MAY WE NEVER FORGET

 

Acts 11:1-18

Forget what you ask? May we never…. take for granted the rock He found you underneath when He exposed you to the gospel to save your soul for all eternity. May we never…. forget our salvation is all of Him and nothing of me. May we never…. forget its simple to the cross we cling for dear life; as God would take my confession and make me a new creature found in Christ alone. Voddie Baucham said in his message on “Brokenness”, “May I never get over the fact that He allowed me to see another day. May I never get over the fact that He's patient with me, and that He's longsuffering with me and that in me dwells nothing, nothing, that can satisfy Him. May I never get over being broken over my sin. May I never ever become complacent. May I never ever stop realizing the incredible distance between me and my Jesus because that's the only way I appreciate the distance He traveled to make me His child.”

 

When Jesus was saving me, He was getting nothing special, other

than a broken-down frame of a man riddled in sin and shame.

 

I brought nothing to the table that is redeemable because of my sin and shame. I brought no good values that would be considered righteous before a holy God. I brough only my corrupted will, and my desperate desire that God would save a wretch like me. Paul wrote, “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” Rom 3:10-20. And in (v23) of this same chapter Paul, says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

 

What does this mean? It means that every single person created in the image of God, stands before God guilty, and completely at His mercy. Whether: Jew, Gentile, free, slave, child, man or woman. This truth makes the gospel so personal and amazing; that God would look upon me and save me for Himself, and by His own grace. Paul writes in the same chapter, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins.” Rom 3:23-25. God does not show mercy by accident, impulse, or weakness, but always with divine intentionality and strength. God demonstrates mercy to you, and I, when we deserve the full hammer of His wrath for the sins we commit each day.

 

Our cry for mercy admits to our ill-deserving,

not just undeserving.

The mercy of God is what we receive by God, not the justice we deserve as Jeremiah cries out for. “Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lam 3:19-24

Its all of God’s mercy, the life you live right

now Christian, is all of God’s mercy.

 

May we never…. forget what the Lord has done in saving you, in saving me for His glory and our eternal good. May we never…. have the attitude that declares who is deserving of this grace; as we watch through the window of other people’s lives, and wrong choices. May we never…. stand so righteous in our own minds that we don’t see others worthy of this gospel that saved us. The worst thing we could ever do as believers is to dictate who is allowed to enter into the kingdom. Who are you? Who am I? Underlying those two questions is the even bigger question: Who are we? In the Book of Acts opens up for us this vision where no one is called unclean; no one outside of God’s love; no one is outside the embrace of community. This vision that Peter embodied and the gospel experience of Cornelius tell us that there is no separation, no dividing wall, no out and in. God makes no distinction. The Spirit falls on people to save them. Any person is welcomed in through Christ alone, through the gospel confession.

 

What did Paul say to the church? “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” Gal 5:1-6

 

Then he goes and warns them about their traditions or prejudices. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” Gal 5:13-15

 

When we cling to religious identity we miss out on the true freedom that identities us in Christ’s death, and resurrection:

Freedom from slavery to the law.

Freedom of life in Christ.

Freedom to love and serve our neighbors.

Freedom of full fellowship with believers who are different from us.

 

What did Jesus preach to the people? “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

 

What is before us this morning Peter, defends and recaps what has just happened, because bad news, according to the church in Jerusalem reached their ears. Chapter 11 begins with criticism, and not everyone who heard about what God was doing in Caesarea among the Gentiles were amazed. We’re going to see more tension from within the early church that is characterized by an identity struggle, among those who make up this increasingly mixed group. This is just more internal tension being faced by the early church. This is still a challenge that we still face today in the church as well.

 

Were they excited that the gospel was spreading beyond Jerusalem?

Were they excited that God is building His church by saving sinners other than the Jews?

No, they criticized Peter when they saw him. (v1-v3) It’s like they criticized him for who the gospel was being proclaimed too, “Why would you do that Peter, they are an abomination to our people, they don’t belong or deserve this. So why did you go in the first place, you should have known better?” Let’s modernize this criticism for today’s church. “Why did you speak the gospel to that man or woman, they have tattoos, piercings all over, they smell like alcohol, he or she is homeless, do you know that they are known drug users. That’s maybe too extreme, how about, “They aren’t married and they live together, she has a child out of marriage, that person committed adultery, they hurt me with their words along time ago.

 

See! The gospel causes us to do daily self-reflection, and never forgetting what Christ has done…. Matthew 7:3–5 instruct believers to examine their own flaws (the "log" in their own eye) before trying to correct the speck in their brother’s eye. The gospel causes us to acceptance over condemnation… Romans 14:1–4 explicitly commands believers to welcome those who are weak in faith without arguing or passing judgment on disputable matters, noting that God is the ultimate master who accepts them. The gospel causes us to be building up instead of tearing down… Ephesians 4:29 encourages speech that builds others up, rather than unloving criticism that creates division. Criticizing newcomers or fellow believers often stems from self-righteousness or pride, rather than a desire for spiritual growth.

You and I don’t get to chose who belongs here and who doesn’t? Because…. in reality none of us deserve this grace that God gives us in the gospel confession. Jesus himself, used illustrations to explain who belongs in His kingdom; but unfortunately, the religious traditionalist refused to embrace that truth.

The lost sheep, lost coin, the prodigal son

The parable of the Tenants

The Wedding Feast

The rich young ruler

The Two sons

The criminal on the cross

Its here Peter humbles the men who have been born again in Israel to accept what God has brought into the kingdom through the gospel of His Son.

 

This has been the mission since the beginning of time, God’s mission to save sinners went far beyond the scope of Israel; they were chosen to prepare the way for sinners to come to Christ. This gospel was not only exclusive for the Jews but for them to minister the blessings they received when other nations received no such blessing. They were God’s representatives and the story of the Good Samaritan is just that as Jesus speaks to Jewish followers. Luke 10:25-37 (turn with me to this story) Jesus used a despised outsider, a Samaritan, as the hero of a story about mercy, shattering cultural, racial, and religious prejudices, to show that God's love breaks through human divisions. The gospel does not show partiality towards no one, though you might think it does because He saved you.

 

But God saved you, despite of you; and the

same is true for all believers.

 

God didn’t save you because you bring any value to the table, He saved you to show how merciful He is in saving sinners.

 

So, we are never to think we are above the next person, saved or unsaved. You are not special, but God is all glorious in saving sinners, which makes it special.

Sadly, that’s how these men felt as they criticized Peter for ministering the gospel to these this people who were not of their kind, so to speak.

 

Are you any different than these men? Would you accept Jacob into our church, he was a lair and deceiver, yet God blessed him and set him apart from his brother Esau? Would you accept David, he murdered, committed adultery, forced himself onto a woman, lied and deceived his best, and most honorable soldier Uriah? Would you accept the thief on the cross, he was guilty of crimes that were deemed punishable by death? Would you accept Paul, formerly known as Saul, for brutal crimes and murder against the church?

 

The gospel never changes, but we can become unchangeable,

inflexible, and consequently unusable.

Who is the standard to who belongs

here, you or Jesus?

Do you look differently at others, in the church, who don’t live up to your standards as a Christian man or woman? If so, repent and seek God to give you a heart of mercy towards others; who don’t look, dress, speak, or act like you do. What are our attitudes toward others? Exclusive, pessimistic, or passive? Hopefully its none of those things…. May it be: hopeful and actively loving as God saves sinners. This is where you will grow to see people through the lenses of Christ; instead of the lenses of self who decides: who is welcomed, or who is not welcomed. So, instead of entering into a heated rebuke of their prejudice, Peter simply recounted the remarkable events leading to the Gentile’s conversion. (v4-v17) He closes by reminding himself of what John baptised people with in repentance to prepare us for Christ and His baptism of the Holy Spirit through His death and resurrection. (v16) Peter concludes which would shut all true believers’ mouth in silence. “Who was I that could stand in God’s way?” (v17) These men were so convicted, and corrected, because after Peter explained this divine encounter with the gospel, these men “fell silent” (v18) “Fell silent” when the accusers heard this, they could hardly argue with the Holy Spirit, the testimony of seven witnesses, and the Scripture was sufficient enough. The same should be for you and me, especially when a sinner comes to repentance and faith; regardless, of how you see: their past or present state.

 

How can I argue about who God saves for His glory; in

bringing people into His kingdom.

 

They were silenced with conviction and reflection. The same silence that came over these men who complained after a days hard work. “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” 

Matt 20:15-16

 

God's grace and generosity are given freely, not based on human ideas of earning, score-keeping, or fairness. The gospel saves us where were at, not were we are supposing to be in Christ., that happens in our progressive sanctification. For the believer that happens over time, reading, studying, fellowship, and the love of the church, to come alongside to help each other grow. As the parable of the seed that fell on the good ground, “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matt 13:23. The good soil represents a receptive, honest human heart that hears God's Word, accepts it deeply, and produces lasting spiritual fruit. Unlike the first three hardened, shallow, or distracted heart conditions, the good soil heart actively receives, retains, and lives out biblical truth. This spiritual fruit grows through everyday actions, character transformation, patience during trials, and helping others grow in faith. Who am I to deny that in someone life, because they have a messier testimony than me, Who am I to exclude them from grace, the same grace I freely received, when I didn’t deserve it?

We are to rejoice when a sinner comes

to repentance and faith.

 

Rejoice, worshipping God, as we see these men do, after being corrected for their ignorance and pride. (v18) “They glorified God” this shocking reality that God would grant repentance to Gentile men and woman, is what that broke these Jewish men to truly worship God. There is a reason why the church in Antioch was founded seven years after Pentecost, the apostolic authority had to be established. It took this time for Jewish believers to grow in God’s teachings to receive those outside their camp from their traditions. What you once declared unclean, do not call common, for God calls them clean. The true church glorifies God for saving sinners, many we never forget that as God saved you, and is still saving sinners today, for His glory and our eternal good. 

In the meantime, what are we to do as a church?

As believers, as a church locally we get the privilege to do the same thing when new believers, and people outside our bubbles, comes to Christ….. Sharing the Word together… Reading the Bible together and discussing Scripture helps ground new and mature believers alike in foundational truth. Building a biblical foundational Community…  Fostering authentic friendships breaks isolation, and mixes individuals into the wider church body. Praying Together…. Lifting each other up in prayer invites the Holy Spirit's comfort, strength, and guidance during difficult seasons, or not so difficult seasons. Offering Accountability…  Walking closely with others provides gentle correction, encouragement, and persistence when facing personal trials or doubts. Serving Others…. Serving side-by-side, allows believers to discover, practice, and utilize their God-given spiritual gifts, to help each other grow stronger. The church’s daily life is being challenged to drop our prejudices, follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, and welcome everyone into God's family who come through faith and repentance.

 

God showed Peter that no person is "unclean" or unworthy of the gospel.  Any change that God brings will be consistent with His holy Word. We must check our own biases regarding race, background, or social status at the cross; and be used for His glory in the gospel proclamation.

Peter asked, "Who was I to think that I could stand in God's way?" When God calls us to accept, or love someone, we find it difficult, but our response should be obedience, not resistance. True spiritual maturity rejoices when God pours out His mercy on others, even those, who are very different from you and me. Remember what we read in Luke’s account of the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son. “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10. What a difference it makes when we look at others with attitudes that is: inclusive, open armed, optimistic, and lovingly as the gospel calls us too.

Jesus came to save sinners

not the righteous

Remember what Jesus also said to the religious, traditionalists, the elites. “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”  Luke 5:27-32

 

May we never forget what the Lord did in

saving us, as He continues to saves others.