Good morning, everyone. It's 13th of February. Mark's been reading through the book of Acts. Today he's ready for chapter 10. You know, I've entitled this The Better Covenant. You know, there's a lot of changes that took place in the practices of the Christians from the practice of Jews and this was evidenced by what happened in 10th chapter of Acts where God presented himself in a vision and Cis Cornelius was a centurion of the Italian band. He was an Italian. And God saw his prayers. And he told Cornelius to go and talk to Peter. And Peter went up in the house from the top about six o'clock and he became very hungry and he fell into a trance and he saw a vessel descending and a sheep at four corners let down the earth with all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air. And a voice said, Rise Peter, kill and eat. This went against everything Peter had been taught about the eating practices of the Jews. In fact, Peter said, I have never eaten anything that's common or unclean. And the voice said, what God hath cleansed call not common. And so, Obviously, Peter was full of doubts. And while he thought about the vision, he was told three men were seeking after him, and so he went down and Cornelius said that Cornelius had a good report among all the nation of the Jews and was warned by a holy angel of God to send for thee into his house. And so on the next day Peter went with them and they entered into Caesarea and Cornelius waited for them. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet. And Peter said, I'm a man. And he talked with him and found out many, many of that work came together. And he said, he know that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company. or coming to one another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore I came unto you as soon as I was sent for." And so Cornelius told him about the vision he had seen. And Peter opened his mouth and said, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. but in every nation he that feareth him worketh right and is accepted with him and so he began to understand that they were under the new covenant and it was for both Jew and Gentile you know and so he had fellowship with these people. And it says the Holy Ghost fell on them. And it says they of the circumcision which believed were astonished. They couldn't believe this was happening. They weren't supposed to be affiliating with these goyim. You know? And then Peter said, you know, they should be baptized. And so anyway, I'm going to turn this over to Mark, have him read this entire chapter. But this is what happened when the new and better covenant came into fruition. Acts chapter 10. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius that censured a man called the Tambad. That man was one of the feared guys with all his eyes which gave much on the people and prayed to God always. You see in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel, God, coming in to him and saying, Cornelius. And he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it, Lord? Said unto him, The prayers of thine alms are come up for moral before God. Now send man to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodge with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. When the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called to his household servants, about the soldier of them that weighed on him continually. When he declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. Tomorrow as they went on their journey and drew nigh into the city, Peter went up on a housetop to pray about the sixth hour. And it became very night, and it was evening. But while they made ready, he fell into a trance, saw heaven open to a certain vessel, saying unto him, Has it been a great cheating at the four corners, and let him down there? Were in wrong manners to forfeit the beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And a voice to him rise, Peter, kill and eat. Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. Always speaking to him again the second time, the guy in the clinic said, Call him out, not a common. This was done thrice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. While Peter doubted himself with his vision of what he had seen, he said, Behold, the men went forth sent from Canaes, and made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether Simon was for certain that Peter were lodged there. And Peter thought on the vision, and the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Rise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them. And Peter went down unto the men which were sent unto him from Canaan, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek. It was a cause wherefore ye are come. It said, Canaan is a centurion, a just man, and one that fears God, and of good report among all the nations of the Jews. was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into this house to hear words of thee. Then called he them in, lodged them, and on the morrow Peter went away with him. A certain brother from Joppa accompanied him, and the morrow after he entered into Caesarea, Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and their friends. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down in his feet and worshipped him. Peter took him up, saying, Stand up by myself also, my man. As he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together. He said to them, You know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company and come into one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gain, saying, As soon as I was sent. For I asked, therefore, for what intent ye have sent for me. Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fast until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed mine own house. Behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thy alms are had in remembrance of the sign of God. Send therefore to Joppa, and call the hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. It lies in the house of one Simon a tanner by the seaside, who, when he cometh, She'll speak unto thee immediately, therefore I say unto thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, and to hear all things are commanded thee of God. And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of the truth I have received, that God is not a respecter of persons. But every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word of which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. That word, I say ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached. Have God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, and with ruin, but about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. To whom God raised up the third day and showed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. Command us to preach unto the people and to testify that It is he which ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead, to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word. They of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because it on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then answered Peter, saying, Man, forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we. They commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, and prayed to him to tarry a certain days. Well, you know what? I think that the Messianic Jews ought to read this chapter. I attended a messianic church one time and they were still trying to practice all of these holy days. You know? We're no longer under the ceremonial law. You know? We don't... We... I don't have any problem with eating meat. I'm not a vegan. I mean... If you take this for what it says, it says that this was lowered down all kind of four-footed beasts and wild beasts and creeping things. Wild beasts, that would include raccoons, wouldn't it? And bear. And fowls of the air. And the voice says, rise, Peter, kill and eat. People trying to hold on to all these ceremonial laws. and worship on these ceremonial days, the feast of trumpets and all this stuff. Listen, we're under the new covenant. We're not under the old covenant. May the good Lord be with you today is my prayer. And let us remember that God himself was an advocate of eating meat. You ever thought about that? God himself was an advocate of eating meat. And you know what? Even after he rose from the dead, he put fish on the fire and said, come and dine. He wasn't a vegan. Well, anyway, hope you all have a blessed day today.