The Records of Speaking in Tongues – Part 4

The fourth record of the outpouring of holy spirit is given in Acts chapter 10. This record is the first time
that gentiles, those outside the pail of Judaism received the gift of holy spirit. To me, this is the greatest
act of love and kindness that God could afford. To think, I, little old me, who had no previous covenant
with God, who was dead in trespasses and sins, who did not come from the lineage of Israel, could
confess Jesus as lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead and, in an instant, be
born of the holy spirit and forever be a son of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ. WOW! And it all
started in Acts chapter 10.
Acts 10:1-48 (KJV)
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the
Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the
people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him,
and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him,
Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Cornelius was a Gentile. He didn’t have the covenant relationship that the Judeans have with
God, yet he prayed to God Almighty and it says that God heard him! What about the Christians?
Do you think God hears us. Sometimes we wonder because the answers aren’t immediately
forthcoming, but, God DOES hear us as good or better than He heard Cornelius! We are his
children of course he hears us! What does it say in James 5:16 “ The effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much.” The problem with us is we stop praying before we see our deliverance.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what
thou oughtest to do.
They had zoning codes even back then. The tanneries were required to be outside of the city and
down wind of the town so they didn’t stink up the city.
7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household
servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up
upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a
trance,Oh, how the hookie pook artists, the ESP cultists, love this. They reference verse 10 and say see
we are doing the same thing. No they aren’t! A trance in the Bible is a clarity of mind not
possession!
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great
sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping
things, and fowls of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not
thou common.
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
Peter was a Judean. Judeans have very strict guidelines on what they can eat and what they can’t
eat. That is why Peter said “I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” It was so
ingrained in Peter not to eat anything common or unclean that even though a supernatural vision
with a supernatural voice told Peter to kill and eat Peter refused! Three times God told Peter to
kill and eat and three times Peter refused!
The next verse says Peter doubted in himself. This is just so normal, just so human and people
don’t see the humanity in this and they study it a lifetime. What would you do if you had a vision
that ran completely cross purposes of what your upbringing taught you? I know what I would
have done. I would be saying “boy I’m glad that is over with and what the heck was that about. It
must have been because I didn’t eat. Maybe I am so hungry that anything looks good to eat.”
17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold,
the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before
the gate,
18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold,
I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good
report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee
into his house, and to hear words of thee.
23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and
certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had
called together his kinsmen and near friends.
The tradition in the East is that whatever the head of the house did everybody else would follow
suit. If the head of the house became a Christian the whole household would become Christian.
25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped
him.26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to
keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not
call any man common or unclean.
29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for
what intent ye have sent for me?
30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour (three
o’clock, our time) I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight
of God.
32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the
house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now
therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
This is interesting. As you see now and will see later these men are being very specific about
what they say. They are relating exactly what happened and exactly what was said. Why? It is
because of the gravity of this momentous occasion. How many other times had the Bible
recorded that an angel of God appeared unto a Gentile? As I sit here I can’t think of any. How
many times did God tell a Judean to break the law of Moses? Never before. So, both of these
men are in uncharted waters.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Boy, am I glad Peter was smart enough to finally understand the vision and humble enough to
obey God and to impart the knowledge of the new birth to outsiders.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is
Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from
Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in
Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and
drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was
ordained of God to be the Judge of quick (living) and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy
Ghost as well as we?
Peter taught them the truth of God’s Word and they believed! Glory hallelujah! They believed
and Peter taught them the mechanics of speaking in tongues and they, too, did the same thing
that the Apostles did on the day of Pentecost and the same thing Paul did. They spoke in
tongues! They spoke the wonderful works of God!
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to
tarry certain days.
If you are immersed in the holy spirit does it matter if you get wet or not? No. But, Peter was still
a Judean and had that background. Peter commanded them to be baptized in John’s baptism
which is getting dunked in water. But, Peter never went through with it. In Acts chapter eleven
Peter is called before the leadership of the Christian Church and he is very specific in what he
tells them. In verse sixteen it says that he didn’t baptize them with John’s baptism because
something much greater had come.
Acts 11:15-16 (KJV)
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
I am including Acts chapter eleven verses 1-18 to show you the backlash that Peter got on his return to
Jerusalem. Rather than rejoicing for people being saved the leadership was irate that Peter would have
imparted this knowledge to the Gentiles. Again, Peter was very specific and in fact went over and over
again what he was going to say. The final outcome of this confrontation is given in Acts 11:18.
Acts 11:18 (KJV)
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to
the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Acts 11:1-18 (KJV)
1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received
the word of God.
2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with
him,
3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them,
saying,
5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as
it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the
earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my
mouth.
9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou
common.
10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent
from Caesarea unto me.
12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren
accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him,
Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water;
but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord
Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God
also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.