Acts: the door is open

Speaker: Matt Hails

Notes

Background to Acts 10:

• This was a good season for the church - no persecution, or very limited, a time of growth and development. Acts 9:31.

• Peter had been travelling around, visiting the believers in different towns, and God had used him to perform some amazing miraculous healings. Acts 9:32 - 42.

Summary of Acts 10:

• v1-3: God sent an angel to Cornelius, a Roman Centurion who was a "God-fearer", but still a Gentile, and not a Jew nor convert to Judaism.

• v4-6: The angel didn't preach the gospel, but told Cornelius how to find Peter, who would be able to tell him. (Note that angels are not given the task of telling other people the good news about Jesus - that's down to us).

• v7-8: Cornelius sent some men to Peter.

• v9-20: Meanwhile, God prepared Peter by sending him a vision that showed that God was making a significant change, and opening the way for the Gentiles to be saved.

• v21-43: Peter goes to Cornelius, and explains the news about Jesus to him and his family and close friends.

• v44-48: God pours out the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles. The Jewish believers are very surprised, but Peter has understood and accepted God's way in this matter, and so the Gentiles are baptised.

This marked the opening up of salvation to all nations, and to everyone in every nation. Those who were formerly "outsiders" now had the opportunity to be "in":

The news traveled fast and in no time the leaders and friends back in Jerusalem heard about it - heard that the non-Jewish "outsiders" were now "in" (Acts 11:1 THE MESSAGE).

God has opened the door to salvation, through the death of Jesus, for everyone:

It makes no difference who you are or where you're from - if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open (Acts 10:34 - 35 THE MESSAGE).

God has made his kingdom open to everyone, especially those who seem to be outsiders. It doesn't belong exclusively to us; we can't keep it just for ourselves and those we feel comfortable with.

Application

Have you ever felt like an "outsider" in a situation? What did it feel like?

Which groups of people might free that TLC or church in general is not open/accessible/relevant to them?

In what ways is TLC already open and accessible to such "outsiders"?

How can we improve? Give some specific, positive ideas. Can you get involved in any - either individually or as an encounter group?

Posted: 26 Oct 2008