Jesus excluded no one when he died on Calvary

September 24, 2001

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October 7 Lesson

Jesus excluded no one when he died on Calvary
___Acts 10:34-48
___³⁴Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. ³⁶You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
___³⁹"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
___⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
___Then Peter said, ⁴⁷"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." ⁴⁸So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

___By David Hardage
___Have you ever heard the old saying, "It's funny how I am able to remember my stories, yet I can't seem to remember to whom I've told them"?
___We all have stories we like to tell. We like to recount events from our childhood, and we like to tell stories about our children or grandchildren, sometimes much to the chagrin of the listening party.
___There are some stories we wish would be told. For example, the stories of our nation's World War II veterans. A man in the church I pastor recently had a portion of his "Imo Jima Story" written as a chapter to a new book titled "The Courage of Common Men, Texans Remember World War II."
___Through the hearing or reading of his story, many of us, including members of his family, have a deeper appreciation for him, his service to our country and the freedoms we enjoy because he and so many others served and sacrificed on our behalf at the risk of his own life on an island far away.
___One of the hymns many of us grew up singing, "I Love to Tell the Story," reminds us as Christian men, women, students, and even boys and girls, that we have a story to tell. A story that never grows old. A story of God made man. A story of sacrifice on a hill far away, that we might have freedom from sin. This lesson reminds us that our story of Christ needs to be told.
___Beyond these walls
___Early in the book of Acts (1:8), Jesus reminded his followers of their purpose as Christian men and women. Their purpose, and ours, was to be a witness for him. They were told to tell his story everywhere and to everyone they met.
___This assignment they carried out with great diligence, after having been uniquely empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Soon we find Peter preaching (Acts 2), the others telling in every language and people responding. Following that day of Pentecostal power, the early church began proclaiming the message of Christ daily and regularly. Initially their proclamation focused only on Jesus.
___What we encounter in our lesson this week is the proclamation of Christ going beyond the boundaries and breaking new ground. In Acts 2:1-2, Peter is preaching to God-fearing Gentiles and not just Jews. He is following the instruction of Christ to tell the good news, not just to those like him, but to all who need to know Jesus as Savior.
___Do you recall the first time you worshipped with someone of a different race? Or maybe heard a gospel presentation in a different language? Or perhaps attended a Bible study with someone much richer or poorer than you? How long ago has that been?
___Unfortunately there are many people in the pews of our Texas Baptist churches who have never ventured beyond their personal comfort zones. The good news is, however, that many others have sought diligently to break through racial and social barriers.
___More good news is that Texas Baptists are working furiously to start new churches for all people groups in our state. Please note that our gifts to the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas missions help break down these old barriers by starting new churches in hundreds of communities across the state.
___The message of the gospel and the salvation it brings is not about race, rationality or economic well-being. The story of Jesus is about faith, and this Peter discovers in the early parts of Acts 10. Read this passage of Scripture and watch as Peter's eyes are opened to the fact that the gospel is for all people.
___We've a story to tell to the nations
___Peter had taken a gigantic step. This was not just a big day, but also a life-changing, ministry-adjusting moment--the realization that "every nation" can and should hear the story of the Savior. The statement of Peter in verse 34 must not go unnoticed. Please look back and read it again. It had become crystal clear to Peter that God was not and would never be a God of "partiality."
___The idea in verse 35, of "fearing him" and doing "what is right" and thus finding acceptance from him, does not suggest for even a moment that salvation is by works. Rather it emphasizes the openness of the gospel to "anyone," and that those who receive him demonstrate his acceptance through a humble spirit and actions that are good.
___Let's return for a moment to the "every nation" phrase of verse 35. Have you ever traveled abroad? If not, I would encourage you to consider participating in our Texas Partnership missions program. I've never met anyone who engaged in a partnership missions event to another country and returned from that experience the same as they were before they left. Always they return with renewed enthusiasm for telling Jesus' story to everyone. If you are a world traveler, how about making the next trip one that will have an eternal impact?
___A sermon outline
___I am forever grateful to Harold Freeman, preaching professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and son of C. Wade Freeman, a former pastor here at First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs. My professor taught me a sermon outline procedure I still follow today.
___In Acts 10:37-42, we find a basic sermon that was preached by Peter in Acts 2 and Paul in Acts 13. The primary elements of those first sermons were the ministry of Jesus, his death on the cross, his miraculous resurrection and the call to follow Christ, coming from the preacher to the people who were listening. This passage shows us quite vividly what happens when people come to the realization that they have crucified Jesus in their hearts. Every person has a part in that crucifixion through their sin.
___Praise the Lord that, through the sacrifice Jesus made at Calvary, there is not only forgiveness, but also redemption.
___What we find in verses 37-38 is a brief summary of what appears in the synoptic gospels, particularly the Gospel of Mark. In verses 39-42, the primary elements of Christ's story are shared--his crucifixion (verse 39), resurrection (verses 40-41) and the commission of all believers to proclaim Jesus' identity as "the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead."
___Once and again
___The upper room experience of those 120 Jewish followers of Jesus in Jerusalem marked the beginning of a worldwide evangelistic movement whose ripple effect continues through today. In 10:46, the movement that began with Jews in Jerusalem expands as the "Gentile Pentecost" events unfold.
___There are significantly similar meanings between Acts 10 and Acts 2. Not only do we find similar meanings between these two chapters, we also see that both churches, the Jewish Christian church and the Gentile Christian church, shared many similar activities and characteristics. The characteristics of the church in Acts 10 are the kind we would hope to find in today's Texas Baptist church. For example, in Acts 10:42, we are told "preaching" was an ordered responsibility.
___In every church of today, there are members who "skip out" on the worship services of the church. It stands to reason that if the early apostles were "ordered" to preach, there also would be an expectation the other followers of Christ would need to listen to that preaching.
___It also is worth noting that, in verse 48, Cornelius asked Peter to stay around for a few days. Why? There are probably several reasons, but perhaps the primary reason was so Peter could teach and train Cornelius and the other followers of Christ. You have probably noticed that some, maybe many, in your church fail to put themselves in a position to be taught and trained.
___In this first century church, preaching and teaching were of paramount importance. I realize 20 centuries have passed, but I don't think these truths have changed.
___First time for everything
___In reading through Luke's account of how Jesus continued his ministry in and through the early church, we come to verse 47 and note it as being the first instance in Acts in which members of a non-Jewish audience were converted and baptized. It is very important that we also recognize that no suggestion was made that the Gentiles needed to become Jews before they became Christians. They didn't have to conform to the image of other believers, only the image of Christ.
___Peter points out the circumcised believers had come to salvation in the same way as the uncircumcised--through faith in Jesus Christ.
___I love to tell the story
___If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then you have a story to tell. We do not need to worry whether or not we've already told our story about Jesus to someone before. Everyone needs to hear it, and sometimes they need to hear it more than once.
___Please note, however, that it is not just good for others to hear our story. It is good for us to tell it. When we tell others about our relationship with the Lord, it reminds us of how kind, gracious, merciful and loving he is. That fresh reminder always encourages and strengthens us.
___You do have a story to tell, don't you?
___David Hardage is pastor of First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs

For thought and discussion
___ Do you have a favorite story from your childhood, or perhaps about your child, that you enjoy telling? Can you tell it in Sunday School? Would you this week?
___ Think through your salvation story. Who do you know who needs to hear your "story"?
___ Are you at that point where racial, social and cultural barriers still prevent you, or at least cause you some hesitancy, from sharing your story?
___ List the basic points of a simple gospel presentation.
___ Talk about the uniqueness of the Jewish Pentecostal experience in Acts 2, and compare it with the Gentile Pentecostal experience in Acts 10.
___ Can you think about what your life would be like without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Remind yourself of what it is like to be spiritually lost, either as a Jew or a Gentile.

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