How the Spirit helped me find the Gospel Paul preached? (7)
A. I have to find the gospel Paul preached!
Gal.1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached
to you, let him be condemned!
B. The case of Cornelius and his family. Acts 10:1-11:18
The scriptures are long so prepare plenty of time to read and remember!
1. God has chosen Peter to be the instrument to help Cornelius and his family to become children of God!
2. Cornelius and family are Italians. Peter is a Jew.
As Peter said, it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile… Acts 10:28
One of those law was written in Deuteronomy Chapter 7-9!
Here is a glimpse of it from Deu.7:2-5--> When the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and
you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them
no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters
for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord's
anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. This is what you are to do to them: Break down
their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire.
This was a big obstacle for Peter at the time!
So as Peter explained in Acts 11:5-12 and 10:28!
3. In order for Peter to go help Cornelius and family to become children of God, God has to help him walk
through this big obstacle!
Three times large sheet contain reptiles and told him to kill and eat!
Peter said, this means he should not consider Gentiles are unclean.
This also means he can visit and associate with Gentiles!
4. Peter has another even bigger obstacle to overcome!
This one is recorded in Matthew 10:5!
Jesus told him in person do not go to the Gentiles to preach!
5. Peter explain how God help him walk through this obstacle! Ac.11:15-17
"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I
remembered what the Lord had said: `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy
Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who
was I to think that I could oppose God?"
And that is why I baptized them with water for the forgiveness of their sins, so that they may receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit to live as children of God!
6. When Peter preached to the Jews in Jerusalem he had no problem and God did not have to do any
extraordinary to help him in Acts 2:14-41.
C. Do not misquote Acts 10:44-48 and send Peter to hell!
When one says Acts 10:44-48 says the Cornelius were saved before water baptism, they make Peter
against his own teaching in Acts 2:38!
And according to Gal.1:8, Peter will be condemned in hell!
D. If people still can’t understand, this I will say! 2 Cor.4:3-4
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they can’t see the light of the gospel of
the glory of Christ,….
May the Lord bless you and keep you forever! April 17, 2010.