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📝 = Fill in the Blank on Bulletin
EVERYBODY ALWAYS.
This was God’s message to Peter in Acts 10. EVERYBODY ALWAYS.
Acts 10:1 says,
“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.”
Acts 10:1-2
“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!””
Acts 10:3
“About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.”
Acts 10:9
“He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.”
Acts 10:10
“He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.”
Acts 10:11
“It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.””
Acts 10:12-13
““Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.””
Acts 10:14
“The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.””
Acts 10:15
Cornelius eventually shows up where Peter’s at and request for Peter to go with him. Because of the vision and the instructions that Peter had just received from the Lord, Peter goes with Cornelius.
“While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.”
Acts 10:27
“He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.”
Acts 10:28
“So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?””
Acts 10:29
Cornelius fills Peter in…
“Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, but welcomes those from EVERY NATION who fear Him and do what is right.”
Acts 10:34-35
I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, but welcomes those from EVERY NATION…
There it is RIGHT THERE….EVERYBODY ALWAYS. In fact that’s our sermon title for today:
EVERYBODY ALWAYS
When the Lord spoke to Peter and said, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” The Lord was simply conveying to Peter, "Peter…
📝 This type of love is for EVERYBODY.
📝 This type of love is ALWAYS.
📝This type of love went THE DISTANCE.
Love went the distance from Heaven to earth. From earth to the manger. From the manger to Egypt. From Egypt to Nazareth. From Nazareth to Jerusalem. From Jerusalem to the whipping post. From the whipping post to the cross. From the cross to the grave. From the grave, BACK to life. From back to life, to back to heaven where He’s seated at the right hand of the Father.
Jesus went the distance to close up the gaps of doubts in our hearts. Jesus went the distance to close up the gaps of doubts in our
minds. Jesus went the distance to demonstrate to us that this type of love is for EVERYBODY ALWAYS.
This type of love calls out to us…
📝 You’re not TOO FAR gone.
📝 There’s no situation TOO DEEP.
📝 It’s not TOO LATE.
“And I am convinced that NOTHING CAN EVER SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”
Romans 8:38
“No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:39
You’re not too far gone….
📝 There’s no such thing as being too far gone from the one who’s ALWAYS THERE.
There’s no situation to deep….
📝 Jesus won’t leave you because of your sins. Jesus came to earth FOR YOUR SINS.
This is why 1 John 1:9 tells us….
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9
Many of us feel like the woman at the well in John 4:11 when she said told Jesus,
““Sir,” the woman said, “YOU HAVE NOTHING to draw with AND THE WELL IS DEEP. Where can you get this living water?”
John 4:11 NIV
📝 There isn’t a situation TOO DEEP that God’s grace can’t SWIM IN.
His grace came to cover it. His grace came to handle it. His grace came to redeem it!
She asked Him, where can I get this living water? Mam, He IS the living water. He’s the answer you’ve been looking for. He’s your peace in the storm. He’s your shelter in the rain. He’s the cool of the day in the furnace of affliction.
It’s not too late…
Jeremiah 31:3 says,
“Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an EVERLASTING LOVE. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”
Jeremiah 31:3
How does it make you feel to know that God has loved you with an EVERLASTING LOVE? God’s love outlast’s our delays. God’s love outlast’s our questions. God’s love outlast’s our excuses. God’s love outlast’s our problems. God’s love outlast’s our reasons why we think we can’t accept His love. You’re not too far. You’re not too deep. You’re not too late. THIS IS AN EVERLASTING LOVE!!!
📝 How can it be TOO LATE when you serve a God who lives in ETERNITY?
If your soul isn’t currently in eternity then there’s still time.
“You see, at just THE RIGHT TIME, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
Romans 5:6
At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. And now is the right time for you you to say yes to Jesus. And now is the right time for you to trust Jesus with your all. Now is the right time to trust Jesus with your soul. Now is the right time to trust Jesus with your cares. Now is the right time to trust Jesus with your troubles.
“As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.””
Hebrews 3:15
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13
Why would you harden your heart to this type of love that went the distance? Why wouldn’t you receive this type of mercy that’s readily available to forgive you? Peter, Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. This type of love is for EVERYBODY ALWAYS. You’re not TOO FAR. There’s no situation TOO DEEP. It’s not TOO LATE.
📝 Love did it FOR ALL.
📝 Love paid it IN FULL.
📝 “God paid A HIGH PRICE FOR YOU, so don’t be enslaved by the world.”
1 Corinthians 7:23
“You were bought with a price [A PRECIOUS PRICE PAID BY CHRIST]; do not become slaves to men [but to Christ].”
1 Corinthians 7:23 AMP
What exactly was that precious price that was paid for you???
“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. IT WAS THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”
1 Peter 1:18-19
📝 Jesus Christ paid full price for you to communicate to you that you are FULLY LOVED. Jesus Christ paid full price for you to communicate to you that you are FULLY WORTH IT.
📝 Jesus didn’t purchase you at a DISCOUNTED RATE, so why do you continue to DISCOUNT yourself?
It’s not that you have a hard time believing that Jesus did it for everyone else. You just have a have a hard time believing that Jesus did it for you.
Never forget, you are part of the EVERYBODY. You are FULLY LOVED. You are FULLY WORTH IT. Jesus communicates this truth to us in Luke 15:1 when he says,
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable:”
Luke 15:1-3
““Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?”
Luke 15:4
“And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’”
Luke 15:5-6
Out of 100 sheep, Jesus noticed that 1 was missing. There it is right there…
📝 You’re NOTICED.
You’re not invisible. You’re not just another number in the crowd. You’re noticed. You’re missed when you’re not around. Your presence makes a difference. You’re NOTICED.
Jesus goes on to say in verse 8,
““Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’”
Luke 15:8-9
You’re the coin in this story. Jesus left Heaven to come to earth to search for you. The woman in this story searched frantically for this one lost coin. WHY? Why did she search so frantically for it? It’s because the coin was valuable to her, and the same is true about you.
📝 You’re VALUABLE.
You’re valuable to God. You’re valuable to Jesus. You’re valuable to us. You were worth the search.
Therefore Peter, Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. No one is too far. No one is too deep. It’s not too late. This type of love is for EVERYBODY ALWAYS.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, you should love each other.”
John 13:34
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””
John 13:35
Jesus said, "…AS I HAVE LOVED YOU…”
Peter, do you remember how I loved you? Go love like that. Peter, do you remember how I accepted you, for you? Go accept others just like that. But whatever you do Peter, do not call anything impure that I have made clean. As you go Peter remember these two words—EVERYBODY ALWAYS. EVERYBODY ALWAYS
REFLECTION QUESTION: HAVE YOU INCLUDED YOURSELF IN THE EVERYBODY?
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