CORNELIUS Salvation to all who believe

Acts 10

10:¹ At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.  ² He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.  ³ One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"  ⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.  ⁵ Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.  ⁶ He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."

 ⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had gone Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

Cornelius was one of the first Gentile converts to Christianity. 

He was senior officer in the Roman military forces whose Italian regiment was based in Caesarea; a man, an officer of integrity.

Considering the extent of pagan religions in his area of jurisdiction, it is quite surprising to find a Gentile of his quality, adopting the Jewish monotheistic religion.

(“The Prevenient Grace of God”)What would attract a senior Roman military officer to the Jewish religion?  He probably visited a Jewish synagogue at some time and was influenced by what he experienced in their synagogue. Or it could have been the sincerity of their worship that attracted him

However, Cornelius took on their religion and lived up to the standard, according to all the limited light he had of the knowledge of God.

I.  He was a devout worshiper of the true God of Israel.

(2) “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing” 

Even his soldiers respected him to such an extent that at least one of them took on the same religion as his leader.

This is something to think about.

Can it be said of you, or of you and your family?

Cornelius and his household is what draws people to you and possibly to your church; depending also on how much you love your church.  

a.  The family was united.

We can also see that not only was he a good man and a good leader, but a good husband and father.

b.  He was generous

(v2) He gave generously to those in need.

c.  He was sincere

(v2) He prayed to God regularly.

I.   If you seek me…

 a. An angel visited him

³ One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"  ⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.  

While he was praying at his regular time (a man of discipline), a messenger sent from God (angel) came to him.

It is always a frightening experience when someone appears out of nowhere and calls out to you by name, “Cornelius!”. Cornelius, the brave Roman soldier stared at him in fear. 

Like the angel of God said to Daniel,  “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that

you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard,”

The angel said nearly the same thing to Cornelius.

.  The Angel gave Cornelius directions.

⁵ Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.  ⁶ He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." ⁵ Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.  ⁶ He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."

He was instructed by the angel to find a man named Peter and to bring him back to his house.

The object was to get someone who was filled with the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to Cornelius so that he could be saved. But, you might say.

“He was a good man. Look at what the Bible says about this man!

a.  Cornelius worshiped God.

b.  He prayed to God regularly and he lived a very good life.

c.  Surely God would accept such a man into His kingdom”.

How good is good enough?

It was because of his sincerity in wanting to worship God that an angel was sent to show him how to find the true way to God’s heart.

The Bible says, “If you seek me, you will find me, if you seek me with all your heart.”

The trouble is people believe that God will only punish the murderers and criminals who cause trouble in the world. But the law-abiding, good-doers He will accept.

The sons of Adam both worshiped God. Cain brought the best of the produce that he had cultivated and presented his offering to God. Abel brought a little lamb as his offering. God accepted Abel’s offering and He rejected Cain’s. Why?   

There is nothing good enough to buy our way to God. The Bible says, even our best deeds are like filthy rags. If we owned the whole world and we gave that to God –

What then is the offering that God will accept? Nothing! The price has been paid. 

That’s the problem with the Gift of Salvation. We can’t believe that it is free.

Cornelius was led to believe that he had to earn his salvation. God saw Cornelius’ heart, so He sent an angel to help him. Why didn’t the angel tell him how to find God? Why send for Peter?

The angel said to Cornelius, “Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter…”

Meanwhile, God spoke to Peter and prepared him to help a Gentile to salvation.

Immediate obedience

⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had gone Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

It is an interesting story to read how God dealt with Peter’s reluctance to deal with a non-Jew about his need of Christ. Peter was of the opinion that only the Jews were God’s people. He had to learn that God loved the whole world; that Jesus died not only for the Jews but for “whoever believes in Him”, will inherit salvation.

There is no such thing as a specially elected group of people who are predestined for salvation. This is a lie that is being taught in many Christian churches today. They call it “Reformed Theology” (Calvinism – or neo Calvinism)

Peter had to learn that there is no favouritism with God. There is neither Jew, nor Greek nor pagan nor gentile, nor male, nor female, but all are the same in God’s view. When Peter arrived at the home of Cornelius, he found a large gathering of friends and relatives of the Centurion. Peter now had a congregation (10:24 – 27). What it really says is that Cornelius wanted to share his faith with as many as possible. That is one of the signs of a new Christian.  He wants the world to know that Jesus loves them so!    (Rom 10:9,10).

III.  Peter’s Sermon (34 – 43)

Peter’s sermon had three parts:

A.  Divine impartiality; B.  Universal Lordship of Jesus Christ; C. The way of salvation for all men.

a.  Divine Impartiality

He starts his sermon off with the statement that “God shows no favouritism but that He accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (John confirms this idea in Jn 1:11-12.)

Peter’s own Jewish prejudices were shattered by the vision God sent him.

Salvation has always been offered to the entire human race, but the message of salvation was entrusted to the Jews.  

What was once entrusted to the Jewish nation has now been given to the Church : 

“Go, make disciples of all nations…”

b. Universal Lordship of Jesus Christ

He told how they killed Jesus on the Roman cross. That he died and was buried. But God raised him on the third day and that the resurrected Jesus was seen by those whom God had selected to be witnesses of His resurrected life.

c. Salvation is for “whosoever will…”

He concluded his sermon with the words that “God appointed Jesus Christ to be the judge of the living and the dead. He showed how in the Old Testament the prophets testified about him, “that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name “ 

His concluding remarks:

1. that we are all accountable to Christ as our Judge; it was commanded of the Apostles to testify to the world, that this Jesus is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. (42, 43).

2. That if we believe in him we will all be justified by him as our righteousness The prophets, when they spoke of the death of Christ, did witness this, that through his name, for his sake, and upon the account of his merit, whoever believes in Him, Jew or Gentile, will receive remission of sins. 

Conclusion:

What do we learn from this scripture?

1.  There is no religion or religious thing that can bring us to God.  The Bible makes it clear that Jesus is the only way. Nothing is good enough that can replace Jesus Christ as our Saviour.

2.  That anyone who sincerely wants to be saved will be led by God to someone who is specially anointed by God (and filled with God’s Holy Spirit) to help such a person to find his way to God through repentance of sin and acceptance of the finished work of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

3.  That Jesus is alive; that He lives; that He saves all who come to Him

4.  Another very important point: What we are speaks louder and more effectively when we want others, people we know, neigbours we often talk to and friends, family members, to come to salvation.