Gateway Baptist Church
May 17, 2026

      • Matthew 25:40NKJV

  • We Are Called To Be God's People
  • Shine Jesus Shine
  • I Love To Tell The Story
  • The Lily Of The Valley
  • In His Time
  • Where He Leads Me (Norris)

  • Acts 10:24-33

    Chuck Colson tells of speaking on the campus of a secular university. He was talking about his commitment to Christ and said he was willing, if necessary, to die for the Savior. A young man in the crowd angrily interrupted, shouting, “C’mon, Colson! Nothing is worth dying for!” To which Colson replied, “If there is nothing you are willing to die for, then I submit you have nothing to live for.”
    Peter had something worth living for and dying for. His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Peter failed, but he always failed trying. He was the only one who got out of the boat. The first to go inside the empty tomb. The first to abandon the boat and fish and swim to the shore when Jesus appeared. He and John were the first to be imprisoned. He was the first one to preach the Gospel. As much as he failed, he also lived daringly for the Lord. When you truly find that living for Yahweh is the only thing worth living for, you start to live a life that is daring!
    Peter shows us what a daring life resembles in Christ. Here are the six requirements of a daring life in Christ. The first requirement is obedience. The second requirement is humble. The third requirement is risk. The fourth requirement is willingness. The fifth requirement is seeking. The last requirement is diligence.

    Obedience:

    This is harder than it seems. Were the apostles always obedient? No! Peter was rebuked not only by Christ but also by Paul (Gal. 2:11; Matt 16:21-23). Obedience is a discipline in the Christian life that is overlooked. Many people want to talk about us being free in Christ, which is true, but with freedom comes responsibility and obedience to Christ and the Father. Listen to what the Spirit told Peter in verses 19-20. Peter obeyed the Holy Spirit. Obedience is not optional in the Christian life. We make excuses, and we have allowed the world to over-inundate us with busyness. Listen to what Paul tells Timothy and us (2 Timothy 2:4). You are either obedient to the world and the things of the world or you’re obedient to Christ and the things of His kingdom. Through obedience comes humbleness.
    Galatians 2:11 LSB
    But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
    Matthew 16:21–23 LSB
    From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
    2 Timothy 2:4 LSB
    No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

    Humble:

    The Greek word ‘tapeinoo’ conveys various shades of meaning: level, humble (socially, politically, economically), make small, and be obedient. Listen to Jesus’ words, Luke 18:14. When Peter walks in, Cornelius falls at his feet. Peter could have allowed pride to set in, but because of his obedience and humbleness, he corrects Cornelius. I am not greater than anyone; the only difference between them and me is Christ inside of me.
    Luke 18:14 LSB
    “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
    Listen to James 4:6; we need to ask for the Holy Spirit to keep us humble. Paul instructed the Church of Philippi to think of others more than of self (Philippians 2:3-8). Micah warned Israel what they must do (Micah 6:8). Let us not think of ourselves more than our brothers and sisters. When we are obedient and walk with a humble heart, we will become risk takers for our Lord.
    James 4:6 LSB
    But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
    Philippians 2:3–8 LSB
    doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves, not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
    Micah 6:8 LSB
    He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does Yahweh require of you But to do justice, to love lovingkindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

    Risky:

    Peter is talking to Cornelius, and they walk into his house. That does not seem like a big deal to us, but it is for both of us. To have a Jew walk into a Roman’s home meant the Jew had become unclean. Listen to the rebuke Peter receives on his return (Acts 11:2-3). In Peter’s vision through prayer, God taught him that Gentiles were not unclean. It is Peter who opens the Gospel door to the Gentiles for Paul. The risky apostle of the 12, it only made sense that God used Him to be the one who took the biggest risk by going into the hated Roman centurion's home. Those who have done the greatest work for God are the biggest risk-takers of all. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. But you must be willing.
    Acts 11:2–3 LSB
    And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

    Willingly:

    Peter was willing to come without hesitation. He did not plan, contemplate the pros and cons, or budget for the trip. He just went! Listen carefully to the words of Christ, Luke 9:59-62. How many excuses can we make as to why we cannot come and do the work to reach the lost? What is so important in your life over someone’s soul for eternity? Can we not be willing to do the work that we are sent here to do? I have wasted so much of my life chasing after things that have no eternal bearing and only temporary satisfaction. Once Christ came into my life, and as I grow in Him, the only thing that matters is His business! Being willing to be His is seeking after Him.
    Luke 9:59–62 LSB
    And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord, but first permit me to say farewell to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

    Seeking:

    Cornelius had been seeking the Lord, and the Lord heard his prayers. Peter was seeking the Lord in prayer, and the Spirit told Peter to go to Cornelius. Cornelius and Peter did just what the Lord explained with the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:7-8). They did not stop seeking until they received an answer. We live in a time when we seek instant gratification, which does not last long. The only thing worthy is Christ and seeking all that He desires. Look what happened to both of these men when they did just that. They met, which was very unlikely, and the Holy Spirit did something unheard of. He brought a Jew and a Gentile (a Roman Soldier) together and made them brothers!
    Matthew 7:7–8 LSB
    “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
    Cornelius probably had Deuteronomy 4:29 embedded in his heart. Peter surely did. Jeremiah 29:13, the Lord told them to seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 says our reward is in those who seek Him. Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek His kingdom. Do not seek anything in this life but Him and His work. When you seek Him, do it diligently.
    Deuteronomy 4:29 LSB
    “But from there you will seek Yahweh your God, and you will find Him, for you will search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.
    Jeremiah 29:13 LSB
    ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
    Hebrews 11:6 LSB
    And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
    Matthew 6:33 LSB
    “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

    Diligently:

    The Greek word is either a verb ‘spoudazo’ or a noun ‘spoude’. The verb meaning indicates striving to give one’s best effort to do something. The noun means earnestness, eagerness, or concern. I would confidently state that both men diligently both verb and noun form sought out the Lord. Proverbs 8:17 expounds on seeking by adding the word diligently. The Lord diligently sought after you and me. Nothing in this life will have more of a reward than diligently seeking after the Lord and His plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11; 33:3 tell us that His plans are already for us, and they are so much greater than ours. Let us put aside trivial things and grab hold of kingdom plans and do something that our Lord wants. We have the revival coming up, this is an opportunity to reach brothers and sisters. We have the school coming, an opportunity to serve others. If we will become daring for the Lord the opportunities are endless. It starts with Prayer and ends with actions! That is what Be Daring is all about!
    Proverbs 8:17 LSB
    “I love those who love me; And those who earnestly seek me will find me.
    Jeremiah 29:11 LSB
    ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘plans for peace and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.
    Jeremiah 33:3 LSB
    ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

      • Galatians 2:11LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Matthew 16:21–23LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • 2 Timothy 2:4LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Luke 18:14LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • James 4:6LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Philippians 2:3–8LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Micah 6:8LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Acts 11:2–3LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Luke 9:59–62LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Matthew 7:7–8LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Deuteronomy 4:29LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Jeremiah 29:13LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Hebrews 11:6LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Matthew 6:33LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Proverbs 8:17LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Jeremiah 29:11LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

      • Jeremiah 33:3LGCYSTNDRDBBLSB

Gateway Baptist Church
gatewaybaptistchurch@live.com
8128533787
11 members