John Samson Makes a Royal Announcement and Acts 10 on Today's Dividing Line

Welcome to the dividing line. My name is pastor john sampson from king's church in phoenix. It's a delight to be a guest host here on the dividing line. And we've got a quick update regarding james's ministry in south africa.

Please be praying for him richard. What is the latest?

Okay, so, uh, we've been given a uh, put up a nice fancy graphic there for everybody to see and we've been given a current uh. List of his uh itinerary here and I sure hope that I pronounce everything properly but uh friday october 3rd.

Uh, he will be speaking. Uh, well, he'll be debating basher varnia. Uh, the title will be jesus or saint paul who is the true founder of christianity? And uh many uh muslims that is a a big uh. Talking point and that is going to be at the shannon islam hall in lanasia 1821 south africa um argon Crescent and good crescent opposite rose park at 7 p .m.

All right, and then saturday october 4th will be the big biblical worldview conference. The topic will be why can we trust our new testament james? White with tim cantrell and that's going to be at the santan bible church 15 leslie avenue santan douglas dale south africa 15 leslie avenue santan 2191.

And that's going to go from 8 to 9. That evening so well, no, no, no my bad. That's a conference 8 a .m To 9 p .m. So that's gonna be a very long day a lot of work going on there. And then uh sunday october 5th, he will be at the antioch bible church and uh, the session will be on roman catholicism uh, that will be at the knights preparatory school corner of Norena street and alexander street randberg and that's going to start at 8 a .m and then uh.

He'll be at the heritage baptist church 25 5th street on the corner of 5th and 7th in melview johannesburg at 7 p .m that evening and then tuesday october 7th, uh. Reading each it's going to be a debate reading each other's scriptures a christian muslim debate Christology in john's gospel and the quranic position on the bible and uh, james will be debating yusuf ismail and then uh.

That's going to be. Oh kind of to make sense here's juma masjid mosque corner of dennis hurley old gray street and Dr. Yusuf dadu old queen street durban south africa. And that's going to be a big one because here we go again with another mosque opening up the mosque amazing.

Amazing opportunity absolutely amazing amazing situation there and then uh Wednesday october 8th, uh, he will be debating. Um Ayub kareem crucifixion and resurrection factor fiction. And that will be at the david landau community hall five crocus road asherville fazulu natal in south africa and that is the uh.

That is the itinerary as of this moment and uh, he will literally be leaving durban. Uh that friday morning flying over to johannesburg airport and then flying straight back to phoenix from there goodness me.

So, um, you know, he's as you can see. He's got a long trip as it is and it's uh 32 hours plus the I think that's another hour and a half on top of that is he flying right now. I know he arrived in yes.

He's uh, he arrived in heathrow. I think he's probably now in the air. Yeah, and uh should be on his way to uh, johannesburg. Very good.

So everybody be praying will all of this be posted on the aomin blog or it. That's what I just read from. Okay.

That is now on the blog and you saw the the very uh, pretty graphic that hasim king of graphics just made for us. Fantastic for this and uh, that was very nice. And um so just uh, you'll see that on the uh on the website.

Just follow the link in there and it's going to take you right to the uh to the uh Calendar there and I will later today be updating dr White's online calendar, which is down at the bottom, which i've been very uh neglectful over as of late.

So i'll be getting that. Okay, very very good. Everyone be praying for uh, dr white's health as well as clarity. In and in all of these amazing opportunities god will draw His elect people out of every corner of the earth and every people group and we're committed to that because scripture is.

So, uh, that's very very exciting. Thanks for sharing all that and um wonderful Wonderful news that is and it's amazing amazing opportunity. Regular viewers and listeners to the dividing line show will remember that on the last broadcast in the last couple of minutes dr. White asked people to Join my esv only movement.

Out of sympathy because up until then I had no membership. Uh, clearly he was moved with compassion. However I am very pleased to announce that this has all been changed. Yes I reeled in the big one and uh with that in mind there is actually on the dividing line show today a royal Yes a royal Announcement on this the 30th day of september 2014 here on dr. James white's dividing lane show.

I would like to make two important announcements. I am pleased to announce myself as a founding member of the esv only movement although pastor samson is now an american citizen his efforts in spreading the English accent has been duly noted.

My husband and I so appreciate his leadership in pointing to the English standard version as the only Legitimate god-inspired version to be used. Hey, I haven't finished my announcement. Keep going. Keep going people.

Keep going. Keep going as the only Legitimate god-inspired version to be used in all the colonies and beyond. Which leads me to my second major announcement the sixth solar of the reformation solar esv tickets.

By the english standard version alone may god be pleased to use the esv for the furtherance of the kingdom of god and the Official language of heaven the queen's english. And may all dividing line viewers and listeners one day hear with their own ears the immortal words of our lord well done well done good and faithful servant.

Wow. That was that was an amazing Announcement, of course only the queen her majesty the queen could With her official title as head of the church of england defender of the faith Make such an announcement and you heard it live Here on the dividing line.

I'm just sorry that james wasn't here to share this moment but it's Been a glorious glorious couple of weeks for the queen Retaining scotland in her grip and now adding a solar to the protestant reformation.

You heard it live on the dividing line the dividing line is the place to be for all news worldwide. And i'm excited that you were there to Witness this event from the queen directly. All right, if you have a bible we'll go to Matthew chapter 16 and also acts chapter 10 two openings in our bibles and i'm excited to be able to open up the scriptures on A theme that I believe will be of Benefit and blessing to to everyone who's listening has got a heart for the word of god.

Let's just pray before we begin father. I just thank you for this opportunity. I pray you'll just give me the Ability to speak clearly and accurately and the people to hear it Accurately lord let your word go forth in power and accomplish all you desire.

Pray in christ's name. Amen. Amen. As we go to acts chapter 10. It is a remarkable chapter and many are convinced. It's one of the most significant in the entire new testament. Before we go there though.

I'd like us to read familiar passage in matthew chapter 16. Where jesus is asking his followers what the current? Buzz was regarding himself what people were thinking. What people were saying about him says in matthew chapter 16 verse 13.

Now when jesus came into the district of caesarea philippi, he asked his disciples. Who do people say? That the son of man is. And they said some say john the baptist others say elijah and others jeremiah or one of the prophets he said to them.

But who do you say that I am? Simon peter replied you are the christ. The messiah greek word is christos. It's the greek way of speaking of the messiah the hebrew word moshiach. You are the christ the son of the living god and jesus said to him Blessed are you simon barjona for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you.

But my father who is in heaven and I tell you you are peter. And on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth should be bound in heaven.

And whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the christ. Dr. James white in his book the roman catholic controversy Outlined this particular passage and described it.

So well, i'm just going to quote what he said here. And what he wrote the central theme is the messiahship of jesus christ. Any interpretation That takes the focus off of jesus's messiah is missing the point jesus questioned To the disciples about the opinions of the multitudes and then their own viewpoints are all directed towards his own person.

His own identity. When peter speaks up and confesses that jesus is the christ. The son of the living god is confessing the faith of all the disciples not merely his own. He often spoke for them all. Jesus pronouncement of blessing upon peter is not because of any inherent goodness in peter.

But rather his being the recipient of a great blessing from the father. To peter has been revealed the true identity of jesus christ. And of course this revelation was given to the other apostles as well.

We can hardly think that they all sat there amazed at peter's words. Never having thought that jesus was the christ the son of the living god. The point of jesus words is to is that to reveal the son Requires the enlightening work of the father.

The same Theme is seen in john 6 where no man can come to the son unless drawn by the father. In that same context when all the disciples turned away from jesus save the 12. It was peter who's peter who spoke for the disciples again saying lord to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that you are the holy one of god. John chapter 6 68 to 69 emphasis added. When the lord says I tell you that you are peter. And on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hades will not overcome it.

The focus Does not change the subject of the passage remains the identity of christ found in the confession of peter. Jesus is not speaking of the identity of peter. He's still talking about himself and his church.

This is evident by continuing on through verse 20 where we read. Then he warned the disciples that they should Tell no one that he was the christ. Some modern scholars having missed the fact that the focus remains on christ all the way through are so Puzzled by this passage that they suggest that it's not original.

But such conjecture is not necessary. The rock of which the lord speaks is that common confession Made by all who are a part of the church. Jesus is the christ the son of the living god. This is seen I believe in the fact that while the lord is addressing peter directly He changes from direct address to the third person this rock when speaking of peter's confession He does not say upon you peter.

I will build my church. Instead you have a clear distinction between peter the petros. And the demonstrative pronoun preceding petra. The confession of faith on which the church is built this statement is followed by the promise to give The keys of the kingdom of heaven to peter at some time in the future one if you can look at the Passage if you have access to it just now and he says I tell you you are peter and on this rock I'll build my church.

And he says in verse 19. I will future tense. I will Give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. He says this statement is Followed by the promise to give the keys of the kingdom to peter at some Time in the future so that what he binds on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever he looses on earth Will be loosed in heaven.

I emphasize. This is a promise for the verb is future intense. Yet when we see this authority given in matthew 18 verse 18 It is given not to peter alone or even primarily to him. It is conferred on all the apostles using the exact same language regarding binding.

And loosing if someone wishes to say that peter receives keys in distinction from the other apostles as their superior. They are forced to admit that the actual giving of the keys is never recorded for us anywhere in scripture.

A strange thing. Indeed for something supposedly so fundamental to the constitution of the church. I say all this because in acts chapter 10 we have peter ministering at the household of cornelius and many have described the events here as the gentile pentecost.

This is where The holy spirit makes it very clear that gentiles have full inclusion in the kingdom of god. How important is this passage? Well others have described it as One of the most important chapters in the entire bible.

Let me give you a quote from dr. R .C. Sproul. Acts 10 is one of the most important chapters in the entire book of acts. If not the most important chapter actually it is one of the most important chapters in the entire new testament.

Because it brings to our attention the extremely important moment in redemptive history. A time of transition from the old way of doing things to a whole new epoch of god's redemptive activity. Peter was given the keys and it's speculation on my part, but there are Theologians who agree with me and I would be very very clear to say this is just speculation.

I wouldn't die on this hill, but it seems interesting to me because doors by their very definition open the way to something. You go through a door and you're into another room that was probably locked before.

And if it is locked you need keys. And jesus is very specific in giving keys to his apostles and he says in matthew 16 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. What exactly those are. We can only speculate but it's a theory that in acts 2 Jesus gave peter the keys to open the door.

For the jews it was the first christian message after Jesus death and resurrection the first christian sermon. In acts chapter 2 and peter was used by god to open the door to the jews now to believe In the resurrected savior the good news of the gospel.

In acts chapter 10, it would seem that the door was now opening through the use of keys. Keys opening the door now to the gentiles. I think that's a tremendous thought because it would show in scripture at least Something of what was going on with jesus giving peter keys.

There are at least two there keys open doors. The door to the jews. Acts chapter 2 the door to the gentiles. Acts chapter 10 now the lord gives Peter a vision and I want to read the passage again. It's a lengthy one.

But again It's good for us to hear the word of god. Acts chapter 10 verse 1 at caesarea. There was a man named cornelius a centurion of what was known as the italian cohort a devout man who feared god with all his people with all his household.

He was a devout man who feared god with all his household gave arms generously to the people and prayed continually to god. About the ninth hour of the day. He saw clearly in a vision an angel of god come in and say to him cornelius.

And he stared at him in terror and said what is it lord? And he said to him your prayers and your arms have ascended as a memorial before god. And now send men to joppa and bring one simon who is called peter.

He is lodging with one simon a tanner whose house is by the seaside. When the angel who spoke to him had departed he called two of his servants. And a devout soldier from among those who attended him and having related everything to them.

He sent them to joppa. The next day as they were on their journey and approaching the city peter went up on the house top About the sixth hour to pray and he became hungry and wanted to eat something.

Or wanted something to eat. But while they were preparing it he fell into a trance. And saw the heavens open and something like a great sheep descending being let down by its four corners upon the earth.

In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air and there came a voice to him rise peter kill and eat. But peter said by no means lord for i've never eaten anything that is common or unclean.

And the voice came to him again a second time what god has made clean do not call common. This happened three times and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. Now while peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean Behold the men who were sent by cornelius having made inquiry for simon's house Stood at the gate and called out to ask whether simon who was called peter was lodging there.

And while peter was pondering the vision the spirit said to him behold three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation. For i've sent them. And peter went down to the men and said I am the one you are looking for.

What is the reason for your coming. And they said cornelius a centurion an upright and god-fearing man Who was well spoken of by the whole jewish nation was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house.

And to hear what you have to say. So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them and some of the brothers from joppa accompanied him and on the following day They entered caesarea.

Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When peter entered cornelius met him and fell at his fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But peter lifted him up saying stand up.

I too am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them. You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation.

But god has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for I came without objection. I asked then Why you sent for me. And cornelius said four days ago about this hour I was praying in my house at the ninth hour and behold a man stood before me in bright clothing and said cornelius Your prayer has been heard and your arms have been remembered before god send therefore to joppa.

And ask for simon who's called peter. He is lodging in the house of simon a tanner by the sea. So I sent for you at once and you've been kind enough to come. Now therefore we're all here in the presence of god to hear all that you have been commanded by the lord.

So peter opened his mouth and said truly. I understand that god shows no partiality. But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him as for the word that he sent to israel.

Preaching good news of peace through jesus christ. He is lord of all. You yourselves know what happened throughout all judea beginning from galilee after the baptism that john proclaimed. How god anointed jesus of nazareth with the holy spirit with power?

He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for god was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the jews and in jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.

But god raised him on the third day and made him to appear not to all the people. But to us whom he had chosen by god as witnesses who ate and drank with him. After he rose from the dead and he commanded us to preach to the people.

And to testify that he is the one appointed by god to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

There's an emphasis here in the book of acts by way of repetition the lord gives peter a vision. Peter then repeats that lesson to cornelius. And then later on in acts chapter 11. He recalls the event to the jews at jerusalem.

That was oftentimes the way that things were emphasized in the hebrew mentality not to just say it once or even twice. But here when it's the third time, you know that god is at work. He wants us to know something.

This event is obviously Pivotal. It speaks of the gentiles being included in the kingdom of god. Now what is also interesting is that after this event? Peter begins to fade from view. Paul now becomes Much more dominant in the book of acts up until now.

We've seen something of paul but mainly peter at work. But after this event, it seems that peter begins to fade. There's a few short things that peter is talked about. So certain events that take place, but really it's paul that becomes the central focus.

The story here has Six sections. There's the introduction regarding cornelius the preparation of peter. There's peter meeting the messengers and then Peter's journey to an arrival in caesarea. Then there's the sermon itself and then there are the results that are really dramatic.

Let's talk about the first of these cornelius. He was a roman. He was a gentile. He was a centurion. A centurion is a man who is over a hundred men sometimes that would. Centurion is used for someone with even higher authority than that and it seems that he was a very prominent man because of the elite nature in which he was governing as a centurion ruling as a Centurion because it speaks of the elite god the italian cohort or the italian regiment and.

It's interesting that jesus speaks well of gentiles often. And in the gospels you remember he spoke of one centurion. And said of him i've not found anyone with Such great faith not in all israel. You find that in matthew chapter 8 verse 10 acts chapter 10 here speaks of Cornelius is genuine faith.

He was devout. It says he was god fearing. He was a giver. And he was praying we could speak much about those four characteristics of Cornelius. He was a god fearer. What does that mean? He was one who feared god.

Well, it was actually a description of gentile people who worshipped the hebrew god. Yahweh. But not yet a jew by means of circumcision they Did not believe in the gods of rome. Um, they did not believe in the goddesses of rome or the greek deities.

They were believers in the true god, but yet were not circumcised and they were known as god fearers. We see that mentioned in acts chapter 13 as well acts chapter 13 and verse 16 Where it says paul stood up and motioning with his hand said men of israel and you who fear god.

Listen, notice the two distinctions. Men of israel the jews and then you who fear god these were gentiles. Who believed in the god of israel, I believe verse 26 says something similar. Where he says brothers Sons of the family of abraham and those among you who fear god again Jews and these gentiles who believe in and worship the one true god of israel so.

So This was a gentile who expressed genuine interest in judaism he would attend the The synagogue, but he was not yet fully converted. He was on track. He was i'm sure being drawn by god to worship the true god, but he was not yet a drew a jew.

And because of that historically it was improper. For jews to associate with them socially these gentile God fearers were allowed to attend synagogue. But it was not proper for the jews to fellowship with them.

That's very important and that's actually vital to understand this passage. Cornelius Was still a gentile. He was being prepared by god. There was a dissatisfaction dissatisfaction with the paganism that was so Dramatic and so outlined everywhere.

He went so apparent everywhere. But he was drawn to the god of israel. He was being prepared by god for what? For peter for peter and the message of salvation and peter himself was being prepared for this event.

By means of the vision that he had while on the housetop. Peter was being sent to caesarea to tell cornelius the message of salvation. God prepares hearts and yet the person Needs to hear the message of salvation.

Being prepared by god is not enough. You have to hear the message. That's what romans 10 speaks of. How shall they hear without a preacher and The preacher has to be prepared by god and then the person who hears the message is then prepared by god.

And that certainly was taking place in two directions both with cornelius and with peter in the preparation of peter. We see from verse 9 onwards of the chapter the vision that he had. Though peter was a christian hear this.

He still thought as a jew obviously and according to jewish thought God did not save gentiles as gentiles. They had to become jews first. We need to grasp that otherwise the passage doesn't make too much sense.

Jesus in fact said this salvation is of the jews. Jesus said that in john chapter 4. If us as gentiles I speak as a non-jewish person by way of ethnicity. If i'm to come into the kingdom i've got to come in by means of the jewish messiah.

Jesus was and is jewish according to the flesh. He is the jewish messiah. Thankfully he's not simply or merely the jew the jewish messiah. He's the messiah of the world. He is The the savior of the world.

But we come in because the bible is basically a jewish book the prophets and the apostles all being jewish. Peter was prepared by seeing god's work in samaria. And that needs some explanation too. The samaritans were partly jews and partly gentiles.

And at the end of chapter 9 we see that peter was staying with simon the tanner now. That itself is significant. Tanners worked with leather. And what they did was handle the dead carcasses of animals to get the color into The leather.

Dead animals were unclean so anyone who touched a dead animal was seen as Unclean in jewish thought have nothing to do with that person and yet peter stayed with simon even in that God directed him and was preparing peter's heart.

God was breaking down prejudices. God was breaking down the defenses of peter. Still Simon was a jew. But cornelius was not. Are you following this. Simon was a jew but yet because of his work was considered unclean.

Cornelius was not even a jew. He was a gentile and historically god did did save gentiles. Not very often there weren't that many that came into the kingdom. But they were only saved if they became jews.

Think of rahab. Think of ruth. We could talk at length about those two, but they came into the kingdom, but they had to become jewish. But now god had broken down the wall of partition or he is about to show that that was indeed the case.

Gentiles could now come into the kingdom as gentiles. Now we're so used to in the 21st century recognizing this fact. That we really need to go back into the first century and realize what a remarkable turn of events acts chapter 10.

Actually is because without acts chapter 10 We we can't really grasp the significance of us as gentiles coming in. We're so used to it because we've had 2 000 years of christian history where Oftentimes it's the gentiles that are number the jews in the kingdom of god in the church of jesus christ.

We're so used to it. Gentiles were no longer unclean. Around the sixth hour. The vision came to peter. What was the vision? It was a sheet and animals were on the sheet and there were animals that were Kosher according to A jewish thought but then unclean as well.

And the voice came to peter rise peter kill and eat. And what was his response? No, I can't do that. Why was he saying that not merely tradition, but because of the teaching of books of the bible like leviticus which said Certain animals are to be eaten and some and to be avoided don't ever eat such things and Peter's response was very jewish.

And rightly so because up until then god had not decreed That certain meats can be eaten. They were to be avoided at all costs. He says no, I can't do that. They are unclean. I've never eaten anything like that.

I've never done that. And the answer from god came in verse 15 what god has made clean do not call Common. Peter had never heard anything like this before. Do you realize the significance of acts 10 here?

In this moment centuries of dietary laws Are repealed by god. Remember shadrach meshach abednego. They were put into the fiery furnace one of the reasons being they wouldn't bow down to the ruler but also They wouldn't eat the food of the empire in which they were living.

That was unclean in the eyes of god. And now here in acts 10 god is changing the rules. This vision is repeated. Then it's repeated again. God is up to something god is getting the message to peter and it had far more ramifications than simply peter's Diet diet and what he would be eating on a plate.

This was going to refer to people not just meat. Powerful stuff. He was powerful powerfully drawn by god this cornelius and now peter is Drawn to see something. He'd not seen before and god declares Don't call unclean what I call clean.

So he's puzzled over the vision. The men from cornelius then arrived. Exactly that moment that the vision had ended for the third time and god told peter to go down and welcome them. Then we read in verse 19 while peter was pondering the vision.

The spirit said to him behold three men are looking for you rise and go down accompany them Without hesitation for i've sent them and peter went down to the men and said I am the one you're looking for.

What is the reason for your coming. And they explained it then in verse 22? They said cornelius a centurion an upright and god-fearing man Who was well spoken of by the whole jewish nation was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house.

And to hear what you have to say. Peter then invited the men into the house to be his guests and again We are so used to living on this side Of time the 21st century get our minds in the first century.

This was amazing. Peter Invited the men into his house to be his guests. That's not normal for a jew. It's fact. In fact, it's forbidden. But peter got the message God called these men clean. And peter was not to call them unclean.

Peter started the journey to caesarea. He took some brothers from joppa and I believe this was very wise to take some jewish brethren with him because he knew. Perhaps not everything that was going to occur, but he knew god was up to something.

And should he have to explain to others what happened? He wanted some witnesses and scriptures talk about having at least two or three witnesses when You you are going to a trial and he might be put on trial for what happens here.

And it was just wisdom on his part to bring six brothers. Maybe he thought I need double the normal ammunition here more than three. I need six. He took six with him from joppa. And they went to the house of cornelius.

He wanted I believe a very verification. He wanted to have. When he spoke later on about the events that would occur not knowing all that would occur. He wanted to be able to substantiate the claims he was making.

I believe this was a smart move. It was going to be controversial. Walking with god is controversial anyway. But best to have some facts and some facts that can be proven whatever Would happen. Cornelius was prepared peter was prepared.

The preacher was the hearers were Cornelius's household were prepared prepared. The audience were prepared. God did all the work. I wonder if you can Recognize that when people respond to the gospel is because god's been at work not because man has stooped in humility.

But god has changed hearts and he often does that through a momentous Instant or over a period of time many people come to christ and say it was a dramatic moment. I can point to the date others say it was over a period of three months that god was drawing me.

I can't pinpoint the exact time when He regenerated me or maybe it was even over a period of four or five years. They can't point to a time but in both cases There was a time when god turned the heart of stone into a heart of flesh.

God knows the time even if we don't we're not to look for a time but to look for evidences of life. Examine yourself to see if you're in the faith scripture says. So as we come to Peter and his actual message with everybody being prepared.

It says so peter verse 34 opened his mouth and said that seems redundant to us. Because you need to open your mouth to say something, but this is the jewish way of saying he's preaching now. He's opening his mouth to preach and his message was first of all the fact that god shows no Favoritism god shows no partiality.

In other words. Peter had got the message God's favor is extended to all. God does not show favoritism. God will save jewish people. Gentile people he'll save the down and out. He'll save the up and out.

He'll save every kind of person. And that's the only way you and I became christians again i'm assuming that most of the Viewing or listening audience is probably not jewish. If you are that's wonderful.