He Went About Doing Good

He Went About Doing Good (Acts 10:38) A. Acts 10 sets forth the initial opening of the door of faith unto uncircumcised Gentiles. 1. Heretofore, the N.T. churches in Jerusalem, Judea, Galilee, Samaria (ACT 9:31), consisted exclusively of those of the circumcision. 2. It was commonly understood that non-Jews were “unclean” (ACT 10:28), unacceptable to God and to Jews, and therefore outside of the covenant promises. EPH 2:11-12. 3. Coincidently, Saul of Tarsus had just been converted by Christ to be the apostle to the Gentiles in ACT 9. 4. This season may well have been the chronological end of the 70 weeks of years determined upon Israel in DAN 9:24-27, Messiah having been cut off in the midst of the 70th week. a. The bloody death of Jesus Christ instituted the New Testament, which has no use for the carnal sacrifices of the Old Testament for remission (forgiveness) of sins. MAT 26:28 c/w HEB 10:18. b. The call to remission of sins in ACT 2:38 was through repentance and baptism by faith, not by carnal sacrifices. c. This dramatic change was assumed to be for Israel, for the circumcision. ACT 3:25-26; 5:30-31. d. The conversion of uncircumcised Cornelius in Acts 10 was the divine confirmation that the significance of circumcision as a token of acceptance with God to receive repentance unto remission of sins was over. ACT 11:18. e. To drive the point home to Peter and his fellow Jews, whereas the Holy Ghost came upon circumcised and baptized people in Acts 2, in ACT 10:44-48 the Holy Ghost was poured out upon uncircumcised and unbaptized people. Before ANY ordinance was applied, God showed the extension of His grace to Gentiles. B. Peter begins his presentation of Jesus Christ as Savior and Judge with the beginning of Christ’s public ministry from His baptism onward in vs. 36-38. 1. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth...” (v. 38), Nazareth a city of Galilee. MAR 1:9. a. He was named Jesus because He “...shall save His people from their sins” (MAT 1:21). No “if,” “try to” or “some people” or any other injected assumption. b. Jesus was born in Bethlehem but the prophets also had seen Him of Nazareth, something that people overlooked. MAT 2:23 c/w JOH 7:41-42. c. Nazareth seems to have had a poor reputation among them. JOH 1:46. d. But what better place for light to rise than in darkness? MAT 4:12-16. 2. God “...anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power...” (v. 38). a. The O.T. high priest was anointed with oil (EXO 29:5-7) in such measure that it ran down Aaron's head and beard to the skirts of his garments. PSA 133:2. b. God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost in similar rich, full affusion, not in part. JOH 3:34. c. The oil extending to the skirts of Aaron's garments is paralleled by the extent of the Spirit in Christ. (1) There is healing in His wings. MAL 4:2. (2) Even the borders of His garments could heal. MAR 6:56. (3) He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him. HEB 7:25. (4) His peace was designed for them that were afar off as well as those that were nigh (EPH 2:17), and His salvation unto the ends of the earth (ACT 13:47). That is very comprehensive internationally, geographically. (5) His people are “...quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (COL 2:13). That is very comprehensive spiritually! (6) He is a city of refuge with the broadest borders that guarantees deliverance and hope for those who flee to Him. NUM 35:26-27 c/w HEB 6:17-20. d. He was anointed with power (v. 38), power to heal, power on earth to forgive sins (MAR 2:10), and power to preach the gospel: “...he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes” (MAR 1:22). C. Jesus “...went about doing good...” (v. 38). c/w LUK 7:22. 1. His was a mobile ministry in witness of God's truth and power, as the tabernacle of witness (ACT 7:44) was a mobile institution in the O.T. a. The tabernacle moved from place to place at God's direction. NUM 9:15-22. b. Everywhere Jesus went was by God's direction: “...I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent” (LUK 4:43). 2. Everything Jesus did was good, unlike us who desire to do good but too often do not. ROM 7:19. a. He was, and is, harmless (HEB 7:26). No one was ever the worse by an encounter with Him. b. His good works excited the envy and malice of His enemies. JOH 10:32. c. Jesus went about seeking and saving (LUK 19:10), a great good and a great contrast to Satan who “...as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1PE 5:8). d. He did good for goodness’ sake, not for applause, wealth, comfort or ease. D. “...and healing all that were oppressed of the devil...” (v. 38). While Satan walked about devouring, Jesus went about delivering. 1. The devil oppresses men in many ways, including sickness, disease, torments of the mind and body but Jesus healed them. MAT 4:23-24; LUK 13:16. 2. The devil also oppresses men through bondage to his lies: lies about life, death, sin, sin’s penalty, salvation from sin, hope, and his own defeat by Christ. HEB 2:14-15. 3. Jesus' healing of the infirmities of the flesh were tokens of His power to undo the cause of all trouble: sin and the devil. 1JO 3:8 c/w MAR 2:1-12. 4. The cure for all the oppressions of the devil is Jesus' atoning sacrifice which put away sin. HEB 9:26. a. There is healing in the atonement not only for the soul but also the body. MAT 8:16-17. b. Because of Him, we will be whole in our entire person one day. PHIL 3:20-21. c. Present pain will be far out-measured by eternal glory. ROM 8:18. E. When His freedom to go about doing good was ended by His enemies, He still did good. 1. He healed the ear of a man wounded by the misguided zeal of a disciple. LUK 22:50-51. 2. He made sure to provide for His mother’s care while dying. JOH 19:26-27. 3. He even comforted a thief dying for his own sins. LUK 23:39-43. F. A formula for life: MAT 5:44; GAL 6:9-10; 1PE 3:10-11.