33 Acts 10:17-23a He Goes Before Us

March 26, 2024

Christopher C. Freeman

Title: He Goes Before Us Text: Acts 10:17-23a FCF: We often struggle sharing our faith with others. Prop: Because God’s sovereign hand guides the expansion of His church, we must trust and obey Him. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 10. In a moment we will read from the Legacy standard bible starting in verse 17. You can follow along in the pew bible on page 1242 or in whatever version you prefer. Although we had a week break from our study of the book of Acts, and although we will take a break next week again from the study, I hope that by breaking in the middle of a narrative episode that it will enable you to remember what we’ve been studying since we are essentially pausing the episode to come back to later. But let me review a bit just to make sure you are with me. It is difficult to know where this story truly begins. So let’s be safe and start with chapter 9. In the first scene we saw the miraculous conversion of Saul the bloodthirsty hunter of the church. Jesus knocked him off his feet, blinded him, rebuked him, and then commanded him to get up and go to Damasus and wait until he was healed. In the second scene we see Saul begin his life of evangelism in Damascus, Arabia, and Jerusalem where he was approved of the Apostles. He then went to Tarsus to await being sent of God to the Gentiles. The third scene consists of Peter using the peace established by Saul’s conversion to begin an itinerate ministry in Northern Judea and Samaria. He miraculously heals Aeneas of being lame. He raises Tabitha from the dead. In each scene it is clear that God is going before them to prepare the way for the gospel to expand and the church to grow. The fourth scene begins another episode within the narrative where a gentile God-Fearer is approached in a vision by an angel of God and told that he could come to Christ without first becoming a Jew. He was commanded to send for Peter in Joppa. The fifth scene is where Peter is put in a trace and receives a vision. This is where we left it last time. So far in this narrative we continue to see the hand of God paving the way for the gospel to go forward. Today, we will continue on to the next scene in this episode. And again we will see the work of God in the expansion of the gospel, but also the responsibility of men within that work. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God. Transition: [Slide 2] Although God does not always speak clearly He certainly speaks loudly. At least loud enough for us to hear Him. I think of Elijah who was depressed because after the victory at Carmel the entire nation did not turn to Yahweh and Jezabel desired to kill him. God approached him in a storm and tumult but spoke to him in the calm. Elijah knew God wanted to speak to Him for sure… but the whisper is where he heard him clearly. Peter has just received an amazing but perplexing vision from God. One that he is not readily able to understand. But the same God who puzzled him with a grand vision will now speak clearly as a whisper in His ear. In each case, the Lord moves, the Lord prepares, the Lord leads, the Lord goes before, and we must often run to keep up. Let’s see if Peter keeps up. I.) God’s sovereign hand guides the expansion of His church, so we must trust Him. (17-20) a. [Slide 3] 17 – Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, i. Last time in the book of Acts we spent a good deal of time trying to understand the vision that Peter was given. ii. We have the luxury of a completed New Testament, in written form, in a language we can all understand, bound together in one book along with the Old Testament, with 2000 years of the Holy Spirit illuminating, revealing, and guarding its meaning for God’s children. iii. Even with all that, we must systematically arrive at the conclusion that God has fulfilled the ceremonial laws in the life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and ongoing mediation of Christ. iv. Peter does not have these same luxuries. So, he must ponder and mull over all that the Lord revealed in his vision. v. What did he see? vi. He saw, coming out of heaven, all manner of creatures including ceremonially clean and unclean animals, descend on a sheet by the four corners. vii. Then he heard a voice command him to arise and eat. viii. His response was outright refusal. Peter knew what the law said. ix. But the same voice spoke again to him informing him that God had made these animals clean. x. This vision was repeated 3 times and the sheet went back up to heaven. xi. So, what could this mean? xii. Are all foods clean now? xiii. Is Peter free to eat pork? Shellfish? Birds? Bats? Snakes? xiv. Is there a deeper meaning here? Were the animals just an illustration of a greater truth? xv. Is it both and? xvi. This is what Peter was wondering. b. [Slide 4] Behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; i. We are again clued in to the chronology of the events. Luke is concerned that we understand the cohesive nature to all the events of this episode so far. ii. Peter received this vision less than 24 hours after Cornelius had seen his vision. iii. And while Peter wondered about the meaning of his vision, Cornelius’ vision and the command he was given has entered its last stage of fulfillment. iv. The three men he sent, two servants and a soldier, arrived at Simon the Tanner’s house, seeking Peter. c. [Slide 5] 18 – And calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there. i. Notice the obedience of these men. ii. What were they told to do? iii. They were told to go to a house by the sea of a man named Simon who was a tanner. They were told to summon a man named Simon who is also called Peter. This man is lodging in this house. iv. And what did they do? Exactly that. d. [Slide 6] 19 – And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 But rise up, go down and accompany them without taking issue at all, for I have sent them Myself.” i. Peter obviously did not hear the men call out for him. Or perhaps he ignored them. He was deep in thought concerning the vision. ii. And most likely a person like Peter would not readily answer any stranger looking for him. Especially not a soldier. iii. But the Spirit of the Lord speaks directly to him. iv. We notice the interesting contrast here. God delivers a rather opaque message to Peter through a trance. In the midst of Peter trying to understand what it meant, the Spirit tells him something … something with perfect clarity. v. God obviously wished to hide the fullness of the vision’s meaning from Peter. For if he needed to understand the message urgently, God would have spoken more clearly. vi. The Spirit needed Peter to trust these men. vii. Why might Peter not trust them? viii. Two slaves and a soldier of a Gentile Centurion are asking to take him 40 miles north, close to the border of Samaria. That raises a whole slew of red flags. ix. The political situation was much better for the church at this time, but that didn’t mean that they were altogether safe from the authorities. x. Not only this, but it was not permitted in the ceremonial law for a Jew to visit the house of a gentile. By engaging in close contact with the gentile the Jew would become ritualistically unclean. xi. So, the Spirit gets ahead of all this by telling Peter to trust these men for He, The Lord, has sent them. The Spirit further instructs Peter to rise up and go down and go with them. xii. This is now the fifth time in two chapters someone is instructed by God directly or through His messengers to rise up and do something. xiii. It is the second time Peter is instructed to rise up and obey. xiv. The first, he refused because of his understanding of unclean animals. xv. Now the Spirit speaks directly to him to rise up and go down and accompany these men without taking issue at all. 1. [Slide 7] The word translated “taking issue at all” by the LSB is a compound word meaning “with judgment”. It means to weigh two options. Sometimes it can mean to weigh two options but show favor to one of two. 2. There is, then, two possible meanings here which are not overly distinct. 3. One meaning could be that the Spirit is commanding Peter to go with the men without hesitation. Without having two possibilities. In other words – don’t weigh the pros and cons to going with them… just go. 4. Another meaning would be that the Spirit is commanding Peter to go with the men without showing distinction, favoritism, or prejudice. Go with them even though you normally might not go with them because of some favoritism or prejudice you may have against them. xvi. Another interesting parallel we must see here is the nature of the vision given to Peter and the words spoken plainly by the Spirit. 1. Just as Peter had received the vision three times, so now there are three men seeking him. 2. Just as Peter had seen clean and unclean animals and was commanded to rise and eat, so also 3 gentiles approached and he is told to rise up and go with them. 3. And just as the voice said that God had made the unclean animals clean, the Holy Spirit did not tell him 3 gentiles had come, but three men. He then said to go without hesitation or without making any distinctions because the Spirit had sent these men Himself. xvii. Thus, The Spirit speaking to Peter not only commands him plainly on what to do next, but also provides a framework to apply the vision to his situation. xviii. The question as to whether or not the vision meant that all food was clean now, or if there was a deeper meaning has been answered. All food is clean… but that is not the end of all that God has done to eliminate distinctions among Gentiles and Jews who are in the New Covenant. xix. So, will Peter do better this time? Will he continue to object or has he received what the Lord is teaching? xx. We’ll have to see if Peter obeys in just a moment. xxi. For now, let’s wrap up what we’ve learned so far. e. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Although this scene seems to be simply transitional material to get us to Peter’s meeting with Cornelius, we do see a very clear and wonderful teaching here. Although God spoke opaquely to Peter at first in a vision, God is faithful to continue to clarify and lead Peter down a path that will eventually end in salvation going to Cornelius, his household, and the gentiles. In this we see the sovereign hand of God to bring about His plan for the expansion of the gospel to go to the uttermost parts of the earth and to unite both Jews and gentiles into one church of His dear Son. We have the privilege of seeing this all from a bird’s eye view. But Peter didn’t. He simply had to trust the Lord. For us to know that God is sovereign and will work all things together for our good and His glory, this truth motivates us also to trust Him – especially when it seems like things don’t make sense. Transition: [Slide 9 (blank)] But trusting God’s leading is only half of our necessary response to His sovereignty. When God sovereignly shepherds us toward His glory and our good, we must not only continue to trust His leading but we must also… obey. II.) God’s sovereign hand guides the expansion of His church, so we must obey the Lord. (21-23a) a. [Slide 10] 21 – And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” i. Peter obeys. ii. He rises up and goes down to the men and reveals himself as the person for whom they are looking. iii. He does so without hesitation. He does ask why they came, but only after he has revealed that he is Simon called Peter. iv. Since the Spirit did not tell Peter why the men had come, only that they sought him and were sent by the Spirit Himself, Peter is in the dark as to the purpose of their coming. But he is not resistant, hesitant or suspicious. v. He merely wants to understand why they have come. Why? vi. Because if the Spirit had sent them, it is reasonable and logical to assume that whatever mission they are on… is now his mission too. b. [Slide 11] 22 – And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and hear a message from you. i. Here we learn a few more details that were not plainly stated before. ii. Cornelius is a righteous man. He was called devout and gave many alms and prayed often. But he was not said to be righteous. iii. We cannot conclude that this term “righteous” refers to either being perfectly righteous, nor can we conclude that he was declared righteous by God. Remember this is his own slaves and a devoted solider speaking about him. iv. High praise from such people though it may be, we should not import our own soteriological definitions on their words. v. What they mean is essentially that he does right. He is a right doing person. He is a man of integrity. vi. We also learn that Cornelius has gained the respect of the Jews. Although not a proselyte, he is still held in high esteem. Esteem that, by all accounts, is not easily earned among Jews of this time. vii. Finally, we learn that Cornelius was told not only to send for Peter, but also that Peter would come bearing a message for him and his home. viii. This was not clearly said by the angel. We deduce that either Cornelius assumed this of what the angel said, or more likely, Luke omitted more of what the angel had said only to reveal its fuller message through the course of the episode. ix. This does sharpen the intent. Peter is not to come simply to see Cornelius – but to deliver a message to him. c. [Slide 12] 23a – So, he invited them in and gave them lodging. i. Peter wastes no time in receiving these men. ii. While there is some stigma against Jews hosting gentiles, it would not nearly be as egregious as Jews being hosted by gentiles. But it is a testament to Peter’s trust in the Word of the Lord, he invites these men in and cares for them so they all can prepare for the journey the following day. iii. Though the Spirit did say to not hesitate, we should not see their delay in traveling immediately as a sign that Peter is disobeying the Lord. It is more likely a mercy to these travelers. They had already traveled 40 miles in the last 24 hours. To add an additional 40 or even a portion of it seems to be an unnecessary burden. iv. Peter receiving them and giving them lodging is a sign of his intention to not hesitate to go with them. d. [Slide 13] Summary of the Point: From this point we can see the other side of the coin. Peter is still not clear on exactly what is going on. But these three men have just found a man named Simon who also goes by Peter that was staying in the house of another man named Simon, who was a tanner, who lived by the sea in the port city of Joppa. What is significant about that? An angel told their master to fetch such a man, from such a place. Their master obeyed the angel, and they obeyed their master, and that has led them to where they are now. They have found this man, exactly where the angel said he would be. This is a testament to the providential hand of God to bring about His will. And Peter’s obedience here too is a response to His belief in the words of the Spirit. In short, God’s sovereignty has encouraged both the trust and obedience of everyone in this story. He actively pushes and pulls all the pieces providentially into to place so that His will is done. But this does not eliminate human responsibility. For here we see Peter and the three men not only trusting the Lord, but obeying the Lord. Conclusion: So, what have we learned today CBC and how then shall we live? What one primary point should we walk away with today? Doctrinal Takeaway: [Slide 14] We have seen how the Lord providentially and sovereignly works all things to accomplish His purposes. He has broken into the world of Cornelius and his household to invite him to join the family of God, not as a Jew first, but through Christ directly. He has overridden Peter’s reality to give him both a vision and clear instruction regarding ceremonial laws and the sudden appearance of 3 gentile men wanting to take him to the home of another gentile. God has done all this to lead to the conversion of many and the expansion of the gospel to all non-Jewish people. But notice how God does this? He invades and commands. He illuminates with truth and demands faith and obedience to what He has revealed. Cornelius, these three men, and Peter all are required to respond to the leading of the Lord. To believe Him and to act on that belief. Thus, the tension of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility is on full display. The outcome is never up to chance nor is there ever any doubt that God will accomplish what He has set out to accomplish -but God does not bind men’s wills to robotically obey, rather he frees men’s wills to be able to and to desire to obey Him. And so my friends, if the Lord has set you free… you are free indeed. God is at work to accomplish His purposes not just in the world at large but in your heart individually. Knowing this – we must trust and obey Him. But let us apply this doctrinal truth in more practical ways this morning. 1.) [Slide 15] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must believe that God exercises His sovereign will to accomplish His divine purposes. a. One of the dangers of preaching through a book of the bible is that you tend to see the same themes, applications, and main points revisited over and over again. b. This can lead to a few negative outcomes. i. Sometimes people can get tired of hearing the same thing over and over ii. Sometimes people assume it is a hobby horse of the pastor, that is why he keep teaching it. iii. Sometimes we can tune out what we think we’ve already heard. c. But as a common truism says, “repetition is the mother of learning.” d. We as frail and finite creatures often need themes and teachings repeated to us over and over again. Not because the teaching is difficult, but because we are very slow learners. e. I know Luke has really been hammering home this thought. But maybe that is because it is important for us to understand. f. God is in absolute control to orchestrate and accomplish His divine purpose. In the book of Acts in particular it is the extension and expansion of the gospel of Jesus Christ. g. We have seen this theme on repeat for the majority of this book. God works, God moves, God graces, God gives, God awakens, God empowers, God speaks and His gospel moves. h. Do we need to learn this lesson today? Does it even matter? i. Oh, my friends. In so much of evangelicalism today we have all but rejected this truth. While some churches and movements say they rely on God to advance His Kingdom and gospel work, in application they repudiate this statement j. They design their evangelistic endeavors around convincing men to pray prayers, to believe truths, to confess doctrines, to say or do something. Very quickly it becomes apparent. Although they may say that God is sovereign over the advancement of His Kingdom, they believe they themselves have created a winning strategy to assure the salvation of the lost. k. I am reminded of the book of James when people say that they will go into a city and live there for a year and do business, all without asking or confessing that it is completely up to the will of God the Sovereign one. James rebukes such people for forgetting such a pivotal doctrine. l. I am convinced that our evangelism must begin and end with us on our knees. m. Why? n. We do not go and try to convince those with their eyes closed to open them. We go and tell the blind to see. We do not go and try to convince those sitting to stand, we go and command the lame to leap. We do not go and try to convince those who are ill to take medicine to improve their condition. We go and command the dead to live. o. If God is not sovereign over the expansion of His church… then it will never expand. p. So my friends… as you share the gospel to your friends, your family, your co-workers… recognize that God’s providential and sovereign hand must be working in their lives to bring about their reception of the message you bring them. Just like God’s providential and sovereign hand worked in Cornelius’ life to bring about his reception of the message Peter brought Him. q. So pray. Pray that God would lead you and prepare the soil to receive the Word. Without that… you preach to dead men. Without that… you cast your seeds on deficient soil that will produce no fruit. 2.) [Slide 16] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that God’s sovereignty eliminates human responsibility. a. What is the often-repeated retort of those who distrust the ancient doctrine of the sovereignty of God is that if God is truly sovereign even over the expansion of His church, then He simply overrides and overruns His creation to make robots instead of worshippers. b. But this turns out to be little more than fear-mongering and distrust of God Himself. c. For although at times God does override the wills of people in the scriptures, it is not something we see applied directly to every situation. d. Did God override the will of Cornelius? Did He override the will of Peter? No. e. But would Cornelius or Peter be anywhere close to where they are now, let alone where they will be by the end of this chapter, if God did not providentially and sovereignly lead them to that end? f. Before you ponder that question too hard, let me simply answer it for you- no they would not. g. We must allow both truths to stand in full in scripture if we are to not error to one side or the other. h. God must be fully and completely sovereign over every single thing in this universe, including the very will of men. Otherwise, we have compromised or misinterpreted scripture. i. But also, God does not program and puppeteer every man and woman to accomplish His purposes in a divine play called human existence in which they are little more than passive agents. j. God’s will must be done. But God often uses human agency to do it. k. Indeed, God delights in delegating His purposes and His will to His people. l. He delegated the dominion of the earth to Adam in the beginning. And at the end He will glorify us to reign with Christ. Never because He needs us my friends. But always because that is what a good King, Father, and Leader does. He grows those He leads. m. God is sovereign… and He employs us to do His will. 3.) [Slide 17] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don’t naturally do or aren’t currently doing?” We must trust what God has said and obey what He has commanded. a. The first two points combine to make an obvious but important command. b. If God is in complete control, but commands us to bring about His will… what must we do? c. Is such a God trustworthy? Is such a God worthy of obedience? d. These questions asked in this way focus on the human responsibility side. For if God is truly sovereign, it matters little whether we think He is worthy of our trust. If He is truly sovereign it matters little if He is worthy of our obedience. e. But there is more at work here than merely the attribute of God’s sovereignty. There is also God’s goodness, His mercy, His grace, His lovingkindness. f. True we must trust and obey Him. He is King. But it is not blind trust or robotic obedience. Instead, it is trust and obedience borne out of a faithful, loving, and generous God who gave Himself for us. g. Friends, there is all the motivation you need. h. What has God said that you are having trouble believing? What doctrines are you having trouble accepting? What commands of God are you balking at? i. Is His Sovereignty juxtaposed against His gracious desire for your willing trust and obedience not enough to secure both from you? Is it unreasonable for the one who loved you first to expect love in return? j. Cast aside your hesitancy. Trust and obey Him. 4.) [Slide 18] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must not stand in the way of the gospel going forward. a. Peter pondered the vision he had. b. His Jewish sensitivities may have prevented him from receiving these men and going with them. c. God told him to lay aside those doubts and go. d. My friends, if we truly believe that Jesus died for men and women of all nations, backgrounds, and creeds. If we truly believe that there is no one so lost that God’s grace cannot reach them. e. Then we must not allow our disdain for their sin or our fear of being stained to keep us from sharing the gospel. f. Let us remember that we were similar kinds of people, enslaved to similar kinds of things… but we were bought with a price. g. Gretchen Whitmer is not beyond the saving grace of God. h. Your transgender neighbor is not beyond the saving grace of God. i. The couple who are sleeping together and are not married – are not beyond the saving grace of God. j. The Muslim at your work is not beyond the saving grace of God. k. Why? l. Because God is sovereign. Let us obey the Lord and take the gospel… even to these people. 5.) [Slide 19(end)] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God actively pursues His own. a. Jesus gives us an illustration in the book of Matthew of a shepherd who leaves his fold of 99 sheep to go and rescue the one who is lost. b. There is also a story of a woman who had lost a coin. She diligently sought it until it was found. c. Cornelius is a lost sheep of God. Look at all that God has done here to pursue him? He sent an angel to him. A vision to Peter. The Spirit spoke directly to Peter. All so Peter would come and preach the gospel to him and his household. d. My friends as we go out among the lost in our families, in our communities, at our work places… you don’t go alone. For God is pursuing His own. He is calling them to Himself. e. He doesn’t command you to win them. He simply commands you to bear witness of Him. f. I hope this takes a weight off your shoulders. It isn’t up to you and it never has been. g. Simply bear witness. And pray, pray for the sovereign God to open the eyes of the blind, to give strength to the lame, to call the dead to life. Let me close with a prayer by the early church father John Chrysostom Lord, help us to imitate you, and never give up on anyone. For those who fish, they may have cast many times without success, but when they cast one more time, they gain all. So we also expect that you will all at once show to us ripe fruit in the lives of others. The farmer, too, after sowing, waits one or two days, and anticipates a long while… but all at once the crop springs up on every side. This we expect will take place also by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and also to the Holy Spirit be glory, might, and honor, now and forever and world without end. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Now to you who dwell securely under the shadow of God’s throne, And who know the sufficiency of God’s sovereign arm, May you be active in sharing your faith, so that you have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Until we meet again… Go in peace.