This week we resume our previous sermon series ‘The church goes out’. Service led by Richard Sills and preaching from guest speaker Erik Pattison.

Sermon Notes

Peter learns how new the New Covenant really is

Peter knew the Gentiles were going to be brought into the nation of Israel and become co-inheritors of God’s promises. But it takes a few years for him to shake off his Old Covenant conditioning.
The sacrifices of the New Covenant have a new character (Acts 10:4, compare Romans 12:1 and Hebrews 13:15),

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing
to God — this is your true and proper worship”

(Romans12:1)

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice
of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. “

(Hebrews 13:15)

We are made clean by God’s spoken Word (Acts 10:15)
compare 1 Corinthians 1:2

“2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ
Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those
everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their
Lord and ours: “

The mark of belonging is the presence of God the Holy Spirit rather than circumcision of the body (Acts 10:47, compare Romans 8:8-10).

8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the
realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if
anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to
Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is
subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of
righteousness.

(Romans 8v8-10)