This week's sermon recap is:
Jesus Has a Family
Acts 10:30 – 11:18
Jesus has a family! And Jesus still adopts people into the family of God -- the church -- and together, as a family, they grow to be more like him. So, who is the family of God? How can I be part of that family?
Note: We began this sermon with baby dedications.
Sunday's Big Question: How do I become a part of the family of God?
Acts 10:30-33
1. The Call of God
A running theme through the book of acts is that this is God's story and he is leading, guiding, and directing from all sides. In this specific story God is very sovereignly lining things up to bring the Gentiles in. We have seen him do this already with the Ethiopian Eunuch and Saul. God initiates.
2. The Message of God
If you remember from last week Cornelius needed to hear the message of God to be saved (cf. Romans 1:16). So what is it? Peter shares the good news!
Acts 10:34-343
a. Jesus, bringer of peace (36)
b. Jesus, Lord of all (36)
c. Jesus, a man among us (37)
d. Jesus, anointed with the Holy Spirit and Power (38)
e. Jesus, stronger than Satan and sin’s effects (38)
f. Jesus, killed on the tree (39)
g. Jesus, raised to life forevermore (40-41)
h. Jesus, the head of the church (42)
i. Jesus, the final judge of all people (42)
j. Jesus, the one the prophets foretold (43)
3. The Response of Man
a. Supernaturally driven
b. Empty Handed, but willing
Acts 11:18
Two empty hands...
i. Repentance – to see your need
Screen Acts 10:43
ii. Faith – to cling to the only one who can help
4. The New Family of God
Acts 10:44-48
c. All who are in Jesus Christ
This is quite a moment as Gentiles and Jews have never been allowed together unless a Gentile converted into the family of Judaism first.
Acts 10 is described as another Pentecost type event. This description is not typical for every experience. The speaking in tongues here happens to show that the Gentiles received the same Gospel, the same spirit, in the same way as the Jews. This whole thing is very divine and God-driven. It shows beyond a doubt that the gentiles will be included in the family of God.
Acts 11:1-18
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, ESV)
See also Ephesians 2:11-22, Galatians 3:28
You may be thinking, but you don't know me and my family. You don't know my past! I can't possibly be adopted into the family of God?
Does your family include incest? Does it include adultery? Does it include prostitution? Does it include murder? Jesus' family does. The Bible is honest about it and invites you to be honest as well, so that you can see the sins of your family and know that you all need a Savior. Jesus welcomes you to be adopted into the family of God -- the church -- and together, as a family, grow to be more like him.
The Ladies in Jesus’ Family Tree from Matthew
• Tamar – Slept with her father-in-law
• Rahab – A Canaanite prostitute famous for lying
• Ruth – Her entire race of people was the result of incest
• Bathsheba – Committed adultery with King David
• Mary – others questioned her reputation
Some of the Men
Abraham - Pimped out his wife twice
Judah - Thought he slept with a prostitute, turned out to be daughter-in-law
David - Committed adultery and murder; son tried to murder him
Solomon - Wisest man ever made dumb choices due to sexual deviancy
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, ESV)
Two empty hands by which you grab the gospel
1. Repentance- to see your need.
a. The way I have been living my life has not been working
2. Faith - to cling to the only one who can give you what you need
a. I need more than better thinking. I have real sin. I need a real savior
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