Transformative Power of the Resurrection: A Call to All
Summary
The resurrection of Jesus is not just a historical event but a living reality that continues to transform lives today. As we gather to celebrate this truth, we are reminded of the profound impact of the resurrection on both Jews and Gentiles, as illustrated in the story of Cornelius and Peter. Cornelius, a Roman centurion, was a devout man who feared God and was generous to the poor. His encounter with an angel led him to seek out Peter, who was simultaneously receiving a vision from God that challenged his understanding of purity and inclusion.
Peter's vision of a sheet filled with animals and the divine command to "not call anything unclean that I have called clean" was revolutionary. It signified the breaking down of barriers between Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing that God's love and salvation are available to all who believe. This message was not just for Cornelius and his household but for every nation and people group. Peter's declaration that "God does not show favoritism" underscores the universality of the gospel.
As witnesses to the resurrection, we are called to testify to the truth of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This testimony is not just about recounting historical facts but about sharing the transformative power of Jesus in our own lives. We are invited to be like Peter, stepping out of our comfort zones to share the good news with those who may be different from us.
The call to baptism and renewal is a call to die to ourselves and rise as new creations in Christ. It is an invitation to live fully for God, surrendering every part of our lives to His will. This act of obedience is not about following a formula but about experiencing the profound change that comes from being united with Christ in His death and resurrection.
As we reflect on this message, we are challenged to consider what holds us back from being fully committed to God. Whether it is fear, doubt, or a sense of inadequacy, we are reminded that God's grace is sufficient, and His call is urgent. Today is the day to respond, to be all in, and to testify to the goodness of God in our lives.
Key Takeaways
- The resurrection of Jesus is a living reality that continues to transform lives, breaking down barriers between Jews and Gentiles and offering salvation to all who believe. This universal message calls us to embrace the inclusivity of God's love and grace. [29:11]
- Peter's vision challenges us to reconsider our understanding of purity and inclusion, reminding us that God's love transcends cultural and social boundaries. We are called to be open to God's leading, even when it takes us out of our comfort zones. [32:10]
- As witnesses to the resurrection, we are tasked with sharing the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. Our testimony is not just about recounting historical facts but about living out the truth of the gospel in our daily interactions. [34:37]
- Baptism and renewal symbolize our commitment to die to ourselves and rise as new creations in Christ. This act of obedience is a powerful declaration of our faith and a testament to the life-changing power of the gospel. [36:47]
- God's call to be all in is urgent and transformative. We are invited to surrender every part of our lives to Him, trusting in His grace and responding to His call with boldness and faith. [49:41]
Youtube Chapters
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - The Resurrection's Impact
- [02:15] - Cornelius' Vision
- [04:00] - Peter's Vision and Revelation
- [06:30] - Breaking Down Barriers
- [08:45] - The Universality of the Gospel
- [11:00] - Witnessing the Resurrection
- [13:20] - The Call to Baptism
- [15:45] - Living as New Creations
- [18:00] - Overcoming Barriers to Commitment
- [20:30] - The Urgency of God's Call
- [23:00] - Responding to God's Grace
- [25:30] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 10:34-43
2. Acts 10:44-48
3. Galatians 3:28
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the significance of Peter's vision of the sheet filled with animals, and how did it challenge his understanding of purity and inclusion? [29:11]
2. How did Cornelius' vision and subsequent actions demonstrate his faith and obedience to God? [32:10]
3. What was Peter's message to Cornelius and his household, and how did it emphasize the universality of the gospel? [34:37]
4. What was the reaction of the circumcised believers when they witnessed the Holy Spirit being poured out on the Gentiles? [36:47]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Peter's declaration that "God does not show favoritism" challenge traditional cultural and religious boundaries? [32:10]
2. In what ways does the story of Cornelius and Peter illustrate the transformative power of the resurrection in breaking down barriers? [34:37]
3. How does the act of baptism symbolize a believer's commitment to die to themselves and rise as a new creation in Christ? [36:47]
4. What does it mean to be a witness to the resurrection, and how can believers testify to the transformative power of Jesus in their lives? [38:58]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt called to step out of your comfort zone to share the gospel. What barriers did you face, and how did you overcome them? [32:10]
2. Consider the inclusivity of God's love and grace. How can you actively embrace and demonstrate this inclusivity in your interactions with others? [34:37]
3. What holds you back from being fully committed to God? Identify one specific fear or doubt and discuss how you can surrender it to God this week. [49:41]
4. How can you be a witness to the resurrection in your daily life? Share a specific example of how you can testify to the goodness of God in your interactions with others. [38:58]
5. Baptism and renewal symbolize a commitment to live as a new creation in Christ. What steps can you take to renew your commitment to God and live out this transformation? [36:47]
6. Reflect on the urgency of God's call in your life. What is one area where you feel God is nudging you to respond with boldness and faith? [49:41]
7. How can you support and encourage others in your community to embrace the transformative power of the resurrection and live fully for God? [38:58]
Devotional
Day 1: The Resurrection's Transformative Power
The resurrection of Jesus is not merely a historical event but a living reality that continues to transform lives today. It breaks down barriers between Jews and Gentiles, offering salvation to all who believe. This universal message calls us to embrace the inclusivity of God's love and grace. The story of Cornelius and Peter illustrates this profound impact, as Cornelius, a Roman centurion, encounters Peter, who receives a vision from God challenging his understanding of purity and inclusion. This encounter signifies the breaking down of barriers and emphasizes that God's love and salvation are available to all who believe. [29:11]
Ephesians 2:14-16 (ESV): "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility."
Reflection: Who in your life might you be unintentionally excluding from the love and grace of God? How can you actively break down barriers to share God's love with them today?
Day 2: Challenging Our Understanding of Purity and Inclusion
Peter's vision challenges us to reconsider our understanding of purity and inclusion, reminding us that God's love transcends cultural and social boundaries. We are called to be open to God's leading, even when it takes us out of our comfort zones. This vision of a sheet filled with animals and the divine command to "not call anything unclean that I have called clean" was revolutionary. It signified the breaking down of barriers and emphasized that God's love and salvation are available to all who believe. [32:10]
Acts 10:34-35 (ESV): "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.'"
Reflection: What cultural or social boundaries do you find yourself holding onto? How can you allow God's love to challenge and expand your understanding of inclusion today?
Day 3: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection
As witnesses to the resurrection, we are tasked with sharing the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. Our testimony is not just about recounting historical facts but about living out the truth of the gospel in our daily interactions. We are invited to be like Peter, stepping out of our comfort zones to share the good news with those who may be different from us. This call to testify to the truth of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection is a call to live out the gospel in our daily lives. [34:37]
1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV): "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."
Reflection: How can you share the transformative power of Jesus in your life with someone today? What specific action can you take to live out the gospel in your interactions?
Day 4: The Call to Baptism and Renewal
Baptism and renewal symbolize our commitment to die to ourselves and rise as new creations in Christ. This act of obedience is a powerful declaration of our faith and a testament to the life-changing power of the gospel. It is an invitation to live fully for God, surrendering every part of our lives to His will. This call to baptism and renewal is not about following a formula but about experiencing the profound change that comes from being united with Christ in His death and resurrection. [36:47]
Romans 6:3-4 (ESV): "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Reflection: What area of your life needs renewal and surrender to God? How can you take a step towards living as a new creation in Christ today?
Day 5: Responding to God's Urgent Call
God's call to be all in is urgent and transformative. We are invited to surrender every part of our lives to Him, trusting in His grace and responding to His call with boldness and faith. As we reflect on this message, we are challenged to consider what holds us back from being fully committed to God. Whether it is fear, doubt, or a sense of inadequacy, we are reminded that God's grace is sufficient, and His call is urgent. Today is the day to respond, to be all in, and to testify to the goodness of God in our lives. [49:41]
Hebrews 3:15 (ESV): "As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.'"
Reflection: What is holding you back from fully committing to God's call in your life? How can you respond to His urgent call with boldness and faith today?
Quotes
And while talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering waiting for him. And he said to them, you are well aware that it is against our law for me to be even in a Gentile's house. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. It's been less than a decade since Jesus passed and rose from the grave at this time. And somehow God had spoken to Cornelius, this Gentile Roman soldier. And somehow he had spoken to Peter. And he brought Peter to the house of Cornelius with a message. [00:30:10] (45 seconds)
The message we heard and saw as your spirit revealed your truth to us this week. And so Father, now as we open your word to the book of Acts, may we see clearly ourselves in it. And may the words of my mouth, the meditations of our hearts, may they please you this day. Amen. And so Peter begins. He says, I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts every nation, the one who fears him, and does what is right. You have to understand how big of a deal this was. Peter should not be in this house. [00:31:13] (44 seconds)
You know the message of God that he sent to his people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ to his Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him. We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews in Jerusalem. [00:33:11] (32 seconds)
Each of us come to the cross and recognize it should have been me on the cross. But instead it was Jesus who crawled upon the wooden beam. Who died willingly on our behalf. It's the same message that we see today. And we are the witnesses to testify to what he's done. Now I want to look at verse 42. This is important. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. [00:35:56] (34 seconds)
The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gifts of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. And Peter said, Surely no one can stand in the way of their own. they're being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So what's our role in this? What's the application for us? The application is that we are God's witnesses. [00:37:01] (31 seconds)
What is the truth that it changes everything? And that truth is that Jesus died and conquered sin. And Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death because he loves you and he loves me. The same Savior that redeemed us will come one day to judge the living and the dead, it says. But notice the imperative here, the command. And the command is this. preach to the people. Tell the world. Tell everybody you know. Tell every person you encounter the truth. Be a witness and testify to what God has done. [00:38:09] (49 seconds)
Put yourself in Peter's perspective. There's no way Peter would have ever gone to a Gentile's house. And there he is in the house of Cornelius and he looks around and he sees all these people and he's like, okay, let's go. And so he begins to declare the good news of Jesus Christ. He tells them what happened. And the Holy Spirit pours out among these people. And then, do you know what the witnesses did? They were baptized. They're baptized by the Holy Spirit as it came upon them. [00:38:57] (31 seconds)
And I wonder this morning, as we think about the day, and we think about the power and the emotion and the excitement of the day, can you see yourself first as a witness? And second, can you see what an opportunity we all have? Do you see the opportunity in our midst? And there is no greater news that has ever been declared in all the world. All who believe in Jesus Christ are forgiven. Now some of you want to hear like, you don't know how bad I am. We all can see it, man. [00:39:46] (44 seconds)
I wonder if you can see that, that whatever you've done in the past, whatever you're presently doing, and whatever you're going to do is forgiven. That doesn't give you a license to act and behave on your own behalf. What it does is it clears you to be able to live your life for the Lord. Surrender your life entirely for who he is and what he's done. in your life and to testify and be a witness to his goodness they were baptized the whole family. [00:40:44] (30 seconds)
What's interesting about this is in the church today in america we go to this whole thing okay well you've got to they've heard the gospel you've accepted we like a formula we're formula people so because you've done that well then we should put you in a class and we'll put you in a class and you'll sit there for for four hours and someone will rattle you about about baptism or whatever else but that's not what they did peter gave this message of the gospel and said hey you don't want to go do this and they're like let's go because what was it it wasn't some amazing miraculous it was you're dying to yourself and you're coming out and saying i'm a new creation and i swear i'm going to live as a new creation in christ jesus and so we have who's this message for it's for everyone what's the message the good news of jesus christ and what's the mode the mode is us we're the witnesses we're the ones that stand up and testify in the goodness of god let me give you a quick application here boy that's small [00:41:05] (65 seconds)
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