On the Radio
|
|
Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim! You will remember that back in chapter 8 of the book of Acts, following Stephen’s murder there was a great persecution that broke out against the Christian Church. Well, our passage today in chapter 11 describes in further detail what happened in the wake of that persecution. And you’ll also recall that Saul of Tarsus led a monumental persecution against the Church in Jerusalem, causing the fellowship there to be driven out and scattered abroad. And it says in…
Acts 11:19a (ESV)-- 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch,… The Scattering-- Some of them went to Samaria (8:5, 25); some went to Caesarea (8:40; 10:24ff.), and others fled to places like Damascus (9:10), Lydda, Joppa, and Sharon (9:35–36). But while Christians are being driven into those regions, in the north (among the Gentiles) a church was also being established by displaced Jews who made their way to the coastal region of Phoenicia immediately north of Judea. Tyre and Sidon were two cities located in this region. And from here these Jews could take a ship for Cyprus, a major island sixty miles offshore. And from here they could continue up the coast to the city of Antioch, which was about 200 miles north of Sidon. But keep in mind that these Jews do not yet know that the Gospel has been made available to the Gentiles because they had fled Jerusalem before that had happened. And so they are still very nationalistic in their view of salvation, which they still thought was only for the Jew. And so verse 19 says that they were… Acts 11:19b-20 (ESV)-- …speaking the word to no one except Jews. {But all that was about to change, as it says} 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. The First Gentile Church-- Now these men of Cyprus and Cyrene were Greek-speaking Jews who were from predominantly Gentile areas. They themselves were Hellenists and were therefore more open to sharing their faith with Gentiles than Palestinian Jews were during that time. And so out of their outreach the first Gentile church was born in Antioch. Antioch-- Now Antioch was a major ancient metropolis in the first century world. The only other two metropolises that were bigger during that time were Rome and Alexandria. And so Antioch was a very significant city; and was noted for its culture and its commerce, because you had many Roman trade routes that passed directly through it. And (as the Roman author Cicero described) it was a place of learned men and liberal studies. However, it was also a despicably evil place, full of pagan worship and sexual immorality, which often is intimately tied to pagan worship. The temple of Daphne was only five miles from there, where open prostitution took place. And so it was a very dark place, certainly not where most people would want to start a Church. But you know, it is the dark places of the world that need the Church the most. Within A Yard-- I love this quote by C.T. Studd. He said “Some want to live within the sound Of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, Within a yard of hell.” The Basic Gospel-- Now what interests me about that quote is that it assumes the Church/chapel is in the safe place; the place where we in our day and age often want to build our churches; the clean places. But here in the first century, the earliest churches often were those rescue shops built within a yard of hell. And the early Christians were therefore constantly coming into contact with broken, abused, and disenfranchised people; people who (think about it) had no framework for understanding what a Jewish Messiah could have to do with them to begin with. And so these Hellenists who were sharing their faith in this Gentile region had to start with the person of Jesus; His identity as the Son of God, the facts concerning His life, His death and what that meant for them as people in need of a Savior, and His resurrection. Now this is important for us to note because many times we are tempted to think that (because we aren’t great theologians) we are not very well suited to sharing the Gospel. We think “somebody else will get this person because I’m not qualified”; when the reality is that the amount of theology you know (even if you just know the basic tenets of the Gospel) is actually pretty monumental. What little you think you have to offer is actually an abundance to somebody bound to paganism and therefore to a hopeless view of the world. Even just the Christian songs you may have already listened to today probably have enough good theology in them to forever change the lives of people if you are only willing to share it. Music & Spiritual Warfare-- And Satan knows that by the way, which is why anywhere Christian music is played, he tries to interfere. My wife and I know a lady who owned a business that had music playing in the background. And there were always pagan songs playing; and I mean literally pagan songs. But one day one of her employees changed the music to Christian music and immediately this lady reacted and said, “We don’t want to offend people.” And so she switched it right back to her pagan music. Now she never saw the disconnect. It it is pagan, that’s fine. If it praises Buddha, Krishna, or any other pagan deity, that’s fine. But the moment it becomes about Christ, Satan moves in to attack. Because one Christian song has the power to forever change the course of someone’s life. You know enough theology (enough of the Gospel) to bring a revival to your area like nothing you’ve ever seen before. And let me tell you, as scary as those Daphne temples were in that culture; and the dark places here in and around our city are, none of them can even hold a candle to the power of the Gospel. Paper Tigers-- Many years ago Jaci Velasquez (in her very first album) wrote a song called Paper Tigers, the words of which are very moving and powerful. And what she was saying in that song was that the worst Satan had to offer (and what all her worries and fears were based on) were only paper tigers, paper tigers that only looked scary, but which would fold over and fall in a second at a mere puff of the breath of God. And let me tell you, the worst Satan has to offer cannot stand in the face of the power of God at work in you. And there are gates of hell in your city that rattle every time you get up in the morning to brush your teeth; gates that shake as you pull into your place of work; gates that are within a hairs breadth of collapse if only you are willing to walk over and (in the name of Jesus) push them over. Jericho falls every day at the hands of obedient Christians. And that is what we see happening right here in the church at Antioch, as it says in… Acts 11:21 (ESV)— 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. Spreading Like Wildfire-- Now nothing could have prepared the Jerusalem Church for what happened in Antioch. Yes, prior to this you had the conversions of the Ethiopian eunuch and of Cornelius and his household. But here in Antioch the Gospel was spreading on a much larger scale; and it was spreading like a wildfire. And that makes sense; because it is in those areas that are most devoid of the Gospel; those areas that are most pagan that are also those areas that are the most starving and desperate for something more. A New Diet-- I want you to imagine going to a restaurant. Imagine that for all of your life, every time you sat to eat at this (or any) restaurant, you were served only dry, overcooked, taste-less, freezer-burned mystery meat. Now you might not complain, if that is all you ever knew. But what it something new was offered to you one day? Well that’s kind of what it was like in the religious world of Antioch. For these pagan gentiles, hearing the Gospel for the first time was like their sitting at their table in front of a plate of the only thing they had ever eaten; dry mystery meat. And then (out of nowhere) a Christian sits down next to you and when the waiter brings their plate, you see that says it contains a large marinated salisbury steak complete with buttered mashed potatoes and a fried onion blossom. And then the Christian eats it in front of you. And you see all love and joy written on their face. Imagine how the your eyes would widen; how your mouth would water. And then imagine the joy of having the Christian then turn to you half-way through and say, “Hey, my order was bigger than I thought it was going to be. Here, could you help me eat some of this?” and suddenly replace your plate of dry mystery meat with their plate of salisbury steak. Well, that is what it was like for these pagans to first encounter the message of the free gift of salvation offered to them in the name of Jesus. It wasn’t until Christians offered to them the hope of salvation in and through Jesus Christ that they realized that what they had been living on wasn’t even fit for dogs. You might say they were experiencing the fulfillment of… Psalm 34:8 (NIV)-- 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. The fall of the gods-- They had tasted Christ and suddenly knew what they had been missing. And it would not be long before Christianity would spread beyond Antioch and overtake all of the Roman Empire. And the worship of most of these pagan gods would fall to the point where now most of the names of these pagan gods your average Joe doesn’t even recognize; and those names that might be familiar to people tend to be (when you think about it) assigned to their animals rather than to their children (with few exceptions, such as Daphne). But in general, we call our dogs Zeus or Apollos or Hercules, but we call our children Paul, John, Peter, Rebeka, Kristie (Christ), or Jeremiah (or Jeremy), or Michael. You might say that the pagan gods of that time Yahweh not only wiped out, but profanes daily on the collars of our pets. Now God has a sense of humor; I truly believe that. But this joke God meant to be a running joke. And with that in mind, I’d just like to say, “May it be on the collars of the dogs of our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren that the pagan gods of our time might one day find their proper place as a result of our decision to (in our time) offer hungry souls something infinitely better. That’s what these Jewish Christians did for these gentiles, and the Church therefore began exploding with this huge influx of gentile believers. And may that encourage us to this week share the Good News of the Gospel; the salisbury steak of the Gospel with someone who may be starving for it and not even know it. Bring them then Jesus so that they also may taste and see that the Lord is good. Let’s do so. Amen.
0 Comments
Hello and welcome to the show today! In our study of Acts chapter 11 we have seen how Peter has followed God’s instructions to bring the Gospel to a man by the name of Cornelius (a Roman centurion). And what ends up happening is not only does he come to faith in Christ, but his entire household comes to embrace Jesus. And this is a key moment, because it marks the entrance of the first Gentiles into the Church. Now this was shock to the other Jewish church members. And so it says in…
Acts 11:1-18 (NKJV)-- 1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” 4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ 10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” 18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” 3 Pieces of Evidence-- Now in his response, Peter presents these Jews with three key pieces of evidence. In verses 5-11 he gives them the evidence of the vision he personally received from God. In verses 12-15 and in verse 17 he gives to them the witness of the Spirit, who was poured out on the Gentile believers, and in verse 16 he gives the evidence of the witness of the Word of Jesus himself, who had said “John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Now the first piece of evidence (the vision) these Jews had not themselves witnessed. However they did know Peter and trusted him because they knew his character and that he (like them) had been an orthodox Jew all of his life (10:14). They knew he was not likely to go to the Gentiles of his own accord and then make up a story to justify his actions. No, that wouldn’t add up. Now the second piece of evidence (the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the Gentiles speaking in tongues) was even stronger, because that was God’s way of bearing witness that He had indeed accepted the Gentiles; and that was something that many people (and particularly the Jews who had been with Peter) had witnessed. And so the witness of the Holy Spirit was a crucial piece of evidence; because this kind of outpouring directly from heaven followed by the gift of tongues was not a common, everyday experience. We kind of think of it as happening all the time in the book of Acts. But it doesn’t. It is interesting that in order to find an example of what had happened in Cornelius’ home, Peter had to go all the way back to Pentecost ten years earlier. He couldn’t use the example of the Holy Spirit being given to the Samaritans in 8:14-17 because that was very different, as the Holy Spirit was given to the Samaritans through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. But this was much more dramatic, as it came instantly and directly from God himself. And that leads into Peter’s closing argument. Arguing With Questions-- Now when Jews argue or debate, they use a different form than we do in our Western culture. We like to make statements and then back up those statements with evidence; evidence we hope the other person will accept. However Jews typically argue through asking questions. And that’s because a question is often much more powerful and thought-provoking than a statement. If you can implant a question into somebody’s mind, that question will cause them to wrestle with themselves until they reach an answer. And when they find that answer, that answer is their own. When it is a statement made by you, it is yours. But if it is an answer your question has forced them to come up with, that answer becomes theirs and touches them on a much deeper level. And this is something that Jesus did all the time. Notice in the Good Samaritan parable how (when Jesus closes), he doesn’t say, “Look, the Samaritan (not the Priest or Levite) was the true neighbor and you need to be like him.” No, that’s just a statement. A true statement, but nothing more. And they could ignore it if they wanted to. But the genius of how Rabbis during that time imparted education was that they turned everything into a question; because a question leads their listeners to uncover the truth for themselves, which they will be much more likely to accept. That is why Jesus asks (not tells the man, but asks) in… Luke 10:36 (ESV)-- 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” An Answer Applied-- And that forced the man He was talking to to think, accept, and even verbalize his own answer, which was that it was the Samaritan who truly was the neighbor. Then (and only then, after the man had come to the answer himself) does Jesus tell him to “go and do likewise” (Lk. 10:37); to apply the truth he himself had come to acknowledge. And in a similar way, it is interesting here how Peter, who remember is a Jew and argues like a Jew and is following in the footsteps of Jesus as one Jesus had called to come and be like him, responds with a question rather than a statement. It says in… Acts 11:17 (NKJV)-- 17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” Peter’s Question-- And that question (which showed the humility of Peter’s heart and his desire to follow the will of God) helped to establish in their minds the reality that this so clearly was a God thing and neither they nor Peter could go against it, lest they find themselves fighting against God Himself. And once they answer that question in their own minds, Peter’s personal answer to that question becomes their answer as well. They realize they are in no position to set themselves against these Gentiles whom God had so clearly accepted. And once Peter leads them to that point, it says in… Acts 11:18 (NKJV)— 18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” Continued Debate-- Now this did not end all debate on this issue. We see later in 14:26-15:2 that this same legalistic party again engaged in debate with Paul over the salvation of the Gentiles. [Even after the Jerusalem Conference, legalistic teachers continued to attack Paul and invade the churches he founded.] And what they (and some of the other Jewish Christians) were fighting for was for the Gentiles to become Jews and to live by the Law as they themselves had lived by the Law. And on the flip side, there were some Gentiles who wanted the Jews to stop being Jews and to become Gentiles. And so it took a while for this transplant to really take and for unity to begin to form. And (as we will see) [In later years, God would use the letters of Paul to explain the “one body,” how believing Jews and believing Gentiles are united in Christ (Eph. 2:11—3:12).] 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (ESV)— 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. Heavenly Prep-- Now the reason Jesus wanted to create a Church that was “one” and not divided was because the earthly kingdom of God was to be preparation ground for the heavenly kingdom of God, in which there are truly going to be NO distinctions. It says in… Revelation 7:9-10 (NIV)— 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” A Pebble In The Shoe-- Now I knew a man who saw one race of people as unfit for him to worship with. And so when a person of that race came to Church one Sunday, he grumbled and complained about it. But then another Church member asked him this question (and I paraphrase), “Brother, what do you think it’s going to be like in heaven?” You see? A question. And the man stopped and thought. And the person continued, “Do you think that Jesus is going to have that same kind of division in heaven?” And the answer was obviously “no”, which the man acknowledged. And that question led to another question, “If there is no distinction in heaven (which this passage in Revelation indicates) why would we make that kind of distinction now?” Now that didn’t change the man’s mind that day, but it put a pebble in his shoe and got him thinking. Jesus’ Question To Us-- Now some of the greatest revelations that will come in your own personal life will come when you also begin asking and answering the right questions. And there are several that Jesus may be asking you today. Maybe there is somebody that when you think of the words “common” or “unclean” or “sinful” they immediately come into your mind. Perhaps this is somebody of a race you don’t approve of worshiping with; or maybe it is somebody's who has wounded you that you are not yet willing to come to table with and say (as Jesus said in his breaking bread of bread with Zacchaeus) “I love and accept you and acknowledge a mutual commonality between you and me.” Now whoever that is that came to your mind, Jesus is asking you today, “Does the way you treat that person mirror the way that I have treated you?” And (if not) “Do you have the right to make a distinction?” Now in our hearts we know the answers to those questions. We know that the the cross is the great equalizer of all persons; because there is no one good enough so as not to need the blood of Jesus. All of us are unclean before the touch of Christ. But does that knowledge translate into our treatment of those poorer than us; different from us? “Are we going to take that knowledge and apply it?” How are we going to receive those Jesus sends to us who may not be like us? Are we going to be used by the Spirit to help the people He’s trying to graft into the Church, or are we going to resist? God’s challenge for us today is for you and I to commit right here and now to be men and women who (like Peter) are able and willing (and even seeking) to be used by God to draw all people unto Himself. Let’s do so. And may the words God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 be true also for you and me. God says… Genesis 12:3 (NKJV)-- 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Be a blessing this week. Amen. Hello and welcome to the show today! In our study of the book of Acts we have just witnessed a Gentile centurion named Cornelius (along with his entire household) coming to faith in Christ after Peter shares with them the good news that God’s salvation is available not just to the Jew, but to the Gentile as well (10:35). In Jesus, anyone can become a child of God. As Paul writes in…
Galatians 3:26-28 (NKJV)— 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 3 Responses of The Church-- And so we are entering into a new stage of the Church. And in Acts 11 we will see the three ways the Jewish Christians responded to these new Gentile believers. And these responses help us also to know how to relate to one another as Christians. Here in verses 1-18 we see that THEY ACCEPTED THE GENTILES. In verses 19-26 we will see that THEY ENCOURAGED THE GENTILES. And in verses 27-30 we will see that THEY RECEIVED HELP FROM THE GENTILES. A Transplant Needed-- Just recently I heard the story of a young teenage girl who suddenly out of the blue was rushed to the hospital after suffering serious symptoms, after which she was told she could not leave. And that was because her liver was failing. And because of her age, she was placed as top priority on the transplant list and they soon found her a new liver. And they replaced her failed liver with the new one, which she was very grateful for and even met with the family whose loved one had passed away to thank them for giving her the gift of life; even out of the pain of their own personal loss. It was an amazing story. Failed Transplants-- But you know, as amazing as that whole process is, sadly it doesn’t always take. Sometimes a person experiences this miracle of modern medicine, is ecstatic at the gift of life that has been given back to them, but then it is discovered that the body’s immune system refuses to recognize the new organ and instead attacks it like a foreign objects. Some transplants (unfortunately) don’t take. Now doctors can give medication in order to suppress the immune system in order to help the new organ to get established and for the body to accept it, but even then there is sometimes the risk that that may fail. Will God’s Transplant Fail?-- And you know, this imagery is very helpful in helping us to understand the nature of what was happening here in Acts 11 and throughout much of the history of the Early Church. God had transplanted a new element into the Church; Gentiles (non-Jews). And Romans 11 describes them as being like wild olive shoots grafted into a domestic olive tree. The question is, is this transplant going to take? Is the body going to accept and receive them? Or is the immune system of the Early Church (which is responsible for helping to protect the Body against infection) going to reject the transplant, not recognizing what God (the Great Physician) understands; and that is that the new element is not only not harmful, but will even bring life to the Church? That is the central question of this passage. And it is one that pops up right away. Now news of the Gentiles coming to faith in Christ had spread like wildfire. It says in… Acts 11:1-3 (NKJV)-- 1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” Peter Rebuked-- And so Peter returned to Jerusalem and was immediately met by a group of angry church members. And these were church members of the legalistic party in the church in Judea, which is why they are described as those who were "of the circumcision”. And they rebuke Peter for entering into the house of Gentiles and eating with them. Commonality at Table-- And the reason it was so offensive to them that Peter ate with them was not just because he was around people considered by the Jews of that time to be unclean (which would have been bad enough), but because in Jewish culture to eat someone was a very intimate and personal thing. You only did that with people you were at peace with, which is why in Jewish culture if there was a grievance between two parties seeking reconciliation, the forgiveness process was never considered complete until both parties had shared meal together. Because to eat with someone was a way of saying (often in a public way) that there is a commonality between you; a mutual acceptance. That is why people were so offended when Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Remember the story of Zacchaeus in particular and how people reacted to Jesus’ going into his home, undoubtedly to eat with him. Jesus was saying that the barriers between he and Zacchaeus had come down. The Church’s Immune System-- And this is what is happening here with Peter and those of the circumcision. These Jews of this legalistic party in the church in Judea were like the immune system of the Church. They wanted to make sure that the Church was not aligning itself with anything that might pollute it. And so they say exclaim to Peter (and you can really feel the anger in their accusation): “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” Only Half of The Story-- Now I find it interesting that that is the piece of information they latch onto and accuse Peter with. Notice they don’t say a word about the Holy Spirit’s being given to the Gentiles or anything like that. And do you know why that is? Well, in verse 18, after Peter tells them the full story, they seem genuinely surprised and willing to accept what God was so clearly doing. And so what is likely the case is that these men of the circumcision simply did not know before approaching Peter the other half of the story. They only knew the part that would be offensive to them. But why is that? Why did they not know? How is it that they were unaware? Well, it seems that whoever brought the news to them had only given them half of the story; the half that would really make their blood boil. The other part had been left out. And let me tell you, that is how most conflict in the Church starts out; with somebody spreading around something that is only half-true or that leaves out those details that might challenge the views of the person spreading the gossip. Any of you ever witness this before? Sensational Deceit-- It’s like if somebody were to tell you “Such and such Church member hasn’t taken a bath in months.” And that’s true. They haven’t. Things sound pretty bad until it comes out later that they take showers not baths; and do so frequently. Okay then, things are not as disgusting as they first appeared. Now you might say there is no way that kind of thing really goes on, but let me tell you, it does. We see it everyday on the news, which is built on sensationalism. News networks want to keep you hooked. And anger is a great way of doing that. And so they so often feed you what are often only half-truths in order to keep you angry; because if they can create that emotional response in you, you will keep tuning in. They know that deep down we crave for justice; and so if they can convince us there is gross injustice, they will excite you (or even incite you). But so often what happens is the full story comes out later and what then seemed like something heinous is seen in its fullest light to be something only moderately bad, somewhat acceptable, or even good; sometimes even great. Dealing With Stories-- And so one of the truths we can glean here from this passage is not always to accept immediately as true the stories we hear about other people. And this is something I have tried to be very careful about in my ministry, especially when I am counseling somebody. I try always to remember Proverbs 18:17 says, which says that… Proverbs 18:17 (ESV)-- 17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him. Hear The Other Side-- And that is so true. The first person always seems right until you hear the other side; which is why it is so important to forego making a judgment until you are sure that you have all the facts. And this is something these Jews who confronted Peter should have done. Peter Tells The FULL Story-- Now Peter deals with the situation remarkably well. Ever since Jesus restored him after his 3 denials (and after Pentecost) Peter has demonstrate a wonderful humility; a humility that makes him such wonderful Church leader. I had a mentor (Roman Miller) who used to tell me numerous times that to be a good pastor you need to have two things: (1) A thick hide and (2) A warm heart. Well, it is clear in this passage that Peter has both. He doesn’t show signs of being offended or hurt. He doesn’t bite back or pull rank on them, which he probably could have done. No, he calmly and humbly relays to them the full story in its entirety. And all the missing pieces begin to come together for them, which we will unpack more next week. God’s View— But as we think about this passage and what it might mean for us, one of the things that jumps out at us is that you and I are called to stand for what God thinks about issues. And ultimately (even though we may see things differently) we need to submit all our beliefs and prejudices to God. Because when you think about it, Peter’s racism might have led him (as it did with Jonah) to reject God’s call for him to carry God’s message to the Gentiles. At this point Peter was probably more like this group of legalists in his beliefs about the Gentiles than he was like Christ. But nevertheless, Peter was determined to embrace God’s view over and against his own; and to take heavy criticism, because ultimately God’s way was what mattered to him most. And that is something you and I ought always to apply. What does God have to say about the issue; what is revealed in His Word? Racism and hate has always and will always die and unity and healing will always be found when Christians commit themselves to live according to the way of the Lord in accordance with His Word. It is when we become united with God in His Spirit, sanctified by His Word (John 17:17) that we will consequently become more united with one another and bring true healing to the world. So let us commit ourselves to know and submit to the Word of God. Amen. Hello and welcome to the show today!
The First Missionary to Gentiles-- In chapter 10 of our study of the book of Acts, we have encountered a Roman Centurion by the name of Cornelius; a man full of good works living the best way that he knew how. But he did not yet know about Jesus. And so God has sent Peter to him and to his entire household, who have gathered to hear the wonderful news that not only has God’s salvation come in the person of Jesus Christ, but that that salvation is available to even them, even though they are Gentiles. Now this would mean some radical changes for Cornelius and his household; changes would radically affect their views of God, their way of worship, and ultimately their mission and purposes. And this would fly in the face of many of the customs and elements of their culture that had become the norm for them. Paul (the first real missionary to the Gentiles) had set into motion something that would radically change them and their culture. Below The Surface-- And you know missionaries are often criticized for this very reason; for imposing their religion and way of doing things on other cultures. Sometimes it’s even painted as if missionaries are the ones who come in and destroy culture. Now we know that that is devilish propaganda. Yes, you might have a few bad apples here and there, but for the most part missionaries have made a world of positive difference in the various cultures they have touched, bringing hope, healing, education, and so much more. I have been to a lot of places in the world where the the main religion(s) is a false religion. And there is often beautiful artistry and fascinating tradition connected with it. But what we have to remember is that just because a religion may be beautiful on the outside and there may be gorgeous religious icons and captivating rituals that have become a part of a nation’s heritage, that doesn’t mean that things are beautiful below the surface. Don’t believe me? Start asking the followers of those religions questions like, “Where do you believe you are going to go when you die?” “If you believe in heaven, how do you believe you can get there?” “In your belief system, is it possible for you to even know if you are going there?” And what you’ll find is that in no other religion can you truly know that you are going to heaven. Why? Because they are all works-based; and you can never know if you have done enough to earn your way there. And so you can never really have peace. It is only Christianity that requires works as a result of salvation; not as the means of salvation. And it is only after salvation that works can be truly good anyways because we can finally perform good works without the selfish motivation for personal salvation. But if we are to receive salvation first, then our sins must be paid for in advance; hence our need for Christ. Only He was good enough to be a sacrifice for our sins and so it is only in and through Him that we can be saved. And that’s why it doesn’t matter how devout Cornelius is; how good his works are. It is only in Jesus that we can experience deliverance from sin and have eternal life. And Peter knows this, which is why he is about to share with all these men and women about the person of Jesus. It says… Acts 10:34-35 (NKJV)— 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. God Accepts All Who Fear Him-- I love how Peter starts with what God was teaching him right at that time; and that is that God will receive any person from any nation who fears Him and works righteousness. Now it may seem from verse 35 that Peter is preaching salvation by works. However, we will see in verse 43 just the opposite, as he will proclaim that salvation only comes though belief in Jesus. And so the phrase “fears Him {(God)} and works righteousness” is a description of the outflow of a Christian’s life. It is the outward sign that the inward work has been accomplished. Now Peter’s audience had heard a good bit about Jesus already, which is why Peter says in… Acts 10:36-43 (NKJV)— 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 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. 39 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. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 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. 42 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. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” The Shortest Sermon-- Now this is perhaps one of the shortest sermons ever preached, and yet it had everything that Cornelius and his family and friends needed to know. Jesus is Lord of all (which speaks to both His divinity, but also His availability; He is Lord of all ); He had led a perfect life of servanthood and obedience before God; He died on the cross, was raised on the third day, many (including Peter) were witnesses of this; Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures concerning the Messiah; and salvation through remission of sins is available to whoever believes in Him. You can’t get more basic than that. And similarly, when you and I share Christ, we need to remember that we don’t need to be long to be effective. All we need to do is allow ourselves to (like Peter) be led by the Spirit and do what we can to center our message on the person and work of Christ, the Way, the Truth, and The Life. Laying Hold of “whoever”-- Now these men and women immediately reacted to Peter’s sermon, particularly laying hold of that word whoever. They immediately recognize Christ’s availability to them, receive Him in faith, and are saved. And Peter no doubt intended to continue his sermon; he was just getting started. But the greatest thing that can happen while preaching happens. It says in… Acts 10:44 (NKJV)— 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. Peter Interrupted-- What an awesome thing when God breaks in! But you know, Peter was probably kind of getting used to God interrupting him. You will remember that [God the Father interrupted Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:4–5), and God the Son interrupted him in the matter of the temple tax (Matt. 17:24–27). Now, God the Spirit interrupted him—] Peter was interrupted by every member of the Trinity. But you, know, it is a good thing when God interrupts. Would that every sermon be interrupted with an outpouring of the Spirit of God. And it says than in response to this… Acts 10:45-46a (NKJV)-- 45 And those of the circumcision {(the Jews)} 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. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. A 2nd Pentecost-- And so the six Jews who came with Peter as witnesses suddenly became witness to the Holy Spirt, who was Himself bearing witness that God (through faith in Christ) had accepted these Gentile believers. And this was important because remember that they had not been privy to the vision of Peter. And so God needed to enact a second Pentecost so that these Jews could see that God had indeed put these new Gentile believers on equal footing with them. This is why God empowered these Gentiles also to speak in tongues. This doesn’t mean that every believer will receive the gift of tongues. It was merely a way for God to prove without question that the same Spirit that had been poured out on the Jews was also on the Gentiles. And [With this event, the period of transition in the early history of the church comes to an end. Believers among the Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles have all received the Spirit of God and are united in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27).] And it says in… Acts 10:46b-48a (NKJV)-- Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. The Salvation Process-- Now this passage shows us very clearly the process of salvation. We hear the Word, we place our faith in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit, and then we are baptized as an outward sign of that inward work. These men and women were not baptized in order to obtain salvation, but rather [they were baptized because they gave evidence of being saved.] The Holy Spirit had already been given to them. And we know that the Holy Spirit is only given to those who are in Christ Jesus. Now following salvation, something else ought always to take place; and it takes place here. They [unite with other believers in the church to serve and worship God.] And that begins right here, where it says… Acts 10:48b (NKJV)-- Then they asked him {(Peter)} to stay a few days. The Chain of Discipleship-- And so Peter tarries there in Caesarea to help ground these new believers in their faith. And Philip (who remember was already in Caesarea) may have joined him in this task of discipleship. But there they are, doing what neither of them could have ever imagined themselves doing; discipling Gentiles who would go and disciple other Gentiles who would go and disciples other Gentiles. And you and I are part of that glorious chain of discipleship. The question is, who are we going to bring the good news to? Who are we going to make disciples for Jesus? Debtors-- P.F. Bresee, founder of the Church of Nazarene once said this: "We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it.” How beautiful are your feet?-- Let me ask you a personal question. Any of you gotten a pedicure lately? Men, you don’t have to answer. Any of you ladies get a pedicure lately? How do your feet feel after you get a pedicure? How do they look? When my wife has gotten pedicures, her feet are always extra soft afterwards; the calluses are gone; the toenails are all shiny and colored, sometimes even with sparkles. I mean they are just beautiful! But do you know there is such a thing as a Biblical pedicure? It’s right here in… Romans 10:15b (NKJV)— As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” Beautiful Feet-- You want your feet to be truly beautiful in the eyes of God? Use them to bring to others the good news of Jesus Christ. Present and future generations are relying on your feet; on my feet; to bring them this message of life. In this very passage in Romans Paul asks… Romans 10:14-15a (NKJV)-- 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Eternity Without-- You know, it was once estimated that [158,857 people die each day with approximately 66,000 of those people dying each day having had no access to the Gospel. According to those numbers, every 15 minutes (the length of our broadcast today) 1,654 people will die.] How many of them will enter an eternity without Jesus? In Time-- Carl F.H. Henry once pointed out that “The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.” Our Part-- Now you and I can’t reach every person. But the Church of Christ is called to try. And (as Keith Green once said) "This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!” You may not reach the masses; but you may be able to reach somebody. There is somebody out there right now that God is preparing for you to introduce to Jesus. The question is, “Are you ready to play the part God wants you to play in that person’s journey towards salvation?" Called To Missions-- And you know, one of the things we also learn from this story is that you don't have to go overseas to be a missionary, though God may want you to. But you can be a missionary right here in Renton, Washington. But no matter where God has placed you, He has called you to be a missionary. And the closer you draw to Jesus, the more you will recognize that call upon your life. The More Missionary-- Henry Martyn, who was a missionary to both India and Persia, once said “The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become." And you know, he’s right. At Least One Person-- Many of you have heard of Dwight L. Moody. Well, [D.L. Moody made an covenant with God that he would witness for Christ to at least one person each day. One night, about ten o-clock, he realized that he had not yet witnessed; so he went out in to the street and spoke to a man standing by a lamppost, asking him, "Are you a Christian?" The man flew into a violent rage and threatened to knock Moody into the gutter. Later, that same man went to an elder in the church and complained that Moody was "doing more harm in Chicago than ten men were doing good." The elder begged Moody to temper his zeal with knowledge. Three months later, Moody was awakened at the YMCA by a man knocking at the door. It was the man he had witnessed to. "I want to talk to you about my soul," he said to Moody. He apologized for the way he had treated Moody and said that he had had no peace ever since that night on Lake Street when Moody witnessed to him. Moody led the man to Christ and he became a zealous worker in the Sunday school.] Our Feet Are Needed-- Now just think; what would have happened if Moody had looked at his watch that evening and (seeing the time) just decided to let this one slide? A life would have failed to be touched. The message of the gospel is a powerful thing. But it needs our feet. And even if somebody rejects you, the power of the seed of the gospel you planted can still do its work. All we have to do is be faithful to plant and God will yield the increase. And so let us be faithful to be obedient ambassadors for Christ. Amen. |
Rev. Cameron Ury graduated from Asbury University in 2007 with a B.A. in Bible and Theology. From there he continued his studies at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, MS. It was there that he met his wife Tanya, who graduated from WBS with her M.A. and M.Div. degrees. Cameron and Tanya got married in 2009. Cameron then graduated with his M.Div. degree with a pastoral concentration in 2011.
After shepherding churches in both Mississippi and Ohio, they joined the ministry team at Renton Park Chapel in January of 2018, where Cameron serves as Senior Pastor and Teacher. Cameron is also the founder and host of Lechem Panim, a weekly radio show that airs on KGNW 820AM "The Word Seattle". The ministry of Lechem Panim is centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through Bible study, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Archives
January 2022
|
RSS Feed
