The Drama of Change

His name was that mean everything that is associated with his words and his words, Jesus Christ.

Jesus, yes you what it means Savior Christophe Christ, the anointed one. Literally, the Messiah, God, and last, why did he come because mankind needed to the test to the reality of his name. That is why he's common place their faith in his name along God. There are two words that never go together.

The word no and the word Lord Jesus is truly Lord our answer to him is always yes Lord thanks for joining us today here on wisdom for the heart. Today we begin a series from our vintage wisdom library entitled the gospel spreads. It comes from the book of acts as we see the early church begin to expand our Bible teacher, Stephen Devi is calling the lesson you're about to hear the drama of change here, Stephen. With today's I think you can subtitle the Christian life drama that we could call change that the apostle Paul wrote that those of you who are in Christ you're seeing all the old things continually passing away, and all the new things continually becoming new that is continually being revealed to you and you adapt and you Mauldin you changes to the director of the play, the drama, our father, son and Holy Spirit. The middle name of the Christian is change. I think you probably considered it as dramatic as I did watch the news clippings of the Berlin wall come tumbling down when that exciting that wallets since 1960, some 30 years that I went tumbling to the ground. What were going to observe in the 10th chapter of acts is a wall come crumbling down. That has stood for thousand of years. Incredible changes that that are that are hard for us to grasp on this side of history, but will do our best to try to understand something of what it meant.

In this drama that unfolds before us, and I divided it into four scenes, but the first scene then takes place in the home of a Gentile seeker chapter 10 of acts is where we left off in verse one that it was a certain man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort. Cornelius was a devout man and one who feared God with all his household and gave many arms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually. Now you need to understand as we enter up for the first time that Cornelius is not a Christian is living under that Old Testament economy is a Gentile who was pursuing the Jewish religion. The Bible refers to these as God hearers and so you hear the text or you read the text. One who feared God, that means they didn't put away their pagan idolatry and began to worship as it were in the best way they could build the one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These Gentiles did not go through the rite of circumcision ended and follow all of the rules and prescriptions of the Old Testament dietary laws, but for the most part, these people saw the bankruptcy of idolatry and they sort of followed and mimicked the Jews of that day they would be known as Gentile God hearers.

But at this point in Cornelius's life is not a believer. He doesn't know what Peter will deliver to him later than Jesus Christ redeems people Jesus Christ forgives sins but is as close as you can get it become like a fella today in church is moral outstanding spiritually minded, in that he knows there's a God. He knows there is a system of truth and would have great respect for this book by has never come to a point in his life when he is said, Lord Jesus, I can offer you anything but sin. I want to be my Savior.

Have you ever done that don't have to do that once to be born again.

According to the Scriptures. Wealth he has not done that yet he will in a few verses of Scripture. But I want you to know that now verse three about the ninth hour of the day clearly saw the vision, an angel of God was just coming to him. I can't slow down sorry and so don't Cornelius and fixing his gaze upon them and being much alarm. He said what is it, Lord literally what is it sir and he said to them, your prayers and aunt have ascended as a memorial before God. In other words, the because Cornelius was barred from the temple system of sacrifices as they offered their sacrifices as memorials to God. God said, in effect, I have taken note of your almsgiving and your praying they have come up before me. As memorials, verse five, and now dispatch the men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon who was also called Peter, for he is staying with a certain Tanner named Simon his house by the seed when the angel was speaking in the departed, he summoned to the servants and a devout soldier. Those were in constant attendance upon him after he explained everything to them. He sent them to Joppa now is a there's a rather swift scene change from Caesarea and this vision to Joppa now seem to takes place on a rooftop with a Jew named Simon Peter verse nine and on the next day as they were on their way and approaching the city. Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray and he became hungry and was desiring to eat while they were making preparations. He fell into a trance and he beheld the sky opened up in a certain object like a great sheet coming down lowered by four corners to the ground and there were in all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth, and the birds of the air and a voice came to him, arise, Peter kill and eat.

Now remember Jewish people in the nonkosher food or certain animals that are considered unclean, certain animals that are considered clean and Peter being the Orthodox Jew that he wises will learn later, he is never eaten any of that unclean stuff he has never had a pork chop sausage or barbecue or ham sandwich. Many of the fact he like the Jewish people around him refused to purchase meat from a a Gentile butcher if they went to the shop and a Gentile sold them all, or Peter's wife a utensil to be used in the in the kitchen they would take that helmet before employing it in the service of the kitchen, they would ceremonially cleanse it because it was considered unclean at the touch Gentile hands so this is the kind of person you're talking to it. It's hard for us to imagine not only thousands of years, but for Peter's life.

He has been reared in Desi been taught that Aziz has believed that he has lived it, and now suddenly change the most dramatic change. You can imagine now is already flexing a little bit if you look back over chapter 9 verse 43 tells us that after the services. There when he first arrived he came about that. He stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Tanner named Simon and that's significant because tanners were considered unclean W Jewish man but getting with all kinds of ceremonial cleansing and they live by the sea with there's plenty of water. He dealt with dead animals skin them, but he evidently was a believer evidently a member of the church in Joplin.

So after some service, Peter. Maybe the noise in the stallion and and this man Simon comes up and he says hey Peter want to stay with me.

I got room now what you do to say to Satan would be the potentially offend this brother who is an occupation that Peter would consider an tasteful or distasteful to say yes home. What if one of my friends find out you mind trouble with with people with maybe the Lord will I don't know but I do know that he went made the right decision and see God is preparing him by making this change this. This flex for something much bigger and this is the biggest thing you can imagine, here comes this sheet in the form of the vision and Doug tells the press angels are bearing the four corners and all the weight of those animals and are all intermingled or mixed clean and unclean and just for the sake of of understanding for us.

Most of us Gentiles.

You can imagine right in the middle of that sheet is a big fat pink pig right there and the word comes arise, Peter kill and eat.

And Peter said verse 14 by Lord, for I have never eaten anything on holy and unclean love that response Peter I want you to set aside everything you've learned about eating satisfy the teachings of Moses. Would you ever veered what your nation, follows something new about the Christian experience or something you know about the Christian life you can you can eat that and Peter said by means Lord in our vernacular, it would mean a large, not me. Never did you realize that Peter is using contradicting terminology knows verse 14 again, but Peter said, by no means Lord has it occurred to you that you cannot say no and Lord in the same sentence. Verse 15 again a voice came from the second time Peter this case you thought you heard wrong when God is cleansed no longer consider unholy.

In other words, I I have begun Peter in your Peter I've said it's going to come to an understanding that I'm bigger than you are. I am God. What I have called holy don't you call unholy and I love the fact Peter's a rather slow learner.

Verse 16. It is happened three times because the demonstration three times. Here comes again and I wish we could have that the progression of his answer to the Lord because the first one were given no larger. I've never read that stuff in my life. Here comes again.

No third time here comes arise, Peter kill any maybe were just like this are we seeing three unfolds in the living room of Simon the tanner verse 17 I will Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be the whole, the men would been sent by Cornelius having us direction for Simon's house appeared again, this is perfect timing and that you to see this play, unfolding and calling out they were asking whether Simon was also called Peter was staying there while Peter was reflecting on the vision. The spirit said on the whole three men are looking for you, but arise, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I've sent them myself. Peter went down to the men said, behold, I'm the one you're looking for. What is the reason for which you come and they said will Cornelius the centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.

That's the message of salvation. He wants you to come and explain how it all works, and so we invited them in. This tells us and gave them lodging. Here's another step.

By the way, in the right direction for Peter. He invites the Gentiles into his home. These unbelievers so Peter set aside the Jewish restriction of associating with a Gentile and they sit at the table. I talk perhaps even needs they recline maybe till late into the evening and they talk. Now the final scene takes place in the estate of a Roman centurion verse 23. The latter part and on the next day he arose, and went away with him and some of the brethren from Joppa accompany them in on the following day under Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends in other words, the house was packed and when it came about that Peter entered.

Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and worshiped, but Peter raised them up saying stand out like to just a man as he talked with him. He entered and found many people assemble and he said to them, you yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man was a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him. I love the way starts a speech I'm not supposed to be here.

It's unlawful for a Jew to associate with a Gentile and may not be comfortable. The critical word is yet or but but God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

You see, that's is really more to do with with people than it does food.

It will involve food, but the application down the mind of Peter as he arrives at the correct application is that God is talking about people Gentile is not unholy because is a Gentile and is in fact if he's a believer. He is as holy as a Jewish believer. That's the point that is now beginning to settle in and to the mind of Peter Aziz as he is talking to them. Verse 29. That is why came without even raising any objection when I sent so I asked for right reason. Now you have sent for me.

In other words, Peter still doesn't know why he's there, he's there on the basis of knowing that God would not have them show partiality to this race but he doesn't know what Cornelius needs and I love that about Peter because earlier. He was saying large and now he would not even understanding why is in the home of Cornelius Gentile obedience without understanding is one of the prerequisites for changing the image of Christ. Will Cornelius fills them in verse 34 days ago to this hour is praying in my house during the ninth hour whole. The man stood before me in shining garments and he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard in your arms have been remembered before God.

Send therefore to Joppa and invite Simon, who was also called Peter to come to you. He is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea, so I sent to you immediately and you've been kind enough to come now that we are all here present before God to hear all that you've been commanded by the Lord.

In other words, you got the floor.

Peter taken away and opening his mouth. Peter said I most certainly understand now to catch that.

Now I know I understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is welcome to him. The word which he sent to the sons of Israel. The Jews preaching peace through Jesus Christ and I love this. He is Lord of all.

That's a sort of a parenthesis and in the message Peter is declaring to them something. This is a personal testimony I say Lord earlier I'm saying no way but now here and unable to tell you all, he is Lord of all, you say that he is my Lord, what a liberating thing to be able to declare yourselves, he says in verse 37 of the thing which took place throughout all Judea starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed you know of Jesus of Nazareth. I got anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with and we are witnesses of all the things that he did both in the land of the Jews in Jerusalem.

They also put them to death by hanging on a cross.

God raised him up on the third day, and granted that he should become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before hand by God.

That is to us.

That is, the apostles who ate and drank with him after he arose from the dead, and he ordered us to preach to the people in the solidly testify that this is the one who is been appointed by God as judge of the living and in the dead now. He says you know all about all that remain part about all that when I here's the here's the verdict here's the new message verse 43.

Here is to the representative of the Gentile nation. The message is formally introduced the gospel on him all the prophets bear witness that through his name. Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sin that is astounding.

Truth to them through his name. What is that mean everything that is associated with his words and his works.

He gave them his name earlier in the text Jesus Christ. The aces yes you what it means Savior Christophe Christ, the anointed one. Literally, the Messiah, God, and the lash, why did he come because mankind needed to be saying in those who attest to the reality of his name.

That is why he's common who he is and place their faith in his name alone can have this piece that he's talking about here. Forgiveness of sin. While it then tell us somewhere between verse 43 in verse 44 everybody that home invited Christ to forgive their sin. They placed their faith in his name. How do we know that will verse 44 will Peter still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message that all the circumcised believers as the Jewish believers would come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit been poured out upon the Gentiles. Also, you see the significance we Marty study the four manifestations of the Holy Spirit when it talks with the Holy Spirit falling and happened it Pentecost when the spirit came in this manifestation to the Samaritans.

The half breeds so that they knew.

By accepting Christ as their Savior, they would also experience the sign gift to the rest of the world that something new was being established, and now we have the same thing as Cornelius represents the Gentile peoples of the world as they believe the spirit falls, as it were manifested to them representing the fact that they are no less a believer. They have no less of the Holy Spirit, then the Samaritans and the Jewish nation at Pentecost, Peter says in verse 47.

Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptize you receive the Holy Spirit just as we did Kenny and he ordered them to be baptized that could so my to be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ. That was the public declaration of what it already happened inwardly and they asked him to stay on for a few days, which is kinda nice for preacher be asked to stay after his first sermon for a few days. They must've had some wonderful fellowship is now this thing began to develop among the Gentiles. Let me give you some things quickly, a church movement, a movement of the Holy Spirit began among the Gentiles in Caesarea because of three things. Number one, Peter was willing to change something ancient, you need to understand the distinction in your own life.

I can give you the answers, but I could just warning you need to know the distinction in your personal life between needed change and or versus fleshly compromise. Don't ever use as an excuse for carnality. Wow. That's the old way of living on Christians today lack distinction in our lifestyles and we use this perhaps is an illustration or an example. Or perhaps a defense. You need to think through the difference between an needed change and just something you want to do by means of your own flesh. Second, you need to understand the difference between tradition and traditionalism traditions are not bad thing. In fact, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. Stand firm and a holdfast to the traditions which you have received from me, but traditionalism is just hanging on to something because Lester is the way we've always done it to kill a church not to rob people of joy well in in this chapter Peter was willing to change something ancient for something new and that the second thing and the reason we have this movement taking place in this Gentile world is because Peter was willing to embrace someone different. Can you hear the Tim in this in Peter's voice. I can hear it. I can see his knees knocking in verse 28. But back there.

It is unlawful. As he begins his speech there surrounded by relatives and friends on the estate of this of this prominent leader Gentile is a is a Roman soldier in areas in the middle of all, and he started out by saying is unlawful for a man was a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit them. In other words, I'm not supposed to be here and if any of my friends could see me now. They would they would have a kosher connection or something. They would have trouble with with what I'm doing.

Why did he do it would made willing because God was explaining to him as he began to understand the truth of that vision. And then what he would explain to them is that redemption in Jesus Christ should do away with those kinds of walls and prejudices and if you have trouble with somebody because her different color or different educational background or different social standard need to live. In chapter 10 God can change your heart. Somebody once put it this way: I like this.

The only thing that can destroy an old prejudice is a new love that good Peter was infused with a love for Jesus Christ and somewhere back on that rooftop. He changed not so, Lord to Lord in a fresh new way and gave him the love that he needed to have for people that he wasn't used to being around third.

The reason there's a movement taking place here is because Peter was willing to defend something new and I've given those three points in the progression which they appear.

First Peter is willing to change something ancient and in Peter is willing to embrace one different now. He is willing to defend something new.

In fact, if you just skip ahead to the next chapter verse two.

A promise is read the whole chapter does verse two. Look at that here comes.

You know you knew this could happen when Peter came back to Jerusalem. Those who are circumcised, that is always Jewish friends, believers.

They took issue with him, saying, you went to uncircumcised men and ate with them. You just seal what in the world got into you, Peter. We want an explanation. Study it later.

Peter takes time in a chapter to explain the grace of God puts everyone on equal standing. The ground at the foot of the cross is a level and this is what he was reading or teaching them that we read this morning will will Peter was changing by virtue of the submission to the Lord. Over the years into you find him now leading the most dramatic change known to his world. No more difference between a Gentile and a Jew. How can you be ready to get on the on the path to being prepared for changes like that of the future by embracing changes now for some it may take 10 or 20 years to see some of those walls crumble. Some may come easier, but you think about putting off the old man and putting on the new man. That's a change in lifestyle being transformed by the renewing of your mind that's a change in thinking, developing the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, gentleness, long serving as a change in personality developing a life that seeks to worship in pursuit of God to Newhart to get involved in the drama of the Christian life.

Who knows ladies and gentlemen, maybe because you're willing to change and I'm willing to change that God might start a movement in the household or maybe a business, a family. Maybe an entire nation that God wants to bring. I hope so I hope this time in God's word has encouraged you. Toward that end, if you joined us late youth tuned into wisdom for the hearts. This is the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey. This was lesson number one in a series entitled the gospel spreads a series Stephen first taught back in 1997. It comes from the book of acts, and will continue bringing you the rest of the series. In the days ahead. In the meantime, we'd enjoy hearing from you if you'd like to send Stephen a card, letter or note of encouragement. Please address your correspondence to wisdom for the hearts. PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627 if you prefer to correspond by email. Our address is info@wisdomonline.org that's info@wisdomonline.org.

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