The Book of Acts
provides many varying story,
00:01:00.32\00:01:06.21
intriguing story,
stories that we can read
00:01:06.24\00:01:09.99
time and time again
and rarely get bored off.
00:01:10.02\00:01:14.26
Well, almost
rarely get bored off.
00:01:14.29\00:01:17.04
Sometimes we've
seen these things
00:01:17.07\00:01:19.28
so much so that we, you know,
00:01:19.31\00:01:22.25
the punch lines ruined for us
00:01:22.28\00:01:24.83
and so we've grown to
read this awesome story book.
00:01:24.86\00:01:29.35
That's really what
the Book of Acts is,
00:01:29.38\00:01:30.75
it's a storybook.
00:01:30.78\00:01:33.02
So many stories in particular
00:01:33.05\00:01:35.43
stories of the start
of the Christian church.
00:01:35.46\00:01:39.99
This was a tumultuous time,
00:01:40.02\00:01:41.70
the start of the
Christian church.
00:01:41.73\00:01:44.12
Listen, this was not
the age of communication,
00:01:44.15\00:01:48.25
this was the age of a
very slow communication.
00:01:48.28\00:01:51.40
And things happen
slowly and word got out slowly
00:01:51.43\00:01:54.92
and people change
their ways slowly.
00:01:54.95\00:01:58.60
Things were just a lot slower
than what we're used to today.
00:01:58.63\00:02:02.51
And this story is going to,
00:02:02.54\00:02:05.63
is going to pick
up on a situation
00:02:05.66\00:02:07.47
where a group of individuals,
the early Christian church
00:02:07.50\00:02:11.33
and the Jews that made up
this early Christian church
00:02:11.36\00:02:15.57
had to learn
something and they had to take
00:02:15.60\00:02:19.21
the opportunity to change.
00:02:19.24\00:02:21.76
And sometimes as
blatant as this change visor
00:02:21.79\00:02:24.53
as clear as it was going
to be--it took some time,
00:02:24.56\00:02:28.89
it took some time.
00:02:28.92\00:02:31.49
We are going to the Book of Act,
00:02:31.52\00:02:33.66
and we're going
to the 10th chapter.
00:02:33.69\00:02:37.36
Now if you've ever
spent any amount of time
00:02:37.39\00:02:39.86
as an active
participant in evangelism,
00:02:39.89\00:02:44.73
specifically
Seventh-day Adventist evangelism
00:02:44.76\00:02:47.45
when you are preaching
the Three Angels' Message
00:02:47.48\00:02:49.90
and you're preaching
the distinctive truths
00:02:49.93\00:02:52.89
of Scripture, those things
that have been long forgotten
00:02:52.92\00:02:57.54
in popular Christianity.
00:02:57.57\00:02:59.29
But the Bible
speaks so clearly about.
00:02:59.32\00:03:02.19
If you spent any amount of time,
00:03:02.22\00:03:05.00
really even just a
little bit amount of time
00:03:05.03\00:03:08.15
in frontline evangelism.
00:03:08.18\00:03:10.85
When you're right up
there sharing the Gospel message
00:03:10.88\00:03:14.35
with those all around
you, if you spend any time
00:03:14.38\00:03:17.94
as a Bible worker, as somebody
00:03:17.97\00:03:21.77
that gives Bible
studies on a regular basis.
00:03:21.80\00:03:24.40
And you make your way
through the scriptures,
00:03:24.43\00:03:27.13
you start with the word of
God, you show them Daniel 2
00:03:27.16\00:03:30.31
and on and on and
you've made your way
00:03:30.34\00:03:32.70
through much of prophecy.
00:03:32.73\00:03:34.73
And you're now coming into
the part of the Bible studies
00:03:34.76\00:03:37.73
or the series of meetings,
00:03:37.76\00:03:39.26
when you'll be
discussing lifestyle issues.
00:03:39.29\00:03:45.51
Beyond the shadow of a
doubt, if you spent any amount
00:03:45.54\00:03:48.96
of time doing evangelism
00:03:48.99\00:03:52.55
and you've got into
the lifestyle issues,
00:03:52.58\00:03:54.38
particularly to
the region of health.
00:03:54.41\00:03:58.12
And you've shared with
those that you've been studying
00:03:58.15\00:04:01.27
with those who have been coming,
00:04:01.30\00:04:03.85
those you have been striving
with week in and week out,
00:04:03.88\00:04:07.78
you've been developing
a relationship with them.
00:04:07.81\00:04:10.04
And you get to the,
to the distinctive truths
00:04:10.07\00:04:12.57
that we hold in terms
of health as a church.
00:04:12.60\00:04:18.64
People don't like to be told
00:04:18.67\00:04:22.16
what should or should
not be on their dinner table.
00:04:22.19\00:04:26.99
It's just one of those
taboo areas people like to eat
00:04:27.02\00:04:30.58
what they're gonna
eat and that's enough.
00:04:30.61\00:04:34.22
And so when we,
when we tell them
00:04:34.25\00:04:35.77
that the scripture
say, hey, wait a minute.
00:04:35.80\00:04:39.06
The scriptures actually have
prescriptive details regarding,
00:04:39.09\00:04:43.35
what we're supposed
to put inside our bodies?
00:04:43.38\00:04:45.64
What we are to eat?
00:04:45.67\00:04:47.04
Now the Bible is not
silent on much--I guess it is.
00:04:47.07\00:04:51.78
But are those
really important things?
00:04:51.81\00:04:53.34
Those things that comprise who
and what we are, our very being.
00:04:53.37\00:04:57.26
The Bible doesn't
remain silent on those things
00:04:57.29\00:04:59.06
and it's not silent on diet.
00:04:59.09\00:05:02.18
And so we often take
the opportunity to share
00:05:02.21\00:05:04.51
this with people
because it's done a lot for us.
00:05:04.54\00:05:07.17
It's cleaned up who we
are and how our body feels,
00:05:07.20\00:05:10.54
and we shared
the health message.
00:05:10.57\00:05:11.94
We share the truth
of what the Bible says
00:05:11.97\00:05:14.74
regarding eating and
regarding the temples.
00:05:14.77\00:05:17.50
Our body is
temples of the Holy Spirit.
00:05:17.53\00:05:21.45
This is an important truth.
00:05:21.48\00:05:25.05
Very important one,
because a lot of times
00:05:25.08\00:05:27.71
people are putting
so much into themselves
00:05:27.74\00:05:29.57
that there's no real
clarity in their thinking.
00:05:29.60\00:05:36.38
They spent so much
time feeding themselves
00:05:36.41\00:05:39.97
with all sorts of stuff that--
It becomes rather difficult
00:05:40.00\00:05:44.45
at times to really
communicate with them.
00:05:44.48\00:05:46.14
They are kind of clouded over.
00:05:46.17\00:05:48.34
And so our health
message actually provides
00:05:48.37\00:05:51.49
an opportunity for people
to get things out of their diet
00:05:51.52\00:05:53.90
that shouldn't be
there to begin with.
00:05:53.93\00:05:55.89
And it really clears
things up. It helps them think.
00:05:55.92\00:05:59.56
It helps them really
come together on this message.
00:05:59.59\00:06:04.87
But a lot of the people
that we share these messages
00:06:04.90\00:06:07.78
with have already
been students of scripture.
00:06:07.81\00:06:10.88
They just haven't been open
to all the light that scripture
00:06:10.91\00:06:14.11
has to share on these issues
specifically the health region.
00:06:14.14\00:06:17.39
There's many other things
that people are interested.
00:06:17.42\00:06:19.24
They are interested in prophecy.
00:06:19.27\00:06:20.64
They want to know, who
the King of the North is.
00:06:20.67\00:06:22.04
They want to know who the
beast in Revelation 13 is.
00:06:22.07\00:06:24.43
They want to know what 666 is.
00:06:24.46\00:06:26.17
And they studied these things
00:06:26.20\00:06:27.57
and they've got
ideas about these things.
00:06:27.60\00:06:29.14
They wanted to
know about salvation
00:06:29.17\00:06:30.75
and about some of
the-- But there's some things
00:06:30.78\00:06:32.59
in the Bible that people
are not too concerned about.
00:06:32.62\00:06:35.11
And very rarely
does somebody come
00:06:35.14\00:06:37.21
to the Bible
studying it as a textbook
00:06:37.24\00:06:40.26
on health or on diet.
00:06:40.29\00:06:44.30
But those that do
hear this sort of a message
00:06:44.33\00:06:46.74
or go through a
Bible study on this topic.
00:06:46.77\00:06:49.85
And hear things like,
I can't eat pork anymore,
00:06:49.88\00:06:53.70
are you kidding me?
00:06:53.73\00:06:55.10
Have you read your Bible?
00:06:55.13\00:06:56.72
And almost as quickly
as they say those words,
00:06:56.75\00:06:59.84
they bust out
their Bible and they come
00:06:59.87\00:07:02.64
to the Book of Acts Chapter 10.
00:07:02.67\00:07:05.80
And so if you've done
any frontline evangelism,
00:07:05.83\00:07:09.07
you've dealt
with Acts Chapter 10.
00:07:09.10\00:07:13.17
Now we're gonna go through
00:07:13.20\00:07:14.57
and we're going to look at
this and we're going to look at,
00:07:14.60\00:07:17.88
just what's going on
in Acts 10 and Acts 11.
00:07:17.91\00:07:21.10
See if there is validity
00:07:21.13\00:07:23.30
to this position that
so many Christians take,
00:07:23.33\00:07:26.30
that God has in fact
made all unclean meat clean.
00:07:26.33\00:07:32.33
That's what they say,
this scripture supports.
00:07:32.36\00:07:35.50
So what we're hoping to
see today is whether or not,
00:07:35.53\00:07:38.66
in fact this
scripture does support that.
00:07:38.69\00:07:43.11
But before we
launch off into that study,
00:07:43.14\00:07:46.14
I'd like to just
mention something
00:07:46.17\00:07:49.41
that as a young preacher
pastoring just 10 months,
00:07:49.44\00:07:52.91
I remember very
distinctly my homiletics teacher
00:07:52.94\00:07:56.04
and other books
I've read on homiletics,
00:07:56.07\00:07:58.21
"The Craft of Preaching,"
"The Art of Preaching."
00:07:58.24\00:08:02.41
You'll find that one of
the things they share with us
00:08:02.44\00:08:06.12
is that a meandering sermon.
00:08:06.15\00:08:08.77
The one that's tangential,
that people can't follow.
00:08:08.80\00:08:11.12
That at the end of the sermon
00:08:11.15\00:08:12.52
they can't say the
sermon was about this.
00:08:12.55\00:08:16.14
Then it's probably
not the best of sermons.
00:08:16.17\00:08:19.55
You probably had a lot of ideas
00:08:19.58\00:08:21.45
that you wanted to share
and pick the passage on idea
00:08:21.48\00:08:25.28
that kind of was
fair to it and went about
00:08:25.31\00:08:29.32
and just shared all these ideas.
00:08:29.35\00:08:30.96
Now I have rejected that.
00:08:30.99\00:08:33.03
I do not like to preach these
meandering tangential sermons.
00:08:33.06\00:08:36.66
And so I'm going to
resist that as much as I wanted
00:08:36.69\00:08:39.60
to in this passage of scripture.
00:08:39.63\00:08:41.94
Acts 10 and Acts 11,
dealing with Peter's vision
00:08:41.97\00:08:46.39
of the clean and unclean.
00:08:46.42\00:08:47.92
But what I hope you
will allow me to do,
00:08:47.95\00:08:51.22
as we go through this message
and finally bring it to a close,
00:08:51.25\00:08:55.85
is you'll let me do a little bit
00:08:55.88\00:08:57.98
of--if you will
spiritual application.
00:08:58.01\00:09:04.01
You'll let me take
the kernel of truth
00:09:04.04\00:09:06.77
we find here and
it's draped in this.
00:09:06.80\00:09:09.96
I don't think that
this is totally resting
00:09:09.99\00:09:13.05
the scriptures out of place,
but it's certainly looking
00:09:13.08\00:09:16.03
for a tertiary or
third or fourth application.
00:09:16.06\00:09:19.05
But I think perhaps
one of the most primary
00:09:19.08\00:09:21.39
and fundamental applications.
00:09:21.42\00:09:23.66
But before we can do that,
before I'm allowed to do that,
00:09:23.69\00:09:26.37
we're going to go
through and see just
00:09:26.40\00:09:28.08
what is this whole
event in Peter's life
00:09:28.11\00:09:31.55
and in the life of the
early Christian church,
00:09:31.58\00:09:33.56
this vision that Peter
has in Acts 10 and Acts 11.
00:09:33.59\00:09:40.20
A scripture out of context
00:09:40.23\00:09:43.16
is a pretext, you've heard that.
00:09:43.19\00:09:47.14
You know, I don't want to
use the cliche example you know,
00:09:47.17\00:09:51.50
the guy flips to
his Bible and Judas hung
00:09:51.53\00:09:53.81
himself--and he
goes through and he says,
00:09:53.84\00:09:56.03
go and do that
likewise and do it quickly.
00:09:56.07\00:09:58.17
You know, we all know
00:09:58.20\00:09:59.57
what it's like to just
take one scripture out of place
00:09:59.60\00:10:01.79
or take something
out of, out of context
00:10:01.82\00:10:04.57
and make a whole
theology out of it.
00:10:04.60\00:10:06.90
People do that all the time.
00:10:06.93\00:10:08.38
People like doing that.
00:10:08.41\00:10:10.22
We call it proof texting.
00:10:10.25\00:10:13.11
Now we want to
avoid that at all costs.
00:10:13.14\00:10:16.12
And so an important task
in us truly understanding
00:10:16.15\00:10:19.30
this passage of
scripture is to understand
00:10:19.33\00:10:22.67
the context behind everything.
00:10:22.70\00:10:24.83
And think back with me to
the early Christian church.
00:10:24.86\00:10:27.84
At this time the idea
of the Gospel going out
00:10:27.87\00:10:31.55
to the Gentiles was
kind of still a foreign idea.
00:10:31.58\00:10:35.11
They had their own
shut door so to speak.
00:10:35.14\00:10:37.86
They thought Jews and Jews alone
were the only ones qualified,
00:10:37.89\00:10:40.75
besides it was the
Messiah of the Jews.
00:10:40.78\00:10:43.60
And so the early
Christian church to this point
00:10:43.63\00:10:46.58
was kind of fighting
what was going to happen?
00:10:46.61\00:10:51.12
But God is setting the stature.
00:10:51.15\00:10:53.72
The gospel needs to go out.
00:10:53.75\00:10:55.12
If you have
your Bibles just turn
00:10:55.15\00:10:56.52
very quickly
backwards to Acts Chapter 1.
00:10:56.55\00:10:59.96
And the first eight or so
verses is Christ still on earth
00:10:59.99\00:11:04.96
and He's with His disciples,
He's about to ascend back
00:11:04.99\00:11:08.49
into heaven, but He leaves
them with the Gospel Commission.
00:11:08.52\00:11:11.96
Now we find the
Gospel Commission
00:11:11.99\00:11:13.36
in many
locations in the scriptures
00:11:13.39\00:11:15.23
in the Gospel accounts.
00:11:15.26\00:11:16.97
But we find here Luke's version
at the beginning of Acts.
00:11:17.00\00:11:22.07
And as we enter
into the Book of Acts,
00:11:22.10\00:11:24.55
we find this very
interesting command from God.
00:11:24.58\00:11:29.93
Let's pick it up in verse 7.
00:11:29.96\00:11:31.76
Acts 1:7 says,
"And he said to them,
00:11:31.79\00:11:34.73
It is not for you to
know the times or the seasons,
00:11:34.76\00:11:36.99
which the Father has
put in his own authority.
00:11:37.02\00:11:39.81
But you shall receive power,
00:11:39.84\00:11:42.99
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you."
00:11:43.02\00:11:45.38
And then here is the key,
here's what we're getting at.
00:11:45.41\00:11:47.57
"And you shall be
witnesses to me in Jerusalem
00:11:47.60\00:11:51.24
and in all Judea and all Samaria
and to the ends of the earth."
00:11:51.27\00:11:56.58
Now if you were to--if I
were to have a map right here,
00:11:56.61\00:11:59.33
if you were to have a map
and you were to plow this,
00:11:59.36\00:12:01.32
perhaps you could turn
to the back of your Bible
00:12:01.35\00:12:03.50
again to one of those
nifty maps and find Jerusalem.
00:12:03.53\00:12:08.44
And then look
for a larger title,
00:12:08.47\00:12:10.18
Samaria versus
Judea, and you can see
00:12:10.21\00:12:11.79
what kind of encompasses Judea.
00:12:11.82\00:12:14.03
And then look for
Samaria and you can see
00:12:14.06\00:12:15.67
that it's kind of
a little further out
00:12:15.70\00:12:17.18
and then of course
the ends the earth.
00:12:17.21\00:12:18.58
What we find that
these are concentric circles.
00:12:18.61\00:12:21.02
Starts very close in
Jerusalem, those most prepared,
00:12:21.05\00:12:24.50
those most--
they were clearest on
00:12:24.53\00:12:27.74
who Christ was and what He was.
00:12:27.77\00:12:29.76
Christ spent a lot
of time in Jerusalem.
00:12:29.79\00:12:31.61
The crucifixion had taken
place just outside of Jerusalem.
00:12:31.64\00:12:35.13
And so God says, "Well of course
00:12:35.16\00:12:37.24
this is your
prime field to begin.
00:12:37.27\00:12:39.23
This is where I
planted seed, go and harvest."
00:12:39.26\00:12:42.22
So we find Jerusalem here
00:12:42.25\00:12:43.67
as the central circle
there, the first circle.
00:12:43.70\00:12:46.33
But we find that it expands
in these concentric circles.
00:12:46.36\00:12:49.31
And finally
things were to the go out
00:12:49.34\00:12:50.90
to the ends of the earth.
00:12:50.93\00:12:52.30
It was hard enough for them
00:12:52.33\00:12:53.70
to take the
gospel to the Samaritans.
00:12:53.73\00:12:55.94
And it wasn't so easy for them,
00:12:55.97\00:12:58.21
but now to the ends
of the world to Gentiles.
00:12:58.24\00:13:02.51
So this is the context
that we find that as we study
00:13:02.54\00:13:05.49
the early chapters of
Acts, we find this progression
00:13:05.52\00:13:08.69
from Jerusalem,
to Judea, to Samaria
00:13:08.72\00:13:12.10
and eventually now we--just
before our passage at hand,
00:13:12.13\00:13:15.99
Paul has been
converted in Acts Chapter 9,
00:13:16.02\00:13:18.31
Saul has been converted to Paul.
00:13:18.34\00:13:20.02
The gospel is about to
go out to the Gentiles,
00:13:20.05\00:13:22.96
but God needs to
prepare the soil a little bit.
00:13:22.99\00:13:25.28
He needs to change
the minds of the leaders.
00:13:25.31\00:13:27.27
Remember we started
off by saying that change
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.69
at this day and age was
slow, it wasn't so easy.
00:13:29.72\00:13:35.43
Especially something that had
been so ingrained in your mind.
00:13:35.46\00:13:40.05
So then with that
kind of a background
00:13:40.08\00:13:41.79
that the gospel
message is expanding
00:13:41.82\00:13:44.71
in these concentric circles,
00:13:44.74\00:13:46.24
as things are
developing outward,
00:13:46.27\00:13:49.20
this is where we
pick up the story then.
00:13:49.23\00:13:52.34
This is where
things come together.
00:13:52.37\00:13:53.90
We need to
recognize that Acts 10
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.25
is not a standalone chapter,
it fits in the chronology.
00:13:56.28\00:13:59.91
Luke is presenting
the gospel being presented
00:13:59.94\00:14:02.60
to the world, to
the then known world.
00:14:02.63\00:14:06.10
As much as it could be
reached, Paul was reaching.
00:14:06.13\00:14:09.03
And this is
kind of the key event
00:14:09.06\00:14:13.26
that sort of sets the
stage as to this gospel
00:14:13.29\00:14:16.45
then now being able
to go to the Gentiles.
00:14:16.48\00:14:22.45
So picking it
up then in Acts 10,
00:14:22.48\00:14:24.36
beginning in verse 1.
00:14:24.39\00:14:27.46
Since, "There was a certain man
in Caesarea called Cornelius,
00:14:27.49\00:14:30.90
a centurion of what was
called the Italian Regiment."
00:14:30.93\00:14:37.24
Now I don't know about you,
00:14:37.27\00:14:39.49
but I've studied a little
bit of Hebrew not a whole lot.
00:14:39.52\00:14:44.60
And I can tell you one thing,
00:14:44.63\00:14:47.11
Cornelius it's not
really a Jewish name.
00:14:47.14\00:14:51.82
No in fact it's quite a
Gentile name, an Italian name.
00:14:51.85\00:14:57.19
I know who
Cornelius is by the way,
00:14:57.22\00:14:58.81
not a very common name,
but I actually know him,
00:14:58.84\00:15:00.59
good friends of ours in Canada.
00:15:00.62\00:15:04.38
Cornelius is an
interesting name,
00:15:04.41\00:15:05.81
but this man is no
Jew that's for sure.
00:15:05.84\00:15:10.08
He would be what--would normally
be classified as a Gentile.
00:15:10.11\00:15:14.09
Cornelius was a Gentile.
00:15:14.12\00:15:16.47
Now let's understand that this
is the beginning of Chapter 10.
00:15:16.50\00:15:20.59
Cornelius is here
and what do we find out
00:15:20.62\00:15:23.25
about Cornelius, let's read.
00:15:23.28\00:15:25.30
Acts Chapter 10,
picking it up then in verse 2.
00:15:25.33\00:15:28.19
We've just been
introduced to Cornelius.
00:15:28.22\00:15:30.42
And the Bible calls him,
00:15:30.45\00:15:31.82
"A devout man and one who feared
God with all his household,
00:15:31.85\00:15:35.94
who gave alms
generously to all the people,
00:15:35.97\00:15:38.80
and prayed to God always."
00:15:38.83\00:15:40.52
This was a man of God.
00:15:40.55\00:15:42.97
But this is not something that
the early Christians or Jews
00:15:43.00\00:15:46.18
or any of those
people in the early Palestine
00:15:46.21\00:15:48.66
the way movement
would've taken easily to.
00:15:48.69\00:15:52.78
In fact these people were
common or unclean to them.
00:15:52.81\00:15:59.18
But this man, the
Bible says was a devout man,
00:15:59.21\00:16:02.02
a God fearing man.
00:16:02.05\00:16:04.44
Picking it up
then again in verse 3,
00:16:04.47\00:16:06.22
"About the ninth hour of the
day he saw clearly in a vision
00:16:06.25\00:16:09.22
an angel of God coming and
saying to him, "Cornelius!"
00:16:09.25\00:16:13.87
And when he observed
him, he was afraid, and said,
00:16:13.90\00:16:16.37
"What is it, Lord?"
00:16:16.40\00:16:17.85
So he said to him, "Your prayers
00:16:17.88\00:16:19.37
and your alms have come
up for a memorial before God.
00:16:19.40\00:16:22.07
Now send men to
Joppa, and send for Simon
00:16:22.10\00:16:24.85
whose surname is Peter.
00:16:24.88\00:16:26.73
He is lodging
with Simon, a tanner,
00:16:26.76\00:16:29.11
whose house is by the sea.
00:16:29.14\00:16:31.19
He will tell you
what you must do.
00:16:31.22\00:16:33.15
And when the angel who
spoke to him had departed,
00:16:33.18\00:16:35.28
Cornelius called two
of his household servants
00:16:35.31\00:16:37.54
and a devout
soldier from among those
00:16:37.57\00:16:39.21
who waited on him continually.
00:16:39.24\00:16:41.06
So when he had explained
all these things to them,
00:16:41.09\00:16:43.90
he sent them to Joppa."
00:16:43.93\00:16:45.35
So this is our context
then, Cornelius and the story
00:16:45.38\00:16:49.39
of the angel
visiting Cornelius is what,
00:16:49.42\00:16:51.84
is at the heart
of this situation
00:16:51.87\00:16:55.58
that's about to take place.
00:16:55.61\00:16:56.98
Now who is Peter?
00:16:57.01\00:16:58.38
Peter is about to
enter into the story.
00:16:58.41\00:17:01.27
Peter was the leader of
the early Christian church.
00:17:01.30\00:17:04.56
His influence went
a long way in terms
00:17:04.59\00:17:08.27
of what was allowed to happen
00:17:08.30\00:17:09.67
and what wasn't
allowed to happen.
00:17:09.70\00:17:11.07
He was one of
the great apostles.
00:17:11.10\00:17:14.02
But who was being
sent to His house?
00:17:14.05\00:17:19.50
Cornelius' servants,
these people are Gentiles.
00:17:19.53\00:17:24.55
They are not Jews and
they are about to go to Peter.
00:17:24.58\00:17:31.10
Now God knew that this was not
00:17:31.13\00:17:32.54
gonna be an
easy thing for Peter.
00:17:32.57\00:17:34.41
You see, we know
quite a bit about Peter
00:17:34.44\00:17:36.08
from scriptures elsewhere.
00:17:36.11\00:17:38.52
We know that he was
a pretty stubborn guy,
00:17:38.55\00:17:40.93
he made some mistakes.
00:17:40.96\00:17:42.62
And the Lord had to
work with Peter a little bit.
00:17:42.65\00:17:45.06
He needed to find some way
00:17:45.09\00:17:46.84
to really kind of ease
him into things at times.
00:17:46.87\00:17:50.84
And we're gonna find that
this story is no different.
00:17:50.87\00:17:54.05
We're gonna find
that in fact God is taking
00:17:54.08\00:17:58.13
every precaution necessary
to be sure that this situation,
00:17:58.16\00:18:04.31
that this gospel
going out into the world
00:18:04.34\00:18:06.43
was actually
going to be effective.
00:18:06.46\00:18:08.77
And he needed to
change the mind of the leader,
00:18:08.80\00:18:10.41
before he could change
the mind of anybody else.
00:18:10.44\00:18:13.93
So Cornelius has sent these men.
00:18:13.96\00:18:15.86
Now an interesting note
is that we already see hints
00:18:15.89\00:18:21.13
that Peter and the apostles
and the early Christian church
00:18:21.16\00:18:25.63
they were beginning
to, they were beginning
00:18:25.66\00:18:27.81
to soften a
little bit on these other
00:18:27.84\00:18:30.86
folks and these other ideas
00:18:30.89\00:18:33.29
of unclean and
common in regards to people.
00:18:33.32\00:18:37.07
They were
beginning to see that perhaps
00:18:37.10\00:18:39.18
this field of
people is, you know,
00:18:39.21\00:18:41.23
is not so bad and
Jesus said some things
00:18:41.26\00:18:44.10
that were kind of resonating,
00:18:44.13\00:18:45.50
but they weren't
so clear about it.
00:18:45.53\00:18:46.90
God was clarifying
things and we know that because
00:18:46.93\00:18:48.69
where is Peter lodging?
00:18:48.72\00:18:51.25
It says that he is
with Simon the Tanner.
00:18:51.28\00:18:53.49
Now I had to look up Tanner,
00:18:53.52\00:18:54.95
I don't come
from-- I'm a city slicker.
00:18:54.98\00:18:59.16
I don't know much about hunting,
00:18:59.19\00:19:00.56
I don't know much
about carcasses and skins
00:19:00.59\00:19:02.95
and all of that kind of stuff.
00:19:02.98\00:19:04.63
I don't know much about that.
00:19:04.66\00:19:06.80
But when I found
out what a Tanner was,
00:19:06.83\00:19:08.87
I was like, uh, interesting.
00:19:08.90\00:19:11.73
Because part of the
unclean and clean and common
00:19:11.76\00:19:16.91
regulations in the
Old Testament was that,
00:19:16.94\00:19:18.89
hey listen, somebody
that deals with these animals,
00:19:18.92\00:19:20.57
perhaps unclean animals make
skins and deals with the dead,
00:19:20.60\00:19:23.14
those people are
common or unclean.
00:19:23.17\00:19:24.80
So we already know that
Peter is beginning to soften
00:19:24.83\00:19:28.80
on these
regulations a little bit
00:19:28.83\00:19:30.87
in terms of
people, in terms of people.
00:19:30.90\00:19:32.91
Okay, this is people centered.
00:19:32.94\00:19:36.26
So he's staying with the Tanner.
00:19:36.29\00:19:38.24
Staying with
somebody that he normally,
00:19:38.27\00:19:39.64
probably
wouldn't have stayed with,
00:19:39.67\00:19:41.04
but we don't really know exactly
00:19:41.07\00:19:42.71
what went through
Peter's mind or exactly
00:19:42.74\00:19:44.63
how far along
he'd come, but God knew
00:19:44.66\00:19:46.28
that he needed
something a little bit more
00:19:46.31\00:19:48.37
to just get him over the hump.
00:19:48.40\00:19:49.95
So we pick up the
story then in verse 9.
00:19:49.98\00:19:54.72
Peter's vision,
and the next day,
00:19:54.75\00:19:57.31
see the narrative continues.
00:19:57.34\00:20:00.12
The next day, so
what was the previous day?
00:20:00.15\00:20:02.14
Well, Cornelius'
vision in sending out
00:20:02.17\00:20:03.94
of his servants to get Peter.
00:20:03.97\00:20:07.29
Okay. Cornelius needed
to be brought into the fold.
00:20:07.32\00:20:11.35
And God was making this happen
through Cornelius and Peter.
00:20:11.38\00:20:14.11
"So the next day, as
they went on their journey,
00:20:14.14\00:20:16.16
and drew near the city,
Peter went up on the housetop
00:20:16.19\00:20:19.21
to pray about the sixth hour.
00:20:19.24\00:20:22.45
Then he became very
hungry and wanted to eat."
00:20:22.48\00:20:27.08
I'm going to pick
this up in the second half
00:20:27.11\00:20:29.82
of our message today.
00:20:29.85\00:20:31.75
I need you to take that phrase.
00:20:31.78\00:20:34.62
"He became very
hungry and wanted to eat."
00:20:34.65\00:20:38.05
And place that on a
shelf somewhere in your memory,
00:20:38.08\00:20:40.79
in that random
access memory that RAM.
00:20:40.82\00:20:43.08
You know, that
stuff that's fast,
00:20:43.11\00:20:44.48
because I'm need you
to be calling fast later.
00:20:44.51\00:20:46.50
I don't need you
to store it somewhere
00:20:46.53\00:20:47.90
far away where
you're gonna forget.
00:20:47.93\00:20:49.30
Please just keep
that, keep that in mind
00:20:49.33\00:20:50.97
this idea that
Peter was very hungry.
00:20:51.00\00:20:55.96
Peter is very hungry
and he wanted to eat.
00:20:55.99\00:21:01.86
But while they made
ready, he fell into a trance."
00:21:01.89\00:21:06.57
He's about to have a vision.
00:21:06.60\00:21:08.48
Verse 11 begins this vision,
00:21:08.51\00:21:10.42
"And I saw heaven opened
00:21:10.45\00:21:12.80
and an object like a great
sheet bound at the four corners,
00:21:12.83\00:21:17.06
descending to him and
let down to the earth."
00:21:17.09\00:21:21.07
Very important for us to
recognize this language here.
00:21:21.10\00:21:23.89
This is not one-off language.
00:21:23.92\00:21:25.82
We have other examples
of this in the scriptures.
00:21:25.85\00:21:29.34
The four winds of heaven,
the four corners of the earth.
00:21:29.37\00:21:32.07
We find it a lot in
a Apocalyptic Prophecy.
00:21:32.10\00:21:34.68
We find it a little law
in discussing other nations,
00:21:34.71\00:21:38.07
other people, other languages,
00:21:38.10\00:21:39.73
it means compass directions.
00:21:39.76\00:21:42.31
It means the whole
landscape, everybody.
00:21:42.34\00:21:46.16
The whole world, it's
universal, it's global inscape.
00:21:46.19\00:21:50.40
So the way Luke records this,
00:21:50.43\00:21:53.05
and the actual
vision that Peter has,
00:21:53.08\00:21:55.55
this is very
particular language.
00:21:55.58\00:21:58.52
Not just any sheet,
not a circular sheet,
00:21:58.55\00:22:00.46
not a triangular sheet.
00:22:00.49\00:22:02.69
No, this is a
four cornered sheet.
00:22:02.72\00:22:05.50
And it's
descending to where? To earth.
00:22:05.53\00:22:08.48
So the four
corners, the four compass
00:22:08.51\00:22:09.88
all the different people.
00:22:09.91\00:22:11.68
We've seen this before,
but it doesn't stop there,
00:22:11.71\00:22:14.19
the similarities
with other situations
00:22:14.22\00:22:15.83
in scripture, don't stop there.
00:22:15.86\00:22:17.64
Look what he sees.
00:22:17.67\00:22:20.61
"In it were all kinds
of four-footed animals
00:22:20.64\00:22:23.75
of the earth, wild
beasts, creeping things,
00:22:23.78\00:22:26.30
and birds of the air."
00:22:26.33\00:22:29.16
Now again, these
are for the most part,
00:22:29.19\00:22:34.04
common and unclean animals,
00:22:34.07\00:22:37.75
that are being described here.
00:22:37.78\00:22:41.94
But have we Bible students
seen this somewhere before?
00:22:41.97\00:22:46.28
If you're a Bible student
and you really like prophecy
00:22:46.31\00:22:49.55
and you've studied
the Book of Daniel,
00:22:49.58\00:22:51.58
you've have no doubt
come across Daniel Chapter 7.
00:22:51.61\00:22:54.48
And there we see
these beasts in a vision
00:22:54.51\00:22:58.75
very similar almost in
terms of what was being seen
00:22:58.78\00:23:01.73
of these animals,
all sorts of animals,
00:23:01.76\00:23:04.37
wild beasts, creeping
things, birds of the air.
00:23:04.40\00:23:07.18
In fact in Daniel Chapter
7, if you were to turn there
00:23:07.21\00:23:09.43
and to look, you
would see a lion with wings,
00:23:09.46\00:23:13.29
eagle's wings,
an unclean animal.
00:23:13.32\00:23:16.74
And if you were to
continue, you'd see a bear,
00:23:16.77\00:23:18.74
again an unclean
animal with ribs in his mouth.
00:23:18.77\00:23:21.66
And then you'd see a
leopard with four heads
00:23:21.69\00:23:23.46
again an unclean
animal with wings
00:23:23.49\00:23:26.06
on it's back
again, unclean animal.
00:23:26.09\00:23:28.25
So this is not
uncommon, but here's the thing.
00:23:28.28\00:23:31.12
What did those
animals stand for?
00:23:31.15\00:23:34.72
Wow, when we look at
it they stood for nations,
00:23:34.75\00:23:36.96
kingdoms, tribes,
they were Gentile people.
00:23:36.99\00:23:39.99
So we have a biblical
precedent then that in visions,
00:23:40.02\00:23:43.43
and these opportunities,
it's common for animals
00:23:43.46\00:23:47.24
to represent nations, we
still do this to this day.
00:23:47.27\00:23:50.50
In this dear country, the
national animal is an eagle.
00:23:50.53\00:23:54.15
And eagle represents
the Nation of America.
00:23:54.18\00:23:56.79
In Canada where I'm
from, it represents a beaver.
00:23:56.82\00:24:02.71
A beaver is our national
animal, where we like beavers.
00:24:02.74\00:24:06.98
And what's the
national animal for France?
00:24:07.01\00:24:10.96
It's a rooster.
00:24:10.99\00:24:12.57
A rooster is the
national animal for France.
00:24:12.60\00:24:14.17
And so on and so
forth, we still do this.
00:24:14.20\00:24:16.71
Animals representing
people and this was common.
00:24:16.74\00:24:19.32
Peter would've
thought back and remember
00:24:19.35\00:24:21.26
he was a student of the
Old Testament scriptures,
00:24:21.29\00:24:23.08
that's all they had.
00:24:23.11\00:24:24.48
And he would have
remembered, yeah, yeah,
00:24:24.51\00:24:25.88
these unclean
animals, they sometimes stand
00:24:25.91\00:24:28.19
for other people, but
he wasn't so sure here.
00:24:28.22\00:24:30.03
This is all kind of
still not coming together,
00:24:30.06\00:24:32.51
but God knew
what He had in mind.
00:24:32.54\00:24:34.53
God knew what He was
teaching with the scripture.
00:24:34.56\00:24:36.84
And so He says to him, verse 13,
00:24:36.87\00:24:39.88
"And a voice came to him,
'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'"
00:24:39.91\00:24:45.60
'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.
00:24:45.63\00:24:50.20
The sermon today is
entitled, "Rise, kill, eat."
00:24:50.23\00:24:55.94
"Rise, kill, eat."
00:24:55.97\00:25:01.71
But Peter said, not so Lord.
00:25:01.74\00:25:05.40
We find that a lot
in scriptures, don't we?
00:25:05.43\00:25:06.87
People just kind of
like, wait a minute God,
00:25:06.90\00:25:08.82
they always
have to question God.
00:25:08.85\00:25:10.43
I hope and pray
that in my ministry,
00:25:10.46\00:25:12.87
I'm not one of
those questioners.
00:25:12.90\00:25:15.22
Lord be with me.
00:25:15.25\00:25:17.36
"Rise, Peter, kill and eat.
00:25:17.39\00:25:19.07
But Peter said
no, "Not so, Lord!
00:25:19.10\00:25:20.47
For I have never eaten
anything common or unclean."
00:25:20.50\00:25:23.33
When the Lord tells
you to do something do it.
00:25:23.36\00:25:25.43
But Peter here again
kind of, fighting the urge.
00:25:25.46\00:25:30.81
Verse 15, "And a
voice spoke to him
00:25:30.84\00:25:32.46
again the second
time, "What God has cleansed
00:25:32.49\00:25:35.07
you must not call common.
00:25:35.10\00:25:36.90
This was done three
times and the object
00:25:36.93\00:25:38.83
was taken up into heaven again."
00:25:38.86\00:25:41.11
Funny, just a quick
tidbit of information.
00:25:41.14\00:25:43.55
It seems like with Peter,
00:25:43.58\00:25:44.95
things always had to happen
in threes, in triplicates.
00:25:44.98\00:25:48.33
Always things
happening in threes,
00:25:48.36\00:25:49.92
that's 'cause he's stubborn.
00:25:49.95\00:25:51.89
God had to make it
really clear to him,
00:25:51.92\00:25:53.64
so he took three opportunities,
00:25:53.67\00:25:55.19
three times, go, clean
that up--Finally Peter is like,
00:25:55.22\00:25:57.78
okay, I get the point, God.
00:25:57.81\00:25:59.87
So God picks up and it's
gone, back up into heaven again.
00:25:59.90\00:26:04.60
Now some in our Bible studies,
00:26:04.63\00:26:07.95
Christians who want to
turn to this and see, see
00:26:07.98\00:26:10.30
God has cleansed everything.
00:26:10.33\00:26:11.70
He even told Peter
to "Rise, Kill and eat."
00:26:11.73\00:26:14.77
The problem here is
though that it's leaving out
00:26:14.80\00:26:17.22
the first 8 verses
dealing with Cornelius
00:26:17.25\00:26:19.84
and it's leaving out
the rest of the story.
00:26:19.87\00:26:22.83
Let's see what Peter himself
understood this vision to me.
00:26:22.86\00:26:27.42
Certainly we can
allow the scriptures
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.69
to interpret
themselves, not to mention
00:26:29.72\00:26:31.99
just let the
story interpret itself.
00:26:32.02\00:26:34.78
So let's see then what
exactly is happening here.
00:26:34.81\00:26:38.14
Verse 17, "Now
while Peter wondered
00:26:38.17\00:26:40.41
within himself what this
vision which he had seen meant."
00:26:40.44\00:26:44.67
It's very
important here to recognize,
00:26:44.70\00:26:46.64
that it wasn't super
clear to Peter to begin with.
00:26:46.67\00:26:49.12
So how was it clear to
you and I to begin with?
00:26:49.15\00:26:50.96
No, it's not. I mean,
if it wasn't and obviously
00:26:50.99\00:26:53.97
it wasn't just what it
seem to be on the surface.
00:26:54.00\00:26:56.53
I mean, Peter was no
dummy, he was leading a church.
00:26:56.56\00:27:00.44
And yet he says,
he was pondering,
00:27:00.47\00:27:02.04
he wasn't certain what it meant.
00:27:02.07\00:27:03.69
Well, if God had meant it to
be just that literal vision--
00:27:03.72\00:27:08.27
which I would have
been clear to Peter,
00:27:08.30\00:27:09.67
he wouldn't have been wondering,
what's this all about?
00:27:09.70\00:27:13.16
So that's our first clue.
00:27:13.19\00:27:15.78
That our
brethren, they want to turn
00:27:15.81\00:27:17.18
to this and say,
see it's all clean,
00:27:17.21\00:27:18.74
have missed something.
00:27:18.77\00:27:21.02
Peter himself wasn't
sure of what was going on.
00:27:21.05\00:27:26.03
"So while Peter
wondered within himself
00:27:26.06\00:27:28.44
what this vision which
he had seen meant, behold."
00:27:28.47\00:27:32.90
The Bible is like saying,
00:27:32.93\00:27:34.30
behold I'm about to explain
to you what this all meant.
00:27:34.33\00:27:37.47
Behold, while he's
pondering, he's sitting there
00:27:37.50\00:27:42.28
thinking, what's this all about?
00:27:42.31\00:27:44.07
And then the Bible says, behold,
00:27:44.10\00:27:45.75
these men come to the door.
00:27:45.78\00:27:47.18
It's like the Bible
saying, here is the explanation.
00:27:47.21\00:27:50.04
Peter's about to have it
and you're about to read it.
00:27:50.07\00:27:54.86
"Behold, the men who
had been sent from Cornelius
00:27:54.89\00:27:57.67
had made inquiry
for Simon's house,
00:27:57.70\00:28:00.12
and stood before the gate.
00:28:00.15\00:28:02.30
And they called and
asked whether Simon,
00:28:02.33\00:28:04.54
whose surname was
Peter was lodging there.
00:28:04.57\00:28:07.39
Well, Peter
thought about the vision
00:28:07.42\00:28:09.02
the Spirit said to him, behold
three men are seeking you."
00:28:09.05\00:28:14.13
The Spirit of God is
still pleading with Peter.
00:28:14.16\00:28:17.51
Peter wasn't so sure
what God had been getting out
00:28:17.54\00:28:19.73
with this whole
vision, wasn't so certain.
00:28:19.76\00:28:21.69
So the spirit was
still there right beside
00:28:21.72\00:28:23.15
and sort of holding his hand,
00:28:23.18\00:28:24.55
walking him through
this period of transition.
00:28:24.58\00:28:27.98
Hoping that it
doesn't happen too slow,
00:28:28.01\00:28:29.73
'cause the
gospels got to go out,
00:28:29.76\00:28:31.55
cannot become stagnated.
00:28:31.58\00:28:32.95
So the spirits,
they're kind of walking him
00:28:32.98\00:28:34.61
through, just
given him the vision.
00:28:34.64\00:28:36.19
Now the people
arrive at the door again,
00:28:36.22\00:28:37.78
who are these people?
00:28:37.81\00:28:39.18
They are Cornelius' servants.
00:28:39.21\00:28:41.58
They are Gentiles.
00:28:41.61\00:28:43.62
Normally a Jew, even a
Christian Jew at this time,
00:28:43.65\00:28:46.90
wouldn't have just
accepted them into his house.
00:28:46.93\00:28:49.35
Remember how many times
00:28:49.38\00:28:50.75
Jesus was scorned for eating
with sinners and publicans.
00:28:50.78\00:28:55.46
Fine, that
mentality was hard to break.
00:28:55.49\00:28:59.69
Listen when you're
raised from a little kid
00:28:59.72\00:29:02.13
and all the way
through, you know,
00:29:02.16\00:29:04.13
you're raised one certain
way and one certain ideas
00:29:04.16\00:29:06.64
just pounded through your head,
00:29:06.67\00:29:08.04
pounded through
your head, pounded--
00:29:08.07\00:29:09.55
You know, like
it's hard to disappear,
00:29:09.58\00:29:11.54
it's hard to
disabuse your minds of that.
00:29:11.57\00:29:14.78
And the early
Christians they were Jews.
00:29:14.81\00:29:17.30
They were Jewish Hebrew people.
00:29:17.33\00:29:19.85
And this was something
00:29:19.88\00:29:21.25
that was absolutely
ingrained in their very beings.
00:29:21.28\00:29:26.26
It's hard for them to
step outside of that tradition.
00:29:26.29\00:29:30.91
And so the spirit
here is almost if you will,
00:29:30.94\00:29:33.53
holding Peters hand
through this situation.
00:29:33.56\00:29:38.92
Verse 19, "While Peter
thought about the vision,
00:29:38.95\00:29:41.65
the Spirit said to him, "Behold,
three men are seeking you.
00:29:41.68\00:29:44.61
Arise therefore, go
down and go with them,
00:29:44.64\00:29:47.35
doubting nothing."
00:29:47.38\00:29:50.72
Listen to the words here.
00:29:50.75\00:29:52.83
The Spirit knew that the
vision was not gonna be enough.
00:29:52.86\00:29:55.92
He is reaffirming
where Peter's conclusions
00:29:55.95\00:29:58.44
were probably
already coming to regarding
00:29:58.47\00:30:00.61
what this vision meant.
00:30:00.64\00:30:02.01
So don't doubt anything,
Peter, the vision was true.
00:30:02.04\00:30:04.55
What I'm telling
you to do is true,
00:30:04.58\00:30:06.18
just go, meet
these people, its true.
00:30:06.21\00:30:11.57
Doubt nothing the Spirit
said, for I have sent them.
00:30:11.60\00:30:17.07
"Then Peter went down to the men
00:30:17.10\00:30:18.52
who had been sent
to him from Cornelius,
00:30:18.55\00:30:20.16
and said, "Yes, I
am he whom you seek.
00:30:20.19\00:30:21.98
For what reason have you come?
00:30:22.01\00:30:23.55
And they said,
"Cornelius the centurion,
00:30:23.58\00:30:25.56
a just man, one who fears God."
00:30:25.59\00:30:27.19
Notice the
language, the emphasis placed
00:30:27.22\00:30:30.60
here by the scriptures.
00:30:30.63\00:30:32.00
But this was a God man.
00:30:32.03\00:30:33.40
This is also to
butter up the situation.
00:30:33.43\00:30:35.74
So this is not just any Gentile,
but it is a God fearing Gentile.
00:30:35.77\00:30:38.29
So, you know, it's helping
Peter along in the situation.
00:30:38.32\00:30:43.90
"One who fears God
and has a good reputation
00:30:43.93\00:30:46.34
among all the
nation of the Jews,
00:30:46.37\00:30:48.49
was divinely
instructed by a holy angel
00:30:48.52\00:30:50.97
to summon you to his house,
and to hear words from you.
00:30:51.00\00:30:54.37
Then he invited them in."
00:30:54.40\00:30:57.33
This is beginning
to sink into Peter.
00:30:57.36\00:31:00.03
"He invited them
in and lodged them."
00:31:00.06\00:31:02.88
He housed them, Gentiles.
00:31:02.91\00:31:06.22
"On the next day
Peter went away with them,
00:31:06.25\00:31:08.32
and some brethren from
Joppa accompanied him."
00:31:08.35\00:31:10.84
Not only that he
housed them, greet them,
00:31:10.87\00:31:12.84
lodged them, but then
he traveled with them.
00:31:12.87\00:31:16.16
There was beginning
to be a paradigm shift
00:31:16.19\00:31:18.47
in Peters thinking
regarding this people.
00:31:18.50\00:31:20.62
But let's see
whether or not Peter himself
00:31:20.65\00:31:23.34
recognizes that was
what the vision was about.
00:31:23.37\00:31:25.60
Let's continue to read.
00:31:25.63\00:31:27.00
The Bible is gonna
leave no rock unturned,
00:31:27.03\00:31:28.85
we are gonna be
clear as day on this.
00:31:28.88\00:31:31.66
"And the following
day they entered Caesarea.
00:31:31.69\00:31:33.94
Now Cornelius was
waiting for them."
00:31:33.97\00:31:36.10
See how Cornelius
picks right backup.
00:31:36.13\00:31:38.29
We cannot
extricate, we cannot remove,
00:31:38.32\00:31:41.83
divide--just take this
passage out of context.
00:31:41.86\00:31:46.25
We need to take
it in the context
00:31:46.28\00:31:47.88
of the Cornelius story.
00:31:47.91\00:31:49.28
This is the story
really about Cornelius
00:31:49.31\00:31:50.91
and how the Jews
and the Christians
00:31:50.94\00:31:53.72
that were comprising this
way, these Jesus followers,
00:31:53.75\00:31:57.41
were going to
put aside tradition
00:31:57.44\00:31:59.94
and actually take
into consideration
00:31:59.97\00:32:03.24
this whole situation that these
00:32:03.27\00:32:06.12
concentric
circles were expanding.
00:32:06.15\00:32:09.51
So Cornelius, we
pickup Cornelius again,
00:32:09.54\00:32:11.47
they travel back to Cornelius.
00:32:11.50\00:32:13.15
Verse 25, "As
Peter was coming in,
00:32:13.18\00:32:15.63
Cornelius met him
and fell down at his feet
00:32:15.66\00:32:17.71
and worshiped him.
00:32:17.74\00:32:19.22
But Peter lifted him up, saying,
00:32:19.25\00:32:20.62
"Stand up, I
myself I am also a man."
00:32:20.65\00:32:24.95
Notice the quality there.
00:32:24.98\00:32:27.43
Things are beginning to change.
00:32:27.46\00:32:29.86
And Peter is thinking
and as he talked with him,
00:32:29.89\00:32:33.64
he went in and found
many who had come together.
00:32:33.67\00:32:35.89
You see Peter would
have lots of time to ponder
00:32:35.92\00:32:38.06
this meeting with
Cornelius as they traveled up.
00:32:38.09\00:32:41.17
He knew what
was going to happen.
00:32:41.20\00:32:43.59
Verse 27, "As
he talked with him,
00:32:43.62\00:32:45.10
he went in and found
many who had come together."
00:32:45.13\00:32:47.49
Then he said to them, verse 28,
00:32:47.52\00:32:49.71
there's three distinct
sections in chapter 10 and 11.
00:32:49.74\00:32:54.34
Three distinct
verses, sections of verse
00:32:54.37\00:32:56.13
that unashamedly
give a clear description
00:32:56.16\00:33:00.26
of what this passage is saying.
00:33:00.29\00:33:02.42
Verse 28 is one of those verses,
00:33:02.45\00:33:04.40
from Peters very own lips,
00:33:04.43\00:33:06.75
we find what was
this vision about.
00:33:06.78\00:33:09.04
I mean, Peter knew why
we're gonna reinterpret it.
00:33:09.07\00:33:12.41
What does Peter say?
00:33:12.44\00:33:15.10
"Then he said to
them, "You know how unlawful
00:33:15.13\00:33:19.19
it is for a Jewish man."
00:33:19.22\00:33:21.27
He's pointing to himself.
00:33:21.30\00:33:22.67
"To keep company with or go to
one another of another nation.
00:33:22.70\00:33:28.37
But God has shown me."
00:33:28.40\00:33:30.93
Now what is that language of?
00:33:30.96\00:33:32.99
That's a vision.
00:33:33.02\00:33:34.39
That's a visionary
language, God had shown me.
00:33:34.42\00:33:36.45
What did Peter see
earlier in the chapter?
00:33:36.48\00:33:38.68
He saw a vision.
00:33:38.71\00:33:40.08
So there's no doubt
about it that what Peter
00:33:40.11\00:33:42.12
is referring to is the vision.
00:33:42.15\00:33:44.70
He says, "God has shown me
00:33:44.73\00:33:47.25
that I should not call
any man common or unclean."
00:33:47.28\00:33:53.12
He doesn't say any animal.
00:33:53.15\00:33:55.01
He doesn't say
that squeaky little pig.
00:33:55.04\00:33:58.59
No, he didn't say
that, he wasn't interpreted.
00:33:58.62\00:34:01.59
He knew the larger
scope of the Book of the Acts.
00:34:01.62\00:34:04.35
He knew the larger scope of
what was happening in the world.
00:34:04.38\00:34:07.73
It is all
starting to come together.
00:34:07.76\00:34:09.52
Christ's words at His ascension
00:34:09.55\00:34:11.50
was starting to ring
true into Judea, Samaria,
00:34:11.53\00:34:15.42
all the ends of the world.
00:34:15.45\00:34:16.82
This was all starting
to come together for Peter.
00:34:16.85\00:34:20.06
He had time to ponder,
this vision was coming through.
00:34:20.09\00:34:25.66
And he says,
the vision was about
00:34:25.69\00:34:27.72
not calling any
man common or unclean.
00:34:27.75\00:34:33.12
And he picks it
up, it says, verse 29,
00:34:33.15\00:34:35.62
"Therefore I
came without objection
00:34:35.65\00:34:37.23
as soon as I was sent for.
00:34:37.26\00:34:38.77
I ask, then, for what
reason have you sent for me?
00:34:38.80\00:34:41.07
So Cornelius
said, "Four days ago
00:34:41.10\00:34:42.76
I was fasting until this
hour; and at the ninth hour
00:34:42.79\00:34:44.66
I prayed in my
house, and behold,
00:34:44.69\00:34:46.06
a man stood before
me in bright clothing,
00:34:46.09\00:34:47.46
and said, 'Cornelius,
your prayer has been heard,
00:34:47.49\00:34:48.94
and your alms are
remembered in the sight of God.
00:34:48.97\00:34:51.28
Send therefore to
Joppa and call Simon here,
00:34:51.31\00:34:53.32
whose surname is Peter.
00:34:53.35\00:34:54.72
He is lodging in
the house of Simon,
00:34:54.75\00:34:56.58
a tanner, by the sea.
00:34:56.61\00:34:57.98
When he comes, he
will speak to you.
00:34:58.01\00:34:59.38
So I sent to you immediately,
and you have done well to come.
00:34:59.41\00:35:01.78
Now therefore, we are
all present before you,
00:35:01.81\00:35:04.30
to hear all the things
commanded to you by God."
00:35:04.33\00:35:08.49
So the circle, this whole story
is really coming full circle.
00:35:08.52\00:35:14.35
Not only was he to
befriend these people,
00:35:14.38\00:35:17.54
not only was he
to travel with them,
00:35:17.57\00:35:19.49
but the main
purpose of the vision--
00:35:19.52\00:35:21.33
the main purpose of everything
that was happening here
00:35:21.36\00:35:23.34
so that he could
preach the gospel to them.
00:35:23.37\00:35:27.52
God was not removing
tradition and all these things
00:35:27.55\00:35:29.78
just to upset their
"ecosystem or their niche."
00:35:29.81\00:35:33.31
No, no, he was doing this
00:35:33.34\00:35:34.71
because he needed the
gospel preach to them.
00:35:34.74\00:35:37.88
Now Cornelius recognizes this.
00:35:37.91\00:35:39.28
He says, "We are
here we gathered,
00:35:39.31\00:35:41.25
preach to us about God."
00:35:41.28\00:35:43.98
The next 14 verses or so,
talk about that situation.
00:35:44.01\00:35:49.66
But I said that
there were three passages
00:35:49.69\00:35:51.22
that gave us a clear description
of what was happening here.
00:35:51.25\00:35:54.46
Pick it up in verse 34
then as the story continues
00:35:54.49\00:35:57.32
and Peter once
again gives us a clue
00:35:57.35\00:35:59.67
into his thinking right now.
00:35:59.70\00:36:01.75
This is all coming together
and he says in verse 34.
00:36:01.78\00:36:04.13
"Then Peter opened
his mouth and said,
00:36:04.16\00:36:05.89
"In truth I perceive
that God shows no partiality."
00:36:05.92\00:36:13.06
You see the
Jews, I hate to say it,
00:36:13.09\00:36:15.61
but they were a
little bit prejudice,
00:36:15.64\00:36:18.31
a little bit perhaps even,
well, I hate to use the word,
00:36:18.34\00:36:22.65
but just a little bit scared.
And so I won't use the word.
00:36:22.68\00:36:26.50
I don't really
like the word racist
00:36:26.53\00:36:27.90
'cause I'm not sure
that's really what it was,
00:36:27.93\00:36:29.30
but they were
definitely prejudiced.
00:36:29.33\00:36:31.04
They did not quite
like this whole idea,
00:36:31.07\00:36:33.10
but Peter here says,
00:36:33.13\00:36:34.50
"God is showing me that
he shows no partiality."
00:36:34.53\00:36:38.55
That means the
Greek, the Gentile,
00:36:38.58\00:36:42.08
and that person from
wherever, he's accepted.
00:36:42.11\00:36:48.06
Verse 35 makes it really clear,
00:36:48.09\00:36:51.22
"But in every
nation whoever fears Him
00:36:51.25\00:36:54.87
and works righteousness
is accepted by Him.
00:36:54.90\00:36:57.59
The word which God sent
to the children of Israel,
00:36:57.62\00:36:59.60
preaching peace
through Jesus Christ--
00:36:59.63\00:37:01.03
He is Lord of
all-- that word you know,
00:37:01.06\00:37:03.64
which was proclaimed
throughout all Judea,
00:37:03.67\00:37:05.12
and began from Galilee after
the baptism which John preached,
00:37:05.15\00:37:07.55
how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth
00:37:07.58\00:37:09.42
with the Holy
Spirit and with power,
00:37:09.45\00:37:11.00
who went about
doing good and healing all
00:37:11.03\00:37:12.94
who were oppressed by the
devil, for God was with Him.
00:37:12.97\00:37:16.00
And we are
witnesses of all these things
00:37:16.03\00:37:18.59
which He did both in the land
of the Jews and in Jerusalem,
00:37:18.62\00:37:23.39
whom they killed
by hanging on a tree.
00:37:23.42\00:37:25.45
Him God raised
up on the third day,
00:37:25.48\00:37:27.32
and showed Him
openly, not to all the people,
00:37:27.35\00:37:29.58
but to witnesses
chosen before by God,
00:37:29.61\00:37:31.84
even to us who
ate and drank with Him
00:37:31.87\00:37:34.04
after He arose from the dead.
00:37:34.07\00:37:35.44
And He commanded us
to preach to the people,
00:37:35.47\00:37:38.18
and to testify that it is
He who was ordained by God
00:37:38.21\00:37:41.34
to be Judge of the
living and the dead.
00:37:41.37\00:37:43.10
To Him all the prophets
witness that, through His name,
00:37:43.13\00:37:45.71
whoever believes in Him
will receive remission of sins."
00:37:45.74\00:37:47.97
He's preaching to
them about the gospel,
00:37:48.00\00:37:49.37
'cause He knows that the
gospel is valid for them now,
00:37:49.40\00:37:53.18
He knows. It's
become clear to Him.
00:37:53.21\00:37:56.39
The gospel is
valid to these people.
00:37:56.42\00:38:00.75
The circle, those
concentric circles
00:38:00.78\00:38:02.88
it's about to break loose
and just go into the world.
00:38:02.91\00:38:06.69
Paul and Philip and
Mark and Barabas and all,
00:38:06.72\00:38:09.73
Barnabas all these guys
00:38:09.76\00:38:11.13
are about to turn
the world upside down.
00:38:11.16\00:38:14.43
As far away as Rome,
00:38:14.46\00:38:17.22
the island of Greek,
everywhere they're gonna go
00:38:17.25\00:38:19.23
and they are going
to make Christians.
00:38:19.26\00:38:24.77
The Holy Spirit
then falls on them.
00:38:24.80\00:38:29.34
And we pick up the
story then in Chapter 11.
00:38:29.37\00:38:31.73
The Bible thinks
this is so important
00:38:31.76\00:38:33.84
that it spends the next
18 verses in Chapter 11,
00:38:33.87\00:38:38.44
after it spends
all of Chapter 10
00:38:38.47\00:38:40.41
dealing with the situation.
00:38:40.44\00:38:41.81
You think that the
48 verses were enough.
00:38:41.84\00:38:45.07
Luke says, no, no, let's
recount it one more time.
00:38:45.10\00:38:47.79
But who he's recounting it to?
00:38:47.82\00:38:50.62
He's gonna recount it to
those that would've doubted him,
00:38:50.65\00:38:52.86
said, Peter,
you've lost your mind.
00:38:52.89\00:38:55.00
You're off your rocker.
00:38:55.03\00:38:57.35
What are you doing?
00:38:57.38\00:38:59.10
These people are
not godly people,
00:38:59.13\00:39:01.57
these people are unclean.
00:39:01.60\00:39:03.63
So Peter has to
repeat the story,
00:39:03.66\00:39:05.03
and almost verbatim we
find the next 18 verses
00:39:05.06\00:39:07.78
in Acts Chapter 11.
00:39:07.81\00:39:09.35
Let's read verse 1 and 2 just
to see who he is preaching to.
00:39:09.38\00:39:13.15
"Now the apostles and
brethren who were in Judea heard
00:39:13.18\00:39:16.39
that the Gentiles had
also received the word of God.
00:39:16.42\00:39:19.09
And when Peter
came up to Jerusalem,
00:39:19.12\00:39:20.80
those of the circumcision
contended with him, saying,
00:39:20.83\00:39:24.38
"You went in to uncircumcised
men and ate with them!"
00:39:24.41\00:39:28.81
But Peter explained it to them
00:39:33.40\00:39:35.50
in order from
the beginning saying.
00:39:35.53\00:39:38.04
Now for sure
some days have passed.
00:39:38.07\00:39:41.08
Probably the word went out
00:39:41.11\00:39:42.58
and Peter had
enough time to develop.
00:39:42.61\00:39:44.10
If he was going to develop
a secondary interpretation.
00:39:44.13\00:39:47.54
If he was going to develop,
00:39:47.57\00:39:49.77
a wider
application for this vision.
00:39:49.80\00:39:52.49
No doubt he would
have the time to develop.
00:39:52.52\00:39:54.49
And he would have preached,
not only are they people clean,
00:39:54.52\00:39:57.03
but so as the food.
00:39:57.06\00:39:58.43
But even with this delay,
even with this traveling back
00:39:58.46\00:40:01.24
and then having to
deal with these people.
00:40:01.27\00:40:02.86
We don't find Peter adding any
secondary application or saying.
00:40:02.89\00:40:06.54
Yeah, the vision
was originally for that,
00:40:06.57\00:40:08.32
but you know, I've
been convinced that,
00:40:08.35\00:40:10.01
it's even the meat, it's
even the real food listen,
00:40:10.04\00:40:12.18
food is not the issue
here at all in these passages.
00:40:12.21\00:40:15.37
No, none whatsoever.
00:40:15.40\00:40:17.36
So when our dear friends
come to us and they say listen,
00:40:17.39\00:40:20.44
now God made it
clean, we just need to,
00:40:20.47\00:40:22.70
we need to sit down and slowly
read this passage with them.
00:40:22.73\00:40:26.48
Read it right through,
show them what Peter understood,
00:40:26.51\00:40:30.36
show them what the Bible
itself says about itself.
00:40:30.39\00:40:35.86
And we can disarm the situation.
00:40:35.89\00:40:38.68
I don't want to
take the time now to--
00:40:38.71\00:40:40.68
to read through the same--
and he recounts it identically.
00:40:40.71\00:40:45.09
I mean, the three
things creeping things
00:40:45.12\00:40:47.25
four cornered sheet
coming down to earth,
00:40:47.28\00:40:49.81
unclean animals all
the things on there,
00:40:49.84\00:40:52.27
I just want to read
you the third occasion
00:40:52.30\00:40:54.85
where we have a clearest day,
00:40:54.88\00:40:57.10
what this was about, the
interpretation once again.
00:40:57.13\00:41:02.24
So he talks about
going then after seeing
00:41:02.27\00:41:04.26
the vision to
Cornelius and all the rest.
00:41:04.29\00:41:06.18
And then in verse 17 it says,
00:41:06.21\00:41:08.04
"If therefore God gave them
the same gift as He gave us.
00:41:08.07\00:41:13.36
When we believed on
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:41:13.39\00:41:15.39
who was I, that I
could withstand God?"
00:41:15.42\00:41:21.07
Verse 18, "When
they heard these things,
00:41:21.10\00:41:24.16
they became silent and
they glorified God saying,
00:41:24.19\00:41:28.62
then God has also granted
00:41:28.65\00:41:30.90
to the Gentiles
repentance to life."
00:41:30.93\00:41:36.48
There it is, three
separate occasions in 2 chapters
00:41:36.51\00:41:40.14
where it becomes
clearest day that this vision,
00:41:40.17\00:41:42.48
this whole situation was
not about food and drink.
00:41:42.51\00:41:46.75
No, no it's at all what
was being dealt with here.
00:41:46.78\00:41:49.61
What was being dealt with was,
00:41:49.64\00:41:51.01
who was a viable candidate
for the gospel message,
00:41:51.04\00:41:54.78
for repentance?
00:41:54.81\00:41:57.35
Is that not an important topic?
00:41:57.38\00:42:00.72
Was not this church
meant to be a global church?
00:42:00.75\00:42:05.95
Was not this message meant
to be taken to the entire world?
00:42:05.98\00:42:13.27
I asked you to place something
00:42:13.30\00:42:15.59
on a shelf
somewhere in your mind,
00:42:15.62\00:42:17.07
in the random
access memory the RAM,
00:42:17.10\00:42:19.71
you need to retrieve
that now. What was it?
00:42:19.74\00:42:23.02
Back in Chapter 10,
00:42:23.05\00:42:26.10
I'm going to segue now
into my spiritual application.
00:42:26.13\00:42:31.90
The sermon today is
entitled "Rise, Kill and Eat."
00:42:31.93\00:42:37.63
And really I think
it's become pretty evident
00:42:37.66\00:42:39.60
in our
discussion up to this point
00:42:39.63\00:42:41.97
that this story
really is about evangelism.
00:42:42.00\00:42:45.06
I tell my church
back home both of them
00:42:45.09\00:42:47.44
that you won't find the
sermon in the Book of Acts.
00:42:47.47\00:42:51.87
You won't find a
story in the Book of Acts
00:42:51.90\00:42:53.92
that doesn't
deal with evangelism.
00:42:53.95\00:42:56.77
It's just impossible.
00:42:56.80\00:42:58.35
That was the very
substructure of who they were.
00:42:58.38\00:43:03.67
The very Book of Acts is fuelled
by this idea of evangelism,
00:43:03.70\00:43:08.53
by this idea of reaching
out and no story in the book
00:43:08.56\00:43:13.07
is left without
touching the idea of evangelism,
00:43:13.10\00:43:16.21
the idea of reaching
those around us for God.
00:43:16.24\00:43:23.17
And I think that
God's instructions
00:43:23.20\00:43:27.98
to Peter that day,
some 2,000 years ago
00:43:28.01\00:43:33.53
can be
instructions to you and I today.
00:43:33.56\00:43:40.61
We want the gospel message to
be preached into all the world.
00:43:40.64\00:43:47.74
We want people to be saved.
00:43:47.77\00:43:51.35
Matthew 24:14 says,
00:43:51.38\00:43:53.76
"And this gospel shall be
preached into all the world
00:43:53.79\00:43:56.26
for a witness
into all the nations
00:43:56.29\00:43:59.03
and then the end will come."
00:43:59.06\00:44:06.73
Peter needed this vision.
00:44:06.76\00:44:09.61
He needed to know
that the world out there,
00:44:09.64\00:44:13.06
it too needed to be saved.
00:44:13.09\00:44:15.35
He was a viable
candidate for the gospel.
00:44:15.38\00:44:22.32
I think perhaps
today we have forgotten
00:44:22.35\00:44:26.50
these instructions of
rising, killing and eating.
00:44:26.53\00:44:34.06
I know a number of
people that are fishermen.
00:44:34.09\00:44:39.07
There are avid
fishermen I mean like crazies,
00:44:39.10\00:44:42.84
that's all they
want to do is fishing.
00:44:42.87\00:44:47.29
I'm gonna use that as
an illustration today.
00:44:47.32\00:44:51.99
When you want to go
fishing, it takes preparation,
00:44:52.02\00:44:58.66
to get ready to go fishing.
00:44:58.69\00:45:00.81
You can't just go
fishing with anything.
00:45:00.84\00:45:02.50
Oh, there used
to be a time when,
00:45:02.53\00:45:03.90
you know, people would try
and fish with just the string
00:45:03.93\00:45:05.57
and pulled it up and that wasn't
very affective, wasn't it?
00:45:05.60\00:45:09.58
No, fishing wasn't--
wasn't so effective that way,
00:45:09.61\00:45:12.68
now they've got
all sorts of gear,
00:45:12.71\00:45:14.24
they got waders on
and special jackets on,
00:45:14.27\00:45:17.11
special little flies,
you know the fly fishermen
00:45:17.14\00:45:19.47
and every kind
are little different,
00:45:19.50\00:45:20.87
I mean they open
up their coats like--
00:45:20.90\00:45:22.65
well, you know, it's like,
00:45:22.68\00:45:24.05
they open it up and it's like
00:45:24.08\00:45:25.45
all sorts of just flies
here that they've got ready
00:45:25.48\00:45:27.51
and they're more
flies on this side,
00:45:27.54\00:45:29.06
they've got
everything ready to go
00:45:29.09\00:45:30.72
and they know
just the right season,
00:45:30.75\00:45:32.71
at the right
time, what kind of fly,
00:45:32.74\00:45:34.45
for what kind of fish,
for what kind of river,
00:45:34.48\00:45:36.68
for what kind of
an effect they want.
00:45:36.71\00:45:38.78
They've got things ready to go.
00:45:38.81\00:45:44.98
Rise, Church,
00:45:45.01\00:45:48.36
Kill and Eat.
00:45:48.39\00:45:52.14
To me to rise
then is to prepare,
00:45:52.17\00:45:56.98
is to make oneself available.
00:45:57.01\00:46:02.38
Listen, this message
is just as relevant today.
00:46:02.41\00:46:07.99
We look at the world around us
00:46:08.02\00:46:10.93
and we think we're better ready
to discern and to determine
00:46:10.96\00:46:15.70
who is a viable
candidate for the kingdom?
00:46:15.73\00:46:18.89
Then go, no, they're
not ready for the kingdom.
00:46:18.92\00:46:23.17
No they are not a viable option
00:46:23.20\00:46:25.02
and we don't maybe do
this like really consciously
00:46:25.05\00:46:28.72
like we want to be mean
00:46:28.75\00:46:30.12
and write people
off right off the bat.
00:46:30.15\00:46:31.52
No, no we don't
do this consciously.
00:46:31.55\00:46:33.00
Peter perhaps is
doing consciously
00:46:33.03\00:46:34.77
but he didn't
realize that this whole--
00:46:34.80\00:46:36.28
this whole idea was
just ingrained into his mind.
00:46:36.31\00:46:43.01
So to me, today, to rise
is to make oneself available.
00:46:43.04\00:46:47.60
It's a little bit hard to fish
00:46:47.63\00:46:50.11
when we're just
seated somewhere.
00:46:50.14\00:46:55.16
It's a little bit
hard to fish in a river
00:46:55.19\00:46:56.98
if you don't have all the right
equipment, all the preparation.
00:46:57.01\00:47:01.65
You need to make
yourself available.
00:47:01.68\00:47:06.50
It's very
important these three words
00:47:06.53\00:47:08.41
"Rise, Kill and Eat."
00:47:08.44\00:47:11.94
They're action words.
All of them are action words.
00:47:11.97\00:47:16.70
The lesson was not just
00:47:16.73\00:47:18.36
that these people
were gonna be made clean.
00:47:18.39\00:47:20.56
So to speak, viable candidates
for the kingdom of God,
00:47:20.59\00:47:24.54
that was not the only purpose.
00:47:24.57\00:47:25.94
God was also
motivating Peter for evangelism.
00:47:25.97\00:47:29.82
And He knew, He knew that Peter
00:47:29.85\00:47:32.06
not only had to accept these
people as viable candidates,
00:47:32.09\00:47:35.03
but he actually had to get up,
00:47:35.06\00:47:38.07
get his stuff in
order 'cause it's gonna be
00:47:38.10\00:47:40.92
a totally different perspective
when you're reaching Gentiles
00:47:40.95\00:47:44.47
now with the gospel than Jews.
00:47:44.50\00:47:46.32
Well, listen, but the Jews,
00:47:46.35\00:47:47.72
you just go to
the Old Testament.
00:47:47.75\00:47:49.12
You proved that
Jesus is the Messiah,
00:47:49.15\00:47:50.60
that's what we saw
throughout the Book of Acts.
00:47:50.63\00:47:52.43
Steven did it, Peter did it,
00:47:52.46\00:47:54.37
all these great sermons
00:47:54.40\00:47:56.17
of individuals
in the early books,
00:47:56.20\00:47:58.94
just the early chapters
00:47:58.97\00:48:01.09
proving that Jesus
was the Messiah, simple.
00:48:01.12\00:48:05.23
But God is saying, listen,
00:48:05.26\00:48:06.63
"You're not going out
to a new group of people."
00:48:06.66\00:48:10.24
That's not gonna
fly in the same way.
00:48:10.27\00:48:13.44
We find through
all Paul's ministry
00:48:13.47\00:48:14.97
that he takes unique approaches.
00:48:15.00\00:48:18.22
Oh, they're all biblical,
don't get me wrong here.
00:48:18.25\00:48:19.81
I'm not calling
for wholesale that--
00:48:19.84\00:48:22.40
you know to
depart from our ways.
00:48:22.43\00:48:24.29
Listen you
know, you cannot reach
00:48:24.32\00:48:27.64
every group of people
in exactly the same way.
00:48:27.67\00:48:29.82
Now we have to
use biblical means,
00:48:29.85\00:48:31.61
with biblical standards, amen.
00:48:31.64\00:48:33.54
Absolutely, no doubt about it,
00:48:33.57\00:48:35.12
but we need to
be ready to adapt.
00:48:35.15\00:48:38.61
You're not gonna reach
00:48:38.64\00:48:40.16
the wealthy North
American businessmen
00:48:40.19\00:48:41.92
the same way you're gonna reach
00:48:41.95\00:48:43.32
somebody in the
jungles in Africa
00:48:43.35\00:48:44.84
or Brazil or any other place,
00:48:44.87\00:48:47.32
it's totally different worlds.
00:48:47.35\00:48:51.85
God is saying rise
Peter, you need to risen up,
00:48:51.88\00:48:55.57
so this church
then I call "Rise."
00:48:55.60\00:49:00.48
We need an army full--
00:49:00.51\00:49:03.40
a church with an
army full of people
00:49:03.43\00:49:05.52
that have risen up
out of their seats.
00:49:05.55\00:49:08.21
Ready to go forward.
00:49:08.24\00:49:11.97
But listen it's not
enough just to be standing.
00:49:12.00\00:49:14.19
It's not just enough to
have risen up out of our pews,
00:49:14.22\00:49:20.43
but we need to kill.
00:49:20.46\00:49:21.83
Now, kill is a
kind of a negative word,
00:49:21.86\00:49:26.16
but I like to
think of it as this.
00:49:26.19\00:49:28.77
You got to kill the old man
00:49:28.80\00:49:31.73
and give them a new life.
00:49:31.76\00:49:33.13
You're not just--
you're not killing
00:49:33.16\00:49:34.53
for the sake of
being just a murderer.
00:49:34.56\00:49:39.14
You're killing in
order to give new life.
00:49:39.17\00:49:43.85
Now sometimes we think that
00:49:43.88\00:49:47.56
killing is enough
to take a grenade.
00:49:47.59\00:49:49.14
You know what a
grenade is right?
00:49:49.17\00:49:50.54
It's kind of a project of it--
00:49:50.57\00:49:53.31
weapon that military people use
00:49:53.34\00:49:55.04
that they can
throw up over a bunker
00:49:55.07\00:49:56.93
that they can't see and it
kind of got a bit of wide effect
00:49:56.96\00:50:00.31
but they're not really accurate.
00:50:00.34\00:50:01.76
Now, they can kill
many different things.
00:50:01.79\00:50:04.10
Sometimes they will
hit in the wrong places,
00:50:04.13\00:50:05.50
they'll just wound somebody,
sometimes it will just blow
00:50:05.53\00:50:07.75
something up and
you have no idea.
00:50:07.78\00:50:09.21
A lot of times, that's all the
kind of killing we want to do.
00:50:09.24\00:50:13.90
We think it's enough for
maybe once every few years
00:50:13.93\00:50:17.97
to just sort of
rally together as a church
00:50:18.00\00:50:20.34
and put on a meeting,
maybe that's your church.
00:50:20.37\00:50:24.97
You think all well, we'll just--
00:50:25.00\00:50:26.37
we'll throw grenade out
there every once in a while
00:50:26.40\00:50:27.84
and hope we killed a few people.
00:50:27.87\00:50:30.08
Listen, do the best hunters
go hunting with grenades?
00:50:30.11\00:50:33.45
What about the best
marksman in the military.
00:50:33.48\00:50:36.12
What about the expert archer,
00:50:36.15\00:50:38.37
does he--arch with--
with like four arrows at once
00:50:38.40\00:50:41.41
and just sort of
spray them up into the air,
00:50:41.44\00:50:42.82
shoot them up and hope
they land on things and kill.
00:50:42.85\00:50:45.76
A lot of times our
killing is like that.
00:50:45.79\00:50:47.69
We take a
grenade, we pull the pin
00:50:47.72\00:50:49.54
and we say, oh,
that looks like good area
00:50:49.57\00:50:51.50
and we run and we turn around.
00:50:51.53\00:50:54.29
And we hope that
maybe we killed something.
00:50:54.32\00:50:57.14
And when we look it was, ah, ah,
there we got something for us
00:50:57.17\00:51:00.35
and we bring them
in and we're happy and.
00:51:00.38\00:51:03.54
Listen, to be a real killer,
00:51:03.57\00:51:07.07
to be a real marksman,
00:51:07.10\00:51:09.04
you need to be prepared,
00:51:09.07\00:51:10.79
just like that
fishing illustration.
00:51:10.82\00:51:12.73
You're not gonna fish
with-- for certain kind of fish,
00:51:12.76\00:51:15.15
in a certain kind of
river with the lure or the fly
00:51:15.18\00:51:19.63
that was meant for
another kind of fish
00:51:19.66\00:51:21.03
in another kind of river
on a different kind of day,
00:51:21.06\00:51:23.21
it's not what you're gonna do?
00:51:23.24\00:51:25.50
Not at all.
00:51:25.53\00:51:27.11
So to you and I, in our churches
00:51:27.14\00:51:30.93
as a world church as
we go to reach the world.
00:51:30.96\00:51:36.10
We need to be expert marksman,
00:51:36.13\00:51:38.71
we need to have
studied the situation.
00:51:38.74\00:51:41.03
We need to know just
what kind of events to plan
00:51:41.06\00:51:46.41
that will be the perfect weapon
00:51:46.44\00:51:48.57
in order to stage
an appropriate hunt.
00:51:48.60\00:51:52.92
I don't like that illustration,
I told you it was negative,
00:51:52.95\00:51:54.80
but remember you're
hunting the old person
00:51:54.83\00:51:56.53
to give them new life.
00:51:56.56\00:51:58.39
But here's the thing.
00:52:04.76\00:52:07.97
Sometimes we think
that's the end of it.
00:52:08.00\00:52:10.63
Now I have no place
00:52:10.66\00:52:12.03
and forgive me if
this is a different opinion
00:52:12.06\00:52:14.30
and you-- some of you may have,
00:52:14.33\00:52:16.41
but I have no
place for sport hunting.
00:52:16.44\00:52:21.28
Hunting for just the
enjoyment of killing,
00:52:21.31\00:52:23.95
I don't understand that.
00:52:23.98\00:52:26.09
Now I know-- I
know many people do that
00:52:26.12\00:52:29.65
and I'm not gonna judge
you, but I have no place for it.
00:52:29.68\00:52:32.31
I don't quite
understand what kind of pleasure
00:52:32.34\00:52:35.30
can be derived from
just killing an animal
00:52:35.33\00:52:38.18
for the sake of killing it.
00:52:38.21\00:52:40.04
Most of the time when we
kill, when these animals--
00:52:40.07\00:52:44.75
with this whole
illustration to rise, kill.
00:52:44.78\00:52:47.03
There's an idea
connected to rising and killing.
00:52:47.06\00:52:51.03
And that's not only
just to rise and kill
00:52:51.06\00:52:52.88
for the sake of
killing, but it's to eat.
00:52:52.91\00:52:57.50
So for me to rise
is to be prepared,
00:52:57.53\00:52:59.73
to kill is to take dead set aim,
00:52:59.76\00:53:03.23
no more of this just--
00:53:03.26\00:53:04.63
machine gun to the crowd
around us and hope for the best.
00:53:04.66\00:53:09.07
We wound too
many people that way
00:53:09.10\00:53:11.46
and we don't even
know they're wounded
00:53:11.49\00:53:12.86
and they ran off
somewhere and they hide.
00:53:12.89\00:53:14.49
And we've just
wounded them with Christianity
00:53:14.52\00:53:16.86
rather than won
them to Christianity.
00:53:16.89\00:53:19.66
We need to take dead
set aim at the heart.
00:53:19.69\00:53:23.75
We need to have
just the right weapon.
00:53:23.78\00:53:26.51
And listen the
early Christian church
00:53:26.54\00:53:28.67
was gonna be a revolutionized.
00:53:28.70\00:53:32.63
They had to reach a
whole new group of people.
00:53:32.66\00:53:37.28
Now they were things, they
were gonna continue to preach.
00:53:37.31\00:53:39.14
We never saw
Paul stop preaching.
00:53:39.17\00:53:42.27
They didn't
stop preaching Jesus,
00:53:42.30\00:53:44.07
not like they
reinvented the wheel here,
00:53:44.10\00:53:46.25
but they knew just
how to take dead aim.
00:53:46.28\00:53:52.87
And finally then to eat,
00:53:52.90\00:53:54.58
for me is to enjoy
the fruits of one's labor.
00:53:54.61\00:53:58.74
Lot of times
I've heard people say
00:53:58.77\00:54:00.57
that evangelism doesn't work.
00:54:00.60\00:54:04.98
Evangelism works, it
does what it's supposed to.
00:54:05.01\00:54:08.04
It introduces people to Christ,
00:54:08.07\00:54:10.51
gets them to give
their lives over to Christ,
00:54:10.54\00:54:14.79
even be baptized
and join the church,
00:54:14.82\00:54:18.66
become living
walking disciples of Christ,
00:54:18.69\00:54:21.67
that's what
evangelism is about to do,
00:54:21.70\00:54:24.33
is to give them
that opportunity,
00:54:24.36\00:54:25.94
to bring them to the
point where they can accept
00:54:25.97\00:54:27.61
Christ as Lord
and Savior and Master.
00:54:27.64\00:54:32.70
Evangelism works.
00:54:32.73\00:54:34.58
When people say that
evangelism doesn't work,
00:54:34.61\00:54:36.38
what they're talking
about is the meetings
00:54:36.41\00:54:38.30
where 20, 30, $40,000 are spent,
00:54:38.33\00:54:41.41
20, 30, 40 people are baptized,
00:54:41.44\00:54:43.76
they're brought into the church
and you go there a year, 2, 3,
00:54:43.79\00:54:46.62
down the road and
there's a handful of people,
00:54:46.65\00:54:49.66
they're gone. Well,
listen is it worth it?
00:54:49.69\00:54:52.96
Is it worth doing evangelism.
00:54:52.99\00:54:56.88
I believe that's
because two components
00:54:56.91\00:54:59.43
are not enough in the equation.
00:54:59.46\00:55:01.22
It's not enough just to
rise, make oneself available.
00:55:01.25\00:55:03.96
And then to kill,
those are important.
00:55:03.99\00:55:06.87
But if we don't eat,
00:55:06.90\00:55:11.61
if we don't eat
what we've killed,
00:55:11.64\00:55:15.61
if we don't enjoy
the fruits of our labors,
00:55:15.64\00:55:19.06
that will be for nots.
00:55:19.09\00:55:22.16
Evangelism works,
it brings them people--
00:55:22.19\00:55:24.62
people want the
truth, they want to hear
00:55:24.65\00:55:26.72
but eating keeps them there.
00:55:26.75\00:55:29.26
What do I mean by that?
00:55:29.29\00:55:31.28
I mean it's not
just enough to bring them
00:55:31.31\00:55:33.88
and to teach them and
to give them all the truth
00:55:33.91\00:55:36.29
and then let
them go on their own.
00:55:36.32\00:55:40.62
That's not enough.
00:55:40.65\00:55:42.69
Rising, killing good,
00:55:42.72\00:55:44.32
but we need to take
that final step and eat.
00:55:44.35\00:55:46.96
What do I mean by that?
00:55:46.99\00:55:48.36
I mean, really
loving these people.
00:55:48.39\00:55:50.34
Have you ever sat
down, I'm not a hunter,
00:55:50.37\00:55:52.06
I've never killed anything,
00:55:52.09\00:55:53.46
but I could just
imagine if I was a hunter.
00:55:53.49\00:55:56.72
And if I'd killed
this prized animal
00:55:56.75\00:55:58.58
that was going to be the
sustenance for my family.
00:55:58.61\00:56:01.71
And I sat down to eat the meal
00:56:01.74\00:56:05.76
of the food I have just killed.
00:56:05.79\00:56:10.66
So to you and I when we
bring somebody to the truth,
00:56:10.69\00:56:13.37
when we bring them to Jesus
00:56:13.40\00:56:14.77
through that
empowering Spirit of God,
00:56:14.80\00:56:17.76
we don't do it on our own,
00:56:17.79\00:56:19.16
please nobody misunderstand me,
00:56:19.19\00:56:20.56
we don't do it on our own,
00:56:20.59\00:56:22.38
but when the God
has seem fit to use us
00:56:22.41\00:56:24.89
to bring somebody to Christ.
00:56:24.92\00:56:26.83
When He seem fit
to use our church
00:56:26.86\00:56:28.63
to use your small little
congregation wherever you are.
00:56:28.66\00:56:33.54
When He sees fit to use you
and you've brought somebody in.
00:56:33.57\00:56:39.58
You've brought that soul to
the foot of the cross, eat them.
00:56:39.61\00:56:44.75
So that is to say, live
with them, be with them,
00:56:44.78\00:56:47.67
befriend them and let
them be your people as well.
00:56:47.70\00:56:53.50
Let them be one with you.
00:56:53.53\00:56:57.41
Father God, we want
to rise, kill and eat.
00:56:57.44\00:57:04.08
I'm hungry, You're
hungry, the church is hungry,
00:57:04.11\00:57:09.54
help us, Lord, to
be hunters of souls,
00:57:09.57\00:57:14.71
in Your name we pray, amen.
00:57:14.74\00:57:17.68