LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT
METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY
18 JUNE 2023
Acts 10 verses 34 – 48
Peter is called on to go
into the house of Cornelius. Not to a
multitude of people, just 1 man. We
could liken him to Gideon – one man raised up by God. He knew he had to be up and doing for God. There is a great account of soul winning in
this chapter and preaching the word of God.
What happened prior to this? Cornelius was in his own home, sitting with
his head in his hands. Something is
happening deep within his soul. He is
pleading and praying with God. He knows
he is a good man, that others had great respect for him. He helped men and he revered God. He was good in so many ways but not
saved. He did not know the application
of the blood of Christ in his life for the forgiveness of sin. God uses Peter to go in to see this man. God says to Cornelius “send for Peter … he
will give you words whereby you might be saved.” In Acts 10 we see the other side of the
story. Peter was on the rooftop when God
came to him. He had a vision of a sheet
from heaven with all manner of beasts on it.
The Lord told him to kill and eat.
Peter refused. Why did he refuse
to do that? As a Jewish man he knew to
eat from them he would be defiled. The Lord
said “don’t call that unclean which I am instructing you of. God was showing him that he had to widen his
vision of what God could do. He was opening
the door for soul winning for Peter.
Verse 44 “while Peter yet spake these words”.
The faithfulness of
Peter’s preaching. These words were the words
of God. They did not sit well with
Peter. In Peter’s life there was a battle
going on. The battle is not when you
become one of God’s children but rather afterwards. Philip was a similar situation. He was seeing miraculous things happening in
Samaria, the blessings were falling. God
came to him and said “I want you to leave this all behind.” God could lead us
on a road that we don’t know of and lead us into a strange work. That takes obedience. Gideon was threshing a little wheat when the angel
came to him. He addressed him as a
mighty man of valour, the Lord was with him. Gideon replied, “if that is so why is all this
happening around us?” Things like that
happen. Sometimes we have our backs into
a corner and then Satan comes and says, “this wouldn’t be coming on you if you
are a child of God.” Gideon was convinced
God had left his people. Cornelius had
to step out of the comfort zone and depend on God. Peter was faced with the decision to go into
Cornelius’ house. He was a Jew, and he
shouldn’t have been in a Gentile’s house.
He was obedient though to the word of God. Saul had to learn a difficult lesson as king
of Israel. He was given the task to take
his army and battle with Amalek. He was
to do it in such a way that God would have the victory, but nothing was to be
left alive. Saul however didn’t
obey. Samuel found out that he had
brought back the best of the flocks to sacrifice them to God. That was just an excuse. Saul blamed the people for the decision he
made. The Lord said through Samuel “hath
the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the
Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice.”
It doesn’t matter how many sacrifices you present; it is your obedience
that matters. When God looked into the
church at Antioch he said, “separate me Barnabas and Saul for the task I would have
them to do.” It must have been great to
have 2 such men in the church but they had to obey God’s voice. Many people today have a problem with
authority. They don’t like leadership; they want to do things they are not
called to do. That is why there are so
many protests – “this is my body, why should you tell me what to do.”
The focus in his
preaching. His only focus was Christ –
verse 38. If we are to be soul winners,
the subject and focus on our preaching must be Christ. Similarly, when we meet with people and talk
to them our focus must be preaching Christ.
Peter speaks of Jesus’ death in verse 39, then his resurrection in verse
40 and then in verse 42 the judgment of the quick and dead. One day everyone will stand as a sinner or
saint before God. He will be the judge
on that day. “He sent me to preach”
Peter says – “not with wisdom of words less the preaching of Christ be
foolishness”. Paul said in 1 Corinthians
2 “that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of
God.” It is no good to say I am saved
through my church or pastor; you need to be saved by the power of God.
His preaching was about
the forgiveness of God. When we realise,
we have sin in our heart and that heaven’s door is closed to us. This man knew he was not right with God. He had lived a religious life, he had respect
to all, but he was crying out for something special – to be right with
God. Acts 10 verse 43. Cornelius’ problem. His heart was black from sin. He was separated from God. Here was the wonderful message Peter gave – “whosoever
believes in Christ receives the remission, the forgiveness of sin.” John 6 “him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out.” No matter who it is –
Cornelius, blind Bartimaeus, the thief on the cross.
He preached on the favour
of God – verses 34 and 35. Peter’s
introduction to the message he has come with.
“Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Cornelius was a good man; he did many good deeds,
but he was not saved. God told him “When
Peter comes, he will tell you words whereby you might be saved.” He was not saved already. The message sent by the angel of God was
clear – he was not saved. There was a
young man in scriptures who did everything he could but when he came to Jesus
he asked, “what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?” He had kept the commandments, believed in God
but was not saved. When Peter preached
to Cornelius the Holy Spirit fell.
See what fellowship it
brought – the man wanted Peter to tarry.
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