Turn back with me to Acts chapter
11. Last Wednesday night, we looked
at this wonderful story of Cornelius. how the Lord brought the gospel
to this man. He was a religious man, but he
did not know the gospel. He did not know the truth. He
didn't know the true and living God. And the Lord brought the
gospel to him and prepared him to hear it and prepared Peter
to preach it. And look at chapter 10, verse
44. It says, While Peter yet spake these words, The Holy Ghost
fell on all them which heard the Word. And Cornelius and those other
Gentiles, they were Gentile men and women, they believed God's
Word while Peter was preaching it. Verse 48 says, And he commanded
them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, then prayed they
Him to tarry certain days." The whole happening, that whole event
was a very precious event, special. It was a very special, loving,
glorifying to God event. All right, now chapter 11 verse
1 says, And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard
that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter
was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision,
that means the Jews, contended with him." Now you talk about quench the
spirit, something wonderful just happened. And you'd think they would be
elated. You'd think they would be elated
to hear about a group of people somewhere who have sent to hear
the gospel that happens all the time. There's a group of people
out somewhere and somebody's going to go and preach and then
you bring back word that The Spirit worked mightily and they
believed and you'd think they would just be elated over this,
but they're not. Look at verse 2. When Peter was
come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended
with him. Now listen to what the word contended
means. I almost did not look this up
because I thought I knew what it meant. But I just thought,
well, let me just, just in case. All right, here's what it means.
To separate thoroughly. thoroughly separate. It means
to withdraw from, to oppose, to discriminate. They did not
just question His actions, they cut Him off. They cut Him off. Verse 3, saying, Thou wentest
in to men uncircumcised and did eat with them. We are all sinners,
you know that? We are all sinners. When God saves us, we become
saved sinners, but we're going to be sinners until the day we
die. And I'm going to tell you that there are times when we
need to withdraw from certain individuals. And there are times
that we don't. And may God give me the wisdom
to know those times. You know what I mean? Separations
take place all the time. They cut him off. You would think that these men
right here, after all of God's mercy to them, Peter is back
in Jerusalem. He went over to Joppa and he
came back to Jerusalem and this is where the whole thing started.
Go back over to chapter 2. He is in Jerusalem and these are the same people,
chapter 11 is the same people that are in chapter 2. Look at
chapter 2, verse 22. Peter said, You men of Israel,
hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you
by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by Him in the midst
of you as you yourselves also know, Him being delivered by
the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by
wicked hands have crucified and slain. Look at chapter 3, verse
13. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac,
and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son,
Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied Him in the presence
of Pilate, when He was determined to let Him go. But you denied
the Holy One, and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted
unto you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised
from the dead, wherever we are witnesses. you killed him. These
people were the actual ones who took him to Pilate. He said,
we want him dead, the actual ones. Back in chapter 2 verse
36 says, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly
that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified,
both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, these
same men, when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart
and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost. Now watch verse 39. For the promise
is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off. even as many as the Lord our
God shall call." And now God has been merciful to some sinners,
just like they were, who were afar off. And when Peter comes
back, this is the very man that told them the truth right here,
the very man God used to tell them the truth. He comes back
and they all contend with him saying, you went into men who
were uncircumcised and you ate with them. Now does that remind you of anything?
Does that remind you of anything? Go with me to Mark chapter 2. Look at verse 15, and it came
to pass that as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans
and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples,
for there were many. I don't hardly ever underline
anything in my Bible. There's nothing wrong with that.
You can't hardly read Brother Henry's, it's got markings all
over it. But I don't because I don't want to be influenced
next time. I want to see something blank. But I couldn't help it. I had to underline there were
many. There were many. And they followed him. And when
the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners,
they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and
drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith
unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician,
but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance." How wonderful is that? Look at Matthew 11. Matthew 11 verse 19 says, The Son of Man came eating
and drinking, and they say, Behold, a man gluttonous and a winebibber. A friend of
publicans and centers. That's who he is. He is a friend
of publicans and centers. True friend. We ought to know
that because he's been a friend to us and that's who we are.
That is who we are. I can't help but smile. I am
a center and he's a friend of centers. I know I'm a center. Go to Luke 15. I don't want to
overturn, but... News is too good to a sinner.
Luke 15 verse 1 says, "...then drew near unto him all the publicans
and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees, And the scribes
murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and he eats with them. And our Lord spake this parable
unto them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep,
if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine
in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he find
it? And when he hath found it, he
layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth
together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with
me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you
that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. more than over ninety and nine
just persons which need no repentance." And then he told us the same
story of a woman who lost a piece of silver and she's going to
go looking for it. And when she finds it, she says,
rejoice, look at verse 10, likewise I say unto you there is joy in
the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. envy the saints who are already
there, watching this joy each time a sinner repents for the
first time. That's got to be exciting. That
would be wonderful to see. the angels erupt with joy every
single time a sinner repents. Thank God Christ was willing
to receive sinners and eat with sinners, be the true friend to
them. Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. Okay, now
go back to Acts chapter 11. Verse 3, Thou wentest in to men
uncircumcised and did eat with them. But Peter rehearsed the
matter from the beginning and expounded it by order unto them. That's what preaching is. That's
what preaching is. We rehearse the matter from the
beginning and we expound it in order every time. And he expounded
it saying in verse 5, ìI was in the city of Joppa praying,
and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, as
it had been a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners,
and it came even to me. Upon the witch, when I had fastened
mine eyes, I considered and saw four-footed beasts of the earth,
and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter, slay and eat.
But I said, Not so, Lord, for nothing common or unclean hath
at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again
from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. Peter had to remind them, just
like we have to be reminded, that God has chosen to have mercy
on sinners. Did you know that this room is
full of sinners? In practice. Practicing sinners. Current sinners. Licensed sinners. Well, you know, he's just a sinner.
I know. Christ came to save sinners. We have to be reminded of that.
Why is he doing that? He's a sinner. That's why he's
doing it. But Christ came to save sinners. This is the gift of God. We didn't
earn it. I was not worthy of it. You know,
we make the joke, well, I used to be. But you see, something
in me was worthy of this gift. We're about to look at repentance.
No, that's not true. I did not earn it. It's a gift
and he gives it to whoever he wants to give it to. And he's
chosen to give it to sinners. And it does not matter what I
see in myself and it does not matter what I see in anybody
else. If Christ has made us clean, we are clean indeed. Verse 9
says, The voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed,
that call not thou common. And this was done three times,
and all were drawn up into heaven. And behold, immediately there
were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from
Caesarea unto me. And the Spirit made me go with
them, nothing doubting. Moreover, these six brethren
accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. And he
showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood
and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose
surname is Peter, who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and
all thy house shall be saved. And as I began to speak, the
Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning. Then remembered
I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized
with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
For as much then as God gave them the like gift as he did
unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I
that I could withstand God?" What an amazing thought to think
of him preaching. And at that moment in time, God
sending His Holy Spirit down as He's preaching. And God's
Holy Ghost, He calls it here, landing on them, entering into
them, performing a work in them, causing them to respond by believing. What a miraculous event! Did you know that that is exactly
what happens every single time God blesses the Word to our hearts? We cannot worship God without
His Spirit. I so many times have left this
place thinking, I don't think I worshiped God. You know why? I didn't have His
Spirit. I did not have His Spirit. We cannot receive this Word if
God doesn't give it to us every time by His Spirit. We cannot
believe this Word if God does not create that in us every single
time by His Spirit. We cannot rejoice in this Word
if God does not bless it to our hearts on purpose every time. That's why we start every service
begging God for His Spirit. And I stand up here, I sit usually
right there. And here I am, and I have all
these, and I think, man, I'd love to hand these off to somebody
else, because I don't feel spiritual. Lord, send us your Spirit. Send
us your Spirit. Send us your Spirit. I'm dead,
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm frail, I'm lost. Send us your Spirit. Send us your Spirit. Lord, send
us your Spirit. We will keep calling and we will
keep waiting until you send us your Spirit. Send us your Spirit. Take this word and bless me.
Don't let me leave here without having received your gift. Send your Spirit. That's my Beg,
that's my prayer, send me your spirit and bless this word to
my heart. Verse 17 says, for as much then
as God gave them the light gift as he did unto us, who believed
on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand
God? When they heard these things,
they held their peace and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also
to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." That is the response
of a believer when he bows to the Word and the will of God.
We are so easily sidetracked from God's Word and God's will. so easily sidetracked and it
is such great mercy that he would bring us back. You know that? Verse 18 says, when they heard
these things, that is why I keep coming here. That's why we have
not canceled Wednesday night service. I got to be here. I have got to hear these things. Verse 18 says, When they heard
these things, they held their peace. If we want peace, we need
to hear these things. We need to keep hearing these
things. When we lose sight of these things, that's when turmoil
comes. Verse 18, When they heard these things, they held their
peace and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles
granted repentance unto life. Now I want to focus on that phrase
for just a minute and we'll be finished. Repentance unto life. What they finally realized is
this, God has granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life. This is a very important thing. A very important thing. I want
to show you five things about repentance. And I pray that this
will be a comfort and a blessing to us. This was a real blessing
to me. Our Lord came preaching. Matthew
4, 17. At that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. That's what the Lord
said in his message. Repentance is a vital thing. Almost every time it's used in
the New Testament, it means a change of mind. God granted repentance to these
Jews right here in this story. He changed their mind. They started
out contending with him and then Peter rehearsed the word to them
is what he did. And they had a change of mind.
God granted them repentance. That's what God continues to
give his people the more they learn of this word. Repentance. It's a change of mind. We might
think a certain way. Everybody has a belief about
something a certain way. But whenever a believer sees
the truth of the matter in God's word, The Lord allows them to
repent toward it. Repentance is toward God. It's a change of mind toward
God. A change of mind to the Word
of God. It's a change of mind about who
God is, and what man is, and what sin is, and what salvation
is. We know all that, right? It's
a vital thing. Now, let me show you five things
about repentance. Here's the first one. Right here
in Acts 11, the end of verse 18 says, it's unto life. It's unto life. It's unto life. That is not a
light statement. That's a heavy statement. Without
this change of mind, a sinner will remain dead in trespasses
and sins. The Lord has granted this change
of mind to some and not to others. And without this change of mind,
a sinner will remain dead in trespasses and sins. This change
of mind about what will pay the debt of sin. That is what brings
life. Look back at Matthew 26. I'm
going to read a verse while you turn there. This is Mark 1 verse
4. It says, John did baptize in
the wilderness. and preach the baptism of repentance
for the remission of sins." And it actually translates unto the
remission of sins. Now Matthew 26 verse 28 says, Our Lord said, for this is my
blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission
of sins. If God will ever convince a mind,
and what that means is a heart and a soul of that right there,
then life has come to that individual. Alright, here's the second thing.
Second thing about repentance, go with me over to Hebrews 12. This is talking about Esau, Jacob
and Esau. Look at the end of verse 16. Hebrews 12 verse 16 says, Esau,
who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For you know
how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing,
he was rejected. For he found no place of repentance,
though he sought it carefully with tears." Now if your Bible
has a margin in it, next to the word place, I have a number six.
And it says, way to change his mind. He found no way to change
his mind. That means he had a hard heart. And no matter how much he wanted
to, no matter how much he wanted that inheritance, he could not
change his mind. You would think hell would be
a place full of people who are so sorry for their sin. It's
not. It is not. They cannot change
their mind. This is only something that God
can give. God must give repentance or it
is not coming. This is not by man's decision.
It's not by man's ability. You know, we're going to sit
down and have a one-on-one conversation with somebody and we're going
to change their mind. No, we're not. No, we're not. Repentance
is unto life, but man does not get the glory for it. It has
to be given by God. A sinner could not change his
mind about who God is and what man is and what sin is and what
salvation is if he wanted to. He could not change his mind.
So if you have a changed mind, thank God for it. Thank God for
it. Repentance is unto life and it's
something that only God can give. Here's the third thing. Go to
Romans chapter 2. Romans chapter 2, look at verse
4. or despises thou the riches of
His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." The fact
that God gives repentance proves His goodness and His grace. The fact that He has changed
our mind proves that He is good and kind. He does not have to
do that. We have not seen Him face to
face. All we have to know about Him
is what He has written in His Word. And the fact that He has
given us repentance ought to prove to us that He's kind, and
He's tender, and He's merciful, and He's long-suffering. And
the reason is because He, in mercy, broke our will and changed
our mind. He led us to repentance. You think of repentance, naturally,
I do, as being a hard thing. You picture these men up there,
you know, Repentance is actually one of
the sweetest things that God gives. He only gives it to His
elect. I always thought of repentance,
well that is for unbelievers. And then all the other stuff
is for believers. Repentance is only for God's elect. It's only for believers. He changes
the mind to the saving of the soul. It's unto life. It's something
only God can give. And the fact that He gives it
proves His goodness and His grace. Here's the fourth thing. Go to
Matthew chapter 9. Matthew 9, look at verse 13. It says, but go ye and learn
what that meaneth. I will have mercy and not sacrifice,
for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He does not give this precious
gift to everybody, only to sinners. Are you a sinner? Only the sinners. Ask a sinner, are you a sinner?
I mean really, are you a sinner? Oh man, yes. That's repentance. Man is not born into this world
growing up, going through school, getting work, doing his thing
thinking, I'm a sinner. That's repentance. Total change
of mind. And that's good news. That is
good news. God will grant repentance to
every sinner on this earth. Every soul that knows in his
heart, I am a sinner, God is going to grant repentance. God
has granted repentance. It's unto life. It can only be
given by God. It proves his goodness and his
mercy and his kindness and his grace. and He is going to give
it to every true sinner that needs it. Now here's the last
one, number five. Go to Romans 11. Romans 11, look at verse 29. For the gifts and calling of
God are without repentance. He will never change His mind. Never. If God has given the glorious
gift of repentance to you and me, He will never take it back. Never. Our good news tonight is that
God also to the Gentiles hath granted repentance unto life. And may the Lord send His Holy
Ghost down with that right there and press it into me and cause me to believe it and
rejoice in it. Alright, let's stand together.