Extended Pentecost

Extended Pentecost

2013-09-15

Acts 10:43-48

43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

In Cornelius's house that day, a new chapter in Christian history was written.

·      The Gentile Pentecost displayed God’s acceptance of Gentile believers as Non-Jews into body of Christ making the church international & multi-racial.

Peter did not finish his sermon before everyone hearing repented & was saved.

·      Salvation was the result of Holy Spirit not a flashy presentation or human persuasion.

o   The Holy Spirit does the convicting/convincing & He changes minds, hearts, wills.

§  Acts 10:43-44, Gal 3:2, Acts 11:14-17, Rom 8:9

·      The Gentiles heard that forgiveness was available thru faith in Jesus & they believed.

o   This does not explicitly say “believed”, but saving faith results in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is no such thing as Christian without the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit fell on these Gentile believers in the same way as on apostles @ Pentecost -- not by the laying on of hands & praying for Holy Spirit like the Samaritans; God just did it! 

·      This was not a new Pentecost but rather an extension of Pentecost to include Gentiles.

·      Gentiles were saved in same way, by same gospel, & baptized by same Spirit in same way as Peter/Apostles in Upper Room & Jews at Pentecost.

o   This does not teach speaking in tongues are normally to be expected w/coming of Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 12:30

§  This is not recorded in all Acts conversions…Samaritans at Pentecost & the Ethiopian eunuch.

·      Speaking in tongues was a confirming sign for the sake of the Jewish believers present. Gal 5:6

o   It was undeniable, irrefutable evidence that the same Holy Spirit was within the Gentiles— even w/o converting to Judiasm.

§  This truth overruled all Jewish prejudiced objections.

·      They must have been amazed: they knew they must fully accept Gentile believers as Gentiles into body of Christ.

The order here: believe in Jesus, receive the Holy Spirit, and be baptized by immersion in water.

·      In the New Testament, baptism follows salvation, & thus is not necessary for salvation.  Act 10:47-8, Eph 2:8-9, 1 Cor 1:17, Mt 28:19-20

o   You do not need baptized to be saved, but if you are saved you need to be baptized.  

·      Baptism, not an altar call, was the universal public declaration of conversion and proclamation of allegiance to Jesus & identity with the Christian community.

o   This is called "believers” baptism. Infant baptism reverses biblical order.

baptismos: to dip, immerse, plunge something underneath water. Dying cloth. 

• This is a beautiful picture of a Christian’s union with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. Gal 2:20, Col 2:12, 2 Cor 5:17 
• Going under the water celebrates Christ's death/burial for our sins & a Christian's death to sin and self. 
• Coming out of the water celebrates Christ's resurrection & a Christian's newness of life. 
• The sprinkling of water just doesn't portray these truths as vividly.

·      The Greek word implies Peter wisely ordered 6 Jews with him to baptize new Gentile converts. Act 10:48

o   Scripture not specify where or who can perform a baptism.  

• Just be sure the person being baptized is truly a child of God & understands what he or she is doing.

o   You need to be baptized if you have not been baptized since belief in Christ.

• LEFC baptism ceremony & celebration is Oct 20th…e-mail me.

Baptism brings blessing that comes with all obedience (1 Jn 5:2), joy of public profession of one's faith & many times builds up other Christian's that are present.

·      All this is possible for any Gentile because of Jesus' death, resurrection, & God’s gracious gift of the Holy Spirit first given to non-Jews @ the Gentile Pentecost in Cornelius’ home.

Religion Does Not Save

Religion Does Not Save

2013-09-08

Acts10:1-8

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of ^wwhat was known as the Italian Cohort, ² a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. ³ About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. ⁵ And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, ⁸ and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

2^nd of 2 key individuals in watershed event: Gospel to Gentiles as Gentiles.

·      God revealed to Peter that the Gospel transcends centuries of the Jewish prejudice thinking that they were greater than the Gentiles.  

·      Cornelius: God showed Gospel is the same for all men, Jew or Gentile. Acts 10:1-2

Cornelius was a religious, praying, devoted, generous, respected, and sincere man, but nevertheless he was spiritually separated from God.

·      if they were already saved, they wouldn't need Peter to come share Gospel. Acts 11:13-14

Cornelius illustrated: fearing God & doing good does not necessarily equal being Christian.

·      3 classes of Gentiles; pagan, proselytes to Judaism, and God-fearers.

·      Cornelius knows there’s a God…general revelation.  Rom 1:18-20

o   human reason can ascertain God exists by cause/effect in creation.  

§  The Holy Spirit enabled Cornelius to believe Israel’s God was the true God.  

·      Fears Israel’s God because he realizes he’s morally accountable to Him.

o   so he tries obeying Jewish law (10 commands) to gain favor with God.

·      He also believed salvation thru Jews & knew about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

o   It was common knowledge to Christians & the lost. Gal 3:16, Acts 10:36-44

·      But religious sincerity, earnestly believing in God, doing good as best you can & knowing about Jesus does not solve the problem of sin debt.

God-fearing, ethical, good people, must repent & believe to be saved.

·      What must we believe? That Jesus the Christ is God incarnate, lived a perfect and  sinless life of servant-hood, died on cross, was resurrected, ascended, and now sits at right hand of Father.

o   James Denney, “Do not preach mainly about...”

·      There is no salvation in any other way or any other person. Eph 2:8-9

o   GRACE alone thru faith alone in Christ alone.

·      Peter gave simple gospel message, they believed it, and were filled with the Holy Spirit (kind of a 2^nd Pentecost) & received access to God as adopted children.

o   Gospel presentation...feel distant from God

Cornelius and the Gentiles were saved by believing the same gospel preached to Jews, but today many leave out a crucial part of original Gospel…. repentance.  Acts 11:18

·      "Repentance" is hatred of sin; turning from sin & determination to forsake it.

o   True Repentance: If there was no hell, the repentant person still runs from sin & their desire is to live like Jesus.

§  Not like a child who hates the consequences of sin or regrets the fault before being punished.

·      Like a child it’s possible to confess sins & not truly repent.  Judas

o   Today there are those who preach that it is possible to keep your old precious sins & get new stuff on top of that such as forgiveness, health, no problems,100% return on any money given, and people say sign me up).

§  Jesus loves as we are AND loves us by not letting us remain in sin.

o   That’s why repentance is a continual, life-long act enabled by God’s grace. It is toward God & others.

Turning from sin & walking in obedience validates our faith as real & displays sincere repentance. Jn 14:15, Mt 21:28, Jam 2:14, 17 & 2 Cor 13:5

·      Our faith, repentance, & obedience will always be imperfect in this life, but as Cornelius learned, our basis for God’s favor is not sincere religious efforts or even human goodness, these fall short of perfection; rather it is upon the blood of Christ.

Prejudice Exposed

Prejudice Exposed

2013-09-01

Acts 10:9-21

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?”

A large portion of Acts is devoted to the miracle of God’s grace opening gospel to Gentiles, as Gentiles thru Peter, not Paul. Act 10:1-11:18, 15:7-9 Act 10:9-14

·      It is unclear if both clean and unclean animals are included or just unclean. Lev 11

Peter was understandably both horrified & confused by the strange dream.

·      Maybe he perceived the vision as test of his faithfulness to God’s written law.

o   HIs intentions were good, but he was still being disobedient.

·      He objected with a contradiction in terms, “no Lord” …If He is Lord, we must obey Him.

·      His response is completely in character with past actions. Peter is still Peter. 3X

o   We must also guard against faults/weaknesses we had before conversion.

o   Renewed sinners are still sinners.  "The best of men are men at best!" Charles Spurgeon

Peter did not understand initial vision, the 2^nd time God explained: Act 10:15-16, Mk 7:18-19

·      Food laws were fulfilled and ended in Jesus, & by analogy the Gentiles were not to be considered unclean or common.

o   "Common & unclean" meant rejected, despised, taboo.

·      Jews wrongly extended “clean/unclean” OT food distinctions to Gentiles.

o   Association of clean with unclean rendered all “unclean”.

§  There was no OT law prohibiting Jews to associate with Gentiles.

o   God had changed all of Peter’s dietary laws to change his worldview.

§  It's a short step from clean Gentile food to clean Gentiles.

The fundamental problem of Jews & Jewish Christians was prejudice.

·      They believed salvation was not just “of Jews,” but primarily “for Jews.”

o   Gospel to Gentiles as Gentiles defiling to Christian Jews and the gospel.

o   Gentiles could be saved but they were required to become a Jew.

·      Here we begin to see the walls of lifelong prejudices destroyed by God thru the cross.

Prejudice is not a 20^th century issue but mankind issue & broader than 2-way racism.

·      We ALL have prejudices….. preconceived opinion that is not based on actual experience…..pre-judge us.   Jn 8:7-8 

o   Old/young, poor/wealthy, educated/uneducated, male/female, liberal/conservative, tat/no tat, saint/sinner, charismatic/cessationist, Calvinist/Arminian.

·      Parents, peers, and culture are often the mentors of our prejudice, while pride it’s root.

Prejudice rears its ugly head in thoughts, words, action & non-action.

·      Maybe you avoid all association with “unclean”….smokers, tats, sinners.

o   Be careful! If Jesus didn’t call it sin, you shouldn’t

o   We are to receive all whom Christ receives!

§  Don't just extend grace to yourself and loved ones and everyone else gets the law.

·      i.e. smoking vs. overeating

Some Christians, Like Peter and some other Jewish Christians we sometimes misuse scripture to support our isolation from the lost for the purpose of not being defiled.  2 Cor 6:14-17, Mk 7:14-23, 1 Cor 15:32a-34

·      Wise people discontinue unhealthy or sinful friendships, now or in past.

o   But like Jesus, look for opportunities to associate VOLUNTARILY with the lost.

·      Be ye separate & holy by associating w/sinners (not while they’re sinning)  & proclaim the Gospel while living pure lives before them. 

Sometimes it's painful to face our prejudices & unbiblical behavior. 

·      Christ in His kindness and mercy, lovingly exposes our sinful hearts & then by His grace enables us to live Christ-like & God glorifying in a dark and dying world.

o   "We are anxious to bear fruit, but we do not care to be pruned." C. Spurgeon