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by Dr. Walter D. Huyck Jr., D.Min.D.R.S.
Know What You
Believe
What About The
Heathen?
There Was A Man
- Cornelius
Acts 10.1-6
[YouTube Video of Oprah’s Denial 2:40 Minutes]
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwGLNbiw1gk&feature=related]
[Oprah asks what many in our world are asking, and Christians
are failing to give a biblical answer to their question.
What is their question?]
[If there is someone
in the remote parts of
[Let us be clear about this question.
]
-
[First of all, we already know according to Scripture that there are no good
people. I preached on this issue
from the Word of God a few weeks ago.
Hear this message at:
http://www.thischristianjourney.com/GeneralPages/Outlines/Why_Do_Bad_Things_Happen.htm]
- [Secondly, this question is not so much about the goodness as people as it is about the knowability of the discoverability of God. Does every human being truly have access to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Can God be discovered by everybody. This is the question that will be addressed in this message.]
[God has made the
discovery of the truth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ available to every
human being through:]
[1. His inherent knowledge – Everyone knows that there is a God. Everyone responds to this knowledge in different ways. The inherent knowledge of God cause the pagans to create idols of their perception of God. The inherent knowledge of God causes those in our new age movement, as Oprah, to develop and declare false teaching about the discovery of God. Make no mistake about it, Oprah and those like her are experiencing something spiritual in nature, but what they experience is not God. For the inherent knowledge of God, God has said:]
[Romans 1:18-22
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known
of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed
it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal
power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful;
but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools,]
[Hence the question for many is not “is there a God?” But rather is, “How does one discover God?”]
[In our human rationalization we determine that everyone must have equal access to God, and we can only fathom this happening, mortally, through some kind of universal spiritual manifestation. Hence, the New Age Movement and what really is very much Pantheism which teaches that God is everywhere and in every thing and therefore God is in you and you have your own personal access to God.]
[The reasoning is something like this, if God is God then God will make Himself available to everyone all the time, therefore God must make himself mystically and spiritually available to everyone. The result, every man conjures up a God of their own and in reality becomes the creator and sustainer of their own God. Thinking they have discovered God, these false teachers turn every person into their own God, which is in reality no God at all.]
[They are become vain in their imaginations. Know this human being; you can not conjure up God in your mind. God is far greater than your imagination. Your noblest thought about God in an injustice toward God and is repulsive to God.]
[2. His supernatural
response – God has revealed that He has made Himself fully available to
every human being. God has said:
[2 Peter 3:9
9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance. ]
[Jesus Christ has declared:
[Luke 11:9-10
9
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth;
and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.]
[God wants you to
find Him, but you must search for Him, and only Him with all of you being.
God said:]
[Jeremiah 29:13
13
And ye shall seek me, and find
me, when ye shall search for me
with all your heart. ]
[God placed an inherent knowledge of Himself within every
human being. God wants you to
discover Him, accept Him, and walk with Him.
But God will only be discovered by those who will sincerely seek Him.]
·
[If you are willing to stop with your own
imagination then you will not find God]
·
[If you are willing to stop with the supposed
creation of your own God, then you have developed an idol, and you will not find
God]
·
[If you are hungering and thristing to know the
one true God and will not relent until you have found Him, then God has promise
that you will find him.
How will you find God?]
[1. His unrelenting
message – God will send the message of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
to you, so that you will hear the message, no mater where you are?
God has declared:]
[1 Corinthians 1:21 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. ]
[No less than twice in the Bible God sends His faithful
servants, born again Christians, to carry the Gospel to people who were seeking
God, but seemed hopelessly disconnected from the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Once to the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8.26-40) and then in the text before
us concerning Cornelius.]
A. There was a
man in
1.
Cornelius' Position (Acts 10.1-2,
6) [- There was a certain man in
Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian
band,
2
A devout
man, and one that feared God
with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
– Cornelius Was:]
[a. A man
of Authority (vs 1) - . . . a centurion
of the band called the Italian band. .
.]
[c. A man
of Faith (vs 2)- A devout
man, and one that feared God
with all his house, . . . , and prayed to God alway..]
[b. A man
of Wealth (vs 2) - Possessions; . . .
which gave much alms to the people . . .]
[d.
He was a man without hope (vs 6) - He was lost, He will tell thee what
thou ought to do.]
[Acts 10:6
6
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side:
he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.]
2.
God's Compassion (vs 3-6; Rom 5.8; John 3.16; 2 Pet 3.9; John
3.1-3; Jer 29.13) [-
3
He saw in a vision
evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and
saying unto him, Cornelius. 4
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And
he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine
alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5
And now send men to
Joppa, and call for one
Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He
lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side:
he shall tell thee what
thou oughtest to do.]
[a. God
loved Cornelius (Rom 5.8; John 3.16).]
[Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.]
[John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.]
[b. God
wanted to save Cornelius (2 Pet 3.9; John 3.1-3).]
[1) God
wants people to come to a saving knowledge of Him.
He will be patient that men might be saved.]
[2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but
is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.]
[2)
Nicodemus was a devout, Godly man that sincerely sought after God and God wanted
him to be born-again as well (John 3.1-3).]
[John 3:1-3
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that
thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou
doest, except God be with him.
3Jesus answered
and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.]
[c. God
Responded to Cornelius' plea (vs 5-6; Jer 29.13)]
[1) God
said send (vs 5)]
[2) Call
for the messenger (vs 5)]
[3) Listen
and do his Gospel (vs 6)]
[Jeremiah
29:13 And ye shall seek me, and
find me, when ye shall search
for me with all your heart.]
3.
Cornelius' Submission (vs 4, 7-8)
[Acts 10:4
4
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said,
What is it, Lord?
And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial
before God. ]
[Acts 10:7-8 7 And when the
angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household
servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
8 And when he had declared all
these things unto them,
he sent them to Joppa.
]
[a. He
could have said, "Not now Lord . . ." ]
[b. He
could have said, "I've done enough already . . ."]
[c. He
could have said, "My way or the highway . . ."]
[1 Samuel
15:23 For rebellion
is as the sin of witchcraft,
and stubbornness is as iniquity
and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord,
he hath also rejected thee from being
king.]
[d.
Instead he said, "I'll go your way
Lord." - Men were sent (vs 7-8).]
B. There was a
man in Joppa (vs 9-20) - Simon Peter, God's chosen man.
1.
Peter’s Predisposition (vs 9-11)
[-
9
On the morrow, as they
went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the
housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10 And he became very hungry, and would
have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain
vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four
corners, and let down to the earth: ]
[a. He was
Born-again, and sold-out to Jesus Christ.]
[b. He
carried a burden for lost souls, He would sacrifice himself for the lost.]
[c. He was
the God ordained leader of the early Church.]
2.
Peter’s Prejudice (vs 12-15)
[- 12
Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild
beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise,
Peter; kill, and eat.
14
But Peter said,
Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice
spake unto him again the second
time, What God hath cleansed, that
call not thou common. Even God’s people, born again Christians, carry
prejudices that our adversary uses to hinder the work of God.
Born again Christians need to be much in prayer, in personal spiritual
communion with God, diligently given to His written Word (the Bible) and His
living Word (The Lord Jesus Christ) so that we will yield our prejudices and
wills to the will of God for the sake of lost souls throughout this mortal
world.]
[a. He had
tunnel vision - He narrowly thought the Gospel was only for His people the Jews.
God had to broaden Peters spiritual horizons so that he would carry the
gospel to the Gentiles. This was
something that Peter wrestled with throughout his life and ministry.]
[We know that Peter struggled with his prejudices
because the apostle Paul sternly corrected Peter for ceasing to fellowship with
the Gentile believers in Antioch when he was confront with some of his Jewish
fellow citizens (Gal 2.11-15). The
point is that we will wrestle with our human prejudices as we endeavor to serve
our Lord in his Kingdom, but serving God is our priority.]
[b.
Not so Lord . . .
(vs 14) As God was preparing Peter, Peter wrestled with God will and direction.
Yet Peter was teachable and surrendered to God’s will.
We often say not so Lord:]
[1. God says sex out of wedlock is sin, our culture
says, "Not so Lord . . . "
[2. Through the Holy Spirit God says, "Go visit so and
so" We reply, "Not So Lord."]
3.
Peter's Preparation (vs 16-20) [–
16
This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
17
Now while Peter
doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the
men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood
before the gate, 18 And
called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
19 While Peter thought on the
vision,
the Spirit said unto
him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20
Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing:
for I have sent them.]
[a.
God dealt with him personally - He
showed him is prejudice. Peter was
not nearly as quick as Cornelius to submit, God had to show him three times.]
[b.
God dealt with him directly - There
were three men standing at the door.]
[c.
God dealt with him providentially (vs
19-20) - God said, go with them for I have sent them.]
4.
Peter’s Presentation (vs 23-24;
37-40) [- Acts 10:23-24
23 Then called he them in, and lodged
them. And on the morrow Peter
went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the morrow after they entered
into
[Acts 10:37-40
37
That word, I say, ye
know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after
the baptism which John preached; 38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who
went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of 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 slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; ]
[a. He
preached the Gospel.]
C. There were
people in the House - Responding To God.
1.
They Heard the Word of God (vs
44) [- 44
While Peter yet spake these words, the
Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word.
– Cornelius and those who were gathered in his house were saved that day because
they were willing to:]
a.
[Seek the one true God.
Not some imagination of God.
Not some rationalization about God.
They fully realized that God was far greater than their mortal imagination or
philosophical rationalization. They
knew they needed God and that they must find Him God’s way, not their way.
Hence, God sent Peter to Cornelius and God sends preachers and
missionaries in our world.]
b. [Surrender
to the revelation of God – When they heard to gospel of the Lord Jesus,
understood its supernatural support through the witnesses resurrection of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and realize its spiritual strengthen by the touch of the Holy
Spirit of God, they surrendered to the message of God and accepted the Lord
Jesus Christ.]
2.
They Heeded the Word of God
(vs 43-46; Rev 3.20; Eph 1.13) [-
They Received God's Love Gift
-
43 To him give all the prophets
witness,
that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44
While Peter yet spake these words, the
Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which
believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the
Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with
tongues, and magnify God.]
[Ephes. 1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also
after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ]
a.
[To be sealed with the Holy Spirit is not the same as to be filled with the Holy
Spirit.]
3. They
Honored the Word of God (vs 47-48)
[- They were Baptized in Obedience -
47 Can any man forbid water, that
these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be
baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. –
So the question has been asked, “How can the pagan, lost in the remote areas
of
a. [If
they will seek the one true God with all of their heart, and refuse every vain
imagination of God. God promises if
you will seek me, you will find me.
Seek the one true God and you will find the Lord Jesus Christ.]
b. [When God sends His messenger carrying His Word and
reveals Himself to you, then surrender to Him with all of your being.]
