[0:00] Bow our head in prayer, let us pray. Lord our God, we thank you that you have left to us the Holy Scriptures inspired by your Holy Spirit.
[0:21] And that the Word of God is the only rule to direct us, how we may glorify and enjoy you. It ought to be the benchmark by which we measure every aspect of our lives, in private and in public, in our doings and in our sayings and in our thinkings.
[0:49] And we readily confess that we come short of the standard that you have set us. Because you have reminded us again and again in the Scriptures that we ought to be holy as you are holy.
[1:07] We confess our sins of youth, as the psalmist here was thinking, and our sins of today.
[1:19] And we ask, Lord, that you would have mercy upon us. And give us to rejoice in Jesus, whose blood cleanses from all sin.
[1:33] And you promise to us that if we confess our sins, that you are faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[1:46] Lord, may we believe that with our saving faith, whereby we commit ourselves to our God, who promises such a wonderful blessing to those who believe.
[1:59] And may we walk in this life, always looking to you and committing ourselves to you in every situation.
[2:12] We thank you for the privilege we enjoy this evening in being able to gather in this way in the house of God. We thank you for the inclination of our minds and hearts, seeking to come to the house of God.
[2:34] The psalmist of old said, I joyed when to the house of God go up. They said to me, Jerusalem within thy gates, our feet shall standing be.
[2:46] And we thank you that we have that privilege this evening. Open our ears, we pray that we might hear your voice. Open our hearts, that we may be moved savingly by your spirit.
[3:01] As he applies the word read and sung and preached to our souls. We pray that you would remember those who have chosen not to come this evening.
[3:14] For whatever reason, we pray for those who are invalid and who cannot come because of health reasons. We remember those who care little for the things of God and the house of God.
[3:29] We pray that your spirit would be poured out upon us as a community and as a generation. Lord our God, you changed other nations as well as individuals within nations.
[3:45] Through the outpouring of your spirit down through the years. And we thank you, Lord, that we have written evidence of the marvellous changes that came about the lives of individuals.
[4:00] Because the spirit of God came upon them in saving power. And we long for such days ourselves. That we might know the power of your spirit as we preach and as we listen.
[4:15] As we read the scriptures and as we seek to pray. That the Holy Spirit may come upon us all. We pray for your blessing upon this congregation. And Lord, we thank you for them.
[4:28] We thank you for their faithfulness in coming to the house of God. And we pray that you would continue to uphold your people here. Those who seek your face in prayer.
[4:41] Those who go aside and pray for the good of Jerusalem. For an outpouring of your spirit to come upon this place and all other places.
[4:54] Throughout our nation and throughout the world. We pray that you would strengthen your people. There are so many obstacles in the way. So many temptations in the way.
[5:06] So many powers seeking to take us off a straight and narrow route and road. Help us Lord to pray for one another.
[5:18] And to uphold one another. And to love one another. As we go on in life. Looking unto Jesus. And we pray also again for your servant.
[5:30] The minister who is expected to be installed here. This coming Friday. We thank you for him. And we thank you that you have led him this way.
[5:41] And we pray now that you would fill him with your spirit. And that he may be used as a means to bring much blessing. To young and old alike.
[5:52] In this community. We thank you Lord that you have used. Your people down through the years. To bring wonderful blessing. To communities throughout our island.
[6:04] And throughout our nation. And we pray that that may be so with him. That your people here would continue to uphold him in prayer. And that there might be times of renewal and refreshing.
[6:17] From the spirit of the Lord. In this congregation. And in all of our congregations. We remember our nation also. As we mentioned this morning also in our prayer.
[6:28] Our nation that has to a great extent turned its back upon you. We pray Lord that you would come. And arrest us in a day of your grace. Do not come upon us in a day of your anger and fury.
[6:41] But rather for Jesus sake. Come to us in a day of your saving power. That many would be turned from darkness unto light. And from the kingdom of Satan unto God.
[6:53] We pray for your blessing upon the young people of our nation. Influenced as they are by ways of thinking.
[7:05] That were in some ways unknown to ourselves as we grew up. We ask Lord that the Holy Spirit would thwart the attempts of the evil one. To draw a whole generation of young people away from God.
[7:18] But rather that the power of your spirit may come. And draw people by your Holy Spirit unto yourself. We pray for your blessing to be upon us now as we wait upon you.
[7:30] That you would lead us and guide us as we seek to worship you this evening. And as we read your word and sing your praise. And meditate upon the scriptures. That the power of your spirit may accompany all that we seek to do in your name.
[7:44] And that you would forgive us all of our sins we pray. In Jesus precious name and for his sake. Amen. Let us further sing this time in the Scottish Psalter.
[8:01] And from Psalm 37. Psalm 37 in the Scottish Psalter. And from verse 23.
[8:12] Psalm 37. A good man's footsteps by the Lord are ordered aright.
[8:23] And in the way wherein he walks he greatly doth delight. Although he fall yet shall he not be cast down utterly. Because the Lord with his own hand upholds him mightily.
[8:38] I have been young and now am old. Yet have I never seen the just man left. Nor that his seed for bread have beggars been. He is ever merciful and lends.
[8:50] His seed is blessed therefore. Depart from evil and do good. And dwell forevermore. For God loves judgment. And his saints leaves not in any case.
[9:02] They are kept ever. But cut off shall be the sinner's race. The just inherited shall the land. And ever in it dwell. The just man's mouth doth wisdom speak.
[9:15] His tongue doth judgment tell. These stanzas of Psalm 37 from the Scottish Psalter. Verses 23 to 30. A good man's footsteps by the Lord.
[9:27] A good man's footsteps by the Lord.
[9:39] The Lord ever died. My God and the giant shuffle!
[10:06] The Lord be cursed with the Lord. Thank you.
[10:40] Thank you.
[11:10] Thank you.
[11:40] Thank you. Thank you.
[12:40] Thank you. Thank you.
[13:12] Now let us turn to the New Testament scriptures and read from the book of Acts and chapter 10.
[13:26] And he said to him,
[17:28] So Peter opened his mouth and said,
[20:41] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Amen.
[20:52] Amen. And may God bless to us that reading from his holy word. And to his name be all the praise. I will sing to God's praise from Psalm 119.
[21:07] From Sing Psalms, Psalm 119 at verse 33. Singing that whole section 33 to 40.
[21:18] From Sing Psalms and Psalm 119, verse 33. Teach me to follow your decrees. Then I will keep them to the end. Give insight and I'll keep your law.
[21:30] With all my heart to it attend. Lead me in your commandments path. For there, O Lord, delight I find. Incline my heart towards your laws.
[21:42] From selfish gain preserve my mind. O turn my eyes from worthless things. Give life according to your word. To me, your servant, keep your pledge.
[21:53] So that you may be feared, O Lord. Remove from me the shame I dread. Your laws excel in uprightness. O how I long for your decrees.
[22:04] Preserve me in your righteousness. This whole section, Psalm 119 from verse 33. Teach me to follow your decrees.
[22:15] Teach me to follow your decrees.
[22:26] Teach me to follow your decrees.
[22:36] Teach me to follow your decrees. Teach me to follow your decrees.
[22:47] Then I will keep them to the end. Good and sign my lucky good law.
[23:05] With all my heart to it attend. Amen. Amen. The invitation, Lord.
[23:20] God bless you. Amen. Amen. God, that you are free, I cry, I cry, In my heart, the Lord, dear God, Cross that worship, we shall find.
[23:56] O turn my eyes over blessings, Good light according to your heart, Good we get seven people, So that you may be here, Lord.
[24:38] Free the throne, be the chair, not yet, You know, say, something about us, O, I'll bow for your peace, Praise the Lord, dear God, As the Lord enables us, let us turn back to the book of Acts, chapter 10, And consider words we have in this chapter,
[25:40] Focusing on verse 34 and following. So Peter opened his mouth and said, Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, But in every nation, anyone who fears him And does what is right is acceptable to him.
[26:03] As for the word that he sent to Israel, Preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all, You yourselves know what happened Throughout all Judea, Beginning from Galilee, After the baptism that John proclaimed, How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth With the Holy Spirit and with power, He went about doing good And healing all who were oppressed by the devil, For God was with him.
[26:34] And we are witnesses of all that he did, Both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, But God raised him on the third day And made him to appear, Not to all the people, But to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, Who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
[26:59] And he commanded us to preach to the people, And to testify that he is the one appointed by God To be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness That everyone who believes in him Receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
[27:20] You see, a few words on this marvelous incident In the life of the apostle Peter.
[27:34] The book of Acts The book of Acts Covers a period of Around 30 years At the beginning of the New Testament church.
[27:49] The word Acts itself means the activities of the apostles As they sought to serve God In the gospel ministry. And the spirit puts the spotlight on various apostles throughout the book.
[28:07] Here the spotlight is on the apostle Peter. He does, he is highlighted in various chapters before this, But in this tenth chapter he is highlighted in a situation Where the Lord led him to minister to people who were not Jews.
[28:28] Outside the Jewish fold as it were. And I would like to highlight three things in relation to what happened.
[28:41] First of all, Peter as a preacher is prepared for this task. And we see this in verses 9 to 19.
[28:53] Where Peter is given a vision by the Lord to prepare him for this particular task. Secondly, when he comes to the house of Cornelius, he preaches a sermon.
[29:08] And that's what we read there from verse 34 onwards. The substance of the sermon is not clear whether this is exactly the way he said it, Or is it just a summary that the writer has put together for us.
[29:25] But he gives us the outline as it were of what the sermon involved. The sermon preached. And thirdly, as a result of the preaching of that sermon in the house of Cornelius, There was a wonderful blessing bestowed upon those who were gathered.
[29:44] It says that the Holy Spirit fell on all them who heard the word. I would like to say a few words on that as well.
[29:55] Firstly then, a preacher prepared. Peter is prepared for this particular phase in his work as an apostle.
[30:12] You remember that Peter and the other disciples were in, shall I say, the college with Christ. During his three years of ministry.
[30:25] While Christ was preaching throughout Judea and Galilee. The various places to which he went. And the disciples were being taught by the Lord on a regular basis.
[30:39] And you would think, well, was that not enough education for them in relation to the things of God?
[30:51] Well, obviously not. Because we see here that Peter is being taught another lesson. Because he isn't at this time being called to go to people who are of a Jewish background.
[31:07] And Peter needs to be prepared for going there.
[31:21] Of course, this isn't anything new. For example, when you think of Moses in the Old Testament. And the marvelous things he was able to do.
[31:34] By way of taking the children of Israel out of the tyranny of Egypt. Right through the desert to the promised land. Or to the borders of the promised land. And Moses, when he was around 40 years old.
[31:48] Thought he would engage with that particular task himself. But he needed to be taught a lot of lessons. And he went to Midian.
[32:02] Fleeing for his life from the king of Egypt. And he was in Midian for 40 years.
[32:14] One of the American commentators says he qualified for his BD at the back of the desert.
[32:27] The degree of BD is Bachelor of Divinity. And people have to study for that for a number of years. Well this man is saying that Moses had to study.
[32:38] And had to be taught for 40 years. From the time he went to Midian first of all when he was 40. Until the Lord called him. At the beginning of the book of Exodus.
[32:49] When the Lord revealed himself to him. At the back of the wilderness. In a burning bush. And then he was ready to go. Only then was he ready to go.
[33:01] And it's the same thing with Peter here. He was familiar with teaching the Jews. Because he was of a Jewish background himself.
[33:12] But now he was going to have to go to Gentiles. And the Lord was teaching him. Through this marvelous revelation. This vision that he had.
[33:23] On the top of this house. On that flat roofed house. Of Simon the Tanner. In Joppa. And he went up there.
[33:35] And it was the time for prayer. And he started praying. But then he started getting hungry. And the Lord showed him in this marvelous way.
[33:47] A sheep let down from heaven. With all kinds of animals. And birds and creeping things. And the Lord's voice saying. Arise Peter. Kill and eat.
[33:59] And the Jewish background. In Peter's thinking. Immediately said. I have never eaten anything. Unclean.
[34:09] Because there was. The Jewish law. Prescribing certain things. That could be eaten. And other things that must not be eaten.
[34:20] They were reckoned to be unclean. Certain animals. And so on. And certain birds. They were under the Jewish law. Under the ceremonial law. Reckoned to be unclean.
[34:31] And this is the background that Peter had. And when he saw all these different animals. And birds. Being presented. And the voice saying. Arise. Kill and eat. And satisfy your hunger.
[34:42] He said. No. I can't do that. I've never eaten anything. That is unclean. But the Lord said. What God has cleansed.
[34:53] Don't you call unclean. Peter was in. Peter was in. The university of God. And Peter was being taught a lesson.
[35:07] That he needed to learn. As all ministers. And all Christians. Have to learn. We have to learn. We have to learn. We have to learn. We have to learn.
[35:18] We have to learn. We have to learn. We have to learn lessons. Every day. And when the Lord is sending. A minister to you. The Lord is teaching. That minister. And equipping that man. To be able to minister to you.
[35:30] I fully believe. Just as he equipped. Peter here. For this particular task. I mean there was a man. Praying there. Cornelius.
[35:41] Cornelius. A man of God. He was. A Gentile. But he knew his God. And he prayed regularly.
[35:52] And he gave alms. He lived. A godly life. And God heard his prayers. And God answered his prayer. In sending him this man.
[36:06] Whom God had taught. What to do. And what to say. It's a wonderful thing.
[36:17] When the Lord is preparing somebody. For a place. Just on an aside. I remember when I first of all.
[36:28] Went to. My first congregation in Lox. The number of people that I knew. Throughout that congregation. Because of the work I had been doing. Years before.
[36:40] A number of these people. Had been working in the same establishment. And I got to know them. The Lord prepared me. In that particular way. And I believe the Lord is preparing.
[36:52] Everybody he calls. To minister. Maybe not exactly like Peter was prepared. In this way. But in his own way. The Lord is honing people.
[37:05] So that they will do what he wants them to do. In a particular situation. And this preacher was being prepared.
[37:16] I mean. It was anathema to Peter. Coming from a Jewish background. To try and feed himself.
[37:27] On animals and birds. That were ceremonially unclean. I mean. People. Would not kill. Certain birds.
[37:38] To eat them. Because the law said. It wasn't permissible. And Peter was of that mind. And background. And he was applying that.
[37:49] As it were. To people outside of the Jewish fold also. People who weren't Jews. In his estimation. Were unclean people. And he wasn't going anywhere near them.
[38:00] He should have remembered. What the Lord said. At the time of his ascension. That the Lord was sending them. To Jerusalem. And to Judea.
[38:12] And to Samaria. And to the ends of the earth. And the Lord had said. Go unto all people. And teach them.
[38:24] Making them disciples. And I am with you always. Even unto the end of the world. We sometimes are taught lessons.
[38:38] And sometimes we forget them. And we are having to be taught them again. The Lord is the best of all teachers. He is the most patient of all teachers.
[38:49] Sometimes we have to learn the same lesson. Again. And again. And again. And again. Like it says in the Old Testament. Here a little. There a little. Here a little.
[39:00] There a little. There a little. And the Lord teaches us again. And underlines for us again. This is the way you go. And that's the way you have to think things through. And be thankful that the Lord by his spirit.
[39:14] Is the great teacher. On a personal level. For every Christian. And for ministers also. That he teaches them. What to say.
[39:25] And. How to serve. Well that's what Peter here is being. Prepared for. Prepared for. Prepared for. A sphere of service.
[39:36] That he wouldn't have dreamt of. As a Jew. Nevertheless. The Lord is sending him. And isn't it amazing. When he comes down. And he meets these people.
[39:48] The Lord has said to him. I have sent them to you. The Lord has sent these people. To the door where Peter is. And then they explain to him.
[40:02] Why. Why they are there. Secondly. We see that when he reaches the house of Cornelius. He preaches a sermon.
[40:14] He had to travel about 40 miles. From where Peter was. To where Cornelius was.
[40:26] And. Obviously some of his friends from Joppa. He came with him. And once he arrived there.
[40:37] We see that. Cornelius. When he realized that it was the Apostle Peter. He wanted to bow down and worship him. How wrong we can be.
[40:49] Peter corrected him. And he said. I am also a man. We must not give people. The place. God. Requires to have for himself.
[41:00] Peter is a man. A man sent by God. Certainly. But a man nevertheless. And we have to see the God of Peter.
[41:11] Behind the message that he is going to deliver. And be thankful for the man with whom. He has sent the message. And you be thankful for the message. That the minister is going to preach to you.
[41:24] And. Listen to it. And pray over it. And pray before you come. And pray after you hear it. That the Lord would bless it.
[41:35] To you. Well. The sermon. A sermon. Is preached. And to me it is an amazing. Summary of.
[41:47] The sermon. We have in these verses. See for example. First of all. In verses 36 onwards. As for the word.
[41:58] That he sent to Israel. Preaching good news of peace. Through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. I find that.
[42:10] Bracketed. Phrase. Very very important. He is Lord of all. Peter. Says that. Because he's been taught.
[42:22] That there is life. Outside of the Jewish fold. There is life. Among. People who are not Jews. There is potential there.
[42:33] And the Lord Jesus Christ. Is Lord of the Gentiles. As well. As Lord of the Jews. And also. He goes on.
[42:44] And I'm just going to mention. Five things. That Peter highlights here. In his sermon. First of all. He starts by. Telling of the life of Jesus.
[42:55] Verses 36. You yourselves know. Verse 37. What happened throughout all Judea. Beginning from Galilee. After the baptism.
[43:06] That John proclaimed. How God. Anointed Jesus of Nazareth. With the Holy Spirit. And with power. And with power. He's teaching this.
[43:17] To the Gentiles. Gathered in Cornelius's house. And he's telling them about Jesus. The son of God. Who was.
[43:29] Anointed. With the Holy Spirit. And with power. The public demonstration of that anointing was. At his baptism. Do you remember.
[43:41] After John the Baptist. Had baptized the Lord Jesus. He was objecting to having to baptize him. He says. I need to be baptized by you. But Jesus said.
[43:52] Suffer it to be so just now. And after the baptism. After he came up from the water. The Holy Spirit came down. Like a dove coming up upon him.
[44:04] And abode on him. He was given his. The Holy Spirit. In his fullness. In order to equip him.
[44:15] As the God man. To fulfill every aspect. Of his task. As our Savior. And he anointed him. With the Holy Spirit. And with power.
[44:27] With great power. Jesus Christ. In our nature. Had great power. He had the power. That was able to calm the storms.
[44:39] In the physical realm. The power to cast out demons. The power to cure illnesses. The power to open the eyes of the blind.
[44:50] And the ears of the deaf. The power even to raise the dead. With one word. He said to Lazarus. Come forth. And he who had been dead.
[45:01] Four days. Who are beginning. To stink. As his sister Martha said. This is the fourth day. He stinketh. One word. And Lazarus who was dead.
[45:12] Came forth. He is still a powerful Savior. The fact that he is not here in this world.
[45:28] In our presence. As a physical entity. He nevertheless. He nevertheless. Rules from the. Throne of heaven. And he is able to give.
[45:39] New life. To individuals. As we see happening. As a result of the preaching of. Peter here. And then it says in.
[45:50] The middle of verse 38. That Jesus went about doing good. And healing all who were oppressed by the devil. For God was with him. And he is still able to do so.
[46:03] And then it says. We are witnesses of all that he did. Both in the country of the Jews. And in Jerusalem. So he is talking about.
[46:14] The life of Jesus. The ministry of Jesus. As he went about. In Galilee. And Judea. A reality. And then secondly.
[46:27] He talks about his death. At the end of verse 39. They put him to death. By hanging him.
[46:38] On a tree. Well. That short sentence. Packs a lot. Of theology. And a lot.
[46:50] Of reality. Into it. I mean. Who put him to death? The Jews put him to death. Why did they put him to death? Because they would prefer to have Barabbas.
[47:03] Who was a convicted. Felon. In the jail in Jerusalem. Not this man. They said about Jesus. When Pilate asked him.
[47:14] Who will I set free to you? Not this man. But Barabbas. And the scripture says. Barabbas was a robber. God. And these people.
[47:25] Who in their own eyes. Who were so good at law keeping. Outwardly as it were. Making sure that every. I was dotted.
[47:36] And every T was crossed. In their outward. Mode of living. They nevertheless. Crucified the Lord of glory. They put him.
[47:48] To death. By hanging him. On a tree. The most. Obnoxious. Death.
[47:59] Possible. And they hung him. Between two thieves. As if he were the arch criminal. Crucified that day.
[48:10] But then he talks about. The resurrection of Jesus. Jesus having died.
[48:23] To save his people from their sins. God raised him from the dead. And I always think of. The writer who said that.
[48:36] The resurrection of Jesus. It's as if God's giving his signature of approval. To the whole world. What Jesus has done.
[48:48] I approve of. And now I raise him from the dead. And I commend him. To the world. As the only saviour. Able to save. To the uttermost. No other name under heaven. Given among men. And I commend him.
[48:59] To the world. As the only saviour. Able to save. To the uttermost. No other name under heaven. Given among men. Whereby we must be saved. But God raised him. On the third day. And made him to appear. Not to all the people.
[49:10] But to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses. Who ate and drank with him. After he rose from the dead. It wasn't just a passage. To the past. To the past. And we have a passage. To the world. As the only saviour.
[49:21] Able to save. To the uttermost. No other name under heaven. No other name under heaven. Given among men. Whereby we must be saved. But God raised him. On the third day. And made him to appear. Not to all the people. But to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses.
[49:34] Who ate and drank with him. After he rose from the dead. It wasn't just a passing. Mental glimpse they had of the risen Jesus.
[49:49] I mean. He was there with them. And you remember that incident on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. When Peter and others. Had gone fishing. And Jesus appeared on the shore.
[50:02] After his resurrection. And Jesus calls to them and says. Have you caught anything? Have you any meat? And they said no.
[50:13] Cast your net. On the right side of the ship. And you will find. Then they weren't able to draw it in. Because of the number of fish. A hundred and fifty and three.
[50:25] Large fish. And John said to Peter. It's the Lord. And Peter immediately. Put his outer garment on. And jumped into the sea. And walked to the shore. He wanted to meet with Jesus. And he found there. Like a barbecue situation. Jesus had fish already.
[50:36] And bread. Waiting for them. And he came. And he said to them. Bring some of the fish that you have now caught. And they all ate together. On the shore. A risen Savior. A risen Savior. A real meal. With our risen Savior.
[50:47] A risen Savior. A risen Savior. A risen Savior. A real meal. With our risen Savior. And he found there. And he found there.
[50:58] Like a barbecue situation. Jesus had fish already. And bread. And bread. Waiting for them. And he came. And he said to them.
[51:09] Bring some of the fish that you have now caught. With our risen Savior. With our risen Savior. We ate and drank with him. After he rose from the dead. And then it says in verse 42.
[51:22] He commanded. Us to preach to the people. And to testify that he is the one. Appointed by God. To be judge of the living.
[51:34] And the dead. The dead. He is the one. Who is going to sit in judgment. Upon every individual. We must all appear.
[51:46] The apostle Paul says. Before the judgment seat of Christ. There to receive. According to what we have done in the body. Whether it is good. Or whether it is bad. And then he goes on to say.
[52:01] Verse 43. To him. All the prophets bear witness. That everyone who believes in Jesus. In him. Receives forgiveness. Of sins.
[52:12] Through his name. The scenario is. He is my judge. Before whom I have to stand. I am the sinner.
[52:25] How can I be able. To stand. Uncondemned. In front of the judge. The only way. The only way. Is. That I receive Jesus.
[52:37] As my Lord and Savior. By faith. To trust in him. Whom God commends to me. And whom the scripture commends.
[52:49] Repeatedly to me. Saying look unto me. All ye who labor. And are heavy laden. Come to me. And I will give you rest. And I will give you rest.
[53:00] And I will give you rest. And I will give you rest. Peter. I am sure. Would have expanded. On all of these aspects. Of the sermon. That I have highlighted here.
[53:11] The life of Jesus. The death of Jesus. The remission of sins. And so on. And so on. Peter.
[53:22] And Peter. Peter. And Peter. I am sure. To a full house. Of Cornelius. His family. And friends. Just as they used to have.
[53:34] Meetings in the houses. Here long ago. Can you tell. Wasn't it wonderful. That the Lord.
[53:45] Would do that again. Fill. Our family circles. With a desire. To have these kinds of meetings. Where Christians. Would gather. For worship.
[53:58] Together. Well that's the kind of situation. They had here. So that's the first thing. A preacher prepared to come. Taught by God. Secondly.
[54:10] The sermon. That the Lord. Gave them to preach. And thirdly. The blessing. Bestowed. By the Lord. Verse 44.
[54:24] While Peter. Was still saying. These things. The Holy Spirit. Fell. On all who heard the word. The Holy Spirit fell.
[54:37] Fell. The word here. For fell. Fell. Fell. Fell. Fell. In a weighty way.
[54:48] It can also be. Translated. Fell. In an embracing way. The Holy Spirit. Fell. Fell. In an embracing way. The Holy Spirit.
[54:59] Fell. Fell. Upon them. As if. Claiming them. As if. Subduing them. In love. And in grace. To the Lord himself.
[55:13] And that's what happens. When the Holy Spirit. Blesses. A sermon. When the Holy Spirit. Blesses. The reading of the scriptures. When the Holy Spirit.
[55:24] Blesses a soul. It's as if he embraces. That soul. And comes. With the weightiness. Of God himself. Isn't it amazing.
[55:38] That he makes us. A willing people. In a day of his power. It's as if. The Bible is saying to us.
[55:51] When he comes in. He brings weight. And reality. With him. With him. It's as if. He focuses. Our minds.
[56:02] Our affections. Our will. Our outlook on life. And it gives us. As it were.
[56:13] To realize. We're in the presence. Of the almighty. And that he is there. And we are accountable. To him. And we are here. In need of him. And we are persuaded.
[56:26] And enabled. Through the ministry. Of the Holy Spirit. To embrace. Jesus Christ. Freely offered to us. In the gospel.
[56:37] And that's what happened here. In the house of Cornelius. Peter was still saying these things. The Holy Spirit fell. On all who heard the word.
[56:49] And the believers. From among the circumcised. Who had come with Peter. Peter. Were amazed. They were amazed. They were amazed. They didn't expect.
[57:00] Gentiles. To be. Come under the sound. Of the gospel. In this saving way. They were amazed. Because the gift.
[57:11] Of the Holy Spirit. Was poured out. Even on the Gentiles. Gentiles. Aren't you grateful. Aren't you grateful. To the Lord. That he is still.
[57:22] Pouring his spirit out. On Gentile countries. On Gentile individuals. On you yourself. They were hearing them.
[57:35] Speaking in tongues. And extolling God. They were speaking in tongues. That was a first century.
[57:46] Phenomenon. In relation to the gospel. It was. A phenomenon. That was present.
[57:57] In the foundational. Church. The New Testament church. And as time went on. The speaking of tongues.
[58:08] In this way. Was diminishing. And diminishing. And was no longer necessary. As the scriptures. Were being made available. To people. And as the power of the spirit.
[58:20] Applied. The word of God. Through the preaching. Of the gospel. But there is a sense. In which.
[58:31] The people of God. Still speak. With a new language. Don't they? I mean. When the Holy Spirit comes. People start saying.
[58:43] Lord have mercy upon me. The sinner. Isn't that a new language. To people. And they. They call to the Lord. Remember me.
[58:54] With that love. Which thou to thine. Thine does bear. And in the home writers. Sentiment. She said. When another.
[59:05] You are calling. Don't pass me by. Don't pass me by. Years ago. You didn't care. Whether he passed you by or not.
[59:16] But now. It's a matter of life and death. You don't want him to pass by. You want him to stop at your house. And you want him to come in.
[59:29] Just like the church of Laodicea. In Revelation chapter 3. When he knocks at the door. And he wants to come in.
[59:41] And he says. If anyone hears my voice. And opens the door. I will come in. And sup with him. And he with me.
[59:52] It's as if he is saying. When I come in. You are expected to provide something. And I am provided something.
[60:03] What is the Lord expecting you to provide. When you open the door to him. Well you are expected. And asked to provide a repentant heart.
[60:16] And a believing soul. You bring your faith and repentance to the table. And he will bring forgiveness to the table. Isn't it wonderful.
[60:30] That he is willing to eat and drink with us. In that way. And then Peter says. Verse 47. Can anyone withhold water.
[60:42] For baptizing these people. Who have received the Holy Spirit. Just as we have. And he commanded them to be baptized. In the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain.
[60:55] For some days. For some days. Remember the situation with. The Ethiopian eunuch. As Philip the evangelist was.
[61:06] Teaching him. As he moved along in the chariot. And the Ethiopian said. Behold here is water.
[61:17] What stops me from being baptized. I believe. I believe. I believe in what you are saying. I am embracing the savior. And Peter. Philip says.
[61:29] Well if you believe with all your heart. You may. And the authorised version says. That the Ethiopian said. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God.
[61:43] And he went down with them. And he baptized. and then the last we see of the Ethiopian you know is that he went on his way rejoicing and I believe there was much rejoicing in Cornelius' house that day also because it says here at the end of the chapter the end of verse 48 then they ask him to remain for some days what an amazing thing that they wanted the thing to go on and on and on have you experienced that any time even under the preaching of the gospel or reading your own in your own time or having a gathering at home or whatever you'd like it to go on and on and on that's a sign of the blessing of God as it was with these people here may the Lord give us more and more times things like that in the world these three points then the preacher prepared the sermon preached and a blessing bestowed let us pray we pray that you would follow with your blessing
[63:02] Lord that we have sought to do in your name this day we praise you that you know our every need and that you meet us at the point of our need every time bless us now as we part and we pray that we would continue to be in prayer for one another and that we may seek the Lord's blessing for each other as we journey through life go before us and forgive our sin in Jesus name we pray Amen so we'll bring your worship to our conclusion at this time singing from Psalm 103 Psalm 103 verses 1 to 5 Scottish Psalter
[64:03] O thou my soul bless God the Lord and all that in me is bestowed up his holy name to magnify and bless bless O my soul the Lord thy God and not forget for me of all his gracious benefits he hath bestowed on thee all thine iniquities who doth most graciously forgive who thy diseases all and pains doth heal and thee relieve who doth redeem thy life that thou to death beest not go down who thee with loving kindness doth and tender mercy's crown who with abundance of good things doth satisfy thy mouth so that even as the eagle's age renewed is thy youth these stances of Psalm 103 verses 1 to 5 from the Scottish Psalter O thou my soul bless God the Lord O thou my soul o thou my soul who they believe with the night I am blessed.
[65:30] Let, O my soul, the Lord, I go up and come up again to me.
[65:49] O Anne, built its foe, and that it helps me un 채택 or ft not me.
[66:07] I believe with teilOOOOOOOO Ry Most graciously forgive Through God in peace Let all our monstrousanie and we drew Who doth redeem thy life, my life, to death this north, o'er the night?
[67:03] Who doth redeem thy love in kindness, God of heaven, and earth, O'er the night?
[67:22] Who doth redeem thy love, so that in us, lead to the church with you.
[67:55] Amen. Please allow me to go to the door after the benediction. Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore.
[68:14] Amen.