Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #24454 - Generational Change: Jesus Saves a Family - Acts 10:34-48

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#24454 - Generational Change: Jesus Saves a Family - Acts 10:34-48 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Amen, take your Bibles.
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Open them to Acts chapter 10. When you get there, we're going
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to pick up in verse. 34 will be left off last time and the title
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of our Bible study. Today is generational change.
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Jesus saves a family. That's what happens when a man
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or a woman is born. Again, it equals generational
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change. Of course, it starts in the home
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and then it extends to kids and grandkids and two aunts and
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uncles. But then also, Is after us will
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be benefited. And also, Generations before us
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that are still alive, will benefit from salvation entering
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in to our house. And we left off last time in the
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book of Acts here in chapter 10 with Peter in the house of
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Cornelius, it was startling for Peter to be in the house of
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Cornelius because there was a great separation between the
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Jews and the Gentiles. There was a great exclusion of
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the Isles by the Jews, but that's not God's heart and you
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really need to realize that there are times when men are
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involved with religion that don't reflect the heart of God
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and God's heart is revealed in his Bible and from the very
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beginning in Genesis, it's clear that the gospel is to go to all
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the world, the Gentiles included.
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And they by the time we get to the book of Acts and the
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lifetimes of Jesus. And now after they had left the
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heart of God, completely the gods through the church is going
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to bring it back. And Peter is one of the men that
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God used in a wonderful way to serve this guy by the name of
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Cornelius, a Roman Centurion. He had a lot of strikes against
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him but not in the eyes of God. Pick up with me in verse 34.
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It says, then Peter opened his mouth and said, in truth.
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I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation
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whoever fears him and works. Righteousness is accepted by
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God. I want to pause there for a
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moment and I want you to circle the word there in verse 34
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partiality, very important word and it's super important coming
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from the lips of Peter partiality.
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He the regular dictionary Webster's defines it, this way.
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Partiality is an unfair bias in favor of one thing or person
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compared to another, another word for partiality would be
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showing favoritism another word that you could use together with
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partiality would be prejudiced. We're in order to show
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partiality, you have to be prejudiced.
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You have to prejudge someone so that you can show them
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favoritism or an unfair bias. And in the world, we live in the
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culture, we're in there is much partiality, there is a lot of
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prejudice and bias and favoritism.
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Some people are looked down upon because of where they live or
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the size of their bank account, or the country.
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They were born in or their immigration status or a host of
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other things, the color of their skin.
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It's divisive. And it's hurtful.
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And it's sinful and it's not okay?
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And sometimes, unfortunately, it takes root in the church.
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I'm not naive enough to think that there are people among us
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right now either in the room or online or listening on the radio
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right now that are not prejudiced and maybe don't even
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care, but I'm telling you, if you're a born-again believer in
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Christ, you need to care. It is hindering you from being
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used by God. It is separating you from the
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people that God has called you to serve and to minister to, and
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to share the gospel. I mean, the theme of our study
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through the book of Acts has been be the church.
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And if you really want to be, it's not like your identity, is
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not. If you're born again, you are
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the church. But if you want to really live
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that out, then you're gonna have to deal with this issue of
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prejudice where it exists in your life.
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You know, it's like a, it's like a cook, you know, a cook cook,
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that's got that's using knives. You know, if the knife is not
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sharp, it's not, it's not really helpful and so there's, you
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know, those the chefs and Cooks Among Us, that are constantly
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sharpen their knives because the knife is better when it's sharp,
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it actually works for you. And I think of that in light of
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your usability. Like if if you want to be used
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of God then you want to be Sharp.
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If you want to be more usable for God, then you want to
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identify those things that are Doling your ability to connect
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with other people. And I'm telling you, one of the
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top ones is this issue of partiality and Prejudice?
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Even just saying the word makes people uncomfortable, but that's
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just the reality, it's not. Okay, for believers to be
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prejudiced, its period, that's not okay.
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If you if you're unconvinced, I'm going to take you through
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looking at this. Episode in life of Peter, I'm
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going to take you through various passages of the Bible to
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just let the Bible. Say what it says.
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Let me give you the first one in Jenna and Proverbs chapter 28
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and verse 21. It says this to show partiality
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is not good. Is that clear enough?
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Proverbs 28 showing partiality? Is not good because for a piece
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of bread, a man will transgress. God has been dealing with this
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issue. And Peter, it's going to be an
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issue in his life. I asked you to read a head loss.
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Time to the book of Galatians because this is going to be an
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issue that Peter deals with in his life.
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And anyone that's ever come face-to-face with this
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particular sin. You know, you're not immediately
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delivered from it. Like you, you it starts with
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repentance and Brokenness in humility, and then God begins to
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work in your life to Value people.
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The way that he values them to Value people from every Walk of
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Life. Every appearance every tribe,
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every tongue, Every Nation So that we see people the way that
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Jesus does and for Peter, it required this Vision that he
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got, God Was preparing him and training him.
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And he received this Vision when he was at the rooftop of a Man,
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by the name of Simon who happened to be a Tanner.
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And even being in the Tanners house.
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No doubt had to be challenging for Peter because a Tanner's
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dealing with dead carcasses animal carcasses, which is
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forbidden for a Jewish person to be near, not supposed to touch
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them. So he's all over, he's in the
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house. Like God is taking him little by
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little away from his past and into a new glorious future of
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Grace and transformation. And here he is, he see receives
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this vision of animals in a sheet and the voice told him, go
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ahead and eat them. You're with us, last time we
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learned Peters response was no way.
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I'm not going to eat them, I don't eat anything unclean and
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we learned that the essence of the teaching of that Vision was
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very simple. The follow-up was, what, what
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God has called clean? Don't you call on clean?
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And that's how it ended and then he gets these Messengers.
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He takes off from Joppa down to caesarea and somewhere on that
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Journey, it was revealed to him that the whole thing in his
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dream and everything was not about animals.
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It was about people. What I call clean, don't you
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call on clean you, you know what that would equate to today is
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that every human being is created in the image of God.
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They bear his Image. Jesus would put it this way.
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He summed up the whole law in relationship to God this way.
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Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love
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your neighbor, your neighbor created in the image of God, no
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matter what their background is, no matter where they come from,
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what they're dealing with, not to show partiality, and here as
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Peter opens his mouth and verse 34.
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I love where he's at, because he, he's at a very simple place
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in life. Life.
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Sometimes we complicate our relationship with God way too
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much. He is where he needs to be.
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He is where we need to be. And that's this, he's just
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simply obeying. What's in front of him?
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You want. Hey I got this visitor.
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Yeah, come to my house. I'll come to your house.
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What am I doing here? The angel said, you have
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something to say. Alright, I guess I have some to
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say you opens his mouth and this is what he shares, a very simple
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presentation of the Gospel. The good news that today, your
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sins can be forgiven, you listening to this message from
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Peter, 2,000 years ago, has the power to change your life today
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that God today in this room, And watching online and listening on
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the radio, somewhere around the country, even around the world,
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listening on your phone on a walk, wherever you are.
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God shows no partiality. It doesn't matter where you've
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come from, what you've been into, what kind of sinful what?
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What, kind of Life you've lived in sin apart from God resistant
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to God, and having great animosity toward God, it doesn't
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matter what your background is, God shows no partiality that
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today if you, Spawn to the gospel that Jesus lived for, you
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died for you and rose again, the third day, you too will be
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saved. The gospel is for everyone
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listening to me right now. Just like it was with Peter.
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And so again, notice what he says here it is, he says in,
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verse 35, but in every nation. Now pause there for a second.
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We'll get, we'll go, we'll go forward.
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But I need a point things out to you so you don't miss them.
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Don't miss the word Every Nation because this is what Peter has
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God has been dealing with Peter about.
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So when he says every nation, he means it.
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The, the whole world has been open to Peter right now.
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It is the gospel is not Just for the Jewish people.
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It is for every nation. This is a big for him.
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He already knows the gospel. He shared it over in the
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beginning of the book of Acts on the day of Pentecost there in
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Jerusalem. Now, he is many miles away from
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Jerusalem in this town known as caesarea, by the sea, in the
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house of this Gentile, with all the Gentiles fam Cornelius is
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family and friends or packing out the house.
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Ow, and he looks at them. He says a Every Nation, whoever
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fears him and works. Righteousness is accepted by
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him. The word, which God sent to the
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children of Israel, preaching, peace through Jesus Christ.
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He's the Lord of all that word, you know which was proclaimed
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throughout all Judea and they began From Galilee after the
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baptism which John preached how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
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with the Holy Spirit and with power Who went about doing good.
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And healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God
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was with him. And we Are Witnesses of all
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these things, which he did both in the land of the Jews and in
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Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
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Verse 40 him. God raised up the third day and
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showed him openly, not to all the people but to Witnesses
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chosen before by God. Even to us, who ate and drank
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with him after he arose from the dead.
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And he commanded us to preach to the people.
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And to testify that it is, he who is ordained by God, to be
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judge of the living, and of the dead to him, all the prophets
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witness that through his name. Again, notice the word whoever
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believes in him will receive the forgiveness of sin from a simple
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place of obedience. Peter's used greatly, He is
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moving away from this end, grain partiality and Prejudice.
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That was taught to him from a young age.
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It was taught to him within the system of religion.
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He was born into and yet, Jesus, broke that cycle.
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He broke that cycle and Peters life.
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He's going to break that cycle right now, and cornelius's life,
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and God wants to break that cycle in your life.
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I know it's a very humbling thing.
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I recognize that I affirm that to come face-to-face with a new
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truth. Ruth that's clearly in the Bible
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but then have to deal with the way you were raised or taught
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growing up. Thank you have it's a humbling
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thing especially as we get older to admit that there are things
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that we just believe that are wrong that we have to unlearn.
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You never want to take the approach with the Bible friend.
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You never want to take the approach where you read
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something clearly and then someone explains it away because
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of some religious system. I mean, it says what?
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It says, it's pretty clear. It's like this, whoever believes
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in him will receive remission of sins like your well, that's only
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a certain group. The only whoever's only for a
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certain group. What are you talking about
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earlier, Peter said that it's every nation.
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So the certain group is everyone past present and future and what
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happens is the farther you follow a religious system away
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from the Bible? The more important the religious
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system becomes and the less important, the Bible becomes
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well I'm telling you right now only, the Bible is living and
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powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
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Only, the Bible is alive. I can speak to the very issues
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in your life Peter having. After spent three years with
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Jesus is still learning new things and growing and his
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understanding of what the truth is and there he is.
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This is huge for him. And I think God wants to do huge
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things in your life, bringing you to from glory to glory and
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strength to strength. But this is huge.
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This is a big problem for Peter and the Jewish people of the
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first century, but the Lord's working with him leave.
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Eating him doing what's necessary to get his attention
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to cause them to think differently and to be open to
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the truth. And then to follow the truth,
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Jesus was not partial and Peter knew this, he saw it.
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Peter, Jesus didn't show partiality.
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I mean, you think of people the people that Jesus met and hung
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out with Jesus, serve people in his ministry of three years in
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all sorts of conditions, From all sorts of backgrounds, Jesus
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ministered to Jews. He ministered to Gentiles other
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centurions and others. He ministered to Samaritans,
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which would be the group. That was avoided the most by the
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Jewish people. He served military, he served
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leaders, he served the rich, he served the poor, you name it.
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Jesus was around people so much that they began to accuse him of
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being a sinner like everyone else.
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He had so much time with the people that needed him.
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Remember, that time Jesus came and he says, you know what those
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that are? Well, they don't need a
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physician. It's the ones that are sick and
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Jesus hung out with the sick, both spiritually, and
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physically. But one thing you'll never read
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of Jesus. Ever doing a sinfully
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prejudging. Someone, he received them as
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they were and treated him as the humans, they were He built a
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bridge. If you were the language, we
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might use today as he stepped into their lives, built a bridge
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to them, so that they would trust him and he could serve
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them. And he even served and heal.
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People that never thanked him, didn't care, and probably still
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died in their sins. And yet he loved them and serve
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them. This is a big deal especially in
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the days in which we live. It is a big deal for the church
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to deal with this sin to come face-to-face and to be real
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about it and be open if you're praying through Psalm 139 where
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we're praying to God, hey, search me and know me and try
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me. Is there any unclean reveal any
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unclean thing in me? This is one of the things you
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should pray for. Is, if you can overcome this
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hurdle. If it exists in your life, then
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you will be so much more usable in the culture.
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You're in right now, to prejudge or the idea of looking down the
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nose, at someone looking down the nose at someone, you know
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what the problem, the root of it that besides send the root of
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prejudice, is we just think we're better than people.
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That's all. We just think we're better.
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They have some Condition, it's different, some issue, that's
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different. Some background that's different
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week then compare them by what we are.
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And we look down on them. We think we're higher in an
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elevated place. We believe that.
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Hey you know what, they might need that.
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Look at them, and look at them and it's not what I've done.
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And and here's what Jesus said, again as we go through, consider
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this Jesus said this in John 7, verse 24, do not judge,
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according to outward appearance. It couldn't be clearer, don't
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judge according to appearance, but judge with a righteous
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judgement. And you know, the only righteous
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judgment we can have is in the Lord.
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He even in the message that Peter teaches, it talks about
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him being the judge of the living.
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So we trust him to sort out the things that we see in people's
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life. Again if you go back to verse
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34, next to the word partiality in your Bibles, you can also
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write this phrase that might help you remember this word.
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It says that you another way of understanding from the Anna
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language from the Greek. The New Testament was written in
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the Greek language. The Old Testament was written
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mostly in Hebrew and a couple of places in the language of
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Aramaic. But here in the New Testament,
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the Greek word has the idea of judging by the face and what
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that means is that you see someone and then you assess
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them. And think, you know, everything
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about them and make a judgment judging by the face, kind of
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like a face-to-face encounter you.
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You Them by the face. And so, basically, what's being
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said here is don't judge people that way don't judge him by the
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face. You don't know everybody story.
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You just don't know, you think, you know, but you don't know and
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you'll never know until they share it with you.
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So when you come to a conclusion before, someone shares their
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story with you, no wonder they don't want to hear the gospel.
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No wonder. You have no credibility in their
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life. When you start posting things
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and saying things about your own personal opinions that put other
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people down, no wonder the Will has no power in your life.
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Your opinions are pretty popular but they don't point to the
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Saving Grace of Jesus. The blood of Jesus Christ isn't
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as we were even singing earlier the blood of Jesus Christ, isn't
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elevated because people can't get past your opinion.
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And it's very serious today. And I believe God wants us to be
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usable. He wants us to step into
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people's lives. I was telling a group not too
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long ago and I shared it also with our at our last huddle
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Where We Gather the servants together, like one of them big
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tools that's going to be used in our generation right now.
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In this this season to reach others is this tool of empathy.
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Empathy. And when you think about
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empathy, you're like well that's relating to someone in the
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difficulty of their life. Yes.
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And the only way you're going to find that out is if you listen
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to them and value their story and value their background, you
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know how someone sharing with you?
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And they've got some really difficult stuff in their life
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and automatically, you just want to correct them.
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You want to change them? You want to know that that
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doesn't work? It's time makes people defensive
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it actually that a mindset repels instead of just letting
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someone share their story from where they're at, so that
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there's a bridge to be built and credibility shared so that you
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can begin to share your story because your story is going to
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involve an encounter with Jesus. Your story is going to involve
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an encounter of transformation. Of forgiveness.
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And as you hear people's stories, you know, you'll be
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surprised to find out. We all have pretty much a common
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story sin is jacked up our lives.
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It's different. Some of us got some of us
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experienced. It far more than others. but sin
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has wrecked humanity and it's just the different ways that
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it's wrecked, Humanity, that That is separate us.
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Prejudice partiality, divides us, it doesn't unite us.
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It's a familiar tool. The devil.
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Why? Because I believe the devil
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believes Jesus when he taught he believes them.
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The Bible indicates that that even the dim, the demons
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tremble, but they don't believe they understand, they don't
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believe for salvation but they understand that what Jesus is
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saying is the truth and Jesus said that A House Divided cannot
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stand. He didn't say maybe won't stand
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might not stand. He said it pretty clear.
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It won't stand. And you can see, not only from
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the Tower of Babel in the Bible, but all the way back to the
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Garden of Eden. As soon as Sin entered into the
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picture Rebellion against God, the division started and it
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hasn't ended and it won't end until Jesus returns.
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Build his kingdom Among Us other passages that you can refer to.
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If this is something you want to meditate on to Deuteronomy
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chapter 10 and verse 17 says God shows.
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No. Partiality.
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Second chronicles. 19 verse 7 says, God shows.
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No partiality job. 34:19 says that God is Not partial to
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Prince's. Nor does he regard the rich more
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than the poor? Anything we are and everything.
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We are is only because of the grace of God.
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Let me say that again. Anything we are everything.
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We are is only because of what Jesus has done in our lives.
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That's it. You don't respond with that in
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your mind or even out loud. No, no, Pastor.
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You don't know me. You don't know my background.
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You know, where I came from? I'm a self-made man.
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You are not self-made, man. As hard work, as you might have
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done, and all the effort. You might have put in it.
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You are not self-made. You are made by the grace of
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God, the very breath in your mouth.
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In your lungs has been given to you by God.
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As hard as you might be in a smart as you might be, and as
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far in advance, you are in your career or how much money you
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made or how you got yourself, you know, whether God met you in
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a high-rise as a CEO millionaire or he met you a homeless on the
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street. It is by the grace of God.
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Everybody saved the same way by the grace of God.
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The grace of God is experienced through faith, right?
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It's by grace through faith. All of us.
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And it's important that we remember.
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That is so much. So it's not self-made so much so
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that the Bible would even add to it.
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In case there's any question that it's not, it's you are
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saved by grace through faith, not of works, why?
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So that, nobody will boast, and, here's the essence, okay?
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And and here's what Peter's dealing with what he's gotten
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through and I love how quickly he got through it, because he
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got the Vision and he's wrestling with all that but
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somewhere on that Journey from Joppa to caesarea it clicked and
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he understood this is what God's doing in my, this is what he
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wants for my life. This is why I'm ready, let's do
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it and and what he what clicked was that God has sent his gospel
24:29
to every human being Every man woman and child that can
24:34
understand no matter the background including you today.
24:40
including you that might have been marginalized or made fun of
24:44
or ridiculed or Prejudiced against you or your prejudices
24:51
everyone? rich or poor smart smarter not
24:59
so smart all the different categories we give ourselves.
25:03
The gospel comes to you today and Jesus invites you to himself
25:08
to receive the forgiveness of sin and be free from the pain
25:13
and the power of sin to live a life that you've always wanted
25:18
by faith in him, but don't come to the house of God and think
25:24
that it is all you and it's because of you and it's because
25:29
of your work ethic or you work so hard or it's all know.
25:33
The root of that separation really is you just stop thinking
25:40
you're better than others. There's no room for all my
25:45
better than you attitude in the church because anything we are
25:49
is because of what Jesus has done.
25:51
So who makes any of us better than anyone else and we all have
25:55
our struggles and we all have our own issues, but it doesn't
25:58
make us any better or worse its life.
26:02
In the Bible, we are told not to do that specifically explicitly
26:09
not to do that. And this is where genuine faith
26:13
and Living Faith and growing Faith.
26:15
Really comes alive. Where you realize you're not
26:18
just part of some Sunday, morning church Club, where you
26:21
get all dressed up and show up. And we do our religious Duty.
26:24
Who wants to live like that? I want to be used in people's
26:28
lives. I want to help people.
26:29
I want to point them to the Lord.
26:30
I want to do good, you know, because it that the church is
26:33
not the only group that does good in the world.
26:37
There's a lot of good lot of philanthropy, a lot of
26:39
Charities, but the church is the only ones that do good for the
26:44
name of Jesus Christ. Now listen, the, the
26:48
philanthropy, and the charity in the world.
26:51
Typically, the motive of doing good, is not only to help but,
26:54
but because it makes them feel good.
26:56
It makes them feel good. Yeah, we're going to help but it
26:59
really makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I have
27:01
purpose in life. It makes me feel like my life
27:03
matters. And and as good as a motive that
27:06
is it still a very low level motive?
27:08
The church? The Believers of Christ do.
27:10
It's very different because you know, in charity outside of
27:14
Christ, it's like I'm going to do good and it's going to always
27:16
make me feel good, but as a believer in Christ, you realize
27:20
that when you do good for someone, it is to make them feel
27:25
good. Not you.
27:27
It is in the honor of Jesus and what he's done in your life you
27:30
want someone to have a taste of that you want someone to sense
27:34
just a little taste of God that it might lead to something else,
27:37
then it might be done. In Jesus name, the authority of
27:40
Jesus and many times you have learned this that sometimes many
27:44
times doing good for others actually is going to make you
27:47
feel bad because sacrifice hurts.
27:52
Sacrifice hurts. It's not just a little bit, a
27:56
little bit, like, Believers have been taught to give
27:58
sacrificially. And that's sometimes a painful
28:02
process. Especially if you love your
28:03
money, especially if you think it's all yours, especially if
28:06
you think I'm self-made. So I'll do like that.
28:09
It's a painful process. For you to get to that place,
28:13
where you realize that others are more important than you.
28:17
And that were to think of others more highly than ourselves.
28:20
These are the Christian attributes that God is building
28:22
in us right now. They've been given to us by
28:25
faith in the Holy Spirit. Came Upon Us Jesus wants.
28:30
He doesn't want some ritual. He doesn't want some religious
28:33
routine in our lives. He doesn't want you to live your
28:36
own life. Realize a it's not as good as it
28:38
can be. Hey, I heard I can go to church,
28:41
I'll be good for my family. My kids would be in Sunday
28:43
school, so I can be the same exact person.
28:45
I've always been and just call myself a Christian, what a
28:47
low-level way to live. And then you never really even
28:52
know if you're truly born again or not.
28:54
You have no Assurance in your heart but a person that's born
28:57
again. Listen, the Bible says a person
29:00
is born again. Becomes a new creation in
29:02
Christ. All things pass away, and All
29:06
Things become new. And God is doing a new work
29:08
through Believers, and you can see as you live out these
29:12
attributes of the Holy Spirit, you might find yourself in.
29:15
Cornelius is housed in a very uncomfortable place that you've
29:18
never been before. But because of the The stability
29:22
in the strength of God. You're going to do what he asked
29:24
you to do wherever you are. Maybe that place for you is the
29:28
cubical that you're going to go to in the morning or later
29:31
tonight. Very uncomfortable, very
29:33
difficult place and yet, God is going to establish you.
29:35
There, it could be in the classroom, the public schools.
29:39
And the difficulties were seeing all throughout our culture,
29:41
maybe it's in a police car as you're driving around the city
29:44
wondering, What's next and what? Difficulty my again, maybe it's
29:49
on a going to be on a fire truck or as a paramedic in an
29:51
ambulance or on a UPS truck or a FedEx truck or an Amazon trike
29:56
all over the all over the community.
29:59
The power of God is with you as you value people in the name of
30:04
Jesus. So here in verse 43 it says to
30:10
him all the prophets witness that through his name.
30:12
Whoever believes in him will receive the remission of sin
30:15
while There was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit
30:20
fell upon all those who heard the word and those of the
30:23
circumcision, that's another phrase for the Jews that were
30:26
with him member Peter brought somebody brought people with
30:29
him. So they're Peter is with some
30:32
folks there those who believed were astonished and as many as
30:36
came with Peter because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been
30:39
poured out on the Gentiles. Also for they heard them speak
30:42
with tongues and magnify God then Peter answered Anyone
30:46
forbid water that these should not be baptized and who received
30:50
the Holy Spirit, just as we have, and he commanded them to
30:52
be baptized in the name of the Lord, and they asked him to stay
30:56
there. A few days.
30:57
What are we seeing here? We are seeing in the Gentile
31:00
Pentecost, you remember earlier on in the book of Acts, Peter
31:04
has that opportunity to preach the gospel.
31:06
Thousands get saved, when the pennant, when the Holy Spirit
31:09
comes upon those that were waiting in Jerusalem in
31:13
obedience to Jesus. Now years later, Is in
31:16
Cornelius, this house and the generational change for all of
31:20
the Gentile world started right here in this man's house.
31:24
This God fear this man who did Good Deeds, I want you the
31:31
church sometimes comes against things.
31:33
There's a couple things here that the church has made a big
31:35
deal that are not big deal. First of all, is This sense of
31:41
how people are saved, right. I even on my Pulpit here just to
31:46
remind me every time I'm here, and I'll share it with you.
31:48
Now that if you confess with your mouth, the Lord Jesus.
31:52
And you believe in your heart, God raised him from the dead,
31:54
you will be saved because confession is made unto
31:58
salvation. It says, with the heart, One
32:00
Believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is
32:03
made unto salvation. That's Romans chapter 10, verses
32:06
9 and 10. But I want you to notice here,
32:10
that salvation took place without any confession.
32:14
Do you guys see that? Peter is still talking Boom.
32:17
The Holy Spirit comes upon that Cornelius, his family.
32:21
And everyone there and the question has to be why?
32:26
And I'll tell you why. Because God acknowledged the
32:29
belief that was in their hearts. They haven't yet confessed
32:33
Jesus. But they will confession is part
32:36
like it's not possible to be born again and not tell anybody
32:39
about it. It's impossible.
32:41
Like, you have to tell people not because you have to like,
32:44
it's mandatory but because it's inside of you, you can't help
32:48
but tell people what God has done in your life, confessions
32:52
going to come. But you know, people make in the
32:54
church they like to argue about All kinds of things that go, you
32:57
know, you're not doing it right, you know, God doesn't use altar
32:59
calls, and God doesn't use, Sinners prayers and all that.
33:02
And I'm like like my my response is like, you know, God doesn't
33:05
really care what you think. He's going to save.
33:09
How are you wants to save? Like if he wants to pour the
33:12
Holy Spirit down, just to blow Peters mind and they're ready to
33:16
be saved to. Like they're ready, they're
33:17
right on the edge and if he wants to use altar calls, great
33:21
will do that. If he wants to lead people in
33:23
prayer, great will do that. If he wants to save somebody in
33:26
their car, while they're crying on the side of the road, great
33:30
God will do that. And who are we to come up with
33:33
all these? These rules you have to follow
33:35
and you got to do it this way, you're not doing it, right?
33:38
Pastor? Well, I hope I am.
33:43
I hope I am by pointing you to Jesus Christ and believing.
33:47
He sufficient to know you and your response to his death and
33:51
Resurrection for your life. I hope I am.
33:55
And I think over the years, I've witnessed enough of real genuine
33:59
change in people's life that God is using me that way, but you're
34:04
not doing it right? I don't know, I don't think
34:06
you're thinking, right, actually, what you have to do it
34:09
this way and they have to become members, and they have to take
34:12
it, test, and they have to I kind of, will you just trust
34:16
that they'll follow Jesus and trust that you'll respond to
34:20
that, like some right now? Right now, listening to me in
34:22
your heart, you're bursting with belief, you don't need a way for
34:26
me to do anything here. God could save you right now,
34:29
just tell him in your heart of hearts, you don't have to say it
34:32
out loud. You don't have to speak out
34:34
loud. You know, that's a big secret in
34:36
the Christian world right now, right?
34:37
You don't have to speak out loud to have all kinds of things.
34:40
Speaking in your head, you know, that by now, Like you can talk
34:44
under your breath, real conversation.
34:48
I think of Nehemiah Nehemiah prayed to God never said a word
34:51
out loud. He spoke to God personally.
34:56
Now, when you say it out loud it helps us.
34:59
So we know you, you know, the Bible says that out of the
35:02
abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
35:03
So, speaking out loud is definitely.
35:05
It's definitely the right thing to do, but you can speak in your
35:08
mind to. And so, salvation took place
35:11
here In court with Cornelius and his family.
35:16
Everyone to believe got saved. Number one, there's another
35:19
thing here that I see and that is remember Cornelius.
35:22
He was a moral religious man that did good deeds.
35:26
That's how he was upright, he gave alms.
35:29
He prayed to God. Remember when we learn that and
35:32
then he get this, this visitation is said your prayers
35:35
and alms have been brought before God for a memorial.
35:39
And today we might use the word people might use the word with
35:43
Cornelius was a Seeker. He was a Seeker.
35:45
You seeking God, he wasn't quite there, but he's seeking God.
35:48
But there are those in the church.
35:49
They make a big deal about that and it's like, you're not a
35:51
secret. There's no such thing as secret.
35:53
The Bible says no one seeks. God no one Yeah, but, you know,
35:58
use the Bible correctly, if you don't want to say Cornelius was
36:01
seeking God, then use another word.
36:04
But what else can describe this? Man, who wanted God so much.
36:08
But the people with the truth, didn't let him.
36:13
There's a lot of people like that in your life.
36:16
They want God so much and they are so close.
36:20
But religion and religious people have stopped them.
36:25
Why not you be the person? That brings them all the way.
36:28
Why don't you be the person that responds to the heavenly vision?
36:31
Why not like why'd I just like, you know, Cornelius comes to
36:35
church here, you know, Pastor, I'm just seeking God and I
36:38
opened the Bible. No, no, there is none that seeks
36:40
God, Cornelius. Let's get that straight right
36:42
now. All right, bro, I will go
36:46
somewhere else. Somebody comes and says, you
36:49
know, I'm just thinking about Ghana want to follow God.
36:51
And then what happens? Partiality and Prejudice comes
36:53
because you look at their life, you go.
36:54
That doesn't seem like you're really seeking God because but
36:57
then you don't make room for addiction, you don't make room
37:00
for like bad mistakes and sinful mistakes.
37:04
I like a lot of times God uses all the Brokenness as we read in
37:08
the psalm all the hurt in your life right now.
37:12
All the life crushing experiences that you have lived
37:16
with for years. To draw you to himself.
37:20
So you want to come in and say you're a Seeker, great, you want
37:24
to come in and say you're looking for God.
37:25
Great. I say good, I say you've come to
37:29
a building that represents the very presence of God and you've
37:32
heard a message already about the sacrificial life that Jesus
37:36
gave for you and you can respond to that belief.
37:40
Let me give you a third thing in this section.
37:41
This could be its own Bible study, but I didn't want to
37:44
develop it that way. But let me give you a third
37:47
thing here in this text, and that's this water baptism.
37:50
ISM happens to believers. You see, Peter didn't come into
37:56
the house. Tell.
37:57
Cornelius is a part of the Gospel that the only way you to
38:01
be saved is to get water. Baptized, I know if unless
38:04
you're thinking of it, you may not see it.
38:06
But that's why I want you to see it.
38:08
The Holy Spirit was given salvation has happened then
38:13
their water baptized. Why is that important?
38:15
Because again, there are those today that would say that a
38:18
person is not saved unless they are water.
38:21
Baptized and then there's another sliver.
38:24
Where they say that there are those that say, it's not just
38:27
water, baptism that saves you, but you must be water baptized
38:31
by us, whoever that us might be the church, the organization,
38:35
The Minister's, whoever, and the phrase for that thinking, the
38:41
theological word for that is, is baptismal regeneration that it's
38:46
actually water baptism that saves a regenerates a person.
38:50
Why is that important? Because if somebody comes and
38:52
wants to talk you out of it is like, have you been Sighs.
38:54
If you've been baptized here you know like well I mean I would
38:56
think I was Bob was baptizing the role Reservoir all the
38:59
Waters of Aurora, Reservoir could never save, you know.
39:02
Dirty that is you know on and on they go it's like silly well no
39:07
you were already saved. Baptism is an outward work of a
39:11
an outward show of an inward work.
39:13
It doesn't save you. As a matter of fact, if you
39:17
think it saves you like understand this just to
39:19
understand this. I know one thing that happens
39:22
when an unbeliever goes into the waters and Gets baptized I know
39:25
that without faith without belief and they get baptized,
39:28
you know, what happens to them, they get wet.
39:32
And that's it and the roar Reservoir doesn't save you the
39:36
Aurora City Municipal Water that we fill these tubs here on
39:39
Wednesdays doesn't save. You only God Saves you and it's
39:43
not by works or later on Titus not by works of righteousness.
39:48
You're not saved by works. You're saved by the finished
39:53
work of Jesus Christ. And who can be saved everyone in
39:58
anyone that will come to him and humble repent.
40:00
Ants will receive the remission of sins and what happens?
40:05
The Holy Spirit comes in. You, the Holy Spirit comes upon
40:08
you and then your become a new person and you want to follow
40:13
through and be baptized, and that's happened.
40:16
It happened in Cornelius is life.
40:19
God interrupted this whole thing and said it's time.
40:22
It's time. I I sense their belief, they're
40:25
saved. and, The people that were with him, in verse 45 that says
40:34
they were astonished Peters, not astonished, but why?
40:37
Because Peter was prepared for this, they weren't this is what
40:41
God used to get them, but God already been working on Peter,
40:45
which reminds me and should help us because we do this in the
40:49
church to, and that is, we just think some people are more
40:52
important than others. We don't think I'm, as important
40:54
as others and, you know, God values, individuality he knows
40:59
you By name and he knows like, if you might look at someone and
41:04
compare yourself to them. Well, you know, they're way
41:05
ahead of me and I'm here, but you have your own path, your own
41:09
Road of discipleship following Jesus.
41:12
So yeah, some people are going to be Advanced but doesn't make
41:14
them better. Some people might learn faster,
41:17
doesn't make them better, some people might get it, you might
41:19
be astonished a lot more than Pete.
41:21
It doesn't none of those things matter, nobody's better than
41:24
anyone in the body of Christ. What the cross did was bring us
41:28
all back. To the place before sin.
41:32
And God, I'm no, I'm no better than you.
41:34
But Ed look at you, you're a pastor that that is not how God
41:39
sees me he sees me as his son. I'm his son, you're his
41:43
daughter, we're brothers and sisters in the Lord.
41:47
It being in the role that I am, doesn't make me any more
41:49
important, but it does give me a lot more responsibility.
41:53
I'm going to answer to God for a lot more, but that's what he
41:56
called him. Quit me and prepare me.
41:57
And that's what I'm going to do. And the final thought I want
42:02
today before we leave, and I know that sometimes we have
42:04
muscle memory when it comes to church.
42:07
So I'm gearing up in a few moments.
42:09
I'm going to pray and say amen. And then that moves a lot of
42:12
people to leave right away. So I don't want you to because
42:15
Pastor Ian is going to introduce a brand new song that he and I
42:18
have been talking about for some time.
42:20
Now about the goodness of God and many times, the last song in
42:24
a worship service it doesn't end with my men and it doesn't begin
42:28
when I hand in the Pulpit. The Your worship of God began.
42:31
The moment you woke up today and you started it reorienting.
42:34
Your life toward the lord on son is a great way to do it.
42:37
It's something we should do every day but it doesn't end
42:40
where you just take off and I know, you know that might you
42:43
might need to get your kids or the parking lot might be full
42:45
and I get that but don't you can retrain your muscle memory.
42:49
So that that last song gets deposited in your heart for this
42:54
week and I've noticed in the last few years, there's been a
42:57
great emphasis in songs being written about The goodness of
43:00
God and you need that during the week, you need that in trial.
43:04
You need that in difficult to, you need to remember that.
43:07
God is good. And this song is so beautiful.
43:10
It's it's a blessing. And so as I wind down here in
43:14
the muscle memory, starting to prepare and you're thinking that
43:16
you're Poli, burrito is in your mind right now.
43:19
Like I'm should I get brown rice or white rice?
43:22
I don't know. Okay, just put it on pause, put
43:26
it on pause. But here's the thing I want to
43:27
show Cornelius is experiencing generational, change here.
43:33
His life and home will be forever changed.
43:37
Generationally. And why is that important?
43:40
Because Cornelius is Faith, affected your life, two thousand
43:44
years ago. That's how generational change
43:47
Works. Cornelius is a gentile 99.9% of
43:54
us here today, are Gentiles. And so the door, Hang up for the
43:59
gospel with Cornelius. It was God's will that through
44:02
Cornelius is testimony in life that the gospel would explode to
44:06
the Gentiles of which you are. So I don't know how it works in
44:10
heaven. I know we have our thoughts of
44:12
when we get to heaven where get in line and taught.
44:14
Hey, I want to meet David. So, as a long line for David, I
44:17
want to meet Moses. A long line.
44:19
Don't forget. Cornelius.
44:20
When you get to heaven and you show up and you thank him and
44:24
his family for their faith. Was you thank him for seeking
44:27
God when nobody would let. Him you thank him for obeying
44:31
the heavenly vision and inviting Peter and his life, allowing
44:35
Peter to show you. Thank him for the testimony that
44:39
he has in the Bible that has led to your salvation in mind
44:43
because generational change its true for you, too.
44:47
God wants to do a work in your home and in your family, you may
44:50
not see it Cornelius. Never saw you get saved, you may
44:54
not see it. So be careful with all the
44:56
outward appearances and just do. Do and be who God has made you
45:00
to be and do and he'll honor that.
45:04
And I know it's hard to see generational change in your
45:06
current situation. I know.
45:09
But you trust God on this, it started with you.
45:12
You brought salvation in the message of love into your
45:15
household into your broken family, to your divorced,
45:19
parents to your kids, and grandkids to your aunts and
45:23
uncles, you're the one, you're the one that God chose and so
45:28
Embrace that And enjoy that. And you just leave the results
45:34
to the Lord. Amen.
45:36
So father, thank you for Cornelius.
45:38
For the word that you gave through us and just a great
45:41
section of scripture. So encouraging to us.
45:43
God, help us to live up to your calling in our lives and, and
45:48
everything we learn today, just be honored, be glorified, and
45:52
perhaps you're here today and you need to receive the Lord
45:54
Jesus Christ. You you're like you I described
45:56
you you're bursting with belief. Why won't honor that That in
46:00
your life today, if you believe, I'm the death, the life death
46:04
and resurrection of Jesus Christ today and you'd like to publicly
46:07
acknowledge it. I'd invite you to do just that.
46:10
So if you're here today, would you just stand to your feet?
46:12
Say yes, I want to follow Jesus with my life and I desire to be
46:17
forgiven by the blood of Jesus. Not by a church by a man, not by
46:24
an organization, not even by this church, or this man you are
46:29
saved by the blood of Jesus. And is there anyone here?
46:32
Today would say I want to be born again to stand to your
46:36
feet, right? Where you are.
46:38
I know God is with you. Well, us say yes.
46:45
Today's the day. You guys out online and
46:49
listening on the radio God sees you to like it's not about being
46:52
in the room downstairs in the Overflow room, or in the cafe.
46:58
But like this is it and it requires like, I mean you like
47:10
your heart's beating so fast right now, so because this is
47:12
such a moment Where you releasing yourself?
47:17
To the truth of God's word. Bless you over here, brother.
47:23
Who else would say? That's me.
47:25
Today's the day, God bless you in the back.
47:27
I see you. I mean what a powerful moment we
47:33
all came the same way, I mean, maybe not standing or in a
47:36
church or anything, but we all came the same way by grace
47:40
through faith. Don't forget where you came
47:41
from. Bless you don't forget where you
47:44
came from. If you would stay standing, I
47:46
want people to come up with you, would you stay standing?
47:49
We got pastors, moving around to be sure that they can connect
47:53
with you. We don't want you to.
47:55
We want you to know you're not alone.
47:57
So, come on up. Enrique.
47:59
A or Josh. Yeah, draw Enrique.
48:01
You got here. So just pray with me wherever
48:04
you might be again, we're going to give you the chance for the
48:06
belief to confess and you could say God, I admit that I've
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sinned against you. And I ask you to forgive me of
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all of my sins. I believe you sent Jesus to live
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for me. To die for me.
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And I believe he rose again from the dead.
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To save my soul. And I turn away from my sins and
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ask you to forgive me and choose to follow you all the days of my
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life. In Jesus name.
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Amen. We pray that you've been
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encouraged by this Bible. Study delivered live from the
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sanctuary of Calvary Church for prayer.
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Call us at 877, 30 Grace. That's eight 77304, 703 to
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listen to this message in its entirety or to join us for our
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lives dream Services. Visit us online at Calvary.
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Co dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Be blessed as you Jesus this week.
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Jesus this week.