They Were Astonished

They Were Astonished 2021 09 05

Acts 10:1 – 48

  

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines a bigot as:  A person who is obstinately and unreasonably wedded to a particular religious creed, opinion, practice or ritual. The word is sometimes used in an enlarged sense, for a person who is illiberally attached to any opinion, or system of belief; as a bigot to the Mohammedan religion; a bigot to a form of government.

 

Another kind of bigotry has also become very visible as we pass through this time of a global pandemic, with so many believing they know everything about it, regardless of their sources or areas of expertise.  Divisions are appearing, even in churches, that should never even be seen among Christian brethren.

 

In general use, today, a bigot is someone who is intolerant of any ideas other than his or her own, especially on religion, politics, or race.  Bigots tend to think that their view is the only one that matters and in more extreme cases, that their race is the best race and that they are the only ones going to heaven.

 

It is said that “you can tell a bigot, but you can’t tell him much!”

 

Acts 10:1 – 48 (44 – 48)

 

The backstory for our message, this morning, is found in the first 43 verses of Acts 10. Peter was in Joppa, fasting and praying on the roof top of the house where he was staying, when he had a very strange vision.  In it, a sheet was lowered to him three times, full of all manner of four-footed beasts, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds.  Three times a voice told him to kill and eat.  Three times he refused, saying that he had never eaten anything unclean or common.  Three times, a voice told him not to call common or unclean what God has cleansed.  Just as he saw the vision for the last time, three gentiles were knocking at the door, sent to find Peter by the gentile Centurion, Cornelius, as he had been commanded by an angel.  Peter finally understood that all men are equal under God.

 

As we take a closer look at verses 44 – 48, Peter had arrived at the home of Cornelius, and had just finished preaching the gospel.

 

 

I  These Gentiles were Saved

  1. While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Ghost fell upon these gentiles at Caesarea!
    1. Furthermore, the Holy Ghost fell on ALL who were listening! All those Gentiles present at Cornelius’ house were obviously saved, else the Holy Ghost would not have fallen on them.

           

II  This Was Just Like Pentecost

  1. In verse 47 we see Peter’s confirmation of this fact, but it is also clear in verse 44.
    1. This was just like Pentecost. Just like what happened when the Holy Ghost fell upon the apostles and other believers at Pentecost, the Holy Ghost fell upon these gentile converts without the laying on of hands.
    2. This was God the Holy Ghost coming directly upon the gentile believers in power, just as He had done on the Jewish converts.

 

III  They Were Astonished

  1. So strong was the bigotry among the Jews in those days that the Jewish converts present, called those of the circumcision, were utterly astonished when the Holy Ghost fell upon these Gentiles (Gentiles were considered dogs by the Jews of that time).
    1. There was no mistaking it! The same signs that followed the Holy Ghost falling upon the Jewish converts at Pentecost were seen here.  These Gentile believers were speaking with other languages that they did not know and magnifying God.
    2. Therefore, Peter challenged those with him to tell him if there was any reason that these new believers should not be baptized, since God had so clearly approved of them, just as He had of the Jewish converts at Pentecost, and then he called for them to be baptized.
  2. We might be tempted to think we’re not guilty of the same things as Peter’s friends. Yet it’s all too common to split hairs over who is saved and who is not based on what church they attend!
    1. It might be unlikely that some get saved in some churches, but it’s not necessarily impossible for someone to be saved in any church. It’s God’s business to draw people to Himself.
    2. We need to recognize fellow Christians not on where they go to church, but on their testimony and their witness.
      1. Even in the Apostles’ day, there were many in the true church who were not true Christians, or they wouldn’t have written so much to the churches about being certain of salvation.

 

IV A Sign of the Times

  1. A very important fact must be noted regarding this amazing event.
    1. This is the only other time recorded in scripture, apart from the events of Pentecost, in which the Holy Ghost fell upon a group of new believers without the laying on of hands by the Apostles.
    2. This was a sign of the times, a sign given by God in the early church to clearly show that Jesus Christ died for ALL, not just for the Jews (and not just for Baptists!). God showed by this sign once and for all that He is no respecter of persons, but that He sent His Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

V  No Room for Bigots

  1. There is no room for bigots in Christ’s church. Ours is a reasonable faith; therefore, we must hold reasonable beliefs and doctrines.
    1. It is NOT wrong to separate from the way of the world, because God tells us to (eg Romans 12:2)
    2. It is not wrong to hold to particular doctrine. I Timothy 1:3,4 says, “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”
      1. And 1 Timothy 6:3 – 5 says, “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”
      2. Therefore, it is not wrong or bigoted to hold to correct, Biblical doctrine, because it is not unreasonable, but reasonable.
    3. What IS wrong is for us to think that only people from our church, or only Independent Baptists are part of the bride of Christ or that we are the only ones who will be in heaven. Many who do not have exactly the same doctrine as we do, even though they may well be in error on many other points, if they have repented toward God and trusted in Jesus Christ as their Saviour, are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Conclusion

It is not wrong for us to point out doctrine that is erroneous, or being neglected, or being rejected.  But let’s not be astonished when Christ comes back, amazed to see all those others with us who were not Independent Baptists in this life!  Instead, let’s look for the witness and the testimony of those who claim to be Christians, and let’s show the world that we are Christians, followers of Christ, by our love for one another.  “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:34, 35. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”  1 John 4:7. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” Hebrews 10:24. Amen.