Revive Us Again | Week 9 | Acts 10

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December 31, 2023 Covenant Reformed Baptist Church Tullahoma, TN Pastor Jeff Rice

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Revive Us Again, Week 10 | Acts 13

Revive Us Again, Week 10 | Acts 13

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So we will be in Acts chapter 10 today. Our focus will be on verses 34 through 48.
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Acts chapter 10 verses 34 through 48, and this is our ninth message in this series.
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Let's pray. Oh God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Yahweh, Lord we approach your throne in this moment, and we ask that you feed us your people, your word.
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Lord, without your word we have nothing.
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We have no way to communicate to you. We read your word to listen to what you have to say to us, and Lord we pray back to you your word.
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For you said, pray then this way. For we would not know how to pray if not for your word.
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God please, in Jesus' name, feed us this day, we pray.
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Amen. So our overarching theme through the book of Acts has been, revive us again.
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We live in a world where the word revival has been manipulated, right?
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They have actually, for a lack of a better word, have raped the word.
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It doesn't mean it's been neglected, it's been abused in one sense, right?
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We see churches, they have signs that say, this week we're going to have a revival, or we just experienced that there was a church that said they had a revival, and when you look into it, that's not what revival is.
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A revival is a great move of God that begins in the pulpit, that enters into the home, and that reaches out to its neighbor.
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And so I thought, let's dive into it, and what a name a better book then that we can go through to see what revival looks like other than the book of Acts, because I cannot name one.
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We want to know what it looks like. We want to know what it looks like so we're able to recognize it.
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And I may, I may, let me start this, sorry, I may mention that, you know, if I'm walking in a store and I see one of you guys, right?
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I want to be able to say hello, like I was walking through Walmart the other day, and I saw the
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Austins, and I said, hey, hello. I was able to recognize the
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Austins because I knew the Austins, and I was able to go up to them and say hello. And so I want to be able to know what revival looks like so that if I see it somewhere,
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I can be a part of it, because that's what I want to be. I want to be a part of a great move of God.
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And I believe that God is telling us in this book what it looks like. Not only how to recognize it, but how to start it.
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And it's by God's people doing what God says. Adrian Rogers says this, quote, study the history of revival.
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God has always sent revival in the darkest days.
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Oh, for a mighty sweeping revival today. Adrian Rogers said this in the 90s.
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He says, oh, and what a mighty sweeping revival today. He's speaking because the world was dark in the 90s.
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We, in hindsight, look back and think, that's pretty good back in the 90s, right?
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Compared to today, what about 20 years from now?
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If revival doesn't come, how much more darkened will our world get?
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Revival is when light overthrows the darkness.
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Revival is after darkness, light. There was darkness, light comes, overthrows the darkness, and brings light.
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Revival is flipping the switch to the light. Jesus is the light.
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You, as Christians, are called to be the light. And revival is what flips the switch.
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How many of you know we need that switch to be flipped? Bible tells us how to flip the switch, to be obedient to His Word, to be obedient to His Word.
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And it's not just witnessing, though 90 % of it is. Let's be honest.
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That's what we're called to do. We're called to witness, to be a witness for Jesus. But it's those little things, too, that we're supposed to do, right?
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Husbands, I'm gonna speak to you for a second, right? God has given us a helpmate, and sometimes it's hard to put up with them, right?
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Hallelujah? I'm probably not gonna get any amens in the crowd, perhaps, right?
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But the Bible tells us that if we don't love our wives, our prayers are unheard.
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Like if we pray to God and we're mistreating our wives, He doesn't hear us.
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We turn our ear from His law, He doesn't hear us, right?
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So the husband is to love his wife. And I would add, if a wife is not being submissive to her husband, her prayers are not being heard.
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Do we want God to hear us? Brittany's laughing. Do we want... She's laughing the conviction away.
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I got your back, brother. Do we want to be heard by God? Do we want to be heard by God?
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I want to be heard by God. So every time, every time my wife makes me mad, as mad as I get,
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I still love her. And trust me, I can get pretty mad, but I still love her, and I would lay down my life for her.
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We have to obey God's commands. After, I mean, no darkness, no revival.
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There's darkness outside, but if there was no darkness, there would be no revival. No revival, no move of God.
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And if there's no move of God, let us eat and let us drink, for tomorrow we die.
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What's the point of this? What's the point of us gathering together in this neat little religion if there's not going to be a revival, a great move of God?
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What's the point? What are we doing? Why are we taking time out of our schedule to come here and talk about how much we know this book, but are unwilling to practice what we know?
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No move of God means we are left here in darkness.
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Ladies and gentlemen, here's a question. Is it dark? Yes, it's dark, and we need light.
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That means we need revival. We need light. We are in the darkness.
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We're waiting for the light. I sometimes ask myself, what is my breaking point?
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What would someone have to do in order for me to forget who and whose
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I am? Right? Men? Right?
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Protectors of the home? What is it that someone would have to do in order for us to forget who we are and whose we belong to?
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What would someone have to do in order for me to fight back? I'm thinking carnal means, right?
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You walk in my home. You're looking to hurt my family. There's a problem.
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There's a problem. I'm on the streets preaching. You attempt to hurt me.
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I'm not going to physically destroy you. You walk in my home and try to hurt my family.
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I will physically destroy you. Right? That's my breaking point. I think it's time for us as Christians to ask ourselves a similar question.
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How much darker does our world have to get before we as Christians fight back?
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My fear is if we don't fight back using the gospel as our weapon, then we're going to be forced to use carnal weapons when they begin to ravage our homes.
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If you don't think that won't happen, read the book of Acts. Paul, Saul at the time, was sent to ravage homes, bring them to prison, and kill some of them.
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He was sent by his government, the political
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Judaism, to ravage homes. Ladies and gentlemen, it can be that way again.
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Check the history books. If you don't think, excuse me, if you think for a second that the devil is in arming his fellow followers for battle, you need to wake up.
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We are in dark days. Our streets should be filled with men, women, and children out preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Let me leave no one out. Men, women, and children out preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Until there is, until there is, there will not be a great move of God.
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Until men, women, and children are out preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, there will not be, listen, will not be a great move of God.
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Matthew, you do not have to turn there. Chapter 5, and you can if you want to.
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Chapter 5, verse 13, says this, you are the salt of the earth, but if salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again?
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It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out, to be trampled underfoot by men.
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Verse 14, you are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden, nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand.
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And it gives light to all who are in the house. Real quick, who's the lampstands?
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Book of Revelation says it's the churches. You do not light a lamp and hide it under a bush, a basket, but on the top.
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You put it on top, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Verse 16, let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your
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Father who is in heaven. Our theme for this
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Lord's Day is the Holy Spirit poured out on the Romans.
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This paragraph is evidence that the New Covenant was not just for Jewish, was not just a
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Jewish covenant, but it was the New Covenant that is for all ethnicities.
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Red, yellow, black, and white. If we want to be punchy about it, as it began to spread, it spread it first in Ethiopia.
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I wonder what ethnicity the Ethiopians were at that time. Oh, I know, they were
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African. They were black. So when someone accuses
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Christianity of this white Jesus movement, it's false. It's false.
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Jesus isn't white. He's a Middle Eastern man. There's only one way.
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There's only one way to God for Jews and Gentiles, and that way is through Jesus Christ.
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You see, the Jewish people were called to be the light of the world, but as we know from Scripture and from history, that was not so.
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They did not fulfill their Great Commission. God called them to reach all nations, other ethnicities, but because of their uncircumcised heart, because they were not regenerated, their uncircumcised heart, they refused to listen to God by the words of the prophets.
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Isaiah chapter 42 verse 6 says this, I am Yahweh, which is the Lord. I have called you in righteousness.
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I will also take hold of you by the hand and guard you. I will give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations.
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Isaiah 46 beginning in verse 3 says this, it says, He said to me, you are my servant
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Israel. Now by proxy, who's Israel today?
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The church. Israel is God's people. When you become a
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Christian, you are grafted into that olive tree, which is
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Israel. So when you read the Old Testament, think of it that way.
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My servant Israel, in whom I will show forth my beautiful glory.
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But I say, I have told in vain. I have spent my might in nothing, and spent my might for nothing in vanity.
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Yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my
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God. So now says Yahweh, who formed me from the womb to be his servant.
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If you're Israel, you're his servant. To return Jacob back to him, so that Israel might be gathered to him.
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For I am glorified in his sight, in the sight of Yahweh.
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And my God is my strength. He says, is it too small a thing that you should be my servant, to rise up the tribes of Jacob, and to cause the perverse ones of Israel to return?
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I will give you as a light of the nations, so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.
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Why was he given a people as a light to the nation? So that his salvation would reach to the ends of the earth.
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Acts 13 verse 47. Paul speaking in a synagogue says this, for so the
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Lord has commanded us. I have placed you as a light for the
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Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
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Now here's the problem. An uncircumcised heart refuses to be a light to the world.
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This is why the prophet spoke about God is going to one day circumcise the hearts.
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And we see in the New Testament that this is regeneration. This is when the
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God sprinkles you with clean water, and he removes the heart of stone, and he gives you a heart of flesh, and he puts his spirit in you, and that spirit causes you to obey him.
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If the Israelite in the Old Testament would have had the Spirit of God in that way, they would have reached the nations, the ethnos, all ethnicities, red, yellow, black, and white.
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And we have a church today who are called the Israel of God, who have the
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Spirit, and they're saying, that's not my job. It's the pastor's job.
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In our outline, we're going to see the wonder of Peter as he realizes that Gentiles are not excluded from the
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Israel of God. We're going to see Peter's comprehension, Peter's message, and Peter's amazement.
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So point number one, Peter's comprehension. Point number two, Peter's message. And point number three,
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Peter's amazement. And as we transition, this portion of this report, a portion of this story was just read to us by Pastor Cal.
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But what needs to be made clear is the fact that Cornelius was a centurion.
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Cornelius was a centurion. A centurion was a Roman soldier who was in charge of a hundred men.
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A Roman soldier who was in charge of a hundred men. A centurion, the centurions were feared as well as hated by the
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Jews. Peter's a Jew. Peter has been brought up under the
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Pax Romanis, enslaved by Rome. They hate Rome.
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The centurions especially, because they are the arm of Rome that would come down upon them.
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The soldiers, the guards that would walk around Jerusalem mistreating people. The main reason the
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Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah was that they believed that the
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Messiah was going to come and was going to free them from Rome.
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Jesus came. That wasn't his agenda. They turned on him.
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They wanted to be free from Rome. They hated Rome. They hated, they feared the centurions and they hated them.
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And now we see that Peter, a Jew, is being called to preach the gospel to one.
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Which is why I believe God said what he said in verses 19 and 20 of our chapter.
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Look at that real quick. Verse 19 and 20. This was already read to us. And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the
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Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you, but rise up and go and accompany them, right here listen, without taking any issue at all.
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For I have sent them myself. He says people are coming for you and I want you to go no questions asked, without no issues.
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Maybe not any questions, but without any issues. You're going to go. You're going to go because I told you to go. So point number one,
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Peter's comprehension. This is taken from verses 34 and 35. But now in verses 34 and 35,
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Peter's response here to what takes place when he entered into Cornelius's home.
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So let's see that real quick again. Beginning in verse 25. And when
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Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and worshipped him.
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But Peter raised him up saying, Stand up. I too am just a man.
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As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled.
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And when he said to him, You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a
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Jew to associate with a foreigner. Right here he's saying it's unlawful for me to be here.
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I'm not supposed to be here according to my customs or to visit him. And yet God has shown me that I should not call any man defiled or unclean.
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That is why I came without even raising any objections. When I was summoned, so I asked,
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For what reason have you summoned me? And Cornelius said, Four days ago, to this hour,
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I was praying in my house during the ninth hour. And behold, a man stood before me in shining garments.
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And he said, Cornelius, your prayers have been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
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Therefore, send to Joppa and invite
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Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you.
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He is lodging at the house of Simeon the
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Tanner by the sea. So I sent and immediately and you have been kind enough to come.
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Right here listen to this verse. Now, then. This is the
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Sutterian speaking. Now, then. We are, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been declared by the
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Lord. Now, let's begin. Verse 34. And opening his mouth,
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Peter said, I most truly comprehend now that God is not one to show partiality.
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But in every nation, the one who fears him and does righteousness is welcome to him.
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Now, from what was read earlier, Peter should have known. What I mean earlier,
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I'm talking about them being a light to the nations. Peter should have known that the message was for the
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Gentiles also. He should have already known this. He's a Jew. He has the book.
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He's read the book. The book tells him to be a light to the Gentiles. He should have already known that him being a
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Jew, as Jews, they are called to be the light of the world. Genesis, excuse me, Genesis chapter 12 verse 3 tells,
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God tells Abraham that all the families of the earth were going to be blessed through him.
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Believe me when I tell you that Peter knew that verse, that all of the families of the earth were going to be blessed through Abraham.
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And all the families of the earth means more than just the bloodline of Abraham, more than just the
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Jews. Even in Acts chapter 1, when we see the Great Commission, Peter is told that it's for more than just the
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Jews. Turn back to Acts chapter 1 real quick. Look at verse 6.
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It says, So when they had come together, they were asking him, saying,
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Lord, is it at this time you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel?
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They're still thinking earthly. They're still thinking old covenant. They're still thinking what they had.
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Listen to the response. But he said to them, so this is
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Jesus speaking, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has set by his own authority, but you will receive power when the
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Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all
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Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. This even to the ends of the earth is
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Gentile nations. Jesus had already told him. The Old Testament told him.
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Jesus told him. And yet he has to be told again. Walk into Cornelius's house, and for Cornelius to say,
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We know that we are all in the presence of God to hear what you have to say. And Peter says,
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Okay, I get it. I get it. I saw the sheep. I saw the animals. I saw that called nothing unclean what
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God has made clean. I get it now. He should have already got it. Peter's the kind of guy you have to tell three or four times to do something, right?
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I kind of wonder if Peter has ADHD, right? I'm raising kids that got
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ADHD. I'm always constantly have to tell them to do the same thing over and over again. Peter, that's
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Peter's problem. So in verse 34, it tells us that now he understands.
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Now he understands that God shows no partiality, being that God said to him again,
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Go. However, verse 35, this is the interpretive grid right here.
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Look back at verse 35. It says, But in every nation, the one who fears him and does righteousness is welcome to him.
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All right, so I kind of press this a lot in this church. What's righteousness? Right standing with God.
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This means that you are keeping his law. Righteousness is keeping God's law. All right, but you can't keep his law unless the
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Holy Spirit is in you. So what's going on here, right? Like what's going on here?
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Well, Muslims keep Torah in one sense. Jews keep Torah, but they do so in a selfish way as a way to get to God.
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And I believe that's kind of what's taken place here. But God has mercy on this man.
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Here's why I believe that. The Greeks and the Romans believed in the pantheon of gods, right?
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And a numerous number of gods. Oh, you got a god? Let me hear about him. Hey, we'll just add that one to our collection.
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They believed in the pantheon of gods. So no one really knows.
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And that best guess. So because they have this pantheon of God, no one really knows why it is that he feared
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God and why it is that he kept God's commands. The best from what
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I've been reading, no one knows. And anything that you say is mere speculation.
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And if y 'all know me, I love speculation. I feed on speculation like that's that's fun to me.
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So in my reading, you know, I could be way off or I could be right on it. I believe this man could have been at the cross when
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Jesus died. He could have been even partooking in the beating of Jesus or partooking and knelling
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Jesus to the cross. Or he might have even been the ceterion that said when Jesus died, truly, this man was the son of God.
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Look back with me at Mark, chapter 15. Mark, chapter 15, beginning in verse 37.
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Mark, chapter 15, 37. And Jesus uttered a loud cry, breathe his last.
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And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
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And when the ceterion who was standing right there in front of him saw him breathe his last breath, he said, truly, this man was
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God's son. The fear of God could have come upon him then.
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That ceterion saw Jesus breathe his last breath, and he said, truly, this is
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God's son. There was no gospel preached. There were no words uttered.
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He saw Jesus breathe his last. And he saw everything that was taking place. He saw the crowd saying, crucify him, crucify him.
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Give us Barabbas. Crucify him. He was being made fun of. And he looks to his father and says, forgive them for they know not what they're doing.
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But in that moment, this ceterion, this killer, this persecutor of the
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Jews, this one who probably took place, took part in beating him, took part in nailing him to the cross, sees him, breathes his last breath, and he says, this was truly
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God's son. But we don't know. It's all speculations.
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But what we do know is that somehow, some way, this man feared God, and that he was attempting to keep
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God's commandments. And that's what the text says. He feared
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God, and he was practicing righteousness. And now
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Peter understands that he is to preach to him. Point number two, verses 36 through 43.
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As for the word which he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, he is
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Lord of all. You yourselves know this, that you yourselves know that thing which happened throughout all
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Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which
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John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth and how
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God anointed him 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 him.
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And we are witnesses of all the things which he did, both in the land of the
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Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
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God raised him up on the third day and granted that he appear, not to all people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
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And he commanded us to preach to the people and solemnly bear witness that this is the one who has been designated by God to judge the living and the dead.
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Of him, all the prophets bore witness that through his name everyone who believes will receive the forgiveness of sins.
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Now real quick, what message did Peter preach to Cornelius?
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The answer is the same message he has preached to everyone else so far. It's the gospel message.
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The only way to have peace with God is through God's terms. And Peter, just like you and I now, are
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God's delegates. Anyone know what a delegate is? When two opposing armies were about to face one another in battle, they would send delegates to find out the terms of peace.
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And if there wasn't a term of peace made, the two armies would go into battle.
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Ladies and gentlemen, before Christ, we are God's enemies.
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We are God's enemies. God has conned descendant.
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He has saved the people and those whom he has saved become delegates.
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And we are to go out and we are to tell people God's terms for peace. That's what evangelism is.
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It's you are a delegate. You have been sent out to tell the enemy God's terms for peace.
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Peter was authorized as a follower of Jesus Christ to give the message of reconciliation.
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Corinthians tells us that that's what we're to do. And the message of reconciliation is about how we can have peace with God.
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The foundation is the active and passive obedience of Jesus Christ. But this text doesn't tell us about the active obedience of Christ, which both are true and both are necessary.
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The passive obedience Peter's speaking about is Jesus being obedient to the point of death and it's death on a cross, on a tree, being hung on a tree.
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The Bible says that cursed is anyone who is hung on a tree.
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If you ever wonder how it is that your sins are applied to Jesus, it's because he was hung on a tree, cursed.
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He became the curse by being hung on the tree. Your sins apply to him in the one sin of being a curse.
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He became the curse. Look at verse 36.
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Peter says, "...as for the word which he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming good news of peace through Jesus Christ."
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So he comes there to the centurions to proclaim the good news of peace through Jesus Christ.
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Romans chapter 5 verse 1 says this, "...therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
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Lord Jesus Christ." This this text coming off of the heels of chapter 4, which speaks of Abraham and it speaks of David and how these two sinful men who had covenants with God found peace with God by believing
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God. I would repeat that, but I didn't write it down, so I have no idea what
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I just said. Think about this. The two men that God made covenants with, and when you read the scriptures, they're sinful as we are, maybe even more.
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And their peace with God came through trusting God, believing God. And Paul writes, "...therefore,
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since that's true, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
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Lord Jesus Christ." Through trusting Jesus Christ is how we have peace with God. Remember, the terms of peace.
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The terms of peace is you have to have faith in God in order to not be an enemy of God.
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You and I are delegates, unbelievers, our enemies of God. Witnessing is telling the enemies of God how they may have peace with God.
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And in order to have peace with God, they must be justified by faith. That's the message.
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That's what we're called to do as Christians. When we do that, men, women, men, women, and children, when we do that, revival comes.
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If we do not do that, if we are not His delegates, revival is not coming.
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Peter points out that they are witnesses of what took place. They are witnesses of what took place.
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Now this portion of Scripture that I'm about to read to you is the fuel of my speculation.
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It's the fuel of my speculation. I was telling you earlier that I speculated that Cornelius could have been at the cross.
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Here's why I believe it. Let's look back at verse 36.
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As for the word which he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, right here, he is
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Lord of all. That statement of Peter, he is saying that it's not just for the
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Jews. Look, he is Lord of all. You, so who's he speaking to? Cornelius.
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You yourselves know the things which happened throughout all
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Judea. So 37, he's talking to Cornelius. He says, you know, you know
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Jesus. You know what happened throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism of John was proclaimed.
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You know this. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how
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God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
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He's telling Cornelius. He's speaking to him in a way that it was as if he saw him.
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When he walked into his house and he saw him, he recognized him from walking in Judea and Jerusalem.
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He says, you know him. You've seen him. You witnessed him. In this message that Peter preaches,
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I want to point out six things that's mentioned about Jesus. The first thing, he had the
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Holy Spirit. Second, he was put to death. Third, he was risen from the dead.
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Fourth, he appeared to his followers. Fifth, he commanded his followers to be his witness.
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And sixth, that forgiveness of sins was to his name for everyone who believed.
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So the first one we see in verse 38. I'm going to read that again. Verse 38.
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I might have got ahead of myself a second ago. Verse 38. Speaking to Cornelius, you know of Jesus of Nazareth, and how
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God had anointed him 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 him.
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He's saying to the Roman guards that they knew Jesus performed miracles.
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He says, you know Jesus. You saw him heal people. As a matter of fact, you know of the other satyrian whose son was sick and Jesus healed.
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Remember that story in John? The satyrian's son was sick and Jesus healed him.
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Do you think that this other satyrian didn't know him? They were both captain of guards.
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He says, you know him. You know this Jesus. You know that he was able to heal the sick. Second thing, that he was put to death.
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We see this in verse 39. And it says, and we, so he separates from the you.
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He's not talking about Cornelius. He says, and we, speaking of Peter and those that were with him, are witnesses of all the things he did both in the land and of the
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Jews and of Jerusalem. And they, the they, who's the they? The Jews in Jerusalem also put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
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Although the book of Acts, excuse me, all through the book of Acts, the guilty verdict for killing
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Jesus has not fallen on the Gentiles. The guilty verdict for killing
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Jesus has fallen on the Jews. The Jews did not nail him to that tree.
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The Roman guards, the satyrians are the ones who nailed him to the tree. But the guilty verdict, those who killed
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Jesus, always points to the Jews. And so he's pointing out right here that Jesus died.
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Right here, look, the third one, he was raised from the dead. Verse 40. There's no clearer gospel message in the
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Bible right here. He's put to death in verse 39. Verse 40, he's raised from the dead.
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Look at it. Verse 40, God raised him on the third day and granted that he appeared.
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Believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, believing that Jesus rose from the dead, listen, is
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Christianity. There is no Christianity if Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead.
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As a matter of fact, Paul says, if we believe that and it did not happen, we are to be most pitied among all people.
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Let's take a bad scenario. Let's take someone strung out on meth on the streets, right?
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Everything gone. Like their mind's not there. Nothing's there about him.
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We are to be most pitied compared to that man if Jesus had not risen from the dead.
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Most pity. How many of you drove 45 minutes to get here today or better?
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Quite a few of y 'all, right? It's pretty common in a Reformed Baptist church. The drive that you had to most pity.
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If Christ did not rise from the dead, what are you doing here? If you truly don't believe that he rose from the dead, why are you here?
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How many times do we have to put off things so that we can be among the gathering people, right?
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To assemble ourselves together as the Bible requires us to do, as it calls for Christians to do.
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How much maneuvering in our life does it take, especially if you have small children, right?
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We don't even have child care. We don't even have a children's program. If your child is crying, you got to figure it out in the service, right?
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Why are you here if Christ has not risen from the dead?
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That's what this is saying. This is Christianity. If Christ has not risen from the dead, there is no
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Christianity. And what does Peter say? He says, God raised him from the dead on the third day.
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And right here, verse 41, this is where he appears to his followers. He's saying that we are eyewitnesses to this.
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Verse 41, not to all people, but to witnesses.
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I want to say the because it ain't reading right in my opinion. To the witnesses who were chosen before him by God, that is to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
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Peter's saying, I saw him die. I saw him heal people. I saw him die. I saw him raised from the grave and we hung out with him.
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After his resurrection, we ate with him. He's saying, I am an eyewitness of these things.
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And he could be speaking to some of these people in Rome.
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It's not saying that no one else saw him, but that they were gathered together with their
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Savior after he rose from the dead. First Corinthians chapter 15 said that he was seen by over 500 people.
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So don't think that the circle that people saw him was really small. The fifth thing is that he commanded his followers to be his witness.
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Verse 42. Listen, before I read this, are you his follower? Are you his follower?
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Listen to verse 42. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to solemnly bear witness that is the one who has been designated by God as judge of the living and the dead.
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What's that speaking about? His second coming. We're to preach
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Christ on earth, doing good, dead, buried, rise again on the third day.
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And guess what? He's coming back again. He's coming back again.
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And right here, it's speaking about, again, the resurrection of the dead. And ladies and gentlemen, I've said this before, but the resurrection of the dead is first day discipleship.
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When you're witnessing to someone in a one -on -one encounter, please mention the resurrection of the dead.
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If you're discipling someone for the very first time, please mention the resurrection of the dead. Because every time we see it in the book of Acts, they're witnessing to someone, they speak about the resurrection of the dead.
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And I believe we, as a church, have fallen miserably when it comes to this one part of the gospel.
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The sixth thing was that forgiveness of sins was through his name for everyone who believes.
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Verse 43, of him, speaking of Jesus, all the prophets. So when you read the all the prophets in the
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Old Testament, what does it say about all the prophets? Verse 46. No, yeah, no.
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Verse 43, of him, all the prophets bore witness that through his name, everyone who believes will receive the forgiveness of sins.
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This is why when you read the Old Testament, you got to take Jesus with you. You got to take
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Jesus with you. Right? You got to read it with a new covenant mind frame.
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You got to take Jesus with you. Now, how is it that my sins and your sins can be forgiven?
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This text tells you by believing in Jesus Christ. The same gospel, the same message, the same gospel, the same message.
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Every time we come to a gospel presentation, it's the same gospel, same message.
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This should give us great hope. We today, your tomorrow will be the 2024.
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This should give us great hope that we preach knowing that we're preaching the same message that was preached by the apostles.
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I want to quote someone that's liked by some and hated by others, loved by some, hated by others, none other than Doug Wilson.
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This is an amazing quote. It's probably the most memorable quote that I think he's ever said, but I think it's apparent for right now because how much is it going to take for you to come to your breaking point, for you to fight back?
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Listen to this, Doug Wilson, quote, desperate times call for faithful men and not for careful men.
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The careful men come later and write the biographies of faithful men, lauding them for their courage, end quote.
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Read it again. Desperate times call for faithful men and not for careful men.
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The careful men come later and write the biographies of the faithful men, lauding them for their courage.
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If we truly want revival, all Christians everywhere, man, woman, and child who are in Christ are not only to preach the same gospel as Peter and Paul and all the apostles preach, but they have been commanded by God to do so.
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And I ask you, those who have been regenerated, those whose hearts have been uncircumcised, has been circumcised, are you a
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Christian? Are you a Christian? If you're a
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Christian, what are we supposed to do? We're supposed to fight and not with carnal weapons, but with the gospel of Jesus Christ as Paul and as Peter and as Philip were doing in the book of Acts.
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We are to, that's our arm, that's what we're armed with, that's what we're to charge at the army with.
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And as we're charging towards them, we're to go out as delegates and to tell them how they can have peace with God.
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Now, what I'm saying is not popular, especially since I quoted Doug Wilson, right? I like the guy.
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I disagree with him, but I tell my wife all the time, if you can't like someone you disagree with, then no one should like you, because everyone's going to disagree with you about something.
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Amen? What I'm saying is not popular, but it, and I know this, however, be that as it may, what
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I'm saying is true. If you are a Christian, you are as delegate, you're to go and you're to tell the enemies how they can have peace with God.
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And I know it's true. Paul in Ephesians tells us how to fight.
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Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 6 as we wind down.
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Ephesians chapter 6, look at verse 10. Finally be strong in the
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Lord and in His, and in the might of His strength. So you're to be strong, your strength is to be in Him.
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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength.
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So as we're reading, we need to find out what is His strength? How is it that we are to fight? It tells us to put on the armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
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Remember, the devil is his followers. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler, against the authorities, against the world's force, the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
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Therefore, take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to withstand the evil day, this dark day that we're living in.
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And having done everything to stand firm, stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, truth.
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How are we to worship God? In spirit and in truth, knowing God. Your loins with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, keeping
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God's law, and having shooed your feet with the preparations of the gospel of peace.
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This is talking about our faith that's in Christ, which is, and then in verse 16 it says, and in addiction, having taken up the shield of faith.
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You're, this reminds me of Galatians chapter 2 verse 20, 21 where Paul talks about,
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I have been crucified with Christ. In the life that I live, I live by faith in the
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Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Verse 16 says, in addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one, also receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.
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So how do we fight? What's our, what's our weapon? The word of God. Remember if we don't fight now with the word of God, we're going to be forced to fight with carnal weapons when they're ravaging our homes.
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Right now, our weapon is the word of God. When they come breaking in your house to throw you out, they're going to tear your
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Bible apart. We have to fight now, praying at all times with all prayers and petitions in the spirit, and to this end being on alert with all perseverance and patience for all saints, as we ourselves, as we on my behalf, the
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LSB is wording it really weird here, please forgive me, as well as we, as well as on my behalf that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth to make known the boldness of the mystery of the gospel, for which
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I am an ambassador in chains, so that in proclaiming it,
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I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
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Being a witness of Jesus is not an option for Christians, it is a command.
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If you say this day you are a Christian, you are a delegate, and you have been commanded to tell people how they can have peace with God.
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Again, it doesn't have to be what I do, but it better be something. We must have the right armor and the right weapons, and when we are obedient,
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God gives light and life to those in darkness. One more scripture that's not off the text.
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I promise I'll be done in a few minutes. First Corinthians chapter, no, I mean, excuse me, 2nd
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Timothy chapter 2, chapter 1 verse 8. Therefore do not,
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I want you to listen, listen to this really closely, listen really closely. Therefore do not be ashamed either of the witness about our
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Lord, or me his prisoner, right here, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, according to the power of God, the gospel that's speaking with the
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Spirit, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been manifested by the appearing of our
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Savior, Jesus Christ, right here, who has abolished death, darkness, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
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The only way to remove the darkness, to overthrow the darkness, is to preach the gospel after darkness lights.
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And our next point shows us what that looks like. This one goes real quick. Peter's amazement, verses 44 through 48.
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And while Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening, not hearing, listening.
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And all the circumcised believers, speaking of the Jews, who came with Peter were astonished that the gift of the
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Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speak with tongues and manifesting
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God. Then Peter answered, can anyone receive the Holy Spirit from these who have refused water, from these to be baptized, who have received the
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Holy Spirit just as we did? And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus, that they asked him to remain.
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Then they asked him to remain for a few days. Now listen to this real quick. As Peter was still preaching the gospel, it says that the
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Holy Spirit came upon all those who were listening. And the
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Jewish believers were able to hear newly Gentile believers speak to them in their language.
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That's important. Some people call this the second Pentecost. They were able to communicate with one another.
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There was no language bearer. These physical descendants of Abraham, who believed that God, the
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God of Abraham was just for them, were able to witness that day and baptize those that they were enslaved to and to the body of Christ.
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Think about that. Think about the forgiveness that's taken place there.
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They were enslaved to Rome, and now they're baptizing Roman soldiers into the body of Christ.
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It's amazing. And if you want to be amazed like Peter was that day, then you will preach the same gospel as Peter did that day to everyone.
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These Romans were in darkness, but through the preaching of the gospel, God brought life and immortality to life.
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Adrian Rogers again quote, Study the history of revival. God always sent revival in the darkest days.
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Oh, for a mighty sweeping revival today, end quote. To my
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Christians, are you walking in the light? We as Israel are called to be the light of the world.
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We're not called to as we become a light to hide ourselves, huddle down in our homes.
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We're called to stand out for everyone to see so that they may glorify God for our good works.
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Are you a light of the world? And if you say, I'm a believer, but the light in me,
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Jesus is in me, then let your light shine before men. Start today.
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Forget about yesterday. Start today. Let your light shine before men. If you're here today and you're an unbeliever, you heard the gospel.
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Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried on the third day, rose again according to the scriptures.
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He ascended into heaven and he's coming back again to judge the living and the dead. And ladies and gentlemen, when he comes back, if you're among the dead who are raised in Adam, you are going to face the wrath of God for all eternity.
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But God faced the wrath of, I mean, but God, yes, God, son of God faced the wrath of God for every one of us in a three -day period.
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He took the wrath that we deserve and he's called everyone everywhere to repent.
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Christians repent. If you have not been the light of the world, if you have not been the light, if you as a light have been hiding your light under a basket in your home, repent.
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Turn from your sins and let your light be revealed to the world.
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And if you're not a Christian, repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ. We're available to anyone who wants to talk.
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God, Lord, as I approached this book,
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I did not realize it was going to be so hard and so controversial. We have become so comfortable in pews and so comfortable in our
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Christian faith. But when we actually looked at the book of Acts, this comfortableness of our faith and of Christianity looks so much different than what we see in the book of Acts.
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And God, I pray that you will grant me and grant those who are hearing my voice and in your church worldwide repentance,
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Lord, for hiding the lamp under a basket. That, Lord, that you will help us to be a light to the world, that we will be a people who calls people, who says the hard things, who calls the wicked to repent and put their faith in Christ, and who calls the churchgoer to not read about it, but be about it.
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Lord, we love you and we cannot do this unless our hearts have been circumcised.
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So God, I pray for regeneration today for there might be people here who are false converts,
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Lord, that you grant them true faith in Jesus Christ today. And Lord, that you grant them boldness to stand up before all tyranny and say,
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Jesus Christ is the Lord. And Lord, as we're about to partake in your supper, we pray that you use this to grow us into the image of your beloved
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Son. I pray, Lord, that if there be any here today who have been living in sin, that they will confess their sins before they partake.
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If they choose to be stubborn, Lord, I pray that you will cause them to not partake.