PHISH BOWL
MINISTRIES
September
2013
“Chummin’
for Saints until the nets are full…”
Matthew
4:19
It
is so good to write you all…no, I really mean it! I just had ‘the big surgery’ on my left arm
two weeks ago and just today I have felt like writing. I am healing well as planned with total
recovery in around 3 months.
I
have a praise report and this is a God-thing.
I have been accepted to Community Corrections which is a halfway
house. I am waiting on an open bed space
which could be up to 6 months. Now some
have asked, “What does this mean for Phish Bowl”? Nothing.
I might have to wait a month to send a teaching, but as soon as I can
write, we will continue our walk through Acts. My hope is that with me on the street, PBM
will be able to expand the work that needs to be done; OK, I don’t like the
term “needs to be done”. I’m looking
forward to how Father wishes me to serve Him and the saints.So with all of that, let’s take a look at Acts. We are going to dive into Acts 10:1-11:18 with Peter witnessing to Cornelius at Caesarea.
Acts
10-11:18 NKJV
Cornelius
Sends a Delegation: 10 There
was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called
the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared
God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed
to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly
in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And
when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said
to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now
send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He
is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea He will tell you
what you must do.” 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had
departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier
from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he
had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s
Vision: 9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up
on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he
became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a
trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great
sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In
it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping
things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise,
Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But
Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke
to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”
16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into
heaven again.Summoned to Caesarea: 17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” 23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Peter Meets Cornelius: 24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” 30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”
Preaching to Cornelius’ Household: 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles: 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Peter Defends God’s Grace: 11 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” 4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ 10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” 18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”
Let
me start with a disclosure: In between
my surgery and working on a parole plan which I still need to finish, my study
time has taken a hit and I don’t want to cheat you out of any good
tid-bits. So, if it is OK for this
month, let’s just cover some key points.
Next month when my hand does not hurt and I am back on schedule, we will
return to line-by-line teaching through Acts.
Acts 10: 1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
Cornelius was a Gentile of
Italian decent.
Centurion: a part of a cohort, a
regiment of the Roman military. A legion
numbered about 6 thousand men. Each
legion had ten cohorts of about 6 hundred men.
The cohorts were divided into centuries of a hundred men and each
century was commanded by a centurion, something like a Gunnery Sergeant in the
Marine Corps.Caesarea: a city approximately 30 miles north of Joppa on the Coast; was the capitol of Judea under the Roman procurators.
Church history records that the first non-Jewish, gentile Christian church was located in Caesarea.
I would like to take us down a side road for a moment. At no time in the New Testament does Jesus rebuke a military man for being in the military. God wants to reach others in many walks of life. Now because of frequent outbreaks of violence, Roman soldiers were stationed throughout Israel to keep the peace. But, most Romans were hated as conquerors. As an army officer, Cornelius was in a difficult position. He represented Rome but somewhere he was conquered by the God of Israel. In the second half of verse two, four things about Cornelius are pointed out:
1) He was devout.
2) He was God-fearing.
3) He was a generous giver.
4) He was consistent in prayer.
Just by reading this description, it seems that Cornelius was the real deal. The term for “devout”-eusebes-, is used only here and in 10:7 to describe one of his soldiers. The term “God-fearing” is more of a technical term for a Gentile who attended synagogue and followed the Jewish laws but had not been circumcised. This is different from a “proselyte” who was more thoroughly committed to Judaism.
Cornelius’ story demonstrates to us how willing God is to use extraordinary means to reach those who desire to know Him. God does not play favorites and does not hide from those who want to find Him. Father sent His Son “to seek and save those…who are lost” (Luke 19:10) because He loves the whole world which includes Peter, Cornelius and you. Even at this moment, Father is drawing men and women to Himself (John 6:44).
“OK, Tim, I get this part, but what will happen to the heathens who have never heard about Christ?” What about them…?! This question is often asked in the light of God’s justice. Cornelius wasn’t a follower of Christ, but he was seeking God. Therefore, God sent Peter to tell Cornelius about Christ. Cornelius is an example that God rewards those who seek Him (see Hebrews 11:6). So, ask yourself this question, “Could you be the Peter in some other Cornelius’ phish bowl just waiting to hear the truth about Jesus Christ?
My hand is hurting and it needs to rest, and so do I. Saints, live life in a way that shows that you believe in His forgiveness and serve grace, a hundred proof, to those around you.
Semper Fidelis!
Love, Timothy (I Corinthians 16:13-14)
PBM is an outreach of:
Calvary Chapel Loveland
276 E 29th St
Loveland, CO 80538
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