A Man, a Message, and a Manifestation

A Man, a Message, and a Manifestation

  • Mission to the 805
  • Mission: Sent to speak & Respond to God’s work of Redemption

“The story of God’s grace flooding out to the world, from the cross and resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.” Gospel Transformation Bible

REVIEW- Stephen calling a bunch of religious leaders “stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart” and they kill him for it,  A magician tries to buy the Holy Spirit, Philip baptizes a Eunuch and teleports, The guy killing Christians, Saul, becomes one, and Peter has a vision of a blanket with animals in it…

  • Yep, the church has always been a little weird & messy AND… It still is.
  • Immediate Context
    • The Jewish Christians assumed The promises of God were for the people God
    • BUT God was about to change all of that. 
  • Cornelius, a Roman Soldier, sees an angel who tells him his prayers are answered & to get Peter
  • Peter sees a vision of “unclean animals” and is told to kill & eat while he is staying at a guys house who tans hides. He says no, and then we got the big idea from last week…
    • What God has called clean, do not call unclean. 
      • If you are believer in Christ, this means you. YOU ARE CLEAN, even on your worst day.
      • No matter how messed up the church seems, IT IS CLEAN
  • The way you view others, THE GOSPEL IS FOR EVERYBODY

The title today and my 3 points are… A Man, A Message, & A Manifestation

  • Read vs. 34a.
    • A Man, Peter- a regular guy, a fisherman, nothing special 
    • As he followed Jesus he tripped over his tongue, zealous to a fault, denied Jesus in a pinch, and was out ran by the younger disciple, John.
    • Just a man, but Because of his confession he is still just a man BUT, with a powerful, life transforming, eternity changing, message. 

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Mat. 16:15-19

  • What makes a man, more than a man it’s who he says Christ is.
  • Just like in this verse. The “Rock” is the confession.
    • will knock the walls of hell down
    • is the key to heaven
    • and is what sets the hearts and souls of men free
  • Is not Peter the Rock? NO
    • Catholic church, the pope, and his authority.
    • Greek, “because of what you just said”,
  • He is just a man, but he is a man with a confession and that confession combined with a man who believes it, it will
    • 4 verses later Peter tries to talk Jesus out of dying on the cross and Jesus says “Get behind me Satan!”
  • Jesus uses this to point to the Gospel and it’s foundation in the life of believers and ultimately the church
    • Are we not like Peter. nothing special, right?
      • We have nothing to offer. No gifts, talents, resources that God is like, “wow!”
      • Level playing field in regards to our approach to God
    • What makes a difference? What makes a man a true man? 
      • Who do you say Christ is?
        • Husbands, who do you say Christ is?  Wives, who do you believe Christ is? Self, who do you say Christ is? DAILY!
  • Do we not have the same Holy Spirit that these men had who   turned the world upside down?
  • -Is God not in the same business of saving souls?
  • VS. 25-26,  When Peter came to Cornelius’ house he tried to worship him but Peter said, “Stand up, I too am a man.”
  • The difference is he is a man with a message. AND SO ARE WE.

The Message

  • vs. 34- The Gospel is for all
  • vs. 35- This is not acceptance by God outside of the Gospel, rather a prepared heart by any and all for the the Gospel.
  • vs. 36-39a.- The life of Jesus. God has come, lived the life we couldn’t, perfectly
  • vs. 39b- The death of Christ, for our sins
  • vs. 40-41, the resurrection! Overcame death once and for all! Justification
  • vs. 42- Sanctification, now we proclaim!
  • vs 43- Proof, & FAITH, “Everyone who believes”

There is no template to tell someone about the Gospel but there are key elements that ARE the Gospel.

  • 1. Jesus?
    • May seem obvious but you can’t assume what people know or have heard. So start there. Who is Jesus?
  • 2. Death on the cross
    • For our sins
    • What are “sins”?
  • 3. Resurrection
    • He overcame death so we can have life!
    • Witnessed by many.
  • 4. Faith
    • Do you believe it?

4 spiritual laws

  • Dead in our sin
  • Separated from God because of sin
  • Jesus came to bridge the gap between us and God by Life, death & rest.
  • Believe and you will be saved

Romans road-

Everyone needs to be saved because all have sinned.

 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23

The consequence for our sin is death

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins by his death

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

We receive salvation through faith in Jesus’ life, death & resurrection

if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

You can have peace with God

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Romans 5:1 

  • Do you believe?
  • You can reach people I can’t, I can reach people you can’t but all of us together can reach the people God wants!
  • You are A Man, with A Message!
  • For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… Romans 1:16

A manifestation vs. 44-48

Manifestation; an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:14-18

James’ focus is not on works for salvation, but salvation that produces works.

True faith always produces a “manifestation”. It is a “THEREFORE”.

vs. 42. Jesus Commanded us to preach. WE GET TO!

-Like telling my son Silas who plays center forward, to score a goal.

-Do I tell him? Yes, because I’m his dad, but his position, who he is, already assumes that is his desire, so he goes after it.

-Your sin has been forgiven, you are my sons and daughters and eternal life is your destiny. It has been secured. Now go tell others

SLIDE- Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.  Mat. 28:19-20

Who are you this morning?

-Killing it? Remember, you are just a man with a message.

-The Gospel Therefore

-Not so much? Step back into faith.

-The Gospel,  Therefore

-No idea? You can know. Believe.

-The Gospel

As a church may we remember that we are just “just men, but we have a message! Through our works & words may we manifest the Glory of God to others! For His Glory and our Joy”.

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