Dr. Gough:

For a God-given purpose, we are born, and to live.

--Not to seek, for itself, pleasure, wealth, success.

--Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). Make His purpose, ours!

--As we do, all the blessings of God will be ours.

Acts- 10 has two verses, "For what reason have you come .. and for what reason (purpose) have you sent for me?"

--We see God's purposes in several lives (v 21, 29).

--In the Bible, to help us see His purpose in us.

First, God teaches Peter, and us, to love others.

--Peter, a Jew, fisherman, steeped in the Law, prophets, animal sacrifice,, rituals and rules, exclusivism from others; was now a follower of Jesus.

--In Joppa on a roof-top, God spoke three times to Peter, in a voice and vision. Read it in Acts 10:16.

--For a revelation, "God has shown me I should not call any man common or unclean" or inferior (v 28).

--We see God's purpose - prepare Peter to love others.

Next in this fascinating story is a Gentile, Cornelius.

--Cornelius was a Roman, soldier, former pagan, worshiping the true God in a synagogue with Jews.

--Let's meet him. "A devout man, one who feared God, gave alms generously to the people, prayed to God always" (Acts 10:2). We'd all say, a good man.

--Yet Cornelius needed Jesus. He sought more light..

--An angel of God came to Cornelius, like to Peter.

--Said, "Your prayers and alms have come before God. Send for Peter." Acts 10:3-5 give the details.

--So he sent men to Joppa, to fetch Peter, to come.

They all came to lovely Caesarea on the Mediterranean.

--Cornelius, his family and soldiers, eagerly awaited.

--Inside, Peter asked, "For what purpose have you sent for me?" Why am I here? What can I do for you?

--They all wanted to know about Jesus. He told them.

Deep down, people still want to know about Jesus.

--Angels, visions, or voices not needed, for we have the Spirit of God, Word of God, messengers of God.

My friend, God cares for us all. Knows all about us.

--God said to Cornelius, "Your prayers and alms have come up for a memorial before God" (v 4).

--See, God knows. Records. Blesses our devotions.

--Cornelius lived up to the light he had.

--Now God is giving him the Light of Jesus,"the Light of the world. Who follows (Him) will have the light of life." Cornelius had a purpose - life, eternal!

So Cornelius sent a delegation to Peter in Joppa, for Peter, "Come, help us."

--In verse 20, God assured Peter, "I have sent them."

--Peter met the men, asked the purpose of the visit.

--They told him. Peter lodged them for the night.

Next day, with six Jewish Christians and men Cornelius sent, they began the 30-mile walk (v 23; 11:12).

In Caesarea, what a welcome! "As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, worshiped him."

--Cornelius meant well. Worshiped the wrong one!

--Peter exaplained he was just "a man." Not a God.

--Worship belongs to God. To Jesus - Who is God.

They come into this gathering. Let's follow them.

--Peter stepped into a Gentile's home. A first!

--A giant step for Peter - never before! - and is only after God told him, "What God has cleansed you must not call common" (v 15).

--That God loves all alike! Jew and Gentile! All!

So Peter tells "how unlawful for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation."

--That is what they had long believed - until now. --God told Peter, as believers, we are to love all!

--We should not be prejudiced. Nor racist.

--God's love reaches to all the world. So ought ours.

--Salvation in Jesus is for everyone .. everywhere.

Note Peter's unquestioned obedience to God, saying how "I came .. as soon as I was sent for" (v 29) .

--Peter knew, but invited them to tell, "for what purpose have you sent for me?" They had a good one!

--They wanted to know all about Jesus, to be saved.

My dear friend, you can't get any greater purpose.

--God was taking down walls of partition, separation.

--Not Jew or Gentile, black, white, young or old.

--Not those things that divide us; but to unite us.

--God wants all to be one in love, faith in Jesus.

That's why God created us. Has blessed us so.

--"For what reason?" To know God. To love others.

--To give a winsome witness of God's grace to all.

--Cornelius did that. Gave account of God's leading.

--Of a good life, but something missing - Jesus!

--A blessed assurance of heaven, forgiveness, and all the fullness of God's Holy Spirit, to lead us.

There are two types of people in the world, some say.

--Those who come in a room and say, "Here I am!"

--And those who come in saying, "There you are!"

--Those who put Jesus first, others second, and self, last. Those who are godly. Humble. Loveable.

A Christian's purpose is to demonstrate Jesus' life.

--Whose actions say, "I'm here to serve God, and you."

--Whose purpose is "giving preference to one another."

--To "edify one another" (Romans 14:19). Build up.

--To "care for one another" (I Cor. 12:25).

--To willingly "serve one another" (Gal. 5:13).

--To "bear one another's burdens .." (Gal. 6:2).

--To "comfort one another" (I Thess. 5:11).

--To "pray for one another" (James 5:16).

You see, there should be only one kind of Christian.

--The "love one another," kind. Like Jesus does.

--That is why God had Cornelius send for Peter.

See how Peter tells the story of Jesus, in Acts 10.

--How God is "no respecter of persons .. no partiality... In every nation whoever loves Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him" (Acts 10:34f).

He tells of Jesus' death on a cross, for our sins.

--Not His, for He had none. About His resurrection!

--Jesus "raised up the third day, showed Him openly, commanded us to preach" (v 41f).

--Facts to identify the Gospel from other religions.

Look what happened! To Peter's preaching, "The Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word" (v 44).

--They believed! "Born again." Saved. In Christ.

--The Christian Jews who came with Peter were "astonished, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also" (v 45).

--You see how God loves all of us alike, my friend.

--A Gentile Pentecost! Baptized in Spirit and water.

Ponder God's purposes in these. Lord, do it again!

--Ponder His purpose and plan God has for you!

--I marvel the way God has planned my life, so well.

--I know, dear one, God will bless you, as you yield.

--Surrender your life fully, to Him, in Jesus Christ.

God says, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

--The question: Are we conforming to God's plans?

--You have a purpose. His creation. His salvation.

--Let the Lord reveal it to you. Begin His purpose.

Each dawn I meet the Lord in prayer for His will, His purpose and plan for me this day. Why not try it?

Moses had a purpose, to lead Israel out of bondage.

--Young Daniel "purposed in his heart he would not defile himself ..." (Daniel 1:8). An ideal purpose.

--Nehemiah purposed to "rebuild the fallen walls..."

--Solomon purposed to "build a temple for God."

--Ruth .. Esther .. hundreds of other saints also.

--Not just in the Bible, but in lives today!

--Perhaps yours. I pray it may be, in all of us.

Find God's purpose for you! It begins, to be saved.

--Ask God, "For what reason do you have for one like me?" God will reveal it. He works miracles.

Say to God, "Here am I Lord, use me," and He will.

--In ways that will amaze you. To bless the world.

--Will you do it, dear friend? Receive God's gift.

--That is my purpose God gave me, to give to you.

--Please the Lord. Answer prayers. Change a life.

--See what God can do for you.

Dr. Wilbert D. Gough