February 16, 2020
NO ONE IS BEYOND THE REACH OF GOD’S GRACE
The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
PRAYER.
Good morning grace and peace to you in the name of God our Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. I am so glad to see you here today. I thank God for you. God wants you to know that He Loves you. If you think that God doesn’t love you consider this, God has done everything He could do to show you that he does. What more can He do?
God chose you to be with Him before the foundations of the world. Before He created anything, He chose you and me in Jesus Christ. Just as he Chose Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the people of Israel. God chose them from among all the people in the world. Not because of anything special in them but because He wanted to. He raised them up for the world to see through them His glory, and greatness, and that there is no other God but Him. He taught them what was right and acceptable in His sight, He taught them to love one another, and He taught them what it meant to worship God. He gave to them His oracles that they may follow. They were separated from all the other races in the world so as not to be influenced by them into living as they did until the promised deliverer, Christ our Lord.
Israel was to be an example to the world of how great and wonderful God is. So that others would want to also become people of God. Certain food was restricted by God for them to eat because the food was sacrificed to pagan gods. These foods were called unclean.
he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat” (Acts 10:12,13).
Just as the food was restricted for them to eat God also did not permit them to socialize with other people outside of their people. They were not allowed to live among so-called pagan people. They had pride among themselves that they were people of God. They looked down on all other races, just as the food they ate they considered to be pure, they also considered they were a better race. Many of them also wanted to be like other nations of the earth with kings and queens and man-made gods. “But when the fullness of time had come God sent forth His Son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who are under the law so that we may receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-6).
But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”(Acts 10:14).
One thing we should notice is that Peter said no, not so Lord. Jesus Said in Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me Lord and do not what I say”? These two words don’t go together. No and Lord. When you call Him Lord, you are saying you are devoted to Him and you respect Him, you trust Him, you worship him and serve Him, and whatever He wishes you to do, you will do. Jesus said you call me Lord, Lord but you do not the things I say (Luke 6:46).
And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (Acts 10:15). Peter didn’t understand this vision it had gone against everything he had learned, all of his life. These animals were created by God there was nothing intrinsically evil about these animals, they’re being sacrificed to other gods didn’t make them evil because men made a sacrifice of them to a piece of wood or carved stone. The wood and the stone were just what they were, wood and stone. The problem was the hearts of men. There is only one God, one Lord.
God did not want them to be influenced by mingling with other races and becoming contaminated with idol worshippers.
There is a new economy, and just as no animal is intrinsically evil, no person is more or less evil or beyond the grace of God. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Roman 3:23). Jesus said that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believe in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life. The Key is whosoever. Not only is it now legal to eat all meats, but God also made it possible for all men to be saved through belief in His Son and to worship Him.
This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again (Acts 10:16).
God told Cornelius a centurion and a gentile to send his servants to get Peter, Peter came down from the roof and went with them to Cornelius. He received Peter gracefully, and then Peter understood the vision God had given Him. That God’s grace has come to Gentiles as well as the Jews. God is the creator of all men. And His gift of grace is for all who believe in Jesus Christ. After Peter preached to Cornelius, he and all His household believed, and they were all saved.
Does this mean we should live like those who don’t believe? certainly not.
You are to show them the way. If Jesus is in your life you will change, your life will reflect it. Others will know you are different from them. How you carry your self is very important. Just because someone else is prejudice, you can’t be that way. You cannot choose who gets God’s grace. This is what Jonah tried to do because he was prejudice to Nineveh and felt they didn’t deserve God’s mercy. He was wrong the decision was God’s mercy was God’s to give. Thrust in the Lord, He will protect your heart, and through you He will lead others to Christ.
Don’t be ashamed, God took the shame of the cross away when He raised Jesus from the dead with great power. I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes first to the Jew and then to the Gentile.
Have you come to believe in Jesus, do you believe that God sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in shall not perish but shall have everlasting life? Choose today, tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Amen. Come today. Amen
Lord God Thank you for these your people, Bless them Today lord give them the courage today to share your word with others, that they may lead others to your Son, Jesus Christ Amen.
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