Acts 10:1-11:18 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

January 18, 2012


 *APR 15 - ACTS 10:1-11:18 - CHURCH AND GENTILES*


 *1. 10:4b-6 (10:1-8) CORNELIUS: ANGELIC VISITATION. And he said to him,
“Your :prayers and your :alms are gone up for a memorial before :God. 5 And
now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: 6 HE
lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea” (NNT). *Father,
You master-mind *everything* from heaven! *Nothing* escapes Your attention!
*You* are God, and there is *none* other. We gladly submit to Your rule in
Christ. *Hallowed be your :name!*


 *2. 10:15-16 (10:9-16) PETER: PREPARATION BY VISION. “And a voice
cameunto him again the second
time, What things :God has cleansed, Do not YOU make common. 16 And this
was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.” *This
is a remarkable vision. It cut counter to *everything* Peter had been
taught. Father, we acknowledge our outlook is colored by false traditions
and conclusions. Forgive us for our lack of perception. *Your :kingdom come!
*


 *3. 10:19-20 (10:17-23a) PETER: VISION CONFIRMED. “And while :Peter
thought on the vision, the
Spirit said, Lo, two men seek you. 20 But arise, and get down, and go with
them, nothing doubting: because I have sent them.” *This is *Your* Spirit,
Father, and the Spirit of Christ. *You* provided clear direction for
Cornelius and Peter. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 10:38 (10:23b-43) PETER: PREACHES TO CORNELIUS. “How God anointed
Jesus :of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about
doing good, and healing all those oppressed of the devil; for :God was with
him” *It was foretold that *this* would be the work of Messiah; and *this
Jesus* of Nazareth did this! How simple and crystal clear did Peter make
Your Gospel of the Kingdom, Father! Forgive us for so often adding or
taking away from this simplicity. *Our :daily :bread, Give us this day.*


 *5. 10:45-46 (10:44-48) GENTILES: RECEIVE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. “And
they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, who came with :Peter,
because that on the nations also was poured out the gift of the Holy
:Spirit. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify :God.” *What
the early Jewish disciples received at Pentecost now Gentiles are
receiving. You made no difference between Jew and Gentile, Father. *And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!*


 *6. 11:2-3 (11:1-3) PETER: CALLED ON THE CARPET IN JERUSALEM. “And when
Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision contended with
him, 3 saying, that he went in unto men uncircumcised, and had eaten with
them.” *How difficult this must have been for Jews: first Peter: now the
apostles. Why are we like this, Father? But when once we see Your position,
and walk in it - alright! *And bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 11:17 (11:4-18) PETER: VINDICATES CALL OF GENTILES. “If then :God gave
them the like gift as also to us, who had believed on the Lord Jesus
Christ, who was I, that I could withstand: God?” *How clear is the
reasoning of Peter at this juncture! No doubt his answer was much by the
wisdom of the Holy Spirit, as You promised, Father. *But deliver us from
the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 11:18 (11:4-18) PETER'S DEFENSE ACCEPTED. “And when they heard
these **things, they held their peace, and glorified :God, saying, Then to
the nations also has :God granted :repentance unto life.”* Repentance is
initially a gift from *You*, Father!


 Notice in Acts 10:38, that God the Father anointed Jesus His Son (who was
also through Mary the Son of :man) - with the Holy Spirit and *power*!
First John baptized Him in water prior to the beginning of His 3 years
ministry. But no signs or miracles followed this experience.


 Next the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness for a 40 day fast, and a
3-fold testing of Satan. By quoting the Word of God, Jesus successfully
withstood the temptations of the devil.


 Then - it was following these 40 days, that Jesus returned in the
*power*of the Holy Spirit - with signs, wonders and miracles. Then it
is
insufficient for us only to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. We too
like Jesus and Paul, must be led of the Spirit into a time of testing and
suffering - even with fasting - before God will entrust us like Jesus and
Paul with *power* also.


 When we receive the Holy Spirit as a gift, He comes *into* (eis) us. But
when we receive the *power* (DUna-mis) of the Holy Spirit - he comes
*upon*(Epi) us! See Acts 1:8. This is exactly parallel to our text
here, Acts
10:38. Jesus in Acts 1:8 is telling His apostles, “*But you shall receive
power (DUna-mis), when the Holy Spirit is come upon (Epi) you: and you
shall be my witnesses ...”*


 A believer will not have *this kind of a witness* that Jesus commissions -
until he has this kind of an experience.


 For my Master of Divinity degree in 1952 at “Northern Baptist Theological
Seminary” of Chicago, I gave it the title - “Preaching with the Holy Spirit
sent down from heaven.” I made the distinction between receiving the Holy
Spirit - eis (into) - and later receiving *empowerment) of the
Spirit*(DUna-mis) - by
*now* having Him come *upon* (Epi) us!


 Dr. T. J. McCrossan, examiner in Greek and Hebrew for Canadian
Presbyterian Candidates for the Ministry - wrote a book entitled, “Christ's
Paralyzed Church X-Rayed.” Throughout this book he carefully makes the
distinction between these two Greek prepositions: eis (into) - and Epi
(upon).


 One who has this “upon” (Epi) experience of the DUnamis (power) of the
Holy Spirit, has a witness comparable to that of Jesus and Paul. It is an *
observable* anointing. Then *we too* can walk in Mark 16:17-18 - *“And
these signs shall **follow** them that have believed: in my :name shall
they cast out demons, speak with tongues; **18** and in the**ir** hands
they shall take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it shall in
no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on **the** sick, and they shall
recover.”*


 Following the Ascension of Jesus 40 days after His Resurrection and 10
days prior to the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit - we see the
fulfillment of the above in Mark 1:19-20 - *“So then the Lord Jesus, after
he had spoken to them was taken up into :heaven, and sat down at the right *
*hand** of :God. **20** And THEY went forth, **and** preached everywhere
the Lord working with **them**, and confirming the word by **the signs that
followed**.”*


 Dr. McCrossan wants us to thoroughly understand - that with an “into”
(eis) experience of the Holy Spirit alone - we are part of Christ's
paralyzed church! But with an “upon” (Epi) experience in the DUna-mis
(Power) of the Holy Spirit - then we join with Jesus and Paul and the first
12 apostles in a witness confirmed with signs following!


 And we need to remember that Ivan Panin discovered through Bible Numerics
in 1890 - that if *any* portion of the NT could be omitted - the last of
such portions would be Mark 16:9-20! *More* Bible Numerics of confirmation
appear here than in *any other* portion of the NT!


 Consider our Psalm for the day: *105:43-45a (105:1-45) TELL OF ALL HIS
WONDERFUL WORKS! “So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones
with singing. **44** And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they
took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil, **45a** that they might
keep his statutes and observe his laws” (ESV). *What a glorious fulfillment
of this verse! You devastated Egypt Father, that this promise might be
fulfilled. How great is Your Power, and Your love and faithfulness past
finding out. *Hallowed be your :name!*



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