The Story of Cornelius
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
Before the Lord Jesus went up into Heaven, He gave command to the Apostles to disciple all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. In view of the far-flung purpose of God to reach the Gentiles, Saul had been recently saved and commissioned. However, while Saul was in preparation of this larger work, God was turning in mercy toward a people who knew Him not.
It is for this reason, that our interest deepens as we come to the story of Cornelius, a centurion of Caesarea. Let us seek to discover the inside meanings of this marvelous Divine record of the first distinctively Gentile ministry wrought by Peter.
As we study let us mark the effect of this ministry upon the larger and later ministry of Paul We detect in back of the remarkable scenes of Acts 10:1-48, the hand of God preparing the hearts of Peter and of the Jerusalem saints to give to Paul a cordial right hand of fellowship as he turned to the Gentiles with the message of the grace of God.
When Peter saw the Holy Ghost fall upon Cornelius, a Gentile, he said, "I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." Peter could never retract this statement. He had put himself on record. Thus was the calling of the Church enlarged to include the Gentiles, and thus was the Jewish contingency effectually won over to sanction the Gentile missionary journeys of Paul.
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.
Read the first section of the Scripture assigned.
I. LET US OBSERVE A GENTILE, CORNELIUS THE CENTURION, CALLING UPON GOD (Acts 10:1-2)
Cornelius the centurion was a centurion of a band called the Italian band. One would have thought such a man, of such a race, of such an age, and of such an occupation, to have been wholly corrupted by sin, and wholly neglectful of God. Not so. Cornelius was a devout man. He feared God, and his whole house feared God with him. More than that Cornelius gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
Where Cornelius received his knowledge of God, we do not know. He may have been greatly moved by the mighty marvels that God had wrought during the past several years. The life and ministry of Christ, with His death and resurrection, had not occurred in a corner. The whole world had felt the impact of those great events. The coming of the Spirit, the talking in tongues, the baptism of about 3,000 the unparalleled liberality of the Christians, the healing of the lame man at the beautiful gate of the Temple, the death of Stephen, the conversion of Saul, the deliverance of Peter from a Roman prison; much, or all of these events; had come to his hearing.
Cornelius was different than many, Others passed up the things they saw and heard; Cornelius gave heed. Others centered their life in the things of self, and the things under the sun; Cornelius centered his life in the things of God, and in the things beyond the sun. Others laid by for themselves treasures where the moth and rust corrupt; Cornelius cared for the poor, and laid up treasures in Heaven.
II. LET US CONSIDER HOW GOD TOOK COGNIZANCE OF CORNELIUS (Acts 10:3-4)
"The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him."
We do not assert that Cornelius was a saved man; we do assert that his sincerity of heart, his alms toward the poor, and his prayers to God, all found favor with the Lord.
God watches the man who seeks to please Him. God looks upon the heart. He studies the motive which prompts action in men. He who walks in the flesh cannot please God; yet, the men in the flesh, who seek after God and call upon His Name will be found of Him. Whosoever calleth on the Name of the Lord will be saved. The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord; he that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but, whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy. The publican will find God ready to hear, when he prays, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
Blessed fact God is interested in men; He is watching for men who seek His face. He who sees the sparrow does not fail to see the seeking soul. It was when the prodigal was still the prodigal, and still a great way off that his father saw him, and ran, and had compassion, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Peter conceded the fact that Cornelius feared God and wrought righteousness. Therefore God came to His rescue. Cornelius lived up to the light that he had, therefore God gave him more light.
It will not take long for a seeking sinner, and a seeking Saviour, to meet. When one yearneth for God as yearns the hart for the waterbrook, God will be found of him.
III. LET US PONDER THE RELATIONSHIP OF ANGELS TO HUMAN MINISTERING (Acts 10:3)
Cornelius saw in a vision, an angel of God coming to him, and saying unto him, "Cornelius." All of us believe in the ministry of angels, for God has said, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
However, the ministry of angels as we experience it, is an unseen ministry. Throughout the ages past, angels did, from time to time appear unto men; and, in Apostolic days angels appeared on various occasions to direct or to deliver saints. All of these cases as we weigh them seem to carry exigencies that could not otherwise be met than by angelic aid.
Of one thing we may rest assured, God was tremendously interested in the almsdeeds and prayers of Cornelius. We dare not doubt that God sees and rewards our deeds; nor, dare we doubt that He hears and answers our prayers.
There is just one other word we would say before we pass to our next consideration when God does speak by a vision, and by angel, let us not neglect His message or warning. "We need to remember, that words spoken by angels are steadfast.
IV. LET US WEIGH THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY AN ANGEL (Acts 10:4-6)
The angel, in a vision, said to Cornelius several things we need weigh,
1. He said that the prayers and alms of Cornelius had come up before God as a memorial. From this we learn that God not only sees, but that He remembers; and, we may add, that He records our Godward earth deeds. The word "memorial" is a strong word. A "memorial" is the recognition of a worthy accomplishment. A "memorial" is a monumental recognition. A "memorial" is a published and proclaimed recognition. A "memorial" is a not-to-be-forgotten recognition a perpetuated recognition.
We are sure that God knows what we are, and what we do in this earth life. We are also sure that He makes indelible the record of these things.
What value does all of this, place upon our earthly deeds, and upon our manner of life? It lifts everything out of the trivial and the inconsequential, and adds dignity and far-reaching effect to each step of our way.
If what we are and what we do in this life is memorialized in Heaven, we had better weigh well our acts.
V. LET US NOTE THAT CORNELIUS SHOULD SEND MEN TO JOPPA, AND CALL FOR ONE SIMON, WHOSE SURNAME IS PETER (Acts 10:5-6)
To what lengths will God go to answer prayer! He first sent an angel to Cornelius to give him instructions to send for Peter; He next sent the same angel, or another angel to Peter to prepare him, in heart, to go to Cornelius. Thus, God joined Heavenly and earthly ministrations, all to make grace effective in behalf of a soul that sought His face.
Let us then assure our hearts that God is always interested in our word and work as we preach redemption. Let us guard against prayers, wherein we plead with God as though He was unwilling to save some lost sinner. Let us rather see the willingness of God to save, and pray that we may heartily join with Him in His great work, by carrying the message of salvation to the lost. We still believe that God will move Heaven and earth to save a seeking sinner.
Sometimes we speak of personal work. That is well and good. But personal work must be done by the person appointed. The angel said, "Call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter." It was not the maid who answered the knock of the servants and soldiers, it was Peter. It was not any other of the saints who dwelt in Joppa, it was Peter, We take it that Peter was prepared to tell Cornelius what God wanted Cornelius to know. We take it that Peter was better prepared the best one available whom God could send to Cornelius. God wanted Peter to go, for Peter could do the work desired.
However, back of Cornelius' need for Peter, we feel that God had another purpose in commanding that Peter be called. Peter needed the lesson that God was about to show him. Indeed, if God had sent some other disciple of smaller influence among the saints of the Jerusalem district, there is but little doubt that Peter and the rest of the Church would have raised objection. In sending Peter, who was a pillar, an Apostle, and an outspoken leader, God made Cornelius more welcomed among Jewish saints.
The command of Christ had been to the Jew first, and on to the end of the earth; but the "circumcision" had made it to the Jew first, and to the Jew all of the time.
Now we see the reason for the carefully worded instructions, "To Joppa," to "Simon, whose surname is Peter." "He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side." It is evident that God wanted Peter and none other, to be called to the house of Cornelius; and He guarded against any mistake.
No wonder then that when Peter had completed his task, and he had seen Cornelius saved, he said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted."
A little later, as we open chapter 11 of Acts, we will discover new light on the wisdom in God sending Peter to this Gentile, Cornelius. We will learn that the Apostles and brethren in Judea even contended with Peter, saying, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." What then, would have happened if a man of smaller weight had gone? Even with Peter, it was only when he had fully rehearsed the vision of the net, and the call of the angel, and the falling of the Holy Ghost upon the household of Cornelius, that the "circumcision" "held their peace, and glorified God."
VI. LET US MARK THE PROMPT OBEDIENCE OF CORNELIUS TO THE ANGEL'S INSTRUCTION (Acts 10:7-8)
As soon as the angel who was sent unto Cornelius had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier (mark the word, "devout") and declared unto them all things that had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa.
We are reminded of the visit of the angel to the shepherds, and of how he said, "Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." Then the shepherds said, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." Then they came with haste and found all things as the Lord had told them.
Let us never hesitate to follow the voice of the Lord. If we have the obedience of faith our obedience will be rewarded, for God is always true to His Word.
VII. PETER'S VISION (Acts 10:9-48)
While the men from Cornelius were en route to Joppa to seek Peter, the Apostle was being prepared to receive them.
As he prayed on the house top, he saw a net let down from heaven, filled with wild beasts, and creeping things and fowls of the air. Then there came a voice, "Arise, Peter; slay, and eat." Peter was quick to reply, "Lord, I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean." The voice spoke and said, "What God hath cleansed, call thou not common." This was done thrice.
While Peter wondered what it all meant the men sent by Cornelius stood at the door asking for Peter.
When Peter heard their story, he at once understood his vision. Then Peter went down, and said to Cornelius, "Ye know that it is an unlawful thing, for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or to come unto one of another nation, but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean, therefore came I unto you."
Having spoken thus, Peter opened up unto Cornelius the plan of salvation, preaching the old story in a simple way.
While he yet spake "The Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." Thus they were baptized, and God had demonstrated forever that there is no difference, but that alt who call upon Him should be saved.
In all of this there is God's call to us to go far hence and preach the Gospel to every creature.
There are yet many Corneliuses asking the way for salvation.