's thought well of. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:27.600 He is a Roman army officer serving in occupied territory. 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:36.399 And he's a man of such incredible morality and character that the people in the occupying country respect him. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:38.399 That's remarkable. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:42.240 Instead of throwing rocks or spitting at him, they say that's a good man. 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:44.399 That's a good man wearing that uniform. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:45.759 We think a lot of him. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:50.720 Properly, Cornelius would have been known as what, would have been called a Godfearer. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:16:05.919 And a Godfearer was a Gentile who believed in the God of Israel, who maybe to some degree prayed into the God of Israel, participated in certain customs, but had never gone through the official process of converting to Judaism. 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:10.240 And yet he's clearly a man who's hungry for truth. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:13.440 And God responds to that hunger and gives him a vision. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:16.960 He sees an angel while he's praying at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:24.559 And this angel says, Cornelius, I know you're hungry for truth, and there's a man by the name of Simon Peter who can tell you what you need to hear. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:26.159 Send somebody to get him. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:27.679 And so Cornelius does. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:31.600 The Bible says that he sends two of his servants and he sends a soldier. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:32.799 Did you notice that? 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:40.480 I think he sent the soldier because he's so serious about this that Peter's coming whether he wants to or not. 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:44.399 That soldier has a sword and that sword has a point. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:45.759 Peter's coming. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.200 And so they send, they go to Joppa. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:54.480 Well, meanwhile, in Joppa, Peter is staying at the house of Simon the tanner. 00:16:54.639 --> 00:17:01.759 A tanner in the Bible is not somebody who goes too much to the tanning bed until their skin looks like a coach handbag. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:06.240 No, this is somebody who turns animal hides into leather. 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.960 Peter is at this home and he's staying in the city of Joppa. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:16.880 Joppa is an ancient city in Israel that now has been basically swallowed up by the larger modern city of Tel Aviv. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:19.359 This is prime real estate. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:26.160 And evidently he's up on top of this roof praying at lunchtime, and he's looking out over the ocean. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:28.400 Man, he can see the Mediterranean. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:30.079 The salt breeze is blowing. 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:33.440 He's in paradise and he's going to spend some time talking to the Lord. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.839 And then what happens to Peter while he prays? 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:38.880 He gets hungry. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:47.680 And I'm just going to stop right there and tell you that I love the fact that Acts chapter 10 and verse number 10 is in the Bible as much as any other verse of scripture. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:52.880 Because there are times when no matter how much I love Jesus, I'm trying to pray, and when my stomach grounds, it's over. 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:54.400 And that's Peter. 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:55.440 It's lunchtime. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:56.960 Lunch hitting ready yet. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.240 And he's hungry. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:17:59.680 Food is on his mind. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:02.160 And evidently food is on the mind of God too. 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:06.000 Why Peter prays, he has this vision of a sheet. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:08.160 I think of it as a picnic blanket. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:13.200 And on that picnic blanket coming down from heaven is all kinds of animals. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:17.599 And you know that Peter, as an observant Jew, was not allowed to eat all kinds of animals. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:22.400 This is in Leviticus chapter number 11, where God gives the dietary laws. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.559 We typically refer to those today as kosher laws. 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:29.279 And you know that observant Jews cannot eat certain things. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:30.960 They cannot eat pork. 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:35.279 It's unthinkable, but they cannot eat barbecue sandwiches. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:39.039 They cannot eat shrimp. 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:40.720 No. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.279 They cannot eat catfish. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:50.079 No observant Jew has ever eaten a meat lover's pizza. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:55.680 And yet here's Peter, knowing this, having lived this his whole life. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:00.559 And all of a sudden he has this vision that's like golden corral spread out on a picnic blanket. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:07.200 And this voice that he knows, the voice of Jesus, says to him, Peter, rise, kill, and eat. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:11.200 Peter, buddy, if it flies, crawls, or swims, you can eat it. 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:14.960 Peter says, Not so fast, Lord. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.400 I've never eaten anything that's unclean. 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:24.480 That happens three times, and the Lord finally ends with this conclusion that's key to the text. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:30.160 What I have called clean, you do not have the right to call unclean. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.359 You have to keep that in your mind to understand the story. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:36.720 So Peter's figuring this out, and then there's a knock at the door. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.279 I imagine the soldier knocks like a cop, you know. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:42.640 They come and they answer the door. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:43.759 We're looking for Simon Peter. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:46.240 Simon Peter comes down from the roof and says, Yeah, I'm Simon Peter. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:46.880 How can I help you? 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:47.599 What is this about? 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:50.000 They tell him the story Cornelius has had a vision. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:52.400 They go to Caesarea to see Cornelius. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.319 And I wonder what this trip would have been like. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:56.240 Because you've got Peter the Apostle. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.160 Hope he's had something to eat by now. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:00.799 You've got two Jewish believers going with him. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:04.240 You've got two Gentile servants of Cornelius, and you've got a Roman soldier. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:09.759 And so you've got this weird half dozen people that are walking the day's trip from Joppa to Caesarea. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:11.279 What do they talk about? 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:15.440 So, in the army, huh? 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:18.079 Yeah, how's that been? 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.000 No, I was a fisherman. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:20.960 Yeah, then I met Jesus. 00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:22.640 It's a whole long story. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:26.480 They finally come to Cornelius' house. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:28.000 Peter walks in. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.799 The Bible says that Cornelius falls down at his feet and worships him. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:38.480 Probably as a Gentile, he would have thought that if kind of this Gentile pagan way of thinking, a messenger of the gods has certain divine qualities and is worthy of worship. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:40.960 Peter says, Stop, you're embarrassing both of us. 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:41.599 Get up. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.119 I'm just a man like you. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:46.799 Then he says, By the way, what am I doing here? 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.559 Cornelius tells the whole story of the vision again. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:21:03.039 Cornelius is so excited that evidently he's created a Facebook event for this conversation with Peter, because the Bible says that his family's there, the Bible says that his friends are there, the house is full of people, and Peter's looking around thinking, okay, what am I doing here? 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:05.519 And then they say, We're hungry for truth. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:08.240 We you have something from God to tell us. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:11.039 And then Peter begins to speak. 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:15.039 And this is what's happening in this passage, verse 28. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:26.799 You know, he says, to the Gentiles, you know how unlawful, how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:33.839 But God has shown me that I should not call any common or unclean. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:39.039 In other words, Peter says that vision was not just about food. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.279 That vision was about people. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:47.920 There's no more unclean food because of the gospel, and there's no more unclean people because of the gospel. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:52.319 And now it seems like all these neurons are starting to fire in Peter's mind. 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:57.440 And he's remembering the verses that we just heard read early in our service, Genesis chapter 12. 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:59.759 God blesses Abraham to bless the nation. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:03.759 He's remembering the Psalms of David, Psalm 67. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.000 But all the nations be glad. 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:14.319 He's remembering God constituting Israel in Exodus chapter number 19 as a kingdom of priests for the sake of the spiritual well-being of all the nations. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:29.519 Now he realizes that when Jesus was talking about another centurion, that one day people from east and west and north and south, like me, that they would come and sit with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the kingdom, and they would be welcomed into the family of God, even though they did not belong to ethnic Israel. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:31.200 Now Peter gets it. 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:33.039 He gets it. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:35.119 Why does this matter? 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:37.279 It matters for a couple reasons. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:40.880 One of the reasons for you is you're a Gentile. 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:49.119 Like we take it for granted that people like us, white English-speaking people, have always been on the inside. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:54.799 Wrong! Peter would have looked at you and said, No, thank you. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:57.680 I'm not coming to eat your groceries at your table. 00:22:57.839 --> 00:22:58.319 Why? 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:03.839 Because the Jewish mindset looked at Gentiles the same way they looked at certain foods and said, you're unclean. 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:08.400 And their preferred way of saying it was that you are a Gentile dog. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.400 A dog. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:14.160 And they don't mean like you're hypoallergenic golden doodle. 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:17.920 It's like, oh, you're just this cute beloved family pet. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:18.480 No. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:23.920 Mangy, flea-ridden, disgusting vermin, a wild dog. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:27.440 That's you, to the mind of most people that would have lived in this world. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.559 You are a dog. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:32.720 Now Peter realizes God's a dog person. 00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:49.279 That when Jesus says in John 3.16, God so loved the world, that means a whole speaking bunch of people that don't look like me, that don't sound like you. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:57.200 God really loves all of these Gentile dogs out here and has made a place for them because of Jesus in the family of God. 00:23:57.920 --> 00:23:59.680 And so Peter begins to preach. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:02.799 He tells them the story of Jesus in a very Jewish way. 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:04.480 But telling them the story of Jesus. 00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:07.279 Jesus has come, he's been baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:10.960 And right at the end of his sermon, God interrupts the preaching. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:15.680 And there's a Gentile Pentecost as the Spirit of God falls on these Gentiles. 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:22.559 And now Peter, the Jewish believers, realize Jesus is for these people and the Spirit of God is in these people. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:24.960 Let's baptize these people. 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:30.000 Because they belong to the church of Jesus as much as we belong to the church of Jesus. 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:32.000 It's a beautiful story. 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:32.880 Beautiful story. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.240 Now, what do we need to learn from it? 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.200 Let me give you three lessons. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:39.599 These will be very, very quick, but you cannot leave here today without knowing these three things. 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:44.240 First, going back to the story of Cornelius himself. 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:51.359 Because God really loves Gentile dogs, even our religion needs Jesus. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:53.839 Even our religion needs Jesus. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:00.799 What I mean by that is this Cornelius is a Gentile ethnically, but he is a good man. 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:02.720 Everybody knows that. 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:05.039 Jews and Gentiles alike respect him. 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:08.160 People think well of him because he's generous with his money. 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:09.440 He's a moral man. 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:10.640 He's a virtuous man. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:11.920 He's an ethical man. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:14.079 He believes in the right God. 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.359 He's patriotic. 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:18.880 He is the kind of person that everybody looks up to. 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:22.319 To the Romans, he is a servant and a hero. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:25.920 To the Jews, he is a good blessing to their community. 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:28.799 Everybody loves him and he's hungry for truth. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:30.160 He's hungry for God. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:37.200 He believes in the God of the Bible, probably believes in the authority of Scripture, but he still needs Jesus. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:56.000 Peter is adamant that Cornelius, what you need is a savior that as good as you are, and as good as you have been, and as much as we appreciate your service in the military, and as glad as we are for your money, and as kind as you are, give me Jesus. 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:58.480 Now I'm going to tell you something today. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:02.160 The majority of my life, I've been around people like Cornelius. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:03.200 Good people. 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:07.039 Now there have been a few others that sneak in every now and then. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:10.079 But most of you this morning are good people. 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:11.920 You will do the right thing. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:13.279 You're moral people. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:14.640 You love your country. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:16.799 You want to do well by others. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:21.839 When you have a little bit of extra money, you'll give it to a love offering to help take care of a family in Mexico. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:25.519 You're good people, but good people need Jesus. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:28.160 And that's what Peter's saying in the gospel. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:33.680 He said, Jesus came, and he preaches this specifically in Acts chapter 10 to Cornelius. 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:37.039 He says, He came to grant the remission of sins. 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:40.559 You don't need religion, you need forgiveness. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:43.359 You need to be released from your sins. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.119 And that's what Jesus came to do. 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:50.720 And it's important we see this, so important we see this, because there is this one mindset that many of us have. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:52.559 Well, if we're good enough, then it's good enough for God. 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:54.079 Peter says, No, it's not. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:55.359 You need a savior. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:57.839 You don't need to be better, you need to be a savior. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:02.240 You need somebody from outside of you to come and do what you can't do for yourself. 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:07.839 But also there's another mindset many of us have, because we are good people and we want people to think we're good. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:17.599 We have this idea of, you know, as long as people are sincere, and as long as people are basically decent, and as long as people are kind, you know, really all religions lead to God, right? 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:22.400 Well, not for Peter. 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:25.039 He said, no, Jesus leads to God. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:27.039 Because Jesus came from God. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:33.279 And no matter what belief or sincerity or faith or emotions or whatever you have apart from Jesus, you need Jesus. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:35.920 Because he has come for all people. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:43.359 But he's the only way any person can know God and have forgiveness. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:51.279 Now I know it's popular to say, well, you know, you Christians are so judgmental and you're so exclusive, and you think everybody has to believe like you. 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:55.359 But truthfully, every religion teaches the same thing. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:06.079 And every religion is popular, every religion basically tells us to be better, and every religion takes us to God, and we all just, you know, in this human family, we just all believe the same thing. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:10.319 And it's acceptable to say that to Christians. 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:14.880 Because it's popular to dog Christians today, and I've known some Christians who believe me, I get it. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:19.359 But do you know how profoundly insulting and ignorant that is? 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:23.599 Like you can get Bible saying it to me because I'm, you know, a Christian pastor. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:31.599 Say that to a Muslim, and he will tell you, I don't believe the same things that Christians believe. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:33.440 Tell it to a Buddhist. 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:35.839 We're all fascinated with Eastern religions, right? 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:37.359 Tell it to a Hindu. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:40.480 You basically believe the same thing as those Christians. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:43.680 And a Hindu is going to tell you, no, I believe in like a million different gods. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:44.880 I don't believe in that. 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:47.920 We've got totally different scriptures, a totally different cosmology. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:50.160 Tell a Buddhist, you know, you basically believe the same thing as Christians. 00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:50.960 They'll say, No, we don't. 00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:52.400 We don't even believe in a God. 00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:58.960 And so we don't want to fall into this kind of pluralistic hippie ignorance and say, well, you all believe the same thing. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:00.160 Peter says, No, we don't. 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:04.640 We believe that God loves sinners, but we are sinners and we need forgiveness. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:11.440 And the only way God has provided that forgiveness is by coming into the world to die for our sins and rise again as the judge, judge in our place. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:15.039