252 – Acts 10: The Power of the Gospel
The Gospel:
Redefines our identity
The next day as Cornelius’s
messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It
was about noon, and he was
hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the sky open, and something
like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up,
Peter; kill and eat them.”
“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws
have declared impure and unclean. ”
But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it
clean.” The same vision was
repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. ACTS
10:9-16 NLT
And that
is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1
CORINTHIANS 6:11 NIV
This means
that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is
gone; a new life has begun! 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 NLT
For we are
God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the
good things he planned for us long ago. EPHESIANS 2:10 NLT
Breaks down barriers
Meanwhile, as Peter was
puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come
looking for you. Get up, go
downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent
them.” So Peter went down and
said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?” They said, “We were sent by
Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected
by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that
he can hear your message.” So
Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them,
accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa. ACTS 10:19-23 NLT
Peter told
them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile
home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no
longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.” ACTS 10:28 NLT
Then Peter
replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he
accepts those who fear him and do what is right.” ACTS 10:34-35 NLT
Therefore, accept each
other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. ROMANS
15:7 NLT
Empowers people
And he
ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed
by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. ACTS 10:42 NLT
But you
will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my
witnesses, telling people about me everywhere–in Jerusalem, throughout Judea,
in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. ACTS 1:8 NLT
Creates community
…Cornelius was waiting
for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ACTS
10:24 NLT
“Can
anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy
Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several
days. ACTS 10:44-48 NLT
We loved
you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives,
too. 1 THESSALONIANS 2:8 NLT
Discussion Questions