God Who Breaks Down the Barriers to Gentile Missions (Acts 10:1-23)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The name of Jesus Christ is the greatest name in all of creation, then we must live our lives within the covenant of that name, and we must also live for that name, then our lives become aligned with God. Even right now, God is working for His covenant. God does not fulfill whatever I want; God is fulfilling His promise and carrying it out even now. From the very beginning, God promised to send the Christ to the earth. Why does God promise to send only the Christ and not something else instead? Through the Bible, through the words of God, that reason must become the reason for my life. Why do I need Christ? If we truly discover that reason, then our reason will be aligned with God’s reason.
In today’s scripture, we read about two people, Cornelius and Peter. God is always working, invisibly to our eyes, through His Word and through people. If the people you meet are within the stream of God’s Word, then those are blessings of meeting. When Peter first followed Jesus Christ as a disciple, his mission was wrong; his goal for believing in Jesus was wrong. What was his mission and goal for following and believing in Jesus? The mission of Peter’s life was to liberate Israel from Roman colonization, but Peter was holding onto a mission that was not aligned with God’s mission. So, the reason and the goal with which Peter followed Jesus was to liberate his nation from Rome, and he thought, “Yes, this Jesus truly is the Messiah, so if I follow Him, I can accomplish my life mission.” It’s possible that even as we follow Jesus Christ, the goal or the mission of our lives is to make enough money to be free. There may even be people who believe in Jesus Christ for their life mission of helping many people by accomplishing physical success. Some people, their mission for following Jesus is to be able to help people who are financially poor or in need. But in the end, when Jesus Christ died on the cross, Peter’s mission vanished fruitlessly because things are not accomplished according to our goals.
What is our mission and goal for believing in Jesus? If it’s something else, then the eyes with which you see the world are closed. If we don’t know the reason why Jesus Christ had to die on the cross and resurrect for us, then we will not see the reason why we need Christ. Peter was following Jesus Christ with the wrong eyes. With his wrong eyes, he has no choice but to have the wrong judgments, and therefore, the wrong actions. However, after Peter met the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, he realized, “This is God.” Then, he discovered the reason why God Himself had no choice but to come to earth as a human and die on the cross for us. He realized that all human beings have Original Sin which cannot be solved with money, success, or any kind of religion. Original Sin is the state where we do not believe in God, and we are therefore separated from God. Even though Peter said he believed in Jesus Christ, his eyes were not opened, so he followed Jesus Christ with the wrong eyes. Being in Original Sin means that we are separated from God, spiritually seized by Satan. Because he was not able to see this, he held onto the mission of his life to free Israel from Roman colonization.
You also need to have the correct mission to continuously receive answers. Christ, Christ is the name that sets us free, truly, from all bondage and slavery. One day, his eyes opened to see that. Because his eyes were able to see that, his life mission changed; now he seeks God’s Kingdom. Now, the Kingdom of God that sets people free from sin, disasters, and Satan’s grasp. That’s what Peter saw. Even if we go to church and believe in Jesus Christ, if our eyes are not opened to see the spiritual mystery, then we will always be discouraged and face our limitations.
What do you think is the problem of America right now? Do you see the problems of America as mental illness, addictions, or shootings? Do you see the problems of America as family issues? That’s why even though we believe in Jesus, the problems are not being solved because we are seeing things incorrectly. The problem of America and the entire world is the Original Sin of not believing in God, so we are spiritually separated from God, seized by Satan. That state leaves us trapped in ourselves. Because we are separated from God, we cannot go to God, so we are trapped in ourselves, we cannot go beyond “me.” I’m trapped with my own thoughts; I cannot escape “me.” And it would be fine if our thoughts were the same as God’s, but that’s impossible. All of our thoughts are ultimately from the world, Satan, and sin, so our thoughts drive us towards disasters.
From the moment Peter’s eyes were able to see this, he changed. Whatever you think is a problem in your life right now, you’re seeing it incorrectly. If you’re trying to use the name of Jesus to solve this fake problem, then you’re misusing His name. Every Saturday, I’ve been going to the Hollywood field by myself. On Saturday morning, the church has a program for the families and loved ones of those battling with addiction. In the evening, there is a program for people suffering from addictions themselves. What do you think all of those relatively young Americans who are gathering at these meetings are desperate for? Some of them have really nice jobs, some of them are elites, but what are they unable to resolve in life? They think that their family problems or their problem of addiction is the problem, so they look for the solutions and programs that the world makes. But that will never solve the problem, and even if this problem is solved, they will fall into yet another problem. These are problems that politicians cannot solve, these are problems that famous professors cannot solve. No matter what education we receive, we cannot solve this problem; it is the spiritual problem. Our eyes must open to see that.
1. Cornelius
1) Caesarea (Acts 10:1)
(1) Centurion in the Italian Regiment (Acts 10:1)
One day, the spiritual eyes were opened for Peter. From that point on, everything he saw was different. So today, we meet that person, Peter, and also Cornelius who was a centurion in the Italian Regiment, meaning that 100 soldiers report to him. Cornelius was a Roman citizen and he was a centurion who was in charge of 100 Roman soldiers, and they were in Israel to maintain order.
(2) Devout man who feared God with all his household (Acts 10:2)
However, Cornelius was one Roman citizen who did not call the Roman emperor as “god,” but instead, he was devout and God-fearing. Not only did he worship God, but his entire family was God-fearing as well. They feared God, that means that everything they did, they did it before God. They were fearing God.
(3) Gave alms, prayed continually (Acts 10:2)
And from his limited wages, he gave generously to those in need and he prayed to God regularly. Cornelius was somebody who was worshiping and fearing the God Who he had heard about in Judaism; he had not yet heard about Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit.
2) Prayer at a set time
(1) About the ninth hour (Acts 10:3)
The Jewish people always had three designated times for prayer, at 9 in the morning, at noon, and at 3pm. So, in Acts 10:3, it says, “One day by about 3 in the afternoon, he had a vision while doing scheduled prayer, and he saw an angel of God.”
(2) Angel of God (Acts 10:3)
God carries out the errands of His Word through His angels. Today, while you worship, if the Word of God comes clearly into your heart, then your spirit is connected with God. These are spiritual things, so we are ignorant of them, but the moment God’s Word comes into our heart, it is also relayed to the throne of heaven and God’s answers and works begin.
(3) Word – Send for Peter (Acts 10:5)
The angel spoke to Cornelius and said, “Bring a man from Joppa named Simon Peter to your home.” Many people will receive God’s Word like this and just think about it, and end it with that, but Cornelius actually puts God’s word into action. There are people who study the Bible so much and they read the Bible so much, but they only keep it as theory and knowledge like some kind of lecture, then they are only developing the sharpness of their brain. But this Word of God is the Word of life. This is the Word we must hold onto and fulfill with our lives. There are some people who think of the Word of God as a joke, they think, “Oh, that’s what He says? Okay.” But every single problem we have comes from being separated from God, in other words, separated from His Word. God’s Word versus your thoughts, what is fastest, what is closest? When the Word of God comes close to me, then that will open my eyes to enjoy and carry out God’s Word.
3) Obedience to the Word
(1) Two household servants and one devout soldier (Acts 10:7)
So, as soon as the angel had spoken to Cornelius, Cornelius called two of his servants and a soldier to deliver this message to Joppa.
(2) Relayed the Word (Acts 10:8)
(3) Sent to Joppa (Acts 10:8)
Caesarea is a region that is different from the region of Phillippi, and there is a large boat that could go quickly to Rome. This region of Caesarea is actually where Jonah tried to run away from proclaiming the gospel to Nineveh.
2. Peter
1) Prayer at a set time (sixth hour) (Acts 10:9)
(1) Became hungry and wanted something to eat, the meal was being prepared (Acts
10:10)
(2) Saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending (Acts 10:11)
(3) All kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air (Acts 10:12)
So, God is beginning to do His work through these people and then the next day, Peter was hungry at about noon while he was going to pray. While Peter was praying and hungry, there was something that came from heaven. Because he was so hungry, he saw food coming down from heaven. However, the vision that Peter saw was, there were animals on this sheet, and they were all impure animals that God told the Israelites not to eat in Leviticus.
2) Word given three times
(1) Rise, Peter; kill and eat (Acts 10:13)
(2) Peter refused – Unclean animal according to the Law (Acts 10:14)
Then, God’s voice said, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat.” And Peter replied, “Surely not, Lord, I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
(3) What God has made clean (Acts 10:15)
God says again in Acts 10:15, God says again, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean,” and God gives His Word to Peter like this three times. Peter rejected Jesus three times, and after Jesus resurrected, He went and found Peter and asked him, “Do you love me?” three times, and even today, Peter is denying Jesus three times, so you can kind of see who Peter is. We are the same way. The Lord Jesus completed all of the laws of the Old Testament on the cross. Now, there is no need to have a priest who makes these physical sacrifices with animals, and there is no need to discriminate between clean animals and unclean animals. But even though the Lord says, “I have made it clean,” he was arguing with God saying, “I cannot eat it.” When we receive God’s Words, there are things inside of us that we receive before God’s Word, things that were already imprinted, and we argue against God. When we argue with God, who is correct? The Word of God is true. Then, that means I am wrong. Then you must be able to hold onto that Word and meditate on it. That is the beginning of blessings.
But most people when they hear God’s Word that they disagree with, they just let it float by, because that means, I only receive God’s Word if I agree with it. That would be fine if we were at the same level as God, but our IQ is not even 200, then what should we do? If I could predict exactly what would happen tomorrow, then yes, I can live with my own thoughts, but we’re not like that. If we had enough almighty power to know exactly when and how we’ll die, then we could live according to our own thoughts. But we don’t know any of that. Then, we must receive the Word of the almighty and the all-knowing God.
3) Fulfillment of the Word
(1) People sent by Cornelius found him (Acts 10:17)
Right after that vision, there is the sound of people knocking at Peter’s door. Then, when they introduced themselves, they said they were men sent by Cornelius who is a God-fearing man.
(2) Holy Spirit sent the people to Peter (Acts 10:19-20)
So, the angel went to Peter and said that he sent the people to Peter and that Word was being fulfilled. The angel said, “Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them,” so Peter goes downstairs and greets the men at the door.
(3) Asked the reason why they had come (Acts 10:21)
He says, “Why have you come?” And they explain who sent them and why. So, Peter invited the men to stay at his house for a day, and the next day they would travel together to Caesarea. God is carrying out the covenant of world evangelization even now, and only the person who knows what the real problem and solution of the world are can go into the stream of world evangelization. If our eyes are not opened to see the real problem and answer, we cannot go into the stream. If you believe in Jesus Christ, it means you know the fundamental problems and the solution, Jesus Christ. The one who knows that answer is now changed into someone who will relay that answer into the world as their mission. For the person whose life mission has been changed, their priorities change; their job or their business is no longer their first priority, but establishing God’s Kingdom on earth becomes their first priority job. That becomes our main job. The side job becomes whatever I’m studying or my job in the world, then that person, their business will be used for world evangelization. That is how Peter changed before and after. Even right now, many Christians’ eyes are not able to see this, so even though they believe in Jesus, their priorities have not changed. Because their spiritual eyes are not opened, all they can see is, “I have to make a living, I have to survive,” so they’re not able to see the people who are dying in the world. So, you and I all believe in Jesus Christ, and we all live our walk of faith, but I hope you will live the walk of faith that knows the reason.
3. God Who breaks down the barriers to Gentile missions
1) Peter’s limitation
(1) Chosen people ideology
Peter has a limitation, and that’s his ideology of the chosen people. He had the ideology that only the Israelites, the Jews, were chosen by God, and he had that Chosen People mentality and did not want to interact with Gentiles, but that thinking became the reason for the Israelites’ suffering.
(2) Legalism ideology
Even though he had accepted Jerus Christ, he is still so stuck in the legalism of Judaism. Even though it was all finished on the cross, and if he believes in Jesus Christ, there is true freedom within him. In 1 Corinthians, there was a debate inside of the church, about if you’re allowed to eat meat offered to idols or not. The food itself is not the issue, but they are saying, “This food and has been offered to idols, so we have a decision to eat it or not eat it, but if the people around me are going to be tested and their faith is going to be shaken because I eat it, then don’t eat it. But if someone is inviting me to eat it, there’s no reason to force myself not to eat it.” So the issue is not about the food itself. There are some people who argue about alcohol, you could drink or you could not drink, but if there are people around you whose faith will be tested, or nonbelievers who will be shaken if they see me drinking, then don’t drink. But if you are in a social situation and it would be uncomfortable to not drink, you don’t have to force yourself to abstain. There is also no need for you to drink so much that you lose control and become completely drunk. Any person can make a mistake; people can fall into sexual immorality, because committing the sexual act itself is not the only form of immorality. Even, what does the Bible say about, looking at someone and thinking they are attractive? That’s just how I feel, but let’s say I look back at them again. The Bible says that that’s lust. What if we keep on looking? Then you have been seized. You didn’t even do anything sexual. Then, is there anyone who hasn’t done that? We even look at celebrities we think are attractive, and elderly people will even travel to see their celebrities live. Every human can fall, and I’m not talking about what you do with your physical actions; it already starts inside of our hearts.
The Lord has finished that on the cross, so, we‘ve received strength inside of Christ, and we live in Christ. Earlier, I told you about the two meetings that they have in the Hollywood Church, in the mornings, it’s about liberation in the families and the loved ones, and then the second meeting is liberation from addiction to alcohol. So people want restoration, but they don’t know what the actual problem is. Why are there continuous fighting and problems in my family? People keep on fighting because they don’t know what the root cause is. They say, “Oh, I just don’t get along with them,” they shouldn’t get along with you; they need to get along with God. Why would they have to adjust themselves to you? Christ is the Master of the house; they must be matched with God’s Word. But that’s not how we grew up, we grew up in a nonbelievers’ house or a religious person’s house, so we only saw our parents arguing over what’s right or wrong. For nonbelievers, they don’t even have God, so all they have to live with is, “Are you right or wrong?” So how should we live? If our spiritual eyes aren’t open, we always have to argue about who’s right and who’s wrong. The way that I grew up is physically like this, but someone else grew up differently than me. For some families, there cannot be a single speck of dust. For another family, they live completely freely and don’t care about that, but then they fight about, “Why didn’t you clean?” They’re saying what’s right from their perspective, but the other person grew up in an environment where a mess was fine. Then, how do you solve that? Yes, we all have common sense. I’m just giving you one example. What is the correct thing to do to save the other person and restore them? If you stay stuck on what is right and what is wrong, then what’s going to happen to your life? That’s not even the truth. That’s a problem that depends on the situation, and just because I live like this does not mean I should force that on others.
Then, what is the really important thing? Is my spiritual state inside of Christ? Is this family inside of the stream of world evangelization or not? Then, we can accept both sides. Then, we can transcend, and if this problem is indeed needing correction then the Holy Spirit will correct it. Then, actually the way to solve the problem you have on hand is to actually help the other person spiritually stand and be restored. Same thing with alcoholism. The alcohol is not the issue. Right now, the fighting in the family is not really an issue. There is a state that leaves us no other choice but for that to happen. There is a state that leaves them no other choice but to drink alcohol. If you see someone in such a spiritual state, then what is it you must help with? The real way to help everything is to help that person stay inside of Christ. That is what the church does. Politicians cannot solve this, the shootings, the suicides, addiction to substances, they cannot be solved. There are many churches, but there are very few churches that know the problem and have the answer. Christians are so confused, and you and I must know this very certainly. I just have a certain reason why I believe in Christ, and that reason for believing in Christ has to be the fundamental and spiritual reason for why. “Oh, I believe in Jesus because I’m sick with a disease,” that’s possible, but what about healthy people, do they not need Christ? “Oh, I believe in Jesus because I have financial problems”? Then, that means wealthy people don’t need Christ. You’ve seen incorrectly. You’re holding onto the incorrect Christ as your answer. The normal Christian knows that the problem that human beings cannot solve on their own is the spiritual problem and only Christ can solve it, and Peter still did not do that well. When Peter looked at the Gentile people, he knew the problem and he knew the answer, but he was stuck in his own limitations.
Who are your Gentiles? “Oh, I don’t get along with that person,” or “We just have a very different style. I can never communicate with them.” The Lord wants to deliver the gospel to that person but you’re building up your own walls. “Oh, we just have a different culture, so I have nothing to do with that person.” Do you think there’s only a culture difference if there’s a language difference? Every family has a different culture, but just because they’re different than I am, does that mean I shouldn’t relay this gospel to them? Go to all nations, all peoples. Even when God first called Abraham, He said, “All nations and peoples on earth will be blessed through your seed.”
(3) Centered on region of Jerusalem
Peter didn’t want to leave the region of Jerusalem. God scouted the disciples through the persecution of Stephen, but the apostles didn’t want to leave. They were centered on the region, they had an ideology by making them wear a stick in their region.
2) Meeting the Gentiles
(1) Guidance of God’s Word
(2) World evangelization promised by God (Acts 1:8)
(3) World evangelization that God is opening
So, when God spread the gospel, and the working of the Holy Spirit through the Gentiles, the apostles were shocked and that’s why they were coming to visit. But it is things like, our standards, our ideologies, our limitations, that block the gospel from flowing outwards, so we must overcome ourselves because it won’t work with our thoughts. My thoughts have to change into God’s thoughts. Yes, it is important to listen to the words of many people, but we do not live for democracy. For people who do not have God, they have to listen to the opinions of many people and then make their decision. For us, even though we listen to many people, we need to make our decision based on following God’s Word. People say, “Oh, you listen to a lot of people,” or, “You don’t listen to people,” but it doesn’t matter because you’re not following God’s Word anyways. When you go into the field, there are many difficult things, there’s financial difficulty, or your body is tired, there’s a lot of hardships, and if you believe in Jesus Christ, it’s not like those things go away, you might have more, but inside of those things, you must find God’s plan.
3) Evangelism and missions that transcend myself
(1) My thoughts – God’s thoughts (prayer)
(2) People’s words – God’s Word
(3) Difficulties in the field – God’s plan (evangelism)
Joseph was dragged as a slave and he was wrongly accused and thrown into prison. There is nothing harder than that. What is a Christian? Finding God’s plan inside of that field. He discovered God’s plan. “I was not sold as a slave, but I was sent to Egypt in advance.” It’s not, “Why is God making my family suffer with this disease?” but “What is God’s plan inside of this?” Instead of asking, “Why does God make us poor and suffer financially?” I hope that you will find God’s plan there instead. I can do all things within Christ Who gives me strength. So, I hope you will be a true and normal Christian. Going back and forth to church doesn’t make you a Christian, and appearing holy doesn’t make you a Christian. You need to enjoy the strength of being with Christ every moment, especially when you wake up. As you get older, you lose strength.
Conclusion
1. Morning – Time to gain strength in spirit and body
So, we have to do world evangelization, but you’re so tired and sick then you won’t be able to do it, so you must receive strength and power. You must receive that strength and power, spiritually within prayer. So, gain strength within exercise. You can’t just eat whatever you want because then your body will become very strange, because if you eat however you want, then your body will react accordingly. You should not live your life based on your taste buds. You must be able to control yourself.
2. Day – Time to bring life to work and meetings through prayer
In the daytime, save and revive all of your studies, all of your work, all of the people you meet. Working hard is the nonbeliever’s method, because nonbelievers don’t have God, so the greatest thing they can do is work hard. But for us, we receive all of our answers within God for our businesses, our studies. Everything is hidden within Christ, Christ is everything, and Christ is within and with all things. Then, while you pray, study; while you pray, work; while you pray, meet people. Only that will save.
3. Evening – Time to create tomorrow’s masterpiece through the Word
In the evening, confirm what has happened today within the Word of God and plan for tomorrow with God’s Word. In the evening, I meditate on the Word God will relay through me the next day in advance. Then, when I wake up in the morning, I hold onto that Word and I do deep breathing prayer. So I conquer the next day the evening before. I bless you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that we will overcome our barriers and limitations and live a blessed life with God.
Message Prayer
Let us pray together, holding onto the Word we have received
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We have received everything from You, Lord, and we give one portion of that in faith to you. Everywhere this offering is used, we pray You will save the souls that are dying, the future generations, and the church building purchase. We believe You will work upon the hands that have given the offering with the economy to do world evangelization. We give the blessing of the economy of light upon the hands, the businesses that have given the offering. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Closing Prayer and Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be upon the heads of all of the people of God, the people of all nations and the remnants who desire to be within the stream of the covenant of world evangelization, overcoming themselves, be upon their businesses, their ministries, and their studies, be with them now and forevermore always, amen.
Let us overcome ourselves with the covenant!