The Good News of Peace with God
Easter 2005
Michael Green writes the truth when he says:
"Christianity does not hold the resurrection to be one among many tenets of belief. Without faith in the resurrection--there would be no Christianity at all. The Jesus Movement would have fizzled out like a damp firecracker--if he had not conquered death."
As Martin Luther once wrote, "The gospel does not explain the resurrection. The resurrection explains why we have the gospels." As C. S. Lewis reminds us, the resurrection was the foundation of every sermon in the book of Acts.
(-- From a sermon by Eric Ritz)
That includes this one from Acts 10.
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Read Acts 10:23-24:
Ac 10:23 The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.
Ac 10:24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
Peter is walking to meet the gentile, Cornelius, and proclaim to him the Gospel. We can imagine how Peter had to rethink some of the foundations of his Jewish faith during the long walk up the coast to Caesarea. What would he say to this heathen army officer, this Roman Centurion, who was ruthlessly occupying his country? He and the others with him were Jews – Messianic Jews to be sure, believers in the Messiah Jesus – but still Jews. And Jews were taught to have no contact with Gentiles.
When he and the group arrived, Cornelius had already gathered "his relatives and close friends."
Read Acts 10:24-25:
Ac 10:25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.
Ac 10:26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
The army Captain tried to fall at Peter’s feet to offer him humble worship. But Peter had to explain (as Paul will later in 14:15) that he was not God, only a servant of God’s good news. How ready Cornelius was to hear the Good News Peter had for him! And how believing in what God’s voice had spoken to him!
Read Acts 10:27-29:
Ac 10:27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.
Ac 10:28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
Ac 10:29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
Inside the house there was “a large gathering of people.”
It was more than a few family members and friends (10:24). What a turnout met Peter and the other believers.
Peter began by explaining that, though Jewish traditions did not allow him to associate with a person from another religious background, it was God who had showed him the day before that no person was to be called impure or unclean.
The vision was of a sheet lowered from heaven in which are various kinds of animals, some clean and some of which are unclean according to Jewish law. Mixing the “clean” with the “unclean” animals would have rendered all the animals “unclean” in his mind. So Peter refused to kill and eat any of them.
“No, Lord; I’ve never eaten anything that was unclean or impure. It’s ungodly, don’t you know?” (cf. v. 14).
And God replies, “Peter, I say it is OK!! Three times I say it is OK. Is that good enough for you?” And Peter does get the message, even as Cornelius’ envoys arrive at Peter’s door.
Which brings us to ask the question: Are there people we consider unclean and impure? People we don’t associate with? There are aren’t there?
Maybe they have aids; maybe they are Muslim; maybe have a different skin color and live in a poor and high crime area; maybe they their culture and tastes and music and age is very different than mine and I don’t like it. Maybe they are rich and lawyers, or even worse… politicians! Or radical liberals, or rabid conservatives.
It was a pleasure and an education to walk for two hours on Good Friday through the Hamilton Hill neighborhood with some 100 or more fellow Christians. We walked the Stations of the Cross and sang hymns and songs to God’s glory. And we saw up-close the needs and humanity of the Hill. There are no unclean and impure people to our God.
If we consider them “untouchable” then how will we ever get close enough to them to share the gospel with them? Yes, we must be careful that we influence them more for Christ than they influence us. But that is why we have the Body of Christ; to be with us and pray for us and keep us from going astray alone.
God calls us to go out and risk ourselves for the sake of the Gospel. And Christ will go with us. Amen?
Read Acts 10:30-33:
Ac 10:30 Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me
Ac 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.
Ac 10:32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’
Ac 10:33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
Cornelius tells Peter of the visit of the angel, the assurance that God had heard his prayers, and the clear instructions about calling Simon Peter, who had kindly accepted his invitation. His heart was so strongly for God. And God clearly spoke to Cornelius. And when He did, Cornelius acted right away. When God speaks, it is most wise to obey immediately! That is one way to insure we will hear Him speak again.
He and the large group were gathered "in the presence of God" to hear Peter’s commands (a word that means “military orders”).
Never has a preacher had a more attentive audience than did Simon Peter that day at Caesarea.
Would that every audience was as eager to hear the Gospel as this one was… though I’m not complaining, you understand.
Read Acts 10:34-35:
Ac 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism
Ac 10:35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
The threefold vision, and the astonishing timing of events had convinced Peter that God makes no distinction among nations.
There were already hints of this in the law of Moses, as in Genesis 12:3, which speaks of all nations being blessed through Abraham. "The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” (Deuteronomy 10:17-18).
The phrase, God “accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right,” reminds us, too, that God goes ahead of us to prepare the way for the Gospel. Like Cornelius, there are no doubt an untold number of people around the globe who are not far from the Kingdom. These people love and fear God and sincerely do what is right in God’s eyes. Like Cornelius, they are lacking the final step of the way to God, which is the fullness of eternal life through Jesus Christ. But they are near to the Kingdom – they just need to meet the King! These people may be in any of the religions, or in no formal religion. They may be closer to the Kingdom than some in the churches whose heart is far from God and are living in disobedience.
Be careful that you do not misunderstand. These people, like Cornelius, need to hear about Christ and come into living relationship with him. But they are not far from the Kingdom. That is why we have to listen hard for God to tell us where to go to reap the harvest of souls already prepared for Him. Listen and He will guide us.
Read Acts 10:36-38:
Ac 10:36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Ac 10:37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—
Ac 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Here Peter assumes that Cornelius and his family and friends already know something of the good news that was preached by Jesus, the Messiah. It was only a few years before these events occurred.
We don’t know how long Peter actually preached, but he would make sure the basics were covered.
He pointed out that what Jesus did was by the Holy Spirit who empowered him to free people from satanic possession. Note that connection between the devil and sickness: Jesus “went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil.” This is a short summary statement, and we cannot build a whole doctrine on it, but clearly Peter thinks that behind most disease and sicknesses is the devil. God is not the one who sends sickness!! God will use all things and turn them around for good. But Jesus came to heal and make whole and destroy the works of the devil! Amen?
Be careful how you think and counsel regarding disease. Sin, death and sickness came with the Fall at the prodding of the devil. It is not God’s will, and in the new heavens and earth there will be no more sickness or death. Hallelujah.
Read Acts 10:39-43:
Ac 10:39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,
Ac 10:40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.
Ac 10:41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
Ac 10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
Ac 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Peter tells them he was a personal witness of all that Jesus did, and how he was crucified. As in his previous preaching, Peter stressed the resurrection appearances, and the fact that in his resurrection body, Jesus ate and drank with his disciples (Luke 24:41-43, John 21:9-13).
Turn to 1 Corinthians 15. There Paul records the resurrection appearances of Christ.
Read 1 Cor. 15:3-8:
1Co 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
1Co 15:5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
1Co 15:6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
1Co 15:8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
These were all eyewitnesses. And let me tell you… I cannot believe that if this were all some kind of conspiracy like that alleged in novel The DaVinci Code, or anywhere else, that Christ did not really die and lived on in secret, that someone along the line would have spilled the beans!
All the Apostles except John (who was exiled on Patmos and died of old age) were executed horribly for their faith. Yet not one them ever said, “Wait, it is all a fraud, I’ll tell you the truth – just don’t kill me.” It never happened.
They gave their lives for the truth of the Gospel. If you just step back a moment and consider that the only thing that changed a group of frightened and broken disciples into a world defying and world changing force was the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing else would be strong enough to do it. It is their own testimony as to what did do it. It took them from hiding behind closed doors afraid of persecution to challenging the same authorities that crucified Jesus, “come on and do your worst!”
I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Read Acts 10:44-48:
Ac 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
Ac 10:45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
Ac 10:46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said,
Ac 10:47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”
Ac 10:48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
A wonderful new thing has occurred here. Now a congregation of the Spirit suddenly begins to function among Greek speaking, Roman believers in Caesarea. Peter and the other disciples had to be here to witness this new thing God was doing. It was the momentous step of baptizing them that would enable Paul to establish churches of the Spirit in cities all the way to present-day Croatia (Romans 15:19).
Here among these uncircumcised, non-Jewish believers God formed them into a congregation of the Spirit first, and that astonished the Greek speaking Jewish believers from the church in Joppa. There were all the evidences of the gifts of the Spirit being poured out among them.
And note that the gift of tongues was given. It is a good gift, highly to be desired. It should never be a divisive thing. It is to bring glory to God and help in so many ways in the ministry of the Spirit. Always be ready to receive all that the Spirit wants to give you.
Peter saw that the Spirit was poured out among them, and he then took the decisive step of opening the doors of the Kingdom by baptizing this group of non-Jewish men and women. From the fact that Peter agreed to stay with them several days, we can imagine that after their baptism Peter was delighted to be able to "open their minds to understand the Scriptures," just as Jesus did to the Apostles in Luke 24:45.
To summarize his preaching, Peter presented Jesus as the peace of God, the power of God, the presence of God, and the pardon of God.
Peter presented Jesus as the peace of God. Peter said, "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all" (10:36). Humanity is estranged from God. Jesus is the One who brings us back together and restores peace between us.
Peter presented Jesus as the power of God. Peter declared about Jesus, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power" (10:38). Humans need more than peace with God. They need power to live out their lives. That power is available in Christ Jesus.
He presented Jesus as the presence of God. Peter explained the special presence of God in Jesus’ life when he declared, "God was with Him" (10:38). Jesus was more than a messenger from God. He was more than a prophet of God. He was God Himself, incarnate in human flesh, and dwelling among men. John in his gospel says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14).
Peter presented Jesus as the pardon of God. Peter said, "everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (10:43). For all of his goodness and in his moments of clearest insight, Cornelius was aware of the dark shadow of sin in his life. He knew he needed to be forgiven. He needed to be pardoned from his past. That forgiveness was made possible through Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the peace of God, the power of God, the presence of God, and the pardon of God.
Jesus was resurrected in time and space by the supernatural power of God. By conquering death, Jesus proved He was who He claimed to be. This becomes the major reason why we should believe the Christian view of heaven and hell over Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other religion.
A pastor was talking to a group of young people about the high cost of dying. "People today waste thousands of dollars on coffins and monuments," he said. "Jesus was so unconcerned by His death that He had to use a borrowed tomb."
Leave it to our youth to get to the bottom line and put things in perspective. A teen-ager raised her hand and said, "But Jesus only needed it for three days." (Joyful Noiseletter, 4/2001, p. 2, The Lord’s Laughter. Contributed by Dr. John Bardsley)
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Jesus is the peace of God, the power of God, the presence of God, and the pardon of God.
Being born again by faith in the risen Christ means we stop trying to live our lives without God, and begin putting our faith and trust in Jesus. As a Christian, our goal each day should be to become more like Jesus-in our attitude, our behavior, and how we treat others. As we grow in this relationship with Jesus, He will fill more and more of our lives!
Being "born again" also means that we become part of God’s family. God adopts us as His children, but He also expects us to live as His children ought to live (John 1:12).
The Holy Spirit changes our thinking as we study the Bible, think deeply about how it applies to our daily lives, and do what it says. God doesn’t want us to follow the pattern of behavior of those around us in the world, and even at times those at church. We must radically change the way we think; develop a new attitude about life from the inside--then live it out. Christians refuse to conform to the world because our loyalty to God is more important to us than any other allegiance we may have. We love and revere God more than anything else.
CONCL. This morning if you’re here outside of Jesus Christ, we want you to know that Jesus went to the cross & died for you. He shed his blood for you. And His death and His burial and His resurrection are the Good News that we have to share with you. Come to Him today.
We don’t want to keep it to ourselves. We want to share it with others and we want you to know that even in this moment you can be saved from you sin & you can begin to walk in a new life that you have in Jesus Christ.
We offer you that opportunity as we extend the Lord’s invitation.
Today is the day of salvation. This is the day the Lord has made!
Let us pray. (A sinner’s prayer.)
References: The Book of Acts, by Robert Brow
Living Expectantly: Acts, by Brian L. Harbour
