God’s Gracious Salvation Gifts – Acts 10:44-11:18

Receive God’s Gracious Gift

Acts.10:45-11:18 

Introduction:

• So, What is our text of Acts 10:44-11:18, talking about?
• We’ve seen in Acts 10:1-8, God’s working in Cornelius’ life to bring him to faith in Christ for salvation,
• We’ve seen in Acts 10:9-23, God’s working in Peter to open his eyes to understand that God accepts all those who do what is right and fear him: Faith & Repentance
• And in Acts 10:34-43 as Peter’s spoke to Cornelius & Co. we heard of God’s Provision of Salvation & the Saviour, Jesus Christ…
• In Acts 10:44-48, the H. Spirit fell on Gentiles,
• And in the last few verses, we see how Peter ordered them to be baptised, seeing they had received the Holy Spirit.

In ch.11, word had travelled back to Jerusalem and the Believing Jews,

• …the Apostles & Brethren had heard that
  • Gentiles had received the Word of God, mean: Gospel
  • And that Peter had gone and eaten w/ Gentiles
• What’s tremendously sad is that rather than rejoicing in God’s saving the Gentiles, the Jews instead are critical of Peter’s going & eating w/ Gentiles.
• They take issue! – in effect, demand an accounting from Peter!
• So, Peter patiently and in an orderly manner gives them an account, and makes it clear: God has worked to save them.
• God had worked in Peter’s heart, to open his understanding that the Gentiles are included in God’s People
• Notice in Peter’s recounting, he emphasises four tools God used to bring him to understand the full nature of God’s purposes:
  • 1st, in 5-10, there was a Divine Vision, of One Sheet containing all types of animals, including those made clean, together as One Group, signifying the One Body of Christ
  • 2nd, in 12, there was a Divine Command for Peter to go without misgiving to the Gentile’s home to speak w/ them
  • 3rd, 13-14, there was a Divine Preparation, as Peter realised, thru talking to Cornelius, that God was already at work in Cornelius’ life to prepare him to hear the Gospel
    • Just as he does, in our lives, in bringing us to Christ
  • 4) 15, there was a Divine Action, as the H. Spirit fell on them with power, producing the unmistakable evidence of His presence thru speaking in tongues: foreign-languages.
• Now, The Jews, like Peter, must also be brought to see, what Peter had seen: God accepts all who come in faith & repentance
• What has happened in Acts 10, is so Significant, that Dr Luke, a Gentile Believer Repeats it for emphasis, in 11.

So, What then is the message, for us, for today?

• \ Peter’s recounting makes it plain all the way thru both chapters: God is the One Working to Save His People, Jew & Gentile

In Chapter 10:

• It was God who Came to Cornelius, vss.1-8
• It was God who Changed Peter’s understanding, vss.9-23
• It was God who Does not show partiality, vs.34
• It was God who Sent His Word to the sons of Israel in vs.36
• It was God who Anointed Jesus with His H. Spirit, vs.38
• It was God who Accompanied Jesus thru His Ministry, vs.38
• It was God who Raised Jesus from the Dead, vs.40
• It was God who Appointed Jesus as Judge of Living/Dead, vs.42
• It was God who Ordered the Apostles to preach in vs.42
• It was God who Poured out His Holy Spirit on Gentiles in vs.44,
• So…. Peter says to the Believing Jews in Jerusalem, since God gave them the same gift of the Holy Spirit, that he gave us,
• …who was I to stand in God’s Way?
• In other words, Peter’s Explanation to the Jews, in Ch.11 is that:
  • God is the One Bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles
  • God is the One Displaying the Reality of His Saving them, by pouring out His Holy Spirit on them…
• For Peter or any other Jew to Resist Preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, would be to stand against God, in disobedience to Him.

• As I compared the two accounts, from Ch. 10, then Acts 11:1-18
• What I noticed was this significant statement that Peter added in his second account, ch.11
• 16-17, he says: “…I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ “Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”
• And so all the Believing Jews, when they heard this in vs.18,
• they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

Two Important Gifts from God, in these two texts, to which I will add two more to complete the picture,

• 1) vs.16-17,          God’s Gift of Baptism with the H. Spirit
• 2) vs.18,          God’s Gift of Repentance from God
• 3) from Eph.2:8, God’s Gift of Faith in God
• 4) vss.47-48, God’s Gift of Water-Baptism
• We considered belief and faith in God last week, so, for today we’ll just consider the other 3, altho faith will certainly come up

• For all of us, Jew & Gentile, to Experience Salvation is to Experience these Four Wonderful gifts of God.
• As we work thru the three before us, today, I want you to ask yourself: Have I received from God these Gifts?
  • Does my life bear evidence of having received these gifts?

Firstly:  there is the Gift of Baptism with the Holy Spirit

• Notice where our passage speaks of it:
• Acts 10:44–45 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. ⁴⁵ All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
• Acts 11:16–17 “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ “Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

First of all, Is this some sort of Repeated Pentecost?

• Well, The simple reality is that the Spirit of God was poured out in a manner similar to 2-Pentecost, The Spirit was poured-out, to many people, at one time, with the accompanying sign of speaking in Tongues or Languages – just as in Acts 2
• And, It was for a very unique purpose… Which is…
• For the sake of the Believing Jews, who’re watching…
• The Believing Jews saw what happened & were amazed, 45
• The Gentiles had, together, received the same gift of: H. Spirit
• The watching, Believing Jews, were now compelled to realise that
• God had given: Gospel, Salvation, & the Spirit to the Gentiles also

So, then, what is Baptism with the Holy Spirit?

• It is God’s pouring-out… His giving of the indwelling Holy Spirit, …into the life, the heart, the soul of each Individual Believer, as we come to Faith in God and Repentance of sin.
• The order of events, Faith, Repentance, Baptism w/ Spirit is basically simultaneous, they happen together
• The Spirit’s work is key to both faith and repentance

But, Beloved, What an amazing Gift of God as part of our Salvation

• The H. Spirit is promised & given to every true believer in Christ
• Paul said in Romans 8:9 “…you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

The Gift of: H. Spirit provides Rich Blessings for His saved recipients

God’s Gift of the H. Spirit Regenerates us, or makes alive in Christ…

• …we who were dead in trespasses and sins
• Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
• Jesus said in John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing…”
• Regeneration is God’s Holy Spirit, working within us, to transform our spiritual condition from being dead, separated, ignorant and careless of God and His ways….
• To being Alive, To being: In Christ, Reconciled to God, Relating to God thru the Spirit, Rejoicing in God, at Peace with God

God’s Gift of the H. Spirit Seals us, as set apart & Belonging to Christ

• 1:21–22 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, ²² who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
• The absolute guarantee
  • that our future salvation from God’s wrath in Hell
  • that we will inherit eternal life,
  • that we will one day be perfected….
• is God’s Gift of the Indwelling Holy Spirit.
• But, wait there’s even more…

God’s Gift: H. Spirit Mediates the Presence of Christ to us

• Jesus promised us in 28:20, he would never leave, nor forsake us… Now, Since Jesus, truly God and Truly Man, is enthroned in Heaven, how does he, today keep that promise?
• He keeps it in the Indwelling presence of His Spirit
• John 14:16–17 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷ that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
• Jesus’ H. Spirit mediates: abiding presence of Christ to us, in us

God’s Gift of the H. Spirit Ministers to us…

• In16:13-15, the H. Spirit Speaks to us…
• In 8:16, the H. Spirit bears Witnesses to us of our Adoption by God as His sons and daughters
• In Romans 8:26, the H. Spirit Helps us & Intercedes for us…..
• In Ephesians 1;17, Paul prays that we will receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation…
• one of the Spirit’s works is to Reveal and Illumine the scriptures to us for our understanding…
  • to remove those doubts, w/ rock-solid truth from God
• In 3:18, & Gal.5:22-23, the Spirit Transforms us thru the ministry of the Word, into mature godly saints…
• And there’s so much more to say about the Spirit’s Work in us…

But the Point for now is this:

• God Saves Sinners, Jews & Gentiles.
• God Proves-Displays His Work by Baptising us with His H. Spirit
  • This is Peter’s point to the Believing Jews
  • He was preaching the gospel to them…. Not quite finished
  • God had poured out His Holy Spirit
  • They had seen Gentiles filled with the Spirit – Saved!

Beloved, if you’re truly saved, then you are truly filled with the Spirit

• Being filled with the Spirit, He will manifest his Presence in you

You ask: How will I Recognise it?

• There will be inner, Unshakable Heart-Conviction: I belong to God
• There’ll be an inner sense of being Alive, Truly Unmistakbly Alive
• There’ll be an inner, Indescribable sense of Peace with God
• There’ll be a Joy that no matter what comes your way, nothing can truly suppress/remove it… Sorrowful at times, yet rejoicing
• There’ll be an inner, Connection Between you and God
  • His Word will come alive to you as you read it
  • Your Prayers seem to punch holes in the ceiling
• As time passes, you notice your reactions/responses R changing,
  • What once aroused seething anger, is now met w/ patience
  • Love that was once only for friends-family now extends even to those who once hurt-abuse you
• And so many other evidences and fruit.

Beloved, is that your experience?

• Have you received the gift of the Baptism of the H. Spirit
• It is not secondary or subsequent to faith in God, it comes before, and produces faith in God
• Is that your experience of God’s Gift of the Holy Spirit
• One unmistakable mark of true conversion is the presence of the Holy Spirit within – do you have it?

Secondly: We Receive the Promised Gift of Repentance

• God saved the Gentiles in Peter’s day, and no doubt, as he stayed on for a short time, he was able to see evidence of the Repentance that the Jew now recognised as God’s gift to them.
• God saved us and gave us the gift of repentance as He did so.
• Repentance is a gift God, just as Faith is a Gift fr. God
• Acts 5:31 Christ… “is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
• Similar to Our text:11:18, “God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

So, What is Repentance?

• Immediately some will say: it’s a turning around and going the other way – which it is, but it’s so much more than that…

Repentance is:

• To recognise God’s Demand of Holiness & Moral perfection on me
  • as my conscience & God’s Law describes it
• It is the realisation of my utter failure to meet God’s Demands
• Repentance is to be Exceedingly Sorrowful over my sin….
  • Just Like Peter, as Jesus turned and gazed at him across the firelight and Peter’s conscience convicted him and he went outside and wept bitterly… he had denied His Lord
• Repentance is to be exceedingly sorrowful, but, not merely for my ruined condition, but that my sin, has Offended, God…
• Repentance is to recognise & judge myself as truly sinful before God, and deserving of God’s Condemnation….
• and then, Hearing the Gospel of God’s Grace, & Kindness, & Love, & Mercy, & forgiveness, becoz of Christ’s death….
• I flee to God, in Faith, for God to save me…
• Repentance is to live, from then on, with a God-given, Radical change of Heart & Spirit & Mind & Will,
• It is to Live in Submission to God’s Word and Will…
• It is to live from then on with a Holy Resolve, a Godly Determination that by God’s enabling Holy Spirit,
• I will have nothing to do w/ sin lest I offend God again
• It is indeed, to turn away from sin, and to turn to God in Faith

Repentance and faith cannot be separated from each other,

• they are in effect two sides of the same coin of salvation
  • By Faith in God, we Repent
  • In Repenting, we Believe and Trust in God
• 3:16 says: whosoever believes in Him will not perish…
• Luke 13:3-5, Jesus said 2x unless you repent you will all…. Perish
  • So, Belief results in not perishing, and….
  • Repentance results in not perishing – 2 sides of same coin

Repentance is certainly a result of the Holy Spirit’s work in us

• So, the question will arise: Isn’t repentance a form of works?
• God’s command to Repent, Imparts: strength-ability to Obey
• God’s command to Trust, Imparts strength-ability to Obey
  • Just as Jesus commanded the paralytic to rise, take up your bed and go home, his command divinely imparted the strength and ability to obey, it is God’s Work in us….
• I hear the command, and there arises a desire, a longing within me, to repent & turn away fr sin & turn towards God (2:12-13)

So, What’s the point of all this to us?

• Peter’s point to the Jews: God saved sinners, both Jew & Gentile, and He displayed the reality of it by the Gift of Baptism w/ the Spirit, and the gift of Repentance

God’s Salvation Gifts, are

• Baptism with the Spirit
• Faith in God, and
• Repentance from sin, and to God.

• All three are evidences of God’s Work to Save us.
• So, do you and I see that work of God in our own lives?
• Has God saved us? Have we received this gift of Repentance?
• Do we recognise God’s Gift of Repentance at work in our life?

• We often talk about Salvation as coming to Love God…. Great!

But, Here’s some far more difficult questions:

• Do I hate my sin?
• Do I see my sin as just what ruins me, or
  • Do I see it as what offends God & grieve over that, as much as the other?
• Is there within me-us a deep, profound Sorrow for sin
• Is there a recognition that we cannot, we must-not continue in sin any longer
• Is there w/i us a craving to be rid of sin, to no longer give in, becoz we recognise that every sin we commit, Christ must pay for
• Is there within your heart, my dear friend a desire to live godly, pleasing, lives before God?

Beloved,

• God Gives Wonderful Gifts to Display the reality of our salvation
• Do you see those gifts present in your life?

Thirdly) Receive the Gift of Water Baptism

• 11:17, Who can stand in God’s way?
• 10:46-47, Who can refuse Water for the Baptism of those who’ve received the Holy Spirit
• Notice that Baptism in water followed the receiving of H. Spirit
• Notice in Peter’s language, there was not an invitation, a discussion, about whether or not one wanted to be baptised…
• Those who believed, were baptised – they received it as a gift
  • They obeyed the command to be baptised
• Peter’s question was directed at his fellow Jews in terms of one hindering, refusing, preventing them from being baptised

What is Baptism in Water

• Remembering that the word Baptidzo means to immerse…
• So, with respect and May God bless our dear brothers and sisters in Christ who practice baptism as sprinkling, it is not what the scriptures teach. Baptism is by immersion, plain and simple.

What is the significance of Baptism?

Baptism Signifies union with Christ in His redemptive acts

• In Galatians 3, Paul speaks of our being clothed with Christ
• It Pictures our putting off old clothes to be baptised and them putting on new clothes, signifying a new union, a new identity
• Galatians 3:26–29 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
• 6:1-5, Paul describes how we’re united with Christ in his Death, His Burial, & His resurrection, and so we participate in the New Creation, in Christ

Baptism Signifies Renewal by the Holy Spirit

• Union w/ Christ is inconceivable apart fr. work of H. Spirit
• Just as we are baptised with the H. Spirit, spiritually,
• so we are physically baptised in water to display/ picture: truth of being baptised with the H. Spirit.

Baptism Signifies Entrance into the Kingdom of God

• The Salvation provided by Christ is none other than New Life under the Saving Sovereignty of God in Christ, our King.
• The moment of our conversion, we are in submission to Christ as Lord, God, & King
  • His Genealogy was as the Son of David, in Matthew 1
  • He was born King, in Matthew.2
  • He was promised the throne of His Father, David, Luke 1
  • He admitted his Kingship to Pilate, Matthew.27
  • He was crucified as King of the Jews, Matt.27
  • He was repeatedly called the Son of David – the King, (repeatedly) Matthew
  • He is now seated on His Father’s throne, Hebrews 1, 8, 12
• Our Baptism signifies to all watching that we are have been transferred, by God, into Christ’s Kingdom….
• Colossians 1:13–14 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Baptism Signifies our Union with Christ’s Body-Church

• 3:26-28, (which we read just a few minutes ago)
• We’re One, United w/ all those who’re United to Him
• We all have the same faith as Abraham, and we’re all sons/daughters of Abraham, united together in The Son of Abraham – who is Christ.

Listen,

• Just as you’re saved, and filled with the Spirit, and a member of Christ’s body, so am I,
• Baptism signifies our union, our fellowship with each other as brothers and sisters of One Father, In Christ

Baptism Signifies Our Lives, Being Lived in Obedience to the Rule of God

• 6:4, we were buried with Him through baptism, in order that we too may live new life
• Romans 6:15-19, we were brought out from Slavery to sin, and….
  • We have been brought into Slavery to Obedience, vs.
  • We have become slaves to Righteousness.
• One of the great problems of our day & age is the rise of idea that we’ve been saved fr God’s wrath in Hell, fr sin & fr death,
• so that we can now live our lives as free-men/women,
  • deciding for ourselves our own course of action, our own direction. – Not so!

Christianity is not a Democracy, it is a Monarchy,

• and we’re not the King…. Christ is King & Lord & Master & Saviour
• We are sons and daughters of God the father
• We are also slaves to righteousness
• It just so happens that being a slave to righteousness brings us into unknown heights of Joy, Blessing & Fulfilment, as we Obey!
• Baptism is not a decision that we get to make
• Baptism is a command we are to obey

Baptism is God’s Gracious Gift, whereby we can make known to everybody watching the greatest piece of news we have

• I once was lost, but now I’m found
• I once was blind to the glories of God in Christ, but now I see!
• I once was enslaved to the evil taskmaster of my own sin
• But now, I am Free, under New Ownership & Lordship: Christ!

Beloved, Have you received God’s Gracious Gifts of Salvation?

• Christ died on a cross to purchase our salvation
• Christ rose again to provide our justification
• Christ has sent his messengers, like Peter, Paul to declare the great news, the gospel of Christ.
• Christ has opened our hearts to understand the Gospel Message

So, Beloved…

• Have U grieved over your sin and the offence it has caused God
• Have U come to Christ in Submission to Him: Lord, Master, King?
• Have U received the gift of repentance, hating your sin, turning away from it and turning towards God?
• Have U rec’d the precious gift of Faith, trust. in Christ to save U
• Have U rec’d that tremendous gift of the Holy Spirit, filling, indwelling, empowering, transforming you from sinner to saint?
• Have you been baptised, to declare with exceeding joy, that you belong to Christ?

Behold the Lamb – Communion Song

Communion:

What a Saviour we have in Christ!

What a Saviour and Lord, that He died to purchase these tremendous gifts for our enjoyment to display to us, that we’re truly saved

To display to the watching world that we belong to Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:23–27

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. ²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.

Closing Prayer: