The Gospel for All
Acts 10
For today’s message we’ll be in Acts chapter 10, and we’ll see the first time the word was received by the Gentiles.
Last week, Brandon left you with a Zinger, about how did Saul become Paul.
The truth is, the Bible doesn’t specifically say. It just begins in Acts 13:9 to call him Paul.
The name Saul is his Hebrew name, and he identified as a Jew and Pharisee. Acts 23:6 says that he was born a Pharisee to a family of Pharisees.
But Paul was his gentile or Roman name. You see Paul/Saul was a Hebrew who was also Roman citizen.
The text that we are in today still calls him Saul, but the text today is the first conversion of a gentile. Saul became saved, and after he was saved he was sent on mission to help establish the church. Both Peter and Paul went to both the Jews and the Gentiles.
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Cornelius
In verse 1, we’ll be introduced to Cornelius and see how Peter was called to Cornelius.
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,
Caesarea
・A town in Northern Palestine that was on the Mediterranean Sea.
・It is 65 miles from Jerusalem.
・ Peter had been in the town of Lydda and Joppa.
・God had done a great work there by the healing of a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed, and the raising from the dead a lady named Tabitha.
The word says that because of these events, the residents of Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord (Acts 9:35).
His Position
・He was a centurion (a commander of men) of the Italian Cohort.
・A centuria was the smallest unit of a roman Legion.
・A legion had about 6,000 men, consisting of 10 Cohorts (600 men) and each Cohort had 6 centuria, of between 80-100 men each.
・Cornelius was a member of the Italian Cohort of 600 men, and he commanded a centuria of about 100 men.
・He was a man of authority, and a gentile.
His Character
Verse 2 says:
a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.
・He is a devout man who feared God with all his household.
・He and all his household feared God. He is not just leading within the Italian Cohort, but he is also leading at home!
・He gave alms generously.
He is putting actions to his words. He is compassionately caring for those around him.
・He prayed continually to God. He is surrendering to God and communicating with Him daily.
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God not only pursues us, but prescribes for us how we may interact with Him. How is that? Through prayer.
Here is a successful military man, who is not only leading his centuria, but he is leading his family. Essentially he is leading out of who he is. We’ll see that God has a plan for him, and Cornelius has not soured that plan.
This is not only applicable to a military man. Could it be that we could learn from this example if we are a business person? Could it be that we could learn from this example if we are a home maker?
So has God pursued you?
Is there a different you at home than there is at work or in public?
Be who God has created you to be, not who the world expects you to be. He has a purpose for you.
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Romans 12:1-3 says:
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Is God faithful? You bet He is.
Has He established your faith?
What is the fruit of your faith?
Is it obedience/Alms/Fearing God/Prayers?
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That is the mark of Cornelius, and God comes to him in that posture
Verses 3-8.
3About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
This is a 35 mile trip. It would have been about a day’s travel.
It is not a short journey, but Cornelius did as the Lord commanded, and the men did as Cornelius commanded.
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Peter’s vision and the activity of the Holy Spirit
(Verses 9-20)
Peter went to the men and invited them in and went with them the next day to Caesarea.
in verse 24-29:
24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”
・Peter was humble. (Verses 26)
・He also was teachable. (Verses 28 & 29)
Does that sound like the old Peter we know?
He has been transformed by the Work of Jesus and the presence of the Spirit.
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Cornelius would explain the visit he had received by the messenger of the Lord.
Verse 33 says:
So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Cornelius and those who were with him have receptive hearts, and this is the moment in history that resounds to this day!
This very moment in time, approximately AD 39, God brings the Gospel to the rest of the World.
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Verses 34-45:
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.
Men and women, boys and girls, this room is full of Gentiles, who have heard the word. And the Holy Spirit is here! And the message of the Gospel has been delivered by Peter, both to the gentiles of Cornelius house, and to you today.
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Is God stirring your heart?
The Gospel has not changed.
You have heard it today.
It is very simple.
We are sinners.
The penalty of sin is death (Eternal separation from God)
Jesus came and never sinned, but died the death that you and I deserved.
God raised Him from the dead, and defeated death and sin and the enemy.
And now God extends to you, just as He did to the house of Cornelius, the free gift of Grace that is Christ’s atoning death, burial and resurrection.
This can be efficacious for you!
There is only one thing keeping you from receiving this grace.
Have you believed?
If you have believed, have you proclaimed?
If you have proclaimed, are you following?
Whatever the Lord is leading you in today, don’t delay.
Move as He has called.
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