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A PROMISE KEPT (4): PLANTING THE SEED
(Acts 10:34-43)
May 15, 2022
Read Acts 10:34-43 - II Pet 3:9b tells us God is "not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
That includes those we dislike.
All our real and perceived enemies fall under that blanket of God's good will.
Peter learned that the hard way.
Israel had failed to keep God's promise to Abe to bless all nations thru them.
But in Jesus that promise was kept objectively.
He bought eternal life for people of any race, color or creed.
But that promise must be subjectively applied by the hated Gentiles.
God sends a highly prejudiced man to do that job - Peter.
It changed his whole life.
Feelings between Jews and Gentiles were like what Billy Graham found on arriving at his 1953 crusade in Chattanooga, TN.
Segregated areas were roped off.
He immediately began to tear down the ropes.
Horrified ushers protested, "Please Rev. Graham, this will be misunderstood."
Graham replied, "Please understand this - either these ropes stay down or you can have this revival without me."
Peter wasn't in favor of taking the ropes down.
But God got his heart, and sent him to fulfill his ancient promise to bless the Gentiles.
So, Peter sows the seed, emphasizing how active God the Father has been in providing the redemption that His own holiness demands.
Peter's message can be summarized in 6 things God does in bringing salvation to everyone.
I. God Sees
Peter's first words were humbling to him, but music to Cornelius' ears: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality."
"The gospel is for everyone.
Israel was intended to share His grace, not be the exclusive recipient."
Peter's always thought God's favor was limited to Israel.
Now he sees God accepted an honest and contrite heart whether in a Jew or Gentile.
God sees everything in every place, and responds to those who diligently seek Him.
Prov 8:17: "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me."
Now, we know that no one would seek God if He didn't put it in their heart first.
I Jn 4:19: "We love because he first loved us."
But the point is God sees those who respond to whatever light they have and supplies anything they lack, as He is doing in the case of Cornelius.
Jer 29:13: "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
Peter should have known this.
God chose Abe to start with because no one was seeking God.
He created Israel by grace, not to be an exclusive club, but as a repository of His revelation to bless the whole world.
Israel was never exclusive even in the OT.
Rahab was a Gentile who found God (Josh 2), as was Ruth, Naaman (II Kings 5), and the Shunammite woman who housed Elisha (II Kings 4).
God even sent a very reluctant Jonah, to the despised Assyrians.
Jesus told His disciples in Peter's presence in Jn 10:16 "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold.
I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.
So there will be one flock, one shepherd."
Anyone can find favor with and be accepted by God who is ready to fear and follow Him.
So, is Cornelius saved?
No!
He didn't know Jesus yet.
According to Acts 11:14, he'd been told Peter would "declare to you a message by which you will be saved."
He didn't know Jesus, and Jesus, by virtue of His death for sin, is the only way to the Father.
He prays, Jn 17:3, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ who you have sent."
Cornelius didn't know that yet.
But prompted by his seeking heart, God sent Peter to tell him.
When Israel was enslaved in Egypt, God says in Exod 3:7: "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters.
I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them."
Isn't it good that God sees?
And comes down?
God responds to any heart dead set on finding Him.
II.
God Sent
So Peter introduces the gospel in an interesting way saying 36a) As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ."
What "word" does Peter mean?
Well, note, this "Word" was "sent" and
this "word came" "preaching".
This word acts.
This is a living Word.
The logos.
This is the word John wrote about: Jn 1:1: "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. . . .
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him."
Israel as a whole rejected that word.
But all who did believe in Him were made children of God.
That was the gospel to the Jews.
Same gospel to the Gentiles.
So God sent Jesus who was "preaching good news of peace thru JC."
He was preaching Himself!
Really?
Of course.
Jn 3:16: "Whoever believes in [me] has eternal life."
Peace with God.
Acceptance by the Father.
News doesn't get any gooder than that, does it?
But Peter also has in mind peace between Jew and Gentile.
That is the whole point of this meeting.
Prior there was no peace between Jew and Gentile.
But now - good news - there is peace through their common commitment to God's sent one - thru their common acceptance by God, they have peace with each other.
Eph 2:14a: "For he is our peace, who has made us both one."
Jesus has broken down the barriers that no one else could break down.
He is Lord of all - not just Jew - not just Gentile -- but all!
Peter goes on: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.
He 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 that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem."
Jesus of Nazareth here, his human identity.
Peter's clarifying that a real man - Jesus of Nazareth is the one God sent.
And rather than stress His fulfillment of OT prophecies, as he might with a Jewish audience, Peter moves right to His unprecedented life.
"This man healed sick people, cast out demons, did only good.
You can't deny God had His hand on Him.
He was not ordinary.
He was sent - by God.
In fact, He was God, come on a rescue mission to deliver all from sin."
A helicopter searching for 2 lost scientists spotted 2 men standing in a clearing A note was dropped: "If you are the lost geologists, go to the center of the clearing and wave."
The men read the note and turned and left.
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