1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,040 Hey everybody, this is Pastor John Ewart from Inglewood 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:05,920 Baptist Church in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Thank you so much for tuning in to our podcast. 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,400 You're going to hear from God today as we share. 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,160 From his word. About important issues facing 6 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,200 your life that can guide you according to the Bible. 7 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:25,320 Well, good morning Inglewood. Take your Bibles and turn to 8 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,640 Acts chapter 10 if you would. It's good to see everybody here 9 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,320 this morning. Appreciate you, you being here. 10 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:34,800 Looking forward to Vacation Bible School. 11 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,920 It's going to be a lot of fun. So we're excited about the week. 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,280 Appreciate these baptisms. Amen. 13 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,480 Yeah. Next week we will be examining 14 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,920 the church at Antioch and actually concluding this initial 15 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:56,880 study in the book of Acts called Come Join the King's Mission. 16 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:59,680 I want to thank you for joining me on this very important 17 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,400 journey. We will return later and study 18 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,600 Paul's first missionary journeys in our missions month in 19 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,320 November. So we'll come back, but I've 20 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:14,480 been hinting about some new things coming that we must 21 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,640 reveal and teach. So our next brief series, which 22 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,920 will start in a couple of weeks, it's called Come Be the King's 23 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,320 Bride, and we're going to be talking for just a few sermons 24 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:31,560 about why, who, what and how church and church membership and 25 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,360 discipleship, as well as the church ordinances ought to take 26 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:36,720 place. We'll be celebrating the Lord's 27 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,080 Supper again in August, and this is going to then lead us into 28 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,520 that study that I've been hinting about for a long time 29 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,120 called Come Live. The Church's Vision, The Seven 30 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,240 Essentials of Discipleship, where we'll be sharing and 31 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,520 revealing our new mission and vision statements. 32 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,400 We'll be talking about the new discipleship goals that our 33 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,600 teams of leaders have been working on and working on and 34 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,880 working on. These are very biblical. 35 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,800 Nothing, nothing fancy or complicated, but extremely 36 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,920 important. And at that point, I think 37 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:05,840 you'll be able to really understand where this train is 38 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:07,880 headed. The new course that we believe 39 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:09,880 God has charted for the future of Inglewood. 40 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:12,960 It'll be something new. It'll be something different. 41 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:18,280 It'll be a change and and I will also share the details over the 42 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,040 next few weeks of a new strategy for our Connect groups that our 43 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,560 pastors and group leaders have already been discussing. 44 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,200 God has used this strategy and continues to use it. 45 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,760 It's a strategy I had the opportunity and privilege to 46 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,120 develop with a team of leaders years ago, and God has used it 47 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,000 to transform churches literally all around the world at this 48 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,200 point. And so it's what God used to 49 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,640 dramatically grow all the churches that I've ever served 50 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:48,960 as pastor and also was used to disciple our congregation to the 51 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:54,200 point of we were able to have around 90% of every single 52 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,080 resident church member actively involved in discipleship. 53 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,920 And that's something we want to see happen here. 54 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,760 It also gave us the opportunity to follow up on thousands of 55 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,760 people after a big event like Vacation Bible School or 4th of 56 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,440 July or something, we could personally follow up on 57 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,920 thousands because everybody was ready to participate. 58 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,680 It also LED us to the point where we were having multiple 59 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,040 baptisms every week. God's been blessing us here 60 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:20,880 already with that and that's been wonderful. 61 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,880 And you ain't seen nothing yet, I don't believe. 62 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,000 And so it will also help us to reach the 74% of the unchurched 63 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,880 people who surround us within 10 miles of us to be involved. 64 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,240 It will then also guide us to pray and minister together. 65 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,200 It's called reach, reaching every available community 66 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,680 household. And I expect what percentage of 67 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:46,040 participation I know isn't, that's crazy, just crazy, man. 68 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,960 And it's going to depend upon you being in the Connect group, 69 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,920 because I've been hinting pretty strongly about that for the last 70 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,960 several centuries. So they're actually 71 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,080 responsibilities for everybody. Even the preschoolers will be 72 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:01,280 involved. The preschoolers will be 73 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,320 involved, the children will be involved, the students will be 74 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:04,600 involved, the adults will be involved. 75 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,200 It's a lot of fun. Families will be able to do 76 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,800 things together. It's a great discipleship plan. 77 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,280 It is something new, something different and a change, but it 78 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,640 is a plan to reach 100% participation as well as 100% of 79 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,279 our communities. And in preparation for it, I 80 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,160 have just a small announcement to make. 81 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:31,760 So for several reasons. One is after careful assessment 82 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,600 and if anybody knows me, the theme song of my world, right, 83 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,320 you know, is assessment never ends. 84 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,000 There's bumper stickers and T-shirts. 85 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,560 I have a ball cap. And so people know that joke 86 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,120 about it. But after careful analysis and 87 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,560 assessment of our space, our building, our facility, as well 88 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,040 as our schedule, we've come to the conclusion that we need to 89 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,080 do some Connect group classroom relocation. 90 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,200 Now, this is a bulletproof shirt, so you can't do anything. 91 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,760 So here's what we're going to do, and I hope you'll understand 92 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,880 some of the whys. We'll continue to explain the 93 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:06,600 whys. I promise you we're not doing 94 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,400 this haphazardly. We've really thought and 95 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,320 prayerfully, prayerfully considered this. 96 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,160 There are good reasons for this, and I know that this may be the 97 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,800 end of my honeymoon. But if you'll trust me and truly 98 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,800 believe you'll come to understand and appreciate those 99 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,200 whys. I think one of the things we 100 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,880 need to do is we're going to move all of our children to 101 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,800 these ministry hallways on both sides of the ministry center. 102 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:30,280 Here's a couple reasons for that. 103 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,520 One is that would then provide a centralized drop off and pick up 104 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,120 for our parents, especially when they have multi children, so 105 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,480 they can get them all in the same zones, right? 106 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,120 Another big part of this, which is part of our assessment is it 107 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,280 provides us with a much more secure location for our 108 00:05:47,280 --> 00:05:49,120 children. What we're going to do is we're 109 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,560 going to put one of the glass security doors much like we have 110 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,680 on this wing over here on this wing as well. 111 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:58,360 So both hallways will be secure and completely secure. 112 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,120 Our security team does a fantastic job and this will 113 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,720 actually help them on Sundays and even during the week. 114 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,040 So it's going to also here's the interesting part of it, because 115 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,760 of the strategies we're getting ready to implement, we are going 116 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,920 to grow. I cannot expect anything else. 117 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,720 I've never not seen it. So I can't expect anything else. 118 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,720 And we're actually going to have more available classroom for 119 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,360 children and adults by making this move. 120 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,280 And So what it means is we're going to be moving our children 121 00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:26,760 out of the Lewis building and we're going to be putting adults 122 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,400 in the Lewis building. So it'll actually make more 123 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,000 classroom space available because we're actually going to 124 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,360 not only see our current Connect groups grow, but we're going to 125 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,360 have to create new Connect groups. 126 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:42,800 So either say Amen or Oh my. So what's going to happen is 127 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,720 reach is going to produce this growth and demand for space. 128 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,160 And and so don't simply think about where you are now and 129 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,360 who's coming now because this move will actually put us all in 130 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,800 better growth structures as well as a more secure and certainly 131 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,800 convenient for parents, dynamic for our children, our 132 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:01,640 preschoolers. So here's the deal. 133 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,440 The date for this move is coming quickly because summer's the 134 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,800 best time to do this. Summer's the best time we need 135 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:08,880 to do some paintings and moving furniture, some things like 136 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,280 that. And so August 10th is when this 137 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,800 is going to hit. So that's pretty fast and this 138 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:18,680 will affect almost everybody. So please prepare yourself. 139 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,440 And we recognize that there's some folks in the Lewis building 140 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,600 right now. We can't use a certain age 141 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,320 groups and upstairs because there's some rules about what 142 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,720 age children can be in an upstairs place in the state of 143 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,640 North Carolina. This will actually allow us to 144 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,240 use all the up there, upstairs space over there in a much 145 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,400 greater way. If you need an elevator, we 146 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,040 we'll be very sensitive to that. We'll make sure you're near, 147 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,680 you're near the elevator. But we know change is difficult. 148 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:48,800 I also pray that it's exciting and I, I pray that you'll be 149 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,320 willing to have flexibility and a willingness to grow. 150 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,040 I know that people will have preferences and we can't 151 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,320 accommodate all of those obviously, but we want to 152 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,840 certainly hear any concerns. I'd ask you to share your 153 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,400 concerns with your connect group leaders and they're going to 154 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,360 have the opportunity to interact with us. 155 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,560 But this is coming fairly quickly. 156 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,960 We've really thought through this pretty carefully. 157 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:15,640 Measuring rooms, literally, I've been around with my, my virtual 158 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,120 laser tape measure and all kinds of things. 159 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,240 So, so it's important for us to do this and I, I think you'll 160 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,080 see why as the months of fall hit us fairly quickly. 161 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,560 Something you might be interested to know is that in 162 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,760 the last service, the front parking lot was completely full. 163 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,440 And so now the back parking lot wasn't, but the front parking 164 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,320 lot was completely full. And so we're working through 165 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,320 some space issues. It may not look like it as you 166 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:45,040 look around this room today, but I promise you this fall it will 167 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,480 look this way. So I told you some big things 168 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,440 were coming. So please hang in there. 169 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,840 This is all very important. Please don't miss any part of 170 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:54,680 it. It'll be something new, it'll be 171 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:58,040 something different. A change is coming, and I pray 172 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,960 that you'll embrace that. And in Acts chapter 10, that's 173 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,400 what we're going to do as well. And Acts chapter 10, something 174 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,560 that has never, ever, ever happened before, takes place in 175 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:11,040 a message that I've called the inclusive Gospel. 176 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,760 Don't let that word scare you. That word inclusive can be scary 177 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:20,160 in our culture because of its often distorted definition and 178 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,760 interpretation, but I want to show you how it's properly and 179 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,960 biblically used, especially in this passage. 180 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,240 So something new, something totally different, a change. 181 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:35,200 Chapter 10, verse one. At Caesarea there was a man 182 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,480 named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian 183 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:44,000 cohort, A devout man who feared God with all his household, gave 184 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,840 alms generously to the people and prayed continually to God. 185 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,400 This is a six point sermon. Doesn't that bless your heart? 186 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:56,000 I actually got everybody out early in that first service too. 187 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,520 So I don't know what's going on. I'm, I move through this pretty 188 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:00,760 quickly, but there's just a lot in here that we need to 189 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,520 understand. And so the first thing I want us 190 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,000 to see is I want us to understand just authentic 191 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,760 searching and praying. There's some real authenticity 192 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,480 in this passage, some real honest searching going on. 193 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:16,120 Caesarea was a military headquarters for Roman armed 194 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,000 forces. It was named after Caesar 195 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,520 Augustus and it was the capital of the Roman province of Judea. 196 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:25,440 So it was an important place and God picks out a leader of 197 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,640 influence in the city, the centurion named Cornelius. 198 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,200 In order to influence him, a centurion would parallel about a 199 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,800 captain in today's army and would command a lot of men. 200 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,760 And he he was a military leader in a city that was primarily 201 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:43,480 Gentile. And that's the key part of this 202 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,640 story. There was a significant Jewish 203 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:47,920 population there, but it's primarily Gentile. 204 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,360 And but Cornelius was no ordinary Roman soldier. 205 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,440 He was what we would call a Gentile God seeker. 206 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,960 He was somebody who, even though he wasn't Jewish, he worshipped 207 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:02,520 Yahweh and he sought after Yahweh. 208 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,480 And you can tell from this passage that he's performing two 209 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:10,400 of the three Jewish rituals or rites by by offering prayers and 210 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,880 by giving alms to the poor. If he fasted, he would have done 211 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,080 all three. But what we see is don't miss 212 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,000 this description. He gave alms generously to the 213 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,360 people and he prayed continually to God. 214 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:27,040 He's truly seeking after Yahweh. What does God want for me and my 215 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:28,920 family? And he seeks the Lord. 216 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:33,000 And God responded to his authentic faithfulness and 217 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,400 answered his prayers. And God will do that. 218 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:37,240 Some of you would know this verse. 219 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:44,680 Jeremiah 2913 You will seek me and find me when you seek me 220 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:47,000 with what? Right? 221 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,960 And so here we see someone actually, honestly, 222 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:53,360 authentically seeking after God with his whole heart. 223 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,000 And God blesses that. God blesses his faithfulness. 224 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,280 And we're going to see something new. 225 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,440 We're going to see something different. 226 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,160 We're going to see a change. Look at verse 3 about the ninth 227 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,680 hour of the day. He saw clearly in a vision an 228 00:12:08,680 --> 00:12:11,400 Angel of God come in and say to him, Cornelius. 229 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,720 And he stared at him in terror and said, What is it, Lord? 230 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,080 And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a 231 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,840 memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and 232 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:24,200 bring one Simon, who is called Peter. 233 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:27,000 He is lodging with one Simon, a Tanner. 234 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,520 This was the House of Simon, obviously, wouldn't it, whose 235 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,280 house is by the sea? When the Angel who spoke to him 236 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,760 had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout 237 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,520 soldier from among those who attended him, and having related 238 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,200 everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. 239 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,720 So in awe and fear, which which I don't know how else you would 240 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,400 respond when you see angels, you know, throughout Scripture you 241 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,680 see people who are in awe and fear. 242 00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:55,360 They're terrified when they see angels. 243 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,240 I don't know. I don't know how you're supposed 244 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,080 to respond. But Cornelius responded to, to 245 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,320 this angelic vision. The only way that it, that it, 246 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,720 that one should. What is it, Lord? 247 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:11,600 You know, he had no problem recognizing his superior as a 248 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,680 soldier. He recognized the Lord. 249 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,240 That's curious. That means boss, that means 250 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,760 leader, that means superior. That means the the ultimate one, 251 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,560 that means one who's above you. That word. 252 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,320 And so Cornelius obeyed as if he's commanded like a soldier. 253 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,800 So God receives his prayer. God received his generosity as a 254 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,200 blessed offering. And he answers his search with a 255 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,800 very specific plan. And, and I just believe God 256 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,480 still does that, that if we will surrender our whole heart, if 257 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:44,760 we'll seek after him completely, if we'll give him our time, our 258 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:49,000 talents, our tithe, our hearts and seek after him fully, God 259 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,920 will show us his plan. And I believe that he's doing 260 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:54,640 that. Our leaders have been diligently 261 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,880 praying and seeking God's mission and vision for this 262 00:13:57,880 --> 00:13:59,520 church. And I'm going to be sharing with 263 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,240 you what the output of we believe. 264 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,080 That is what we believe God wants us to do in our next 265 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,320 chapter. We believe we've heard from God 266 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:10,880 and we know what He wants. So let us all authentically lift 267 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,400 our whole hearts and let's seek and let's obey to see what He 268 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,760 specifically desires from each one of us. 269 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,560 Look at verse 9. The next day, as they were on 270 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,600 their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the 271 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:29,200 housetop about the 6th hour to pray, and he became hungry, and 272 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,400 wanted something to eat. But while they were preparing 273 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,240 it, he fell into a trance, and saw the heavens opened, and 274 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,520 something like a great sheep descending, being let down by 275 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,640 his four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals, 276 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,320 and reptiles, and birds of the air. 277 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,520 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. 278 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,440 But Peter said, By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten 279 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:52,680 anything that is common or unclean. 280 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:55,200 And the voice came to him again a second time. 281 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,480 What God has made clean do not call common and this happened 282 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:02,240 three times and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 283 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:05,800 So the second thing I want us to see, it's just unexpected new 284 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,560 directions. Sometimes God does that. 285 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,440 The Cornelius party is about to arrive when Peter goes up on the 286 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,880 rooftop and and he's praying. You never miss the prayer 287 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,440 connections in these stories. Prayer surrounds and abounds in 288 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:20,840 these stories. Don't miss that. 289 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,320 If you want to seek God, we got to be devoted to prayer. 290 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:25,480 We got to be hearing him. We got to be listening to him. 291 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,480 We've got to be sensitive to the will of God for this next 292 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,960 chapter of his church here. And even though, and this has an 293 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,720 interesting point, even though Peter wasn't praying for what he 294 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,160 saw, don't miss that God responds with something new. 295 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:44,000 We might be praying for this and God brings us that and don't 296 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,600 miss that in life. Be sensitive to that, be open to 297 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:48,400 that. He may have a whole different 298 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,520 approach than what we thought would be the plan. 299 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,320 Something new, something totally different. 300 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:00,960 A what a change. He might just surprise you. 301 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:03,160 God might just catch you off guard. 302 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,280 He might make you face a real choice. 303 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,560 He might test your faith. He might test your obedience. 304 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,080 I mean, I don't know if you've ever done this. 305 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,360 I've been in here. Anyone ever believe that God 306 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,800 gave you a no or not yet or not that way when you wanted 307 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,960 something else? I've been there. 308 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:20,920 That's not what I wanted. God. 309 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:26,680 So Peter sees a sheet or the words can just mean container. 310 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,280 He sees this, this container or sheet coming down from heaven 311 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,160 and and it has clean and unclean animals with the command to kill 312 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:38,280 and eat them. Now this would have been 313 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,040 revolting to any Jewish person, regardless of how hungry they 314 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,920 might be, right? So Peter argues, and I don't 315 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,520 miss this Peter argues with the creator. 316 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:52,880 He he argues with the creator and the giver of the law about 317 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,280 the law. I don't know if you've ever done 318 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:57,600 that. You ever argue with God? 319 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,640 God, that's not what I wanted. That's not what I asked for. 320 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:06,720 God, you must be mistaken. God, you're really not paying 321 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,480 attention, are you? That's not what I'm after. 322 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,240 Think about how dumb it is if we believe that we can tell the 323 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,079 omniscient, omnipotent, perfect God what to do. 324 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:18,319 Let me tell you some deep theology. 325 00:17:18,319 --> 00:17:21,280 You ready from Doctor Ewart? Here's some deep theology. 326 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,079 I'd tell this to my seminary. I'd do this in a doctoral 327 00:17:24,079 --> 00:17:25,480 seminar. I got to teach a doctoral 328 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,839 seminar in a few weeks. And this is what I'd say to him. 329 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,400 People are silly. God is gracious. 330 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:35,760 He wins in the end. So I implore you, I beg you, 331 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:39,600 just give up now. It's much easier. 332 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:42,240 So. So Peter had to go through this. 333 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:44,080 Don't miss this. How many times you have to go 334 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,360 through it? He had to go through it three 335 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:48,760 times. There's something about Peter 336 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:52,640 and Threes isn't there to where he has to go through this before 337 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,360 he can learn. God commands Peter to obey. 338 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,880 God declared the food clean, but remember the food is just a 339 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,200 symbol. It's more than that. 340 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:05,640 He's declaring other peoples clean as well. 341 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:09,560 Others once thought to be unclean, others once thought to 342 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,880 be revolting, others once thought to be outside the gospel 343 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:14,680 touch. But now they could not be 344 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,560 considered ordinary, they could not be considered common. 345 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,280 Or the Word can mean worthless anymore. 346 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,520 We have worth and value in the Kingdom of God, not because of 347 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,760 us, but the fact that Christ died for us, paid for us, 348 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,160 intercedes for us. So if you're struggling with 349 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:36,240 some sense of of self value, find your worth in the eyes of 350 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,720 God who created you in a special way for a special purpose. 351 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:44,680 He wants you, He knows you, He hears you, and he seeks to be 352 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,320 known by you. And maybe that's unexpected for 353 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,880 some of you today, but that's exactly what you need to hear. 354 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:55,880 Maybe you need a new direction. You heard testimonies in baptism 355 00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:00,200 back here about new directions. Maybe you need a new direction. 356 00:19:01,120 --> 00:19:03,040 So God was preparing the way for the Gentiles. 357 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,240 I'm thankful for that because last time I checked, I'm a 358 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:09,000 Gentile. I'm not a Samaritan. 359 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:11,360 I don't have a Jewish background. 360 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,440 So I'm very thankful this moment's happening because this 361 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,520 is how I was able to receive the gospel and most of you. 362 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,080 But Peter was not expecting something that new, something 363 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,360 that different. Let me just show you how new and 364 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:24,840 different it is. Look at verse 17. 365 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,480 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision 366 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,360 that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by 367 00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:36,000 Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the 368 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,680 gate and called out to ask whether Simon, who was called 369 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,000 Peter, was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering 370 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,640 the vision, the spirit said to him, Behold, three men are 371 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,080 looking for you, Rise and go down and accompany them without 372 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:49,680 hesitation, for I have sent them. 373 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,640 And Peter went down to the men and said, I'm the one you're 374 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,640 looking for. What is the reason for your 375 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:56,800 coming? And they said Cornelius, a 376 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,840 centurion and upright and God fearing man who is well spoken 377 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:03,560 of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy Angel to 378 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:08,200 send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have 379 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,720 to say. So as Peter's working through 380 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:12,880 it, I mean, Peter has to work through this. 381 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:14,840 This is a big deal. This is brand new. 382 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:16,960 We look back on this now and it doesn't seem like that big a 383 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:18,160 deal. But you got to understand this 384 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:19,880 is a big deal. He's working through this. 385 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,040 He's pondering, he's perplexed, and the men arrive. 386 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,480 Now the Holy Spirit tells him in this verse, rise and go down and 387 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,760 accompany them without hesitation, for I've sent them. 388 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,760 He actually uses a very strong technical term for a command. 389 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,640 And in other words, it means you go and you go right now. 390 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:43,480 Don't hesitate, Inglewood. That's often my prayer for us, 391 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:47,040 that we would go and we'd go right now. 392 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,840 We don't have time to waste. Look at verse 23. 393 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,800 And you've got to understand the power of these first words. 394 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,960 So he invited them in to be his guest. 395 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,360 I'll come back to that. The next day he rose and went 396 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:07,080 away with him, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied 397 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:08,720 him. See, the third thing you got to 398 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:10,680 see here are amazing breakthroughs. 399 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:14,200 Part of God's new directions are going to bring new things, new 400 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:15,920 breakthroughs. Think about it. 401 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:24,120 Only God, only God could do this very unexpected, different new 402 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:26,840 thing. This is quite a change. 403 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:31,080 We've never done it like this before. 404 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:37,640 It was a huge step for this Jewish fisherman to invite to 405 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,520 invite these Gentiles into the house. 406 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:44,680 What a night that must have been. 407 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,000 I wonder if any of them slept or if they just sat in different 408 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:50,160 corners and stared at each other. 409 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,440 Totally unexpected. But my friends, that's the 410 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:00,160 gospel. Something new, something 411 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:04,040 different, a change. That's the gospel. 412 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,760 Look at verse 24. And on the following day they 413 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,760 entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and 414 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,680 had called together his relatives and close friends. 415 00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:16,560 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and 416 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:18,200 worshipped him. But Peter lifting him up, 417 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,320 saying, stand up, I too am a man. 418 00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:24,120 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons 419 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:25,880 gathered. And he said to them, You 420 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,400 yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with 421 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,120 or to visit anyone of another nation. 422 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,200 But God has shown me that I should not call any person 423 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,680 common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came 424 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,600 without objection. I asked then why you sent for 425 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:44,080 me? See, Peters figured it out. 426 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:50,440 He's understood the vision now, as far as the food, not just 427 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:53,680 meaning food, but representing peoples. 428 00:22:54,160 --> 00:23:01,480 So amazingly, A Gentile Roman army officer seeks a Jewish 429 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,280 Christian fisherman, and they're willing to get together. 430 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:11,240 Old barriers were breaking down, and when he arrived, Cornelius 431 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,160 falls to the ground at his feet. Peter had experienced that 432 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,320 before, and he knew what to do. He made him rise. 433 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,240 He knew. Peter knew he had no power in 434 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,320 himself. He knew that everything came 435 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,240 from Christ. He also knew that he was 436 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,320 breaking the law according to the Jewish rabbis. 437 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,360 He knew that this was against all he had ever learned his 438 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:32,560 whole life. But God had amazingly changed 439 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,920 the rules. Grace does that. 440 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:39,800 Grace changes the rules. It breaks down barriers, it 441 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,800 opens new doors. It can do that in your heart 442 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:44,720 this morning. It can do that in your neighbors 443 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:46,960 hearts. It can do that across the city 444 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,000 and across this region. If we follow God's new 445 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,280 direction, he'll can use it as he sweeps across the the region 446 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:58,960 with amazing breakthroughs. God declared the Gentiles clean. 447 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,480 This was amazingly new, incredibly different. 448 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:09,160 It was a change. Now in verses 30 through 32, 449 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,960 Cornelius just repeats the story of the vision to Peter. 450 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:18,440 So let's go on to verse 33. So I sent for you at once, and 451 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,000 you have been kind enough to come. 452 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,720 Now, therefore, we are all here in the presence of God to hear 453 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,560 all that you have been commanded by the Lord. 454 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:35,480 Peter, please, we are hungry to hear the truth in the Word of 455 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,400 God. We want to hear everything. 456 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,600 We want to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord. 457 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,360 We're we're starving for the truth. 458 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:48,400 Peter. They couldn't wait to know the 459 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:50,560 Word of God. Faithful people have been 460 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:52,720 searching, faithful people have been praying, faithful people 461 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:54,880 have been preparing. God had shown the way. 462 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,280 And my friends, I'm begging God every day of my life that God 463 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:03,560 would fill His house, that this house would be completely full 464 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:09,360 of people hungry to hear and to respond to His truth. 465 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,600 I cry out, the spiritual walls would fall. 466 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,960 I cry out for amazing spiritual breakthroughs. 467 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,200 And we must all help them to know the Word of God. 468 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,880 You hear me week after week, begging you almost to please 469 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,680 join a Connect group so that you can engage with others and 470 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,960 invite others to systemic Bible study. 471 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,680 What percentage of participation am I looking for? 472 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:39,360 And with this new plan, my friends, please select a group. 473 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,440 You might not enjoy it as much when I select one for you. 474 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:52,080 You have just a few weeks. Let's start the watch. 475 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,960 Verse 34. So Peter opened his mouth and 476 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:04,000 said, truly, I understand that God shows no partiality, but in 477 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:08,800 every nation, anyone who fears Him and does what is right is 478 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,520 acceptable to Him. Now that brings me to point #4 479 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,800 we're going to be really careful with this word because I want to 480 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,120 talk about this inclusive gospel. 481 00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:17,520 Let's use this word the right way. 482 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:22,560 God shows no partiality. So in other words, no favoritism 483 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:24,520 is allowed in the Kingdom of God. 484 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:27,600 You got to hear the inclusiveness of the gospel. 485 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:32,040 The gospel transcends race. The gospel transcends culture. 486 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,600 The gospel transcends social economics. 487 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:38,320 The gospel transcends history. It transcends traditions. 488 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,640 It transcends prejudice. It transcends personal 489 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,800 preference. It doesn't matter where you're 490 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:45,880 from. It doesn't matter if you're from 491 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,640 Red Oak or you're from Taiwan. It doesn't matter how rough your 492 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,320 background. It doesn't matter how addicted 493 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:56,160 you are to your sin right now. The gospel is still for you. 494 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,840 That's the wonderful thing about this inclusive message. 495 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:06,040 But let's go on because there's another side to it. 496 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:10,160 Verse 36. As for the word that he sent to 497 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:15,720 Israel preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ, He 498 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,920 is Lord of all. You yourselves know what 499 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,320 happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the 500 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:26,600 baptism that John proclaimed how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 501 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,400 with the Holy Spirit and with power. 502 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,480 He went about doing good and healing all who are oppressed by 503 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,240 the devil. For God was in was with him, and 504 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:37,240 we are witnesses of all that He did, both in the country of the 505 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:40,520 Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging 506 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,680 him on a tree. But God raised him on the third 507 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:46,200 day and made him to appear, not to all the people, but to us who 508 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,360 have been chosen by God as witnesses who ate and drank with 509 00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:52,800 Him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to 510 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:56,360 the people and to testify that He is the appointed by God to be 511 00:27:56,360 --> 00:27:57,960 the judge of the living and the dead. 512 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:02,000 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who 513 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,600 believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through His 514 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:08,600 names. And that, my friends, is the 515 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,040 gospel. So the fifth thing I want you to 516 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:16,240 see is not only is this an inclusive gospel, but it also 517 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,040 carries a very exclusive salvation. 518 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,800 The gospel is totally inclusive in terms of the audience for 519 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:28,480 whom it is intended, but it is absolutely exclusive in terms of 520 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,400 how true salvation occurs. In other words, only by grace 521 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,160 through faith, specifically in Christ alone, can a person be 522 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:40,160 saved. It's amazingly inclusive in that 523 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:42,600 it reaches people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. 524 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:45,600 Yet salvation is exclusively personal. 525 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:49,680 It's very, very specific. You cannot be saved any other 526 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,440 way except by trusting in Jesus Christ. 527 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,920 Only. Jesus Jesus only is the way 528 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,720 salvation occurs. Now look at verse 44. 529 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:06,120 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit 530 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,680 fell on who heard on all who heard the word. 531 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,800 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with 532 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,480 Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was 533 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,440 poured out even on the Gentiles, for they were hearing them 534 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,160 speaking in tongues and extolling God. 535 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,880 Then Peter declared, can anyone withhold water for baptizing 536 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:26,560 these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? 537 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,920 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus 538 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:32,360 Christ. Then they asked him to remain 539 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,960 for some days. So while Peter's still preaching 540 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:40,000 something historically unique, something very, very different, 541 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,640 something amazing, something new took place. 542 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,240 Like a Thunderbolt. Like in Acts chapter 2, the Holy 543 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,120 Spirit came upon this new type of people. 544 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:50,720 Don't miss this teaching. I've shared it with you for a 545 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:52,520 few weeks now. Don't miss this. 546 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,520 This is a unique moment in history where another type of 547 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:01,320 people has received the gospel. All types of people in the world 548 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:03,520 will be represented by the time we're done. 549 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:06,040 And with this study, we've still got a weird little group of John 550 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,400 the Baptist disciples coming up. And so remember that I taught 551 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:11,960 you. There was this historically 552 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:15,560 unique moment for the Jews, then a historically unique moment for 553 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:19,600 the Samaritans, then a historically unique moment now 554 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:24,800 for the Gentiles. So the Gentiles were saved and 555 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,800 filled with the Holy Spirit. Now, later, the more normative 556 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:31,000 pattern is as soon as we're saved, the Holy Spirit comes and 557 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:32,840 lives within us. We're baptized by the Holy 558 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,040 Spirit and dwelt by the Holy Spirit, gifted by the Holy 559 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:36,320 Spirit at the moment of salvation. 560 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:40,440 But these are unique moments to display, especially to these 561 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:44,920 Jewish believers, that even Gentiles can be saved. 562 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:48,440 And after they were saved in proper order, you'll see this. 563 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,520 They were baptized just like we saw today, baptized as a 564 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,040 testimony to what God had already done to them and for 565 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:58,800 them. So this in his uniquely historic 566 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:02,680 moment for them and frankly for us as Gentiles, because most of 567 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:07,400 us here are probably Gentiles. And so it's important for us. 568 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,960 And so this was new, this was different to change. 569 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:15,880 It was a new breakthrough for Acts 1/8 as well. 570 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:19,200 God is not just for you. He's not just for your kind. 571 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,520 He's for all peoples, no matter how dirty, no matter how lost, 572 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,800 no matter how confused, no matter how sinful, no matter how 573 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:30,120 distant, God is still for them. You can never be too far away to 574 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,520 be claimed by Him. And if you ever heard my full 575 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,040 testimony, you would believe that I believe that. 576 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,800 So pray God, pray God would remove the spiritual blindness, 577 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,040 pray God would move the spiritual ignorance, pray God 578 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,960 that would move the spiritual willfulness that would keep us 579 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,320 from embracing everything that He wants for us in this next 580 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:55,720 chapter. And we need to tell them. 581 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,440 We need to tell everybody. We need to tell them all 582 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:00,960 everything we know, just like Peter did. 583 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,640 So then we need to welcome them when God saves them. 584 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,280 It could be somebody different, it could be somebody new, IT 585 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:11,840 could be a change. Those unchurched around us could 586 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:15,320 look different than you do. They could act differently than 587 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:16,960 you do. They could be from totally 588 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:18,640 different backgrounds than you are. 589 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:21,440 We got to be ready. And unfortunately, there may 590 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,360 still be those that would have to be convinced that they are 591 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:27,400 OK. Which brings us to point #6 592 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:33,120 overcoming old habits. Look at Chapter 11, verse one. 593 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,680 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout 594 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,520 Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of 595 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:41,360 God. So when Peter went up to 596 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,480 Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 597 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:48,400 You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them. 598 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,320 So the word spreads. And some of the Jewish 599 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:56,680 Christians were not thrilled about what had happened because 600 00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:00,600 they still believed in their immature theology, in their 601 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:03,120 immature discipleship. They still believed that in 602 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:05,440 order to be a Christian, you had to become a Jew first. 603 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:08,800 And so you see this, this confusion. 604 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:11,480 But notice what they were concerned about. 605 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,760 It wasn't that whether God had saved somebody. 606 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,360 It wasn't whether or not the power of the Holy Spirit was 607 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:19,880 truly revealed. What they were concerned about 608 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,480 is Peter, you sat down and ate with them. 609 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,240 They were more concerned about traditions. 610 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,320 They were more concerned about rituals than they were about 611 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:34,840 whether God was moving or not. Now, this might shock you, but 612 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:36,520 I've known people in churches like this. 613 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,960 I've been in a few churches, many of them not very healthy. 614 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:45,800 I've known people who are more concerned about whether those 615 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:49,040 new, whether those new people looked and acted like them, 616 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:53,080 whether or not the carpet would get dirty from so many using it, 617 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:57,280 whether someone else had to use my room. 618 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:05,760 It's called a called a pause. Do you like that, doc? 619 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,120 That's a, that's a pause. It's a true one. 620 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:11,159 This is one I experienced. Teresa knows this one. 621 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:15,120 Whether or not we're wasting water because we baptize new 622 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:19,679 believers every week, you need to hug your deacons here. 623 00:34:19,679 --> 00:34:22,679 They are fantastic men, wonderful men who are serving 624 00:34:22,679 --> 00:34:24,440 you. I've had other kinds of other 625 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:28,159 places I used to get chewed out because we were draining the 626 00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:30,679 baptistery every week, because we were baptizing multiple 627 00:34:30,679 --> 00:34:34,040 people every week, wasting the water. 628 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:38,280 Some of people are more concerned about other things 629 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,239 than whether new people are being saved, whether new 630 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:42,840 disciples were being made. Some don't like different. 631 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:46,120 Some people don't like new. Some people just don't like 632 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,600 change. Some people want things to be 633 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:50,679 just like they are or they remember. 634 00:34:50,679 --> 00:34:53,520 They they want it to be like sometime they remember and some 635 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,800 almost Amish type historic moment back there in their 636 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:01,240 memory. They forget whose story this is. 637 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:06,160 This is not our story. This is not our mission. 638 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,600 This is not about Inglewood. This is not about John Ewart. 639 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,000 This is not about you either. This is about the Lord Jesus 640 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:17,400 Christ. It's his story and he's invited 641 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,080 us to join it, and it's a privilege. 642 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:22,960 Will we truly welcome all who God leads our way? 643 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:26,000 Because they're coming. The old Peter probably wanted to 644 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:27,680 chop off an ear or two, didn't he? 645 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:31,560 He's probably wondering where that knife was. 646 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:34,600 But if you look at him, he'd matured. 647 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:37,480 He handles the criticism much better if you read the whole 648 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,760 passage. So what he does is he repeats 649 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:42,600 precisely what had happened in verses 4 through 14. 650 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:45,640 He just tells the same story. We've already read all that and 651 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:47,440 then he ended with go to verse 15. 652 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:53,160 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on 653 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:56,040 us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the 654 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:58,960 Lord, how he said, John baptized with water, but you will be 655 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:02,520 baptized with the Holy Spirit. If then God gave them the same 656 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:05,320 gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord 657 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:09,120 Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way. 658 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:12,400 You know, I often think, and I do often think about this 659 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:13,800 because I'm in the book of Acts a lot. 660 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,080 I don't just preach it, but I teach it in school and things 661 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:18,400 like that. So I think about this a lot. 662 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:22,080 You know, I think about the the many transitions the early 663 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:26,800 church had to experience as these new types of people were 664 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,280 being saved and brought into the Kingdom. 665 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:33,320 What they thought was right changed so many times. 666 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:36,960 What they thought was going to be the standard way changed so 667 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:39,840 many times. They faced change after change 668 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:43,920 on a regular basis, but their theology was solid. 669 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:48,400 So the old guard would have to welcome the new guard in in a 670 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,280 loving way, over and over and over and over again. 671 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:53,840 They had to become something new together. 672 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:57,240 It's not just the old anymore. Now they were the new church. 673 00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:59,400 There was no time to look back to the past. 674 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,720 With God doing so many new things in their midst, they had 675 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:04,200 to look forward to the next chapter. 676 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:05,760 What's next? What's next? 677 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:09,400 What's the new direction? Because God might just do 678 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,640 something different. He might just do something new. 679 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:18,240 There might just be a change. So are you willing to become 680 00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:21,000 something new? Are you willing to become 681 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:25,440 something different, to change, to join the king on his mission? 682 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:30,440 One last verse, verse 18. When they heard these things, 683 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:34,040 they fell silent and they glorified God saying then to the 684 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:38,480 Gentiles, God has granted also then to the Gentiles also, God 685 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:41,040 has granted repentance that leads to life. 686 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:44,640 They stopped arguing. They were quiet, reflective for 687 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,720 a moment and you got to give him credit. 688 00:37:46,720 --> 00:37:49,240 They actually recognized God indeed had worked. 689 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,200 They even glorify him for what he had done. 690 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:55,400 They, they, you got, you got to kind of give him a little praise 691 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:57,800 here. They came around, which is not 692 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:02,800 always a common story. So if we respond biblically, God 693 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:08,160 can change people, maybe even maybe even us. 694 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:16,160 My mother, I always knew just what to say it exactly the right 695 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:21,360 moment. I was chewing gum in warmups. 696 00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:27,240 One time I was on the varsity basketball team and I have a bad 697 00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:29,720 habit of if I chew gum, my wife will testify. 698 00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:32,080 She can raise her hand and say a minute and a minute. 699 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,280 If I chew gum, I smack my gum. I've done that my whole, I don't 700 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:37,560 know why that is. And sometimes I like to have 701 00:38:37,560 --> 00:38:40,600 more than, you know, 3 or 416 pieces of gum in my mouth at the 702 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:44,640 same time. So, so in, in high school, I was 703 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:48,680 a starting varsity player. So I'm out there in warmups and 704 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:52,720 I'm, I got this big wad of gum and I'm just smacking away out 705 00:38:52,720 --> 00:38:53,800 there. Now you got to understand this 706 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:57,080 is smaller town, big high school, small town. 707 00:38:57,680 --> 00:38:59,760 And so everybody's there. The whole town's there. 708 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:01,760 The whole high school is there. All of my friends are there, the 709 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:03,760 whole team's there, the opposing team is there. 710 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:06,800 And my mother and father used to always sit on the top row behind 711 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:10,240 our bench in the gymnasium. That was their spot. 712 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,680 And I'm out there smacking my gum, doing my layups, and all of 713 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:18,280 a sudden, from the top of the gym in front of everybody, I 714 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:25,560 hear Johnny Ewart spit out that gum in front of my entire high 715 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:32,040 school team, all my friends, the whole town, the opposing town. 716 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:36,040 So throughout the game, the opposing team would constantly 717 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:39,320 elbow me and say just little Johnny still have his gum. 718 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:46,320 So I promised you I changed. I never chewed gum and warmups 719 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:49,160 again. Now, I also got tossed out of 720 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:51,680 that game for technical fouls, but that's a whole nother story. 721 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:59,560 There's an old African proverb. It says sometimes the place you 722 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:03,840 used to be is not the place you belong. 723 00:40:05,240 --> 00:40:09,240 So wait, may we experience an openness to new? 724 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:14,880 To change, to growth, perhaps even a dissatisfaction with the 725 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:20,680 old, eagerly standing on our tip toes with excitement, peering to 726 00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:27,160 see what the new chapter God has for us looks like for the future 727 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:31,400 God seeks. Change has to occur, and it's 728 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:35,120 coming very soon. I pray you're ready, I pray 729 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,320 you're willing, but the first question this morning, right now 730 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:43,200 at this instant, is God. What do you need to change in 731 00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:46,280 me? For some of you, it may just be 732 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:47,720 a tweak. It may be an adjustment. 733 00:40:47,720 --> 00:40:51,160 Maybe you're walking with him in a wonderful way right now, but 734 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:54,480 there's always, there's always that next step of maturity and 735 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:56,480 discipleship. For some of you would sit here 736 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:58,880 and you heard testimonies and baptism and you say, you know, 737 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:01,480 I've never trusted in Christ as my Lord and Savior. 738 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:03,760 And you heard the gospel being read to you today. 739 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:07,120 He died on the cross for you. He rose again and he's the only 740 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:08,960 one who can save you. Maybe you need to be saved 741 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:11,000 today. Maybe you need to be baptized 742 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,720 today. Maybe you need to join today. 743 00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:16,280 Maybe you need to come and pray for these children, pray for 744 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:20,440 Taiwan, pray for this week where Inglewood is not only going to 745 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:22,440 do mission here, but do mission there. 746 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:29,120 And I pray God brings a harvest. Whatever we need to do, whatever 747 00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:33,760 little tweak, whatever huge change, maybe it's giving up 748 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:35,960 something that you've been holding on to that you know you 749 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,280 shouldn't. It's time to let it go. 750 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:40,680 Let's pray and ask God to help us. 751 00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:45,680 Father, we thank you. We thank you, Father, that you 752 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:49,240 created us to serve you, and you do not leave us alone. 753 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:53,880 But Father, you'll convict us. You'll bother us, You'll bug us. 754 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:57,960 You'll move in our hearts and minds, Father, because you want 755 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:00,880 us. You want us to know you, and you 756 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:05,240 want us to be obedient to you. So, Father, I don't. 757 00:42:05,240 --> 00:42:07,520 I don't know what the needs are here today, Father. 758 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:09,520 I know in a crowd like this there are some. 759 00:42:10,880 --> 00:42:13,600 Surely there's somebody here who's never trusted in Jesus 760 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:16,320 Christ as their Lord and Savior. They've never been saved. 761 00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:19,480 They don't know what's going to happen to them when they die. 762 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:24,240 I pray in a moment they'd come and take a pastor by the hand 763 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:26,440 and just say I want to know what it means to be saved. 764 00:42:28,680 --> 00:42:30,920 Maybe there are people here and they know that they need to have 765 00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:33,480 a public testimony of baptism. They've never done that. 766 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:36,400 They see these wonderful testimonies today and they know 767 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,680 I, I need to do that. You're the, the Holy Spirit's 768 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:41,960 just convicting them now. Father, I pray, send your Spirit 769 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:45,160 in their hearts and minds. Show them, help them to listen 770 00:42:45,160 --> 00:42:48,080 to you. Others just need to come into 771 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:50,840 these steps and pray. Maybe they want one of us to 772 00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:53,640 pray with them about some issue in their life or someone they 773 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:55,600 know, someone they're burdened about. 774 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:58,280 Maybe they just need to come and pray over a vacation Bible 775 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:00,160 school or pray for the mission trip. 776 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:05,320 Father, whatever we need to do, let us be willing to make the 777 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:08,600 change. Give us the strength to do that. 778 00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:11,880 Give us the faith to do that. Give us the power to do that. 779 00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:15,360 So speak to us right now and let us not ignore you. 780 00:43:17,120 --> 00:43:20,240 Father, help us as we worship you, as we praise you, as we 781 00:43:20,240 --> 00:43:24,200 sing to you to respond in Christ's name, Amen. 782 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:26,320 Well, let's stand together. The worship team's going to lead 783 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:28,360 us. Some of us will be standing 784 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:33,040 here, counsel to pray. You can just come and kneel with 785 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:35,480 these steps. Whatever you need to do, you 786 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:44,680 come right now as God leads. Thank you so much for listening 787 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:46,360 today, and I also hope that you'll go to 788 00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:50,160 ourwebsite@englewoodbaptist.com as well as our app and find many 789 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:52,560 other resources that will bless you and your families. 790 00:43:52,720 --> 00:43:53,760 Thank you once again.