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Peter's Speech

Acts 10:34-43

Good News Translation (GNT)

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34  Peter began to speak: "I now realize that it is
   true that God treats everyone on the same
   basis.
35  Those who fear him and do what is right are
   acceptable to him, no matter what race they
   belong to.
36  You know the message he sent to the people
   of Israel, proclaiming the Good News of peace
   through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37  You know of the great event that took place
   throughout the land of Israel, beginning in
   Galilee after John preached his message of
   baptism.
38  You know about Jesus of Nazareth and how
   God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and
   power. He went everywhere, doing good and
   healing all who were under the power of the
   Devil, for God was with him.
39  We are witnesses of everything that
   he did in the land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Then they
   put him to death by nailing him to a cross.
40  But God raised him from death three days
   later and caused him to appear,
41  not to everyone, but only to the witnesses that
   God had already chosen, that is, to us who
   ate and drank with him after he rose from
   death.
42  And he commanded us to preach the gospel
   to the people and to testify that he is the one
   whom God has appointed judge of the living
   and the dead.
43  All the prophets spoke about him, saying that
   all who believe in him will have their sins
   forgiven through the power of his name."

*************************

Commentary taken from
'The Applied New Testament Commentary'
(Kingsway)

Peter's Sermon

    Acts Chapter 10:34-43

In these verses, Peter states one of the most important truths in the whole Bible: "God does not show favouritism".

God accepts equally all men who fear him and do what is right. In the Old Testament, God gave men the ten commandments. God accepted everyone - whether Jew or Gentile - who obeyed these commandments.

The prophet Micah wrote: He (the Lord) has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Therefore, according to the Old Testament, God accepts not only upright Jews but upright Gentiles as well. God accepts equally not only men of different races and nations, but also men of different castes and of different positions.

In God's sight, all men are of equal standing. And when we believe in Jesus - whether we be Jew or Gentile, slave or free, man or woman - we become equal members of one family, the family of God.

Here an important truth must be added. Yes, God accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. But this does not mean that such men will automatically receive salvation.

In one way, they have done what is right and, therefore, God will accept them. But in another way, such "upright" men are still sinners and need a Saviour.

Even though Cornelius appeared righteous in comparison with other men, he still needed a Saviour. It was for this very reason that Peter had come, that Cornelius might be able to hear about Jesus.

Yes, Cornelius' work was good; but man is not saved by good works. Man is saved only by God's grace through faith.

Then Peter told Cornelius and his household the good news about how men can have peace with God through Jesus Christ. God had sent this message first to the people of Israel - the Jews. "But now," said Peter, "God has given this message of peace through Jesus to all people everywhere.

Jesus Christ is Lord of all - both Jew and Gentile."

Then Peter reminded Cornelius of what he had already heard: namely, that in the beginning John the Baptist had come to prepare the people's hearts for the coming of Jesus the Messiah.

Then John had baptised Jesus. At the time of His baptism, God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove.

Again and again the apostles said, "We are witnesses". The things Peter was telling Cornelius were not second-hand reports from other people. Peter had seen these things with his own eyes.

He had seen Jesus die, and he had seen Him after He had risen from the dead. Jesus didn't rise from the dead in the form of a ghost, or as the figment of someone's imagination.

He rose in a bodily and fully visible form - even to the point of eating and drinking with His disciples after His resurrection.

Jesus Christ was appointed to be the judge of all men, both those living and those already dead. Jesus Himself said: "the Father... has entrusted all judgment to the Son".

Jesus was not only appointed to be man's judge; He was also appointed to be man's Saviour. He was appointed not only to judge man's sin but also to save men from the punishment of sin.

Peter said: "everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins".

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