Outer Banks Community Church

Acting Like Jesus Series - Acts 10:34-43

Intro:

Growing up I remember the anxiety I experiencing when there we certain games or events that required dividing into teams. These teams were selected through a team captain, and they would chose who they thought would best win or fit the team. I realize I am not alone with this past struggle. What a frustration when your one of the last people to be picked because you are not that good at something, you’re not fast enough, or smart enough or big enough, or good looking enough. The list is endless with worldly partialities. God wasn’t like that; the gospel is universal. God does not show favoritism. He invites earnest seekers from every nation to trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. In Acts Chapter 10 This is the message that opened the door to all who would believe.

“Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.” Acts 9:31

Text: Acts 10:34-43 (NKJV)

“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

Application: “For there is no partiality with God.” Romans 2:11

1. No Partiality but a fear for Him: vs. 34-35

“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

God is no respecter of persons. He shows no favoritism, no prejudice against anyone. He don’t care if you’re rich or poor. It doesn’t matter the circumstance. God does not favor a person because of who he is, what he does or what he has. Person or appearance, possessions or position, abilities or works, health or stature—these things do not make a person acceptable to God. "God is no respecter of persons." If the masses in the local church would get that out of their mind it would be amazing how many lost people in our communities would see Christ! Like in Peter’s time there are still many who want to continue to ignore the truth.

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.” Romans 10:12 (NIV)

Two things make a person acceptable to God. Peter covered them both. First there was FEARING GOD: “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.” Acts 9:31

Secondly WORKING RIGHTEOUSNESS: It means to be right and to do right. There are those who stress being righteous and neglect doing righteousness. This neglect leads to a false security. It causes a person to stress that they are saved and acceptable to God because they believed in Jesus Christ. But they neglect doing good and living as they should. They neglect obeying God and serving man. This also allows loose living; it allows one to go out and do pretty much as they desire. They feel secure and comfortable in their faith in Christ. They know that what they do may affect their fellowship with God and other believers, but they think theirs behavior will not affect there salvation. They think that no matter what they do their still acceptable to God. The problem with this stress is that it is a false righteousness. Righteousness in the Bible means being righteous and doing righteousness. The Bible knows nothing about being righteous without living righteously. Whoever believes in Him must live righteously.

2. We are Witnesses: vs. 36-41

“The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

God sent His Word to Israel; He sent Jesus Christ preaching peace. Israel was the first nation to receive God's Word. Salvation is of the Jews. It was Jesus Christ who brought the message of God; however, God's Word was not meant for Israel alone. Jesus Christ did not come just for Israel's salvation. God is no respecter of persons. God accepts people from every nation, all those who fear Him and work righteousness. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

No one had an excuse for rejecting the gospel of God's kingdom. Jesus Christ had travelled and preached the gospel everywhere, and He was the topic of conversation upon everyone's lips. They were without excuse. So it is today with those who have heard the gospel. They are without excuse.

Jesus was anointed with miraculous power. Power is the presence and outworking of the Holy Spirit within a person. Jesus declared this. He was very clear in declaring He Himself was anointed with the Holy Spirit so that He could be anointed with the power to minister.

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." Luke 4:18-19

The believer receives the Holy Spirit so that he can have the power to be a witness to the world. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8

Jesus Christ is still working in lives today, delivering from the oppression of the devil. The proof is clearly seen in the lives and witness of genuine believers. Jesus was crucified, slain, and hung on a tree and was raised up by God. Jesus appeared to some people who were chosen and appointed to be witnesses. God set Jesus before people so that He could be visibly, openly, and publicly seen. God manifested, showed, and set Him forth as the Risen Lord. Before Christ ever arose, God chose some people to be witnesses of His Son's resurrection. They were chosen for the very purpose of proclaiming the resurrection to a world of dying men. The witnesses did "eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead." They had close and intimate fellowship with Him. Wouldn’t that just put the icing on the cake if we could have close and intimate fellowship with Him.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” 1 John 1:1-4

3. Whoever Believes is forgiven: vs. 42-43

“And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

Let me make something very clear; Jesus shall judge the living and the dead of all nations. He shall judge Jew and Gentile, both rich and poor, strong and weak, white and black, healthy and sick, pretty and ugly He is no respecter of persons; we will all be judged! Jesus Christ alone is ordained to be the Judge. He alone, as the risen Lord, has the right to determine judgment. He determines the conditions of salvation: what a person has to do to be saved; how a person is saved; who is and is not saved. He determines the conditions of eternity: what eternal life shall be like; what eternal death shall be like; the state, the environment, the reward and the punishment of both heaven and hell.

Jesus is the prophesied Messiah, believing in Him brings forgiveness of sins: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24

Conclusion: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" John 11:25

THIS IS THE REASON FOR YOUR HOPE! BUT YOU MUST BELIEVE!

Self-sacrifice: A little girl’s first-grade class held its “track and field” day. She won quite a few ribbons, among them one blue ribbon for a first place. Later that day, when she came home, the blue ribbon was missing, and her mother asked what had happened to it. “Oh,” she said, “Bruce was crying because he didn’t win a first place ribbon, so I gave it to him.” Her mother hugged her and told her she thought it was very generous to give Bruce the ribbon. “Why not?” she asked. “After all, I know that I won it.”

If only all of us, adults included, had such a clear idea of what things are really important in life, and what things are just decorations! DO YOU BELIEVE?