Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: A Peter Revelation

Theme: The Enjoyment of Ministry Accountability

Series: Essentials for Church Growth

“The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God.

So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, ‘You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.’

Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened… When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God.”(Acts 11:1-4, 18)

A ministry matured in the Holy Spirit defeats criticism

The Holy Spirit reveals the importance of God’s work through Peter by moving Luke to refer to the events of the ministry in Cornelius’s household three different times in the Book of Acts.

Although the Apostle Paul is often referred to as the Apostle to the Gentiles, Peter received a message from God giving him the instructions of taking the gospel to Cornelius’s family, thus he had the privilege to open the gospel door to the Gentiles.

(Acts 10-11; Through the Bible; Barnes Notes; The Expositors Bible Commentary) Whenever, God starts a new work, a work done differently than what was usually done, the cancer of traditionalism births forth the death of criticism.

A ministry matured in the Holy Spirit defeats that criticism.

I would propose to you if the work of the Lord was important enough to have the Holy Spirit move Luke to write down the events of Peter’s ministry, it should be important enough for the Body of Christ to take note of the truths proclaimed in this message.

Peter shows a spiritual maturity that is missing in the Body of Christ.

Instead of presenting a sloppy-agape love, he shows true sacrificial love to his Lord and the Body of Christ.

It is important to note that those who criticized Peter’s ministry to the Gentiles were Jewish Christians, “circumcised believers” who needed a fuller understanding of the whole counsel of the Word of God.

(Matthew Henry Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Exposition Commentary; The New American Commentary; Barnes Notes, The Expository Bible Commentary) The cancer of traditionalism and legalism kept them from understanding true circumcision of the heart, done by the Holy Spirit of Christ.

(Romans 2:29) Circumcision of the spiritual heart is not just a New Testament revelation, God sent His prophets to teach the people of God that if outward circumcision was to have any significance, then it must be accompanied with an inner work on the spiritual heart.

(The New International Dictionary of the Bible; Leviticus 26:41; Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 44:7) Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.”

It is only by the hand of God, through Christ and the Holy Spirit that the Body of Christ can overcome dead religion and cultural habits.

Christians who have the Holy Spirit illumination that Peter knew fear the dangers of the cancers of legalism, traditionalism, denominationalism and faddism.

They seek answers to these questions.

How does a mature ministry receive revelation and how is God’s revelation presented to the Body of Christ?

How should spiritual leaders respond to the work the Lord is doing?

Have hearts that are seeking after God

The first step toward enjoying Peter’s revelation from the Lord is to have hearts that are seeking after God.

Acts 10:1-2 says, “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.

He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”

(Acts 10:1-2) The first key word to grasp is “devout” (eusebes) meaning to be a person who is respectful to God and things regarding worship unto Him.

Devout people are dutiful in their efforts to seek God and know His will for them.

(Complete Word Study of the Bible; Vines Amplified Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words; Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon; Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) The second key word is “God-fearing” (phobeo) meaning to have a reverential obedience toward God.

(Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon)

In the New Testament the term “God-fearing” had become what we would call a technical term for Gentiles who became frustrated with their gods and the result of the immorality of mankind.

These particular people attached themselves to the Jewish religion.

They were not circumcised and did not have a tremendous knowledge of the Word of God.

They did however, attend some kind of meetings or had some kind of influence that enabled them to seek God.

In Cornelius’s case, he had enough revelation to become a man of prayer and have a heart for the needy.

(Daily Study Bible Series)

It is amazing how God supernaturally has drawn people to cast away wrong worship and with the spiritual light revealed to them begin to dutifully seek God.

This has been witnessed by many missionaries as they began to take the gospel into heathen lands, as in the case of the Sandwich Islands.

When the missionaries arrived the people had cast away their idols and were seemingly awaiting a message of mercy, much like Cornelius’s household.

God gave Cornelius a supernatural revelation, an angel spoke to Cornelius saying, “…your prayers and gifts to the poor have came up as a memorial offering before God.”

Clearly, Cornelius’ gifts were not for gaining favor from God, but works that came from a reverent worship unto the God of heaven and earth.

Many times I have seen people come to church or do righteous acts only to win favor with God.

Effective ministry duties and other works must be done out of a desire to please Him and from supernatural revelation that what they are doing is good for them and their family.

Spiritual revelation comes to those are seeking to know more of the Lord, desire His ways of truth and heavenly wisdom.

(The Pulpit Commentary)

The Lord will give devout, God-fearing Christians that which they seek.

He will use whatever instruments He pleases to guide true seekers to the place and person who is able to give divine revelation which satisfies the spiritual heart and soul.

When God-fearing people faithfully use the light they do have, the Lord will open the door to revelation.

Listen to what the Lord revealed to Cornelius who was a God-fearing man, “One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision.

He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, ‘Cornelius!’

Cornelius stared at him in fear.

‘What is it, Lord?’ he asked.

The angel answered, ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.’

When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.

He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.” (Acts 10:3-8)

Christians who have Holy Spirit illumination grasp the truth of Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”

It is imperative that Christians understand.

Devoted, God-fearing people who seek the Lord today, do so through the whole counsel of God’s Word.

Just as the Lord called Peter to take a Word to Cornelius’ home, (Acts 10:22b) the Lord has given the Holy Spirit gift of “prophesying” (Romans 12:6) to the church, so that people may be informed of the will of God through the expounding of Scripture for making known the will of God.

(The Expositors Bible Commentary; Ephesians 4:11; Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon; Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon; The Pulpit Commentary; Barnes Notes)

The Pittsburg Christian Advocate covered the story of Dr. Alexander Maclaren, a devout, God-fearing man who was recognized as being one of the clearest expositors of the Word of God in his day.

They wrote, “How Dr. Maclaren became such a Bible scholar is worthy of note.

…[he] had one ministry habit that was never broken, ‘one hour alone with God every day.’

Dr. Maclaren would sit in his well-warn armchair with his Bible on his knees.

He would not read to get a teaching text, nor read as a student, but as child would read a letter from [his] Father; [with] a loving heart drinking in every Word.”

Where does the Holy Spirit find your heart?

Is it truly devoted and God fearing?

Is your work unto the Lord done from a reverent worship unto God?

Peter’s revelation through a heart of prayer

Hearts that seek after the Lord enjoy Peter’s revelation through true worship and through a heart of prayer.

Acts 10:9 says, “About noon the following day [Cornelius’s servants] were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.”

Cornelius was a man who had revelation from God and he was illuminated with God’s will for him and his household.

The Bible says, “[He] prayed to God regularly.”

(Acts 10:2b) Peter was a mere man.

He is known among Bible studiers as being very spiritually mature, a spiritual leader, but he still needed to be a man of prayer.

(The Preacher’s Outline Sermon Bible; The Expositors Bible Commentary)

Peter had the heart of a true worshiper like Daniel who knew the joy of praying three times daily.

(Daniel 6:10,13) Peter knew the truth written by the psalmist, “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.”

(Psalm 55:17)

The Bible says the next day after Cornelius gets his revelation from God, after a time spent in prayer the Lord gives Peter a vision that prepares his heart to take the gospel to the gentiles.

(Acts 10:9-23) God does the work of grace of calling men to Christ (John 6:44) however, He uses human channels to deliver some kind of message, planting the seeds of His Word so eternal life may be received.

God’s timing is always perfect and when devout, God-fearing men pray they enjoy the full benefits.

The Bibles says “While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision” the one he received after time spent in prayer, “…the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s [Peter’s] house was and stopped at the gate.”

Let the Holy Spirit place this truth into your spiritual heart.

When devout, God-fearing men pray with a surrendered heart to God, they enjoy divine appointments and are sent to do ministry that introduces kingdom seekers to Christ.

(Acts 10:34-48) It is such a peace to know that the sovereign Lord who controls every moment of the day is able to touch the spiritual heart at just the right moment and prepare it for service unto Him.

Please note in this early history of the church, we see two men fixed on prayer, however, the whole time of prayer is not on telling the Lord what to do, it is the listening spiritual heart that receives divine revelation and illumination to accomplish the will of God.

It is an abuse of time to spend your time telling God your need and miss out on His instructions for you.

The great prayer warrior George Muller said, “the most important part of prayer was the first fifteen minutes after I said, ‘Amen.’”

(Knights Treasury of 2,000 Illustrations) Walter B. Knight wrote, “Prayer is not a monologue, it is dialogue – our talking to God and God talking to us.” (Knights Treasury of 2,000 Illustrations) Christians illuminated with this truth grasp the truth of Psalm 85:8a, “I will listen to what the Lord will say…” Christians who desire to enjoy the revelation and illumination that Peter enjoyed discipline their spiritual ears to listen.

Pastor O. C. Lunholm told of a lesson he learned from a scientist.

They were on a loud, busy, crowded street corner when suddenly the scientist said, “Do you hear that?” “No” said the pastor.

The scientist said, “I hear a cricket.”

They walked over next to the building, and the scientist overturned a small rock.

Sure enough, there was a cricket.

The pastor said, “How did you hear it, above all this noise?”

The scientist said, “Let me show you something.”