When God Opens Doors

  • Dr. Bob Harrington
  • Mar 18, 2007
  • Series: Acts
When God Opens Doors
Acts 10 & 11
Bob Harrington
Jud Wilhite –Stripped: Uncensored Grace on the Streets of Vegas.  “Though I am a conservative Christian, I will do anything that does not violate the Bible to help people experience God’s grace.”             
A Non-Christian Gets a Vision - Acts 10:1-8
A Narrow-Minded Christian is Surprised by a Vision - Acts 10: 9-17
-As spiritual maturity increases, approachability increases.  Lost people loved to hang around Jesus.  The number one emotional response by Jesus to people, as described in the gospels is compassion.
The Narrow Minded Christian Meets the Non-Christian Friends - Acts 10:18 - 23
The Christian Breaks through the First Barrier - Acts 10:24 - 29
 -Too often we mistake grace for weakness, forgiveness for giving in.  We see strength only in pointing out sin and stomping on it until it is dead.  But in Jesus we find no patience for those more concerned with enforcing the rules than helping others.  Though He was perfect and, therefore, in a position to judge and punish all of us, Jesus showed us a different kind of strength found in grace, compassion, and forgiveness.
 The Simple Faith Described -  Acts 10:30- 43
A Conversion Attested by a Miracle. – Acts 10:44-48

Explaining God’s Acceptance Acts 11:1-18

CHRISTIAN CONVERSION has both an objective and a subjective dimension to it. On the one hand, Christ's death and resurrection have secured eternal salvation for those who believe … . But … the beginning point of conversion also involves a clearly subjective, personally experienced dimension that results in some radical changes in the believer; and the Spirit is the absolutely indispensable element for this dimension.

Small Group Questions

Opening: What are the most difficult barriers for you to cross when trying to relate to and talk to people who are very different than you? 

 Bible study: Read Acts 10:1 – 11:18

1.       What does the Bible teach us when we realize that Cornelius was a righteous man, yet he still needed to be saved (11:14)?

2.       Do you think that people get visions like the one Cornelius experienced in our day? Explain why or why not.

3.       What were the biggest barriers that kept Peter and the others from reaching out to non-Jewish people?  What are your biggest barriers that keep you from reaching out to lost people in your context?

4.       Why was it still important – even though they had received the Holy Spirit – for Cornelius and his family to be immediately baptized (Acts 10:44-48)?

Close:  How can we pray for and reach out to lost people this week?