This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark
Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland,
County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he
continues teaching through God's Word.
The Lord doesn't want us to be criticizing each other.
He wants us to be loving one another and forgiving one
another and being patient with one another.
And until we're willing to become less judgmental and less
critical, we won't hear the voice of God.
We'll quench the voice of God in my judgment or your judgment or
my criticism or my control, whatever.
God can't work. Wow, isn't that the truth?
What we just heard from Pastor Clark is so apparent in our
world today. Just turn on the news or start
the doom scrolling on your phone and you'll see that criticism is
the common language of all. We are so divided and sadly it's
not much different for those of us who are in the church.
God is calling us to be people of love and to stop the
criticism, stop the bad mouthing, stop the division.
What did Jesus say? Jesus said we would be known as
his followers by our love for one another.
Now here's Pastor Clark in the book of Acts Chapter 10 with
today's edition of Living Waters of Grace.
So Peter's wandering in verse 17 within himself, what this vision
which he had seen meant he's rehearsing of.
So what? What's this all about?
Behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made
inquiry for Simon's house and stood before the gate.
So they have just arrived, and they called and asked whether
Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there, living there.
So while Peter's thinking about the vision of verse 19, the Holy
Spirit says to him, Behold, three men are seeking you arise,
therefore go down and go with them, doubting nothing for I've
sent them. Now this is like really awesome
because the Holy Spirit speaking specifically to Peter about
someone who's already there. And you, if you're walking with
the Lord and you're seeking God, I'm sure if I brought you up
here today, you could tell all kind of stories of how the Lord
set up certain situations ahead of time with you knowing about
something before something even came to pass.
And that's what makes living in Christ exciting.
It doesn't happen all the time as much as maybe we would like
to experience it. But if we're open to the
direction of the Holy Spirit, he'll set up divine appointments
or he'll set up situations that there's no way something could
come to pass if it wasn't him doing it right.
And it just gives you goosebumps at times.
And you think about the the realness of God and how powerful
he is and how he can show up and how he can maneuver and move
situations. And, and the Bible talks about
spiritual gifts, the words of knowledge, the words of wisdom.
These are real spiritual, supernatural gifts.
Some people have certain types of gifting, other people, other,
we all have certain kind of spiritual gifts.
But sometimes, like I told you a story about the man that gives
away the Bibles and he came out of the the restroom and the
young lady comes out of the bathroom and she had been
drinking heavily and partying and, and he just the Lord put on
his heart, it's her birthday today.
And he said happy birthday and she's how do you know it's my
birthday? That's the Lord.
He does stuff like that. If we're open to the leading of
God's Spirit, He works outside the dimensions of how our normal
thought processes work. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. We need to be walking by faith
and not by sight. So often, like Lord, I'll
believe it if I can see it, and I'll trust you if you got all
this A through Z all lined out. And I don't have to like, worry
about making a mistake or going down the wrong path or
something. When the Lord impresses
something on your heart and you know it, and you've heard the
voice of God, not literally out externally, but the voice of God
speaks in terms that interact with our mind and our heart.
And you and I should know the difference between hearing our
own imagination and hearing the voice of God.
And I think we begin to hear the voice of God when we're willing
to be still in prayer. Both these guys heard the voice
of God's working through their time in prayer.
And you might say, well boy, I just never sense God's voice or
his presence. I'm not sure.
Well, spend some time in prayer, waiting on the Lord, fasting,
whatever it is, giving God time to speak to you about what it is
He wants you to do. Instead of this going off and
doing it in your own strength. You're doing it on your own
will. Lord, what would you have me to
do? What would you want me to do?
And Cornelius said, what is it, Lord?
The question, what? You're talking to me now what,
What do I do? I want to become more in tune,
as I'm sure you do too, what with the voice of the Lord.
How do I interact in this conversation or how do I respond
to this crisis situation? Or, you know, what do I say to
this lady that's very angry about Roe versus Wade being
overturned and just beside herself dropping F bombs and
she's telling me her frustration then telling me, but she's a
Christian. You know, it was interesting.
I was tempted to say, can I pray for you?
But she would probably beat the crap out of me.
There ought to be another conversation.
Maybe down the road. I'll say, hey, by the way, we
had that conversation. I want you to know I've been
praying for, you know, and I am praying for, but hearing the
voice of the Lord. So Peter, specifically this,
this isn't what we're studying in the book of the Acts, folks.
Is not like this an axe. This is like supposed to be part
of everyday life for all of us. And when the book of the Acts
becomes alive and the day that we live, then we begin to see
God working within the realm of the supernatural in people's
lives. And I think we've been so
conditioned mentally. It's one thing to know the Word,
to memorize the Scriptures, to know where to find us, find
that. But how is God interacting with
you and me in the midst of what it is we're reading and learning
and anticipating that? Do we have a desire to hear God
and to have him set up circumstances for us so we can
be used by God? So Peter goes down to the men
who had been sent to him from Cornelius and said, yes, I am he
whom you seek. For what reason have you come?
They said Cornelius, a Centaurian, a just man, one who
fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation
of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy Angel to
summon you to his house and to hear words from you.
And so then he invited them in and lodged them.
And this is huge because probably a month before this,
Peter would have never considered this.
He's hanging out with the Tanner in an unclean place.
He's already like compromised some of his kosher convictions.
And now he has this vision of these animals in this blanket.
And he's starting to see this isn't about this animals and
eating. This is about relationships with
people, with Gentiles that he would have never given the time
of day to. And he invites them in.
And not only does he invite them in, but he's hanging with him.
He's he's entertaining them. He's the word lodging means that
he's, he's spending time with him.
He just doesn't say, well, you can sleep over there.
I'll see you tomorrow when we head out.
No, he, he fed them, he took care of them and he talked with
them. That's a beautiful, beautiful
story of, of the conversion that's going to come up for
Cornelius. But Peter's being converted to
real Christianity, not religion, not judgment, not criticism.
The Lord doesn't want us to be criticizing each other.
He wants us to be loving one another and forgiving one
another and being patient with one another.
And until we're willing to become less judgmental and less
critical, we won't hear the voice of God.
We'll quench the voice of God in my judgment or your judgment or
my criticism or my control, whatever.
God can't work. It's only as we're open to him
to be like Jesus that God will begin to really show up and move
and work in ways that we can't even comprehend.
And so on the next day Peter went away with them, and some
brethren from Joppa accompany him.
So he took some guys with him because he knew there's going to
be problems in Jerusalem when this gets around.
Someone's going to say to the apostle, we heard you brought
Gentiles into your house. You know, that's against the law
of Moses. These people are unclean.
They're just not worthy of our bloodline.
Terrible, terrible discrimination.
And this is the leaders of the church still had this stuff in
on the Judaizers. So verse 24.
So Peter goes with them. He gets there the following day.
They enter Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for
them and, well, how excited he was, I'm sure.
And he had called together his relatives and close friends.
Isn't that awesome? Like he knew God was up to
something and he's like getting as many people in that house as
he can to be able to hear the message.
They were prepared to hear the message.
They wanted to hear the message. As I was studying this, one
commentator said, what are people like to come to the
church on Sundays? Are they praying in their hearts
to be prepared to hear something from God for themselves?
That's something to think about. You know, that's not showing up
at church. But am I prepared to hear the
voice of God through the word of God, by the servant of God to
cause me to become a stronger man or woman of God?
That's something for us all to reflect on.
So as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down
at his feet and worshipped him. So Cornelius was overwhelmed at
the anointing of God. I'm sure that he sensed the
presence of God upon Peter's life.
And so he he just had this tendency to pay homage or honor
him. Obviously that isn't what we do.
Peter lifted him up saying stand up.
I myself, I'm also a man. And as he talked with him, he
went in and found many who had come together.
What a set up, what a perfect, perfect opportunity for
evangelism. And then he said to them, you
know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with
or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I
should not call any man common or unclean, and that so the
significance of that trance he had with the sheet, with all the
animals in now was dawning on him, that there is no issues
here between Jew and Gentile. We're people that all need God.
Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent
for. I asked then, for what reason
have you sent for me? So Cornelius said, four days ago
I was fasting until this hour, and at the 9th hour I prayed in
my house. And behold, a man stood before
me in bright clothing and said, Cornelius, your prayer has been
heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.
Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is
Peter. He is lodging in the House of
Simon, a Tanner by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to
you. So I sent to you immediately and
you have done well to come. Now.
Therefore we are all present before God to hear all the
things commanded you by God. So everybody that's there has
got an open mind and an open heart to hear what's up.
Then Peter opened his mouth and said, In truth, I perceive that
God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears him
and works righteousness is accepted by him.
The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching
peace through Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all that word, you
know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea and began
from Galilee after the baptism which John preached.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit
with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were
oppressed by the devil. For God was with him, and we are
witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews
and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not
to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God,
even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the
dead. And He commanded us to preach to
the people and to testify that it is he who was ordained by God
to be judged of the living and the dead.
So pointed on the man wants to die.
And after this a judgment, we're all going to stand before God to
be judged. Now, believers, we won't be
judged for our sin. Thank the Lord.
It's been poured out upon Jesus Christ, God's wrath and anger.
And we are forgiven through Christ's death and has shed
blood on behalf of us for our sin.
But we will give an account for the stupid things that we've
said and things that we've perhaps not been open to in
regard to letting God use us. And that's for the judgment of
our rewards, the wood, hay and stubble or the gold, silver and
precious stone. And that's why we as believers
are in the word of God conditions us and changes us to
to make us want to live more for the things for eternity and less
for the things of this world. To be more useful to God's will
and his purposes for reaching the world, especially for such a
time as this in a country and a culture that is so divided.
And we have opportunities to love people and to be salt and
to be light and to be gracious and to point people to Jesus.
And it's so beautiful this this sermon that he's preaching here.
You could cut and paste this, put in your Bible.
And if you have a chance to witness, let's read this.
It covers everything you need in order for the Lord to work and
cause someone to realize they need to be saved.
And this is what happens as a result of Him just preaching the
short sermon He commanded us to preach to the people and to
testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be the Judge
of the living and the dead to Him.
All the prophets witnessed that through His name.
Highlight this, underline it, mark it the message from Christ
that has been preached since the beginning of the time of
creation, through the prophets, through his name.
Whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins.
Maybe you're here today and you find yourself believing.
If you are believing right now, you are being saved.
It's faith in Christ. Salvation is by grace alone,
through faith alone in Christ alone.
The devil say it can't be that easy.
Don't listen to what the devil says.
In the midst of our guilt and our regret today we can believe
and whosoever believeth in him or receive remission means
forgiveness of sins. So while Peter was still
speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who
heard the word. So what was happening was the
word is going out, the Spirit is convicting, people are
believing, and they're getting saved because the Holy Spirit
doesn't come upon people who aren't believing, right?
There was no altar call. There was no raise your hand,
say this prayer. They just believe, right?
So simple, Whoever believes in him and those of the
circumcision who believe were astonished that these Jewish
people are watching this. And this is very significant
because at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out,
there was this gift of the Holy Spirit in regard not only to the
indwelling of the Spirit as new members of the body of Christ,
but there was this gift that some people, all those people at
that particular time, received the gift of speaking in tongues.
And the Jews would have been sort of suspect of the Gentiles
if they didn't receive the Holy Spirit the same way.
So God in his wisdom duplicated what happened at Pentecost with
them so that they could say, wow, you know, God loves these
Gentiles as much as he loves these Jews.
And so they received the Spirit of God and they had this
experience. Now it's interesting, whenever
Paul was filled with the Spirit, he didn't speak in tongues.
And the Bible tells us in the book of Corinthians and
spiritual gift do all speak in tongues.
No, they don't. Some churches teach, well, you
can't be saved unless you speak in tongues, it's not biblical.
Or some people say you're not filled with the Holy Spirit
unless you speak in tongues. That's not biblical.
Now, tongues are a valid gift. Some people have it, some people
don't. But the real evidence of the
person who's controlled or filled with the Holy Spirit is
the fruit of the Spirit, right? The love, the joy, the peace,
the long sufferings, the gentleness, the goodness, the
meekness. I've met people that brag about
speaking in tongues and they're the most obnoxious people to be
around. They're proud, you know, or
they're arrogant or they're judgmental order, you know, I'm
thinking like, well, whatever you have, I don't need it.
Believe me, I don't want it, you know.
But anyway, so this, this experience happens.
And as many came with Peter because the gift of the Holy
Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they
heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter answered, can anyone forbid water that these should
not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as
we so right away after they become believers.
Baptism is always the next event in the testimony that I've been
saved. I want to follow Jesus.
And so he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the
Lord, and they asked him to stay for a few days.
This is a great chapter to reflect on of the voice of God,
hearing God, the Lord speaking and setting up supernatural
experiences for people to connect, and the Lord showing
His power and His reality by doing things that should be more
common in our lives. The Lord directed me to do this
and I think you got to be careful when you say, well, God
showed me this or he told me this.
I mean, that can be true or false many times, right?
There's some things that God does tell you that are very real
and very clear and you have no doubt about it.
And maybe you tell the story after the whole thing unfolds
and you can say, well, this what happened to me?
I was, you know, and then the Lord spoke and he showed me
this. And then this is what happens.
The result of that? That's the voice of God, the
fruit of what it is that you were praying about and
experiencing as a result. Of hearing the voice of the
Lord. I don't know.
So often I think when we pray, we're seeking God about
something specifically, how am I going to get this job?
How am I going to find this husband or wife?
Or how am I going to get over this illness or this
relationship conflict or whatever it might be in life?
And waiting on the Lord and praying and being calm.
And then the Lord giving you the pieces of the puzzle, how He's
going to put it together in His time as you trust and you wait
for Him. I believe God is speaking all
the time and speaking louder than any of us can comprehend,
right? But it we're like busy life,
business, family, financing, you know, all this stuff crowds out
the voice of God in our lives. And Jesus says it's the cares of
the world, the deceitfulness, the riches, the lust of other
things to choke his word out, right?
There's nothing wrong with you. Got to do your life and work and
raise your family and, you know, save your resources.
But but if that's all you're hearing and that's all you're
thinking about, you have no time to be calm and to hear God's
voice. And it's in the stillness that
God speaks to us, isn't it? And we really need to figure out
all of us, including myself, how to be more still before God.
And the Scriptures say be still and know that I'm God father.
We I don't know. I go through the chapters like
this Lord, and I'm speechless because I just watch what it is
you have done and are doing and this setup by you, your
sovereign hand, working in two different people's lives at the
same time for the same reason. Peter to bring the message and
Cornelius to be ready to receive the message.
And Lord, we believe that you're doing that today.
You're doing it in our sphere of influence.
We're the messengers. We're the ones you want to use
to to share with someone who needs to know who you are.
And Lord, we don't know where they are, but you have those
people out there everywhere that are trying to find their way and
they need someone to tell them about you.
We pray Lord, you would give us divine appointments that we
would sense you moving in the supernatural realm of you Holy
Spirit, where we're being led by you.
We're we're placed in circumstances that we know that
we couldn't be there apart from your intervention.
We pray to be used by you, Lord, as the book of the Acts is all
about this people being witnesses unto You.
We want to be witnesses, Lord. We don't want to force it.
We don't want to push it. We don't want to strive.
We just want it to be natural, Lord.
And we pray, God that we would have more and more testimonies
of this, the moving of your Spirit and how we ended up
coming to know you, Lord, because of your word and because
of your grace. Lord.
We again pray for this week coming up that we'll probably be
around some people that are uptight, agitated, frustrated
people that will want to give us their opinion.
Help us to listen. Help us to pray for wisdom and
discernment and not judge or criticize, but to look to you,
Lord, for a way to see people's hearts be softened.
That Lord, you would just move powerfully in the land.
We're excited, Lord, in the midst of the adversity and the
challenges of of this world's exciting time, to be alive and
to be able to be used by you. Thanks for joining us on today's
edition of Living Waters of Grace, a ministry of Calvary
Chapel, Westmoreland. Today, Pastor Clark is teaching
about the Book of Acts, And as we learn more about Acts, it
becomes clear that the early church didn't miss a single
opportunity to share the Gospel. In nearly every chapter, you see
apostles like Peter and Paul stepping into conversations,
crowds, and crises with boldness, ready to proclaim the
name of Jesus. Their example challenges us to
consider how we might step into gospel moments in our own lives.
What doors might God open this week for you to speak truth,
offer hope, or live out your faith in a way that points
others to him? The story of Acts reminds us we
are part of the same mission. Today, let's live with eyes open
and hearts ready to respond. We hope you are challenged by
today's message. If you're in the Greensburg, PA
area, we'd love to see you in person this Sunday at 10:30 AM
at 400 E Pittsburgh St. Unit 6B.
For more information, visit calvarychapelonline.com.
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