Psalm chapter 4. Hear me when
I call, O God of my righteousness. Thou hast enlarged me when I
was in stress. Have mercy upon me and hear my
prayer. O ye sons of men, how long will
you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity
and seek after leasing? But know that the Lord has set
apart him that is godly for himself. The Lord will hear. when I call
unto him. Stand in awe and sin not. Commune with your own heart upon
your bed and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness
and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, who will
show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light
of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my
heart more than in the time their corn and their wine increased.
I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only
makest me to dwell in safety. All right. Let's take our call
to worship and stand as Come, let us sing the song of
songs, the glory which to Christ belongs. the Lamb, for He was slain. Slain to redeem us by His blood,
and makes us kings and priests to God, to cleanse from every
sin, though stained worthy. the lamp for he was slain. Among a thousand hearts and songs
His sacred name fills all our tongues. All power in heaven
and earth proclaim worthy the Lamb, for He was slain. Long as I live and when I die,
this song of songs shall be my cry. And while in heaven with
Him I reign worthy, the Lamb, for He was slain. Okay, if you would now turn in
the red hymnal to song number 474, Only a Sinner. Not have I gotten but what I
received. Grace hath bestowed it since
I have believed. Boasting excluded, pride I abase. I'm only a sinner, saved by grace. Only a sinner, saved by grace. Only a sinner, saved by grace. This is my story, to God be the
glory. I'm only a sinner saved by grace. Once I was foolish and sin ruled
my heart. causing my footsteps from God
to depart. Jesus hath found me, happy my
case. I now am a sinner, saved by grace. Only a sinner, saved by grace. Only a sinner, saved by grace. This is my story, to God be the
glory. I'm only a sinner, saved by grace. Tears unavailing, no merit had
I. Mercy had saved me, or else I
must die. Sin had alarmed me, fearing God's
face. But now I'm a sinner, saved by
grace. Only a sinner, saved by grace. Only a sinner, saved by grace. This is my story, to God be the
glory. I'm only a sinner, saved by grace. Suffer a sinner whose heart overflows,
Loving his Savior to tell what he knows, Wants more to tell
it, would I embrace? I'm only a sinner saved by grace,
Only a sinner saved by grace, Only a sinner, saved by grace. This is my story, to God be the
glory. I'm only a sinner, saved by grace. Open your Bibles with me to Acts
chapter 10. I'll just read one verse of Scripture
here. Acts 10 verse 33. Immediately, therefore, I sent
to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now, therefore,
are we all here present before God to hear all things that are
commanded thee of God." We'll end our reading there. Let's
go to our Lord's Prayer. Father in heaven, again, we thank
you for this day. We thank you for this privilege
of gathering together. Lord, cause it not to be a thing
we take lightly. Lord, the privilege of gathering
together as a people, Lord, to worship thee. Lord, we pray that
you would bless us here this morning with your presence. Lord,
that you would take the thoughts and cares of this world away
just for a moment, Lord. Let us see Christ. Let us rest
in Him. Lord, for those of our number
that are in a time of difficulty, Lord, and sickness and pain and
grieving, people in a time of trouble, Lord, we pray that you
would heal. Lord, if you're pleased to do
so, that you would comfort your people, Lord, in all things,
that you would strengthen us and cause us to look to thee
in all things. But we thank you for your many
blessings. Above all, we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ,
our Savior. Lord, bless us to know him. Bless
us to know more of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord, what we pray
for ourselves, we pray for our children. Lord, we thank you
for these many young ones that you've given us. And Lord, we
pray your hand be upon them. Lord, that you would hedge them
about in this world in which we live. Lord, that you'd protect
and keep them. And Lord, above all things, that
you would be merciful to them. Lord, that you'd be pleased to
save them. Lord, cause us all to fall at
thy feet. Lord, rest in the Savior. Now
again, we pray you'd be with us here this morning. Lord, we
thank you for your grace and mercy towards us in Christ. And Lord, we pray that you would,
again, bless us as we've gathered here this morning. Lord, be with
us this morning, and Lord, be with us throughout this week.
Lord, continue in our mercies and goodness towards us. Bless
us for Christ's sake, we pray. Hmm. this is my father's world and
to my listening ears all nature sings and round me rings the
music of the spheres this is my father's world I rest me in
the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, His hands
the wonders wrought. This is my Father's world The
birds their carols raise The morning light, the lily white
Declare their Maker's praise This is my Father's world He
shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass, I hear
him pass. He speaks to me everywhere. This is my father's world. Oh, let me now forget that though
the wrong seems off so strong God is the ruler yet this is
my father battle is not done. Jesus who died shall be satisfied
and earth and heaven be one. Open our Bibles again to Acts
chapter 10. Acts 10 will serve as our text
this morning. I want us to look at Peter's
message to Cornelius. Just a few scriptures here. In
John 6.39, our Lord said, This is the Father's will which hath
sent me. that of all which he hath given
me, I should lose none." He's not going to lose no one. And
then just a few verses before that, he said, all that the Father
hath given me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise cast out. In John 10, 16, other sheep I
have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they
shall hear my voice, and there shall be one foal and one shepherd. And we see this repeated over
and over in God's word. God brings his sheep to the messenger,
or he takes his messenger to the sheep. However He determines
to do that, we're going to hear His voice. His sheep are going
to hear His voice. Over in Luke 19, our Lord, He
passed through Jericho, and there was a man named Zacchaeus, and
he was chief among the publicans. He was a rich man. And we read
that he sought to see a man named Jesus. It must have been almost like
a parade-like atmosphere. There were so many people gathered
around, and Zacchaeus, he wasn't a very tall fellow, so he climbed
up in that tree just to see the Lord pass by, just to see what
was going on, what was all the fuss about. And the Lord was going to pass by
that way. That's all Zacchaeus knew. He knew that was the route
that he was going. And we read that when Jesus came
to that place, think what's just in those few
words. When he came to the place, he
looked up, and he saw him. He called him by name, and he
said, Zacchaeus, come down, for I must abide in thy house. the very place that one of his
sheep is going to hear his voice for the first time. Wouldn't that bless our hearts
if that were true this morning? Why are we here this morning? Could it be that the Lord would
be pleased to pass by and call one of his sheep A couple chapters back in Acts
chapter 8, there was a eunuch. And he was sitting in his chariot. He was reading God's Word. He was reading from the book
of Isaiah. He'd been to some kind of a so-called
church service somewhere. And what happened? Spirit of
God called Philip. And he said, go and join thyself
to that chariot. And Philip's reaction, he ran. We run when there's a sense of
urgency. When there's something, we run. Go join thyself. And Philip ran
to him. He ran thither. And Philip preached Christ unto
that eunuch. Our Lord sat there at Jacob's
well. And a woman of Samaria came to
draw water. And our Lord said, give me to
drink. He started up a cup, give me to drink. He said, whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst,
but the water I give shall be to him a well of water springing
up unto everlasting life. Over and over and over, the Lord
sends his messenger to his people. He brings them to the messenger. And in our text this morning,
in Acts chapter 10, we read of a man named Cornelius. Look at
verse 1 of Acts chapter 10. There was a certain man in Caesarea
called Cornelius. a centurion of the band called
the Italian Band. And we read that Cornelius was
a devout man. He was a good man. He feared
God. He gave alms to the people. He
prayed to God. You see that there in verse 2? In Matthew 7, our Lord was speaking,
but that's not what saves a man, being a good man and giving alms. Those are all admirable traits. Our Lord said this, he said,
not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father
that is in heaven. Many, many will say unto me in
that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And
in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity. But evidently, evidently, the
Lord heard this man's prayer. This certain man named Cornelius.
David said, this poor man cried. And think about this. This poor
man cried. And the Lord, the Lord heard
him. The Lord heard him. is one of God's sheep. Cornelius
is one of God's elect. And the Lord laid it on Cornelius'
heart to send some men down to Joppa and call for Simon Peter. Look at verse 9 of Acts chapter
10. On the morrow, the next day,
as they went on their journey, Peter went up to the housetop
to pray, and the Lord showed Peter a vision. The Lord had prepared Cornelius
to hear God's Word, and He's going to prepare Peter to preach
to Him. God told Peter, He revealed to
Peter three times, He said, don't call anything common or unclean
which the Lord hath cleansed. If Christ makes you free, you're
free indeed. Free from the law, free from
sin, free from death, And God prepared Peter to go to Cornelius,
this Gentile. Read that. Look here at Acts
10, beginning with verse 19. While Peter thought on the vision,
the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore,
and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I
have sent them. Peter went down to the men which
were sent unto him from Cornelius, and said, Behold, I am he whom
you seek. What is the cause wherefore you
come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and
one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation
of the Jews, was warned from God by a holy angel to send for
thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. Then called he
them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow, Peter went
away with them. And certain brethren from Joppa
accompanied him. And the morrow, after they entered
into Caesarea, and Cornelius waited for them, and had called
together his kinsmen and their friends." Look at verse 33. We read this for our scripture
reading. Listen to Cornelius here. Peter's
come to town. And Peter had called together
his kinsmen. This message, Cornelius wanted
to hear it, but you know what? He wanted his family to hear
it too. He wanted his near kinsmen to
hear it, and his countrymen. He wanted his friends. This is
good news. He said, I want them to hear
this as well. And he said this, he said, therefore,
we're all present. We're all here, Peter, before
God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. We're
here to hear the message that God gave you for us. Let me ask
you this. Why are we here this morning? Why have we gathered here? Some
of you have driven an hour or better to get here. Why? Got
up early, it was a pretty morning, probably a good morning to sit
out on the porch and drink coffee. Why are you here? Why are we
here? Is it habit? That's Sunday, that's
what we do. Is it tradition? It's what everybody
in the family did, so that's what we do on Sunday. Cornelius, speaking for himself
and for his family and his countrymen, he said, we're here to hear a
message. We're here to hear what God has
laid on your heart for us, Peter. I have the responsibility, as
I stand before you here this morning, of being true to God's Word,
of preaching the gospel to you. Every man that stands in this
place bears that, carries that burden. But we all, we all have the responsibility
to hear as we've gathered here together. Necessity is laid upon
me to preach. Woe is unto me. That's what the
scripture says. Woe is unto me if I preach not
the gospel. Woe is unto all of us if we don't
hear, if we don't listen, We're here to hear, and we're not here
to hear man's opinion. We're not here to discuss social
issues. We're here to hear all things
commanded of God. Our desire is to feed on the
true bread of heaven, to feed on Christ as we've gathered here
this morning. And I want us to look this morning
at the message that God gave Peter to declare to Cornelius
and all that were present there with him that day. Look at verse 34. Peter said,
God is no respecter of persons. Remember those things we read
about Cornelius earlier? He was a just man and all those
good things about Peter. or all those good things about
Cornelius. Peter doesn't lead with that, does he? No, he says
this. He said that God is no respecter
of persons. Peter, those are good things.
Cornelius, those are good things we've heard about you. But God's
no respecter of persons. Those things mean nothing in
the sight of Almighty God. He doesn't commend him for being
just and devout. He just says this, God is no
respecter of persons. He doesn't respect us because
we're Jew or Gentile. He doesn't respect us because
we're rich or poor. We read neither Jew nor Greek,
neither bond nor free, male nor female. We're all one, one in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writing to the Colossians,
that's what he said, neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision,
uncircumcised, Barbarians sit in bond or free, but Christ is
all and he's in all. God is no respecter of persons. Verse 35, but in every nation,
he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with
him. He that feareth God and worketh
righteousness. is accepted with him. He that
worketh righteousness." Listen, there is only one that is righteous. That has to speak of the Lord
Jesus Christ. There's only one that is righteous,
and that's him. First John 121, the Lord Jesus
Christ said, if any man sin, this was said of him, if any
man sin, we have an advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus
Christ, the righteous. His name is the Lord, Our Righteousness. Over in Jeremiah 23, I won't
have you turn there, but that's what it says. His name is the
Lord, Our Righteousness. And here's an amazing thing.
Just a few chapters later in Jeremiah 33, he refers to his
church. She shall be called the Lord,
Our Righteousness. His bride, Abby bears my name. Our wives bear our name. His
church bears his name. She shall be called the Lord
our righteousness. Look at verse 36. Again, Acts
chapter 10. What do we preach? What did Peter preach? See verse
36 there? The word which God sent. In John chapter one, verse one,
in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and
the word was God. The word which God sent. The
written word. The written word which declares
the living word. This Word, God's Word, declares
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God. He's the author
of it. The Word of Christ. He's the
sum and substance of it. The Word of salvation. Christ
and Christ alone. The Word of righteousness. He's
the very righteousness of God. The Word of faith. We read faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, the word
of truth, the word of reconciliation, peace and reconciliation found
in Christ and Christ alone. Not the word of man, but the
word of God. What man says lasts for just
a little while, but we read that the word of God endureth forever. This is the means by which he's
pleased to reveal his gospel. We declare his word. What does
the scripture say? For after that and the wisdom
of the God, the world by wisdom knew not God, but it pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. In
Isaiah chapter eight, verse 20, we read, if they speak not according
to his word, It's because there's no light in them. Back to our text, verse 36. The
word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace. Peace by Jesus Christ. We preach peace. Not peace where
there is no peace, but peace by Jesus Christ. Peace by the
blood of Christ. It's the gospel of peace. He's
the prince of peace. That peace which was broken by
man, when we broke God's law, when Adam fell by Adam's sin,
that which could not be restored by man. By nature, we don't have
the desire We don't have the ability and we don't have the
desire to seek peace. Turn over to Romans chapter five. Look at verse one. Therefore, being justified by
faith, we have peace with God. Peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is
our peace. In fact, look again at Acts chapter
10, very end there, end of verse 36, We declare he is Lord of all. It doesn't say that we make him
Lord, does it? No. No, he's declared to be Lord. All things, all nations, and
as such, he is sovereign. He is sovereign in all things.
He's sovereign in creation, he's sovereign in providence, and
he's sovereign in salvation And one day, one day men can raise
their fist and shout and carry on like they do right now, but
one day, every knee is gonna bow. Every tongue is gonna confess
that Jesus Christ is what? That he's Lord. To the glory
of God the Father. He's not a beggar, he's not an
example, he's not a frustrated reformer, but that Jesus Christ
is Lord. And we'll do that to the glory
of God the Father, for His glory. Now turn back again to Acts chapter
10. Look at verse 37. That word,
I say, you know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began
from Galilee after the baptism John preached how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went
about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil for God was with him. We are witnesses of all things
he did both in the land of the Jews in Jerusalem whom they slew
and hanged on a tree. We declare Jesus of Nazareth. We really can't put this in context,
but he was a man. We say that, but I don't think
we have any idea what we're saying, that God could be made a man. They said this, the people around
him, they said, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father
and mother we know? Isn't this the kid that just
lives down the street? I mean, think about that. Almighty
God came down to dwell on this earth. Jesus of Nazareth, a name
of contempt. They said, can anything good,
can any good thing come out of Nazareth? And he was a man. And as a man, he knew what it
was like to be hungry. Almighty God. He knew what it
was like to be hungry. He knew what it was like to be
thirsty, to grow tired, to weep. How he identified with his people. The scriptures say, we have not
a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities, but was in all points tempted like we. But here's the
difference, without sin. He was perfect, he is perfect,
yet without sin. You still have Acts 10, look
at verse 39 again here. Jesus, whom they slew and hanged
on a tree. Him being delivered by the determinant
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you've taken and by wicked
hands crucified and slain. The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.
He suffered and died in the place of his people. We declare the
Redeemer, we declare him as our substitute, we declare Christ
crucified. He had to die. The Scriptures
say the wages of sin is death. And Jesus Christ, we saw this
a little bit, I hope we did this morning, Jesus Christ who was
made sin. He was made to be sin. God made
Him, made the Lord Jesus Christ to be sin for us, for His people,
for His church, that we might be made the very righteousness
of God in Him. Let's look on here in Acts 10.
Look at verse 40. That's not the end of the story,
is it? Him God raised up. Him God raised up the third day
and showed Him openly What do we declare? We declare a risen,
successful Savior in whom the Father is well pleased. Jesus Christ, whom God raised
from the dead. Victorious over death, victorious
over sin, victorious over the grave, Christ rose from the dead. He ascended and presented himself
to God as representative for his people. And as a result, consider what
He did for us. Raised to immortal life. Our resurrection is secure in
Him. In John 14, verse 19, our Lord
said, Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more, but
ye see me. And because I live, ye live also. Life, life in Him. And listen, he's seated at the
right hand of God. The scriptures say this, as he
is, as he is, so are we right now in this world. Verse 42, and he commanded us
to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he which
was ordained of God to be the judge the quick and the dead. Preach to the people, preach
to them that he was ordained of God to be judge of the quick
and dead. The scriptures declare that he's appointed a day in
which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man,
that man whom he hath ordained, where he hath given assurance
unto all men that he raised him, he's not in the grave, he raised
him, raised him from the dead. Aren't we thankful? Aren't we
thankful that there is therefore, now, right now, no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus? Let's read on in our text, verse
43. To him, give all the prophets witness that through his name,
whosoever believeth in him shall receive the remission of sins
through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. All the prophets,
all the prophets give witness. This entire book, men get hung up in stories. This
book is about him. This book declares who he is. He's the, listen, our Lord said
this. He said, Moses, Moses wrote of
me. Moses spoke of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He's the seated woman. When we
read about that ark, that ark was Christ. The Passover lamb? The Lord Jesus Christ. The serpent lifted up? What did the people do? They'd
been bitten. Death had passed on them. Sins of death passed,
they were dying. Hold that serpent up. What was
the command? Look and live. The Lord Jesus
Christ. He was raised up on the cross.
We look to Him. We rest, we rest in Him. What
did it say? All that looked, lived. All that
rested in it, lived. The city of refuge, it points
to the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the kinsman redeemer. He's
that ram caught in the thicket. All the prophets give witness
that through His name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, His
blood, His power, whosoever, male, female, rich, poor, whatever
people or nation. God has a people, a redeemed
people out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. What does it say? That we say,
all that the Father hath given me shall come to me, and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Whosoever believeth
in him, in Christ, shall have remission of sin. Now quickly,
look at verse 44 here, through the end of the chapter. While Peter yet spoke these words,
the Holy Ghost fell on them which heard the word. And they of the
circumcision which believed were astonished, and as many as came
with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out
the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with
tongues and magnify God. Then answered Peter, can any
man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received
the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized
in the name of the Lord and prayed that they would tarry certain
days. Look at the results. Look at
the results here. The word is preached. God's Word
is preached. And while Peter yet spake the
words, the Holy Ghost fell on them. The Spirit of God was present. The Spirit of God giving light,
giving life, it fell on them which heard. He opened their
ears, enabled them to hear. They heard the Word. Oh, we'd
have ears to hear. that He would open our ears to
hear. And look, verse 45, they believed. They heard the Word and they
believed. And they glorified Christ. That's His glory. That's what this is. It's for
His glory. To glorify Him. They glorified
God. In verse 48, they were baptized.
They confessed Christ in believers' baptism. Aren't we thankful? Aren't we
thankful that the work of salvation is His? Well, we do enough to
goof it up, don't we? It's His work. It's His work. And as a result of that, the
glory is His, not man's. Glory to God. Every time we gather together,
every time God's people gather together, May we be here for that purpose,
to hear. To hear His Word. To hear what
He has to say. Listen. Listen to that again.
They believed. Christ who is our righteousness. That's what Cornelius heard when
Peter preached to Cornelius. Christ who is our righteousness. Christ the Word of God. Christ
who is our peace. Jesus Christ. who is Lord, declared
to be Lord, Jesus of Nazareth, He that was made flesh and dwelt
among us, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they slew and hung on a
tree, Christ crucified, our sacrifice for sin, our substitute, Jesus
Christ, whom God raised from the dead, in whom He was well
pleased. And it's through Him that our
sin is put away. put away, to hear of him who
loved us and gave himself for us. All right, let's go to our
Lord in prayer. Our God and Father in heaven,
again, we thank you for your word. Lord, bless us with a hearing
of your word. Cause us to cease from our works
Cease from our activity. Lord, just rest in Christ. Rest
in Christ and Christ alone, who is our salvation. Lord, bless
your word as it goes forth. Bless it to our hearts. And Lord,
in all things, cause us to give thee the glory. For it is thine,
truly it is thine. Again, bless us this day. Watch
over and keep us. Lord, we pray for our pastor
and Janet as they return home, Lord, that you'd give them journey
and mercies, and Lord, that you would, again, bless us with your
word. Which in Christ's name we pray
and give thee thanks. Amen. Brother Sean. If you would, please turn to
song number 269, Under His Wings. And please stand. Under his wings I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild, Still I can
trust him, and know he will keep me. He has redeemed me and I
am His child. Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever? Under His wings, my soul shall
abide, Safely abide forever. Under his wings, what a refuge
in sorrow, how the heart yearningly turns to his rest. Often when earth has no balm
for my healing, there I find comfort and there I am blessed. Under His wings, under His wings,
who from His love can sever? Under his wings my soul shall
abide, safely abide forever. Under his wings, oh, what precious
enjoyment! There will I hide till life's
trials are o'er. Sheltered, protected, no evil
can harm me. Resting in Jesus, I'm safe evermore. Under his wings, under his wings,
Who from his love can sever? Under his wings, my soul shall
abide, Safely abide forever.