Before I start my sermon this morning I need each of you to do me a favor.  I need for you to choose a Celebration Word.  What do you say when you are really happy or cheering or excited? What would you say if you were on the Price is Right (the night time version) and I was Drew Carrey and you just spun the wheel and it hit on $1 and I said “You just won a million dollars?”  Pick a word.  Now altogether on 3 let’s say our word.  1, 2, 3… Okay, now we are ready to start the sermon. 

For you see, we are studying what should be our favorite chapter in all of Acts.  You thought Acts 2 was your favorite chapter with day of Pentecost and 3,000 people baptized; but it’s not.  Or you may have liked Acts 3 where the crippled guy is bouncing all over the Temple area, or chapter 6 as the Meals on Wheels program is helping widows, or 8 and the Ethiopian guy or 9 where Saul is converted or even last week’s Miss Gazelle story.  But I am here to tell you, this morning, chapter 10 is really your favorite chapter in the entire book. 

We are going to read and tell the story of Acts 10 and as I explain why it is your favorite chapter you are going to use your Celebration Word to help express that chapter 10 is your favorite chapter.  Let’s say our Celebration Word again just in the anticipation of Acts 10. 1, 2, 3…

Acts 10:1-4  At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.  One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"  Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.”

Here is a great reason to love Acts 10 already. We have a Roman centurion who loves the Jewish God; YHWH.  Somehow this high-up military commander has been introduced to God and has learned to love Him.  So much so, that he prays to YHWH, and gives to the poor in the name of YHWH. He has been chosen by YHWH to get a vision from an angel. 

Three o’clock in the afternoon was a time for Jewish prayers and meditation. As he is praying suddenly, bam, an angel says, “Cornelius!” Scares the whoopi-john out of him and then this frightening angel tells him our first reason for this being our favorite chapter. “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.”  Isn’t that an amazing metaphor?  Can you visualize it?  Prayers and helping the poor are like the smell of incense wafting all the way up to the throne of God. Who needs a Temple?

We need to say our Celebration Word, already, because of a Roman Centurion who loves YHWH. Ready 1, 2, 3…  We are just warming up.

Acts 10:5-9  “Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.  He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."  When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.  He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.  About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

Real quick here is another reason to love this chapter.  God is the God of amazing timing.  Do you know what I mean?  God, the Lord of the Dance, choreographs everything to his glory.  Just as Peter is about to get his startling vision, the three guys from Cornelius are approaching the house. 

Celebration Word; ready 1, 2, 3…

Acts 10:10-16  He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.  He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.  It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.  Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."  "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."  The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."  This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

If you like the smell of bacon cooking in the morning, or the sound of it sizzling or the taste of really crisp bacon with your eggs, over easy, then Acts chapter 10 has to be your favorite chapter.  If you like going to Outback and having the golden coconut shrimp as an appetizer, then 10 has to be your favorite chapter.  Go check Leviticus 11 for a complete list of the things the Jews were forbidden to eat, that suddenly, God in this vision, reversed. 

Peter denies the Lord three times, again. Peter is not going to eat anything unclean!  The Jews were God’s special and different and holy people from the days of Moses until the days of Cornelius.  All of that is about to change. 

Celebration Word if you love bacon or shrimp; ready 1, 2, 3…

Acts 10:17-23  While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate.  They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.  While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you.  So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."  Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"  The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."  Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Already this is amazing.  Jews, of Peter’s day, rarely invited gentiles into their houses. There was no table fellowship between the races.  Plug in the worse prejudice you know between them.  But the walls of racial prejudice are coming down and that is reason for celebration!

Ready? 1, 2, 3…

Acts 10:23-26  The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.  The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.  As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.  But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."

Peter takes his six companions and the three gentiles and travels the 30 miles north to Caesarea. Cornelius is expecting Peter and is ready to worship him.  But Peter makes the same point as our Declaration of Independence; “All men are created equal!”  “I am only a man myself!”  Peter is beginning to see a pattern here; nothing unclean.  Wow! Isn’t this really becoming your favorite chapter in Acts?

Give it up. Ready? 1, 2, 3…  

Acts 10:27-35   Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.  He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.  So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"  Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.'  So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."  Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

Peter doesn’t know why he has been summoned; a healing like Aeneas, maybe a raising from the dead like Miss Gazelle.  Remember Jesus and the Centurion whose servant was sick.  Peter finds he is supposed to preach to them. Who is getting preached to here?  Cornelius or Peter?  God is preaching to Peter and the sermon is; God does not show favoritism!  He accepts men from every nation. I might add, even the United States of America!  All of his life Peter has been taught that gentiles are unworthy, gentiles are destined for destruction. Particularly these Romans who are cruel oppressors!  And this guy Cornelius is a centurion in the occupation army.  Peter’s world is getting rocked. 
Jesus was the Jewish Messiah.  He came to establish a Jewish Kingdom.  Jesus was Jewish!  But no!  Jesus came to save the whole world; even Roman centurions!  Should this story be called the conversion of Cornelius or the conversion of Peter?  Peter is dumbfounded as he says “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

But for us this is amazingly good news!  Ready? 1, 2, 3…

Acts 10:36-43  “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.  You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.  We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.  He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen-- by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Here we have the heart of the message, the message that is going to spread to the ends of the earth.  That heart is Jesus.  Here is Peter’s realization; if Jesus is Lord at all then he is Lord of All! All those who believe in Jesus can have forgiveness of sins! 

That is worth a Celebration Word! 1, 2, 3…  Now we get to the good part! 

Acts 10:44-48  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.  For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."  So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

How many of you are gentiles?  I think that is 100% of us.  Even, we can be filled with the Spirit!  Even, we can be baptized in the name of Jesus!  Even, we can receive the Spirit, too!  1, 2, 3…

Peter, and the rest of the Jewish Christians, needed to know that these gentile Christians weren’t going to be second-class Christians.  They were just as much Christians as those who knew Jesus first. So, the Holy Spirit did to Cornelius and his bunch the same thing he had done to Peter and his bunch.  The Spirit was poured out upon them and they spoke in languages and praised God! Even,Gentiles, that’s us, can be God’s chosen people! 

I want to make sure we get that point, like Peter did. Notice how many times Luke makes the same point in this chapter:
10:4 – A Roman centurion’s prayers and alms are accepted by God as a sacrifice!
10:15 - Don’t call anything impure that God has made clean - 3X
10:20 - Do not hesitate to go with them
10:23 – Peter invited them in to be guests
10:26 - I am only a man
10:34 - God does not show favoritism
10:35 – God accepts all men who fear him and do right
10:44 – The Holy Spirit came upon the gentiles
10:45 – Astonished the gift had been poured out on the gentiles
10:47 - Can we keep them from being baptized?

At least 10 times in this chapter and couple of more in chapter 11, Luke makes his point that the Gospel is for all.  God is the God of Everyone! Without Acts chapter 10, we would be separate from God.  Without Acts chapter 10, there would be a barrier between us and being one with the Spirit.  Without Acts chapter 10, we could only wish for Jesus.  But, because of Acts chapter 10 we can call Jesus, Lord!

I told you it was going to be your favorite chapter. Am I right?  One more Celebration Word to celebrate who we can be in Christ!  1, 2, 3…