Sunday, October 17, 2021
Acts 10:1-8
“Promised Progression”
Service Overview: Acts 10 begins a profound turning point in the expansion and development of the church as God continues to make good on his plan for all people to be invited into the kingdom and mission of Jesus; including gentiles like Cornelius.
Memory Verse for the Week: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
Background Information:
- Acts 10 is one of the most important chapters of the entire book of Acts, if not the most important chapter. Actually, it is one of the most important chapters in the entire New Testament because it brings to our attention an extremely important moment in redemptive history, a time of transition from the old way of doing things to a whole new epoch of God’s redemptive activity. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 150)
- This event took place about ten years after Pentecost. Why did the apostles wait so long before going to the lost Gentiles? After all, in His Great Commission (Matt. 28:19–20), Jesus had told them to go into all the world, and it would seem logical for them to go to their Gentile neighbors as soon as possible. But God has His times as well as His plans, and the transition from the Jews to the Samaritans to the Gentiles was a gradual one. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 355)
- A centurion was nominally in command of a hundred men: although his status was that of a noncommissioned officer, his responsibilities were more like those of a modern army captain. Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army. The historian Polybius sums up their necessary qualifications thus: “Centurions are required not to be bold and adventurous so much as good leaders, of steady and prudent mind, not prone to take the offensive or start fighting wantonly, but able when overwhelmed and hard-pressed to stand fast and die at their post.” (F.F. Bruce, Acts, 226)
- From the description of Cornelius as devout (eusebis, used only here and in v. 7; 2 Peter 2:9) and God-fearing (“righteous and God-fearing,” Acts 10:22), it can be inferred he was not a full-fledged proselyte to Judaism (he had not been circumcised, 11:3), but he did worship Yahweh. Evidently he attended the synagogue and to the best of his knowledge and ability followed the Old Testament Scriptures. Nevertheless, he had not entered into New Testament salvation (cf. 11:14). (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 379)
- This is not the only place in the New Testament where we are introduced to a centurion; we find these men several times in the Gospels and in Acts, and in every instance they are highly commended. One of them, who came into contact with Jesus, was praised by him with the words: “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” (Matt. 8:10). Cornelius followed in this path. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 174)
- The reference to Cornelius’s being devout is supported by his activity of giving to those in need and praying regularly. Cornelius’s faith had hands—he was regularly involved in activities that displayed his interest in serving others. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 170)
The question to be answered is…
What does a random Roman centurion have anything to do with the greater story of the gospel and salvation?
Answer…
EVERYTHING!!! Cornelius’ story was just the beginning of what was about to unfold in redemptive history; that those who were at one point excluded, would not just be included, but pursued.
The word of the day is… pursue
What’s important to know about God’s pursuit of Cornelius?
- It further revealed the unfolding cosmic conspiracy.
(Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; Ephesians 1:4-5, 11; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8)
When Christ inaugurated the new covenant, the barrier between Jew and Gentile was broken and hope was extended to Gentiles. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 150)
God is directing the expansion of his church, founded on the crucified and resurrected Christ. The conversion of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert recorded in Acts, portrays a significant step in the process of expansion. The Word was spreading and the church was on the threshold of a whole new phase of Jesus’ promised progress (1:8). (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 169)
- It was evidenced by Cornelius’ heart and life.
(Romans 2:14; 8:29; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Philippians 2:13; Titus 2:11-12; 1 John 4:19)
Doubtless Cornelius had true faith in God’s word, as far as he understood it, though not as yet clear faith in Christ. This was the work of the Spirit of God, through the mediation of Jesus, even before Cornelius knew him, as is the case with us all when we, who before were dead in sin, are made alive. Through Christ also his prayers and alms were accepted, which otherwise would have been rejected. Without dispute or delay Cornelius was obedient to the heavenly vision. (Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1035)
- It demonstrated God’s proclivity to reveal himself to and accept all who honestly and humbly seek him.
(Deuteronomy 4:29; Psalm 25:9; 51:17; Jeremiah 29:13; Colossians 3:12; James 4:6, 10)
Did Cornelius’s good acts make him worthy of God’s love? No, but God is faithful and will reveal himself to those who seek Him. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)
Cornelius’s story demonstrates God’s willingness to use extraordinary means to reach those who desire to know him. God does not play favorites and does not hide from those who want to find him. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 170)
Conclusion… How can a text like this challenge and encourage Jesus’ followers today? By knowing that…
A. God is not amazed by our salvation, but we should be.
(Isaiah 53:5; John 6:44; Romans 5:8; 11:6; ; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; 1 John 3:1-3)
God does not need us to minister for Him. He is self-sufficient. He chooses to use us, in order to give us the benefit of serving Him. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)
Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us; and the art of life is to get the message. (Malcolm Muggeridge, Christ and the Media, 25)
The gospel starts by teaching us that we, as creatures, are absolutely dependent on God, and that He, as Creator, has an absolute claim on us. Only when we have learned this can we see what sin is, and only when we see what sin is can we understand the good news of salvation from sin. (J.I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, 59)
B. Cornelius’ faith is the kind of faith God loves … devoted, generous, and prayerful.
(Mat. 5:16; Luke 6:38; Eph. 2:10; Col. 3:23-24; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Hebrews 13:16)
Pure and undefiled religion is sometimes found where we least expect it. Wherever the fear of God rules in the heart, it will appear both in works of charity and of piety, neither will excuse from the other. (Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1035)
It is interesting to see how religious a person can be and still not be saved. Certainly, Cornelius was sincere in his obedience to God’s law, his fasting, and his generosity to the Jewish people (compare this to Luke 7:1–10). He was not permitted to offer sacrifices in the temple, so he presented his prayers to God as his sacrifices (Ps. 141:1–2). In every way, he was a model of religious respectability—and yet he was not a saved man. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 355)
C. God is never far from those who seek him.
(Deuteronomy 4:29; Psalm 34:18; 145:18; Jeremiah 29:13; Acts 17:27; James 4:8)
The Book of Hebrews tells us, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Note those two qualifications: Those who come to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. You see this principle in the life of Cornelius. This Roman soldier believed that God existed. He had forsaken the pagan gods of the Romans and was seeking to live a godly life. So God sent help to Cornelius. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 139)
I am absolutely convinced that if a man lives up to whatever light he has, however meager that may be, God will give him more light. If a person is born into a Buddhist family or Moslem family or an unsaved Unitarian family and really gropes for more truth than he has, God will give him that truth, or bring him to it. Cornelius is proof of this. (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Acts, 89)
Gospel Application…
God has made salvation available to all through Jesus, we need only to seek him.
(John 3:16; 5:24; Romans 3:23-26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11; 2 Peter 3:9)
The Lord has a next step for each of us. He wants to give us more than we can imagine. He created a willingness in both Cornelius and Peter to want something more than they had experienced previously. I know that hunger. Don’t you? The Lord defines the next step and then uses His sovereign power to arrange for the fulfillment of what He has prompted us to desire. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 179)
The picture in Acts 10 (and really the whole Bible) is of God orchestrating big events and individual lives to bring about his eternal purposes. God has a vast, cosmic plan that he is bringing to pass, and he is using willing, obedient servants to make it happen. Are you in a place and of such a mind to be used by the Great Conductor? Get ready! God may send someone across your path today who needs the benefit of your wisdom or gifts. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 173)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- Re-read today’s text. What evidence was there in the character of Cornelius that the Holy Spirit was at work in him?
- What can we learn about the character of God from his response to Cornelius through the angel (vv. 3-6)?
- If you are a Christian, can you look back and see how God might have been preparing your heart and life before coming to faith in Jesus? How so?
- Cornelius’ faith is an example of the kind of faith God likes to see from his people; faith that’s devout, generous, and prayerful. Of these three, which is strongest in your faith? Which area could use a boost? How might you intentionally seek to grow in your weaker area(s)?
Quotes to note…
God saw Cornelius’s sincere faith. His prayers and generous giving had been a memorial offering before God, a sacrificial offering to the Lord. The “memorial offering” conveys that Cornelius’s faithful prayers had been noticed by God (Leviticus 2:2; Philippians 4:18). God answers the sincere prayers of those who seek him by sending the right person or the right information at the right time. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 171)
In one way or another God answers the heart cry of the honest, obedient seeker. Cornelius was visited by an angel, in broad daylight about three o’clock one afternoon while he prayed. He was assured that God had long been preparing the answer to his prayer and that now the time was ripe; there would be no further delay. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 115)
Before He could save the Gentiles, God had to prepare Peter to bring the message and Cornelius to hear the message. Salvation is a divine work of grace, but God works through human channels. Angels can deliver God’s messages to lost men, but they cannot preach the gospel to them. That is our privilege—and responsibility (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 355)
Cornelius was not yet saved. He did not know Jesus as his Lord. Many people think that sincerity is all we need to be saved. Cornelius was sincere, but he was nor born again. His heart was ready, but he had not yet received Christ. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 139)
[The Book of Acts] tells the story of the beginnings of the church as a Jewish church. All its charter members were Jewish, covenant members of God’s people Israel who were being transferred to covenant members of God’s church. It is only when we come to Acts 10 that Gentiles are brought into the church. Christ had told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He had said, “You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And yet the church wasn’t moving very rapidly. It was in a rut, and most of its outreach touched Jews only. (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Acts, 87)
Everyone needs to have his or her heart prepared by God if that person is going to receive the gospel. Yet the person also needs to hear the way of salvation. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 175)
(v. 4). Jews who had access to the inner court of the temple brought in their sacrifices, and smoke from the burnt offering, as well as incense from the altar of incense, which is the altar of prayer, wafted into the air. The smoke lifted heavenward, symbolizing a sweet aroma to God. The angel was saying to Cornelius, “Even though you are not a Jew, your prayers and sacrifices have been sweet to God, and God is recognizing you.” (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 151)
Cornelius’ experience illustrates the law of light. If you walk in all the light you have, you get more light. If you refuse the light you have, you soon walk in darkness. That Cornelius had heard about Jesus is implied in vv. 37 and 38. That he was earnestly seeking more light on the way of salvation is clear from the rehearsal of the story in c. 11 (see v. 14). (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 115)
Notice that while God sent an angel, He didn’t have the angel preach the gospel to Cornelius. Angels are not commissioned to evangelize the human race. Only human beings may do that. God sent the angel to tell Cornelius where he could find a man to share the gospel with him. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 139)
Tanners’ work necessitated touching the carcasses of dead animals, which was taboo to pious Jews. So, in all probability, this Simon with whom Peter stayed in Joppa was a Gentile and therefore unclean. Additionally, it was one thing for a Jew to welcome a Gentile into his home, but it was quite another to go into the home of a Gentile. Entering the home of a Gentile rendered a Jew unclean. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 150)
Recently, I listened as a godly friend shared his spiritual struggles with me. He felt so disappointed in himself. He felt that God could potentially give up on him. “Shouldn’t I be closer to perfection by now?” he asked. God is able to come and fill a person with perfect love. God can enable us to love Him with all our being, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. But that does not mean that any of us reaches absolute perfection in this life. I know how much help I still need. If we would admit our needs to each other, we would be better able to help each other toward our goal of becoming all that God wants us to be. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)
Who was Cornelius? He was a Roman centurion, an officer in command of one hundred men (note the similarities between the English words centurion and century). Cornelius, the centurion, was devout and God-fearing (10:1-2). He demonstrated his love for God by kindness to those in need and by devotion to prayer (10:2). The Jews respected him (10:22). (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)
This Caesarea, sometimes called Palestinian Caesarea, was located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, thirty-two miles north of Joppa. The largest and most important port city on the Mediterranean in Palestine, Caesarea was the capital of the Roman province of Judea. This was the first city to have Gentile Christians and a non-Jewish church. This Roman army officer was a “centurion,” a commander of one hundred soldiers. A centurion was similar to a noncommissioned officer in the military today. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 169)
As an army officer, Cornelius was in a difficult position. He represented Rome, but he lived in Caesarea. During Cornelius’s years in Israel, he had been conquered by the God of Israel. With a reputation as a godly man who put his faith into action, Cornelius was respected by the Jews (10:2). (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 170)
Believers must never forget God’s love for the poor (James 2:5) and the importance of caring for them (Exodus 22:22-27; Leviticus 25:35-37; Proverbs 14:31; Luke 6:21; Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 5:3-5). Jesus could not have been clearer on the importance of the subject (Matthew 25:44-45). (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 172)
Instead of making excuses, ask what can be done to help. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 172)
God told Cornelius to send for a man named Simon Peter because Peter would give him more knowledge about the God he was already seeking to please. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 172)
Chapters 10 and 11 bring us to a turning point in the Book of Acts. Though Jesus commissioned the apostles to “‘ make disciples of all nations’” (Matt. 28: 19), they were not eager to do this. Believers who were scattered by the persecution after Stephen’s death preached the gospel at first to Jews only (Acts 11: 19). Apparently they interpreted “all nations” to mean the Jews scattered among all nations. (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Locations 4457-4460)
Caesarea, a beautiful harbor city about thirty miles north of Joppa, was built by Herod the Great from 12 to 2 B.C. From A.D. 6 on, it was the capital of Judea under the Roman procurators. There Rome stationed a special regiment (Gk. speirēs, “cohort,” the tenth part of a Roman legion) of volunteer soldiers, Roman citizens, known as the Italian Regiment. One of the soldiers, Cornelius, was a centurion commanding one hundred infantry. He would compare to a modern army captain in authority and responsibility. Like all the centurions mentioned in the New Testament, he was a good man, and, like the one Jesus commended in Matthew 8: 10– 11, he was also a man of faith. (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Locations 4476-4484)
Some Gentiles in those days were tired of the foolishness, idolatry, and immorality of the religions of Rome and Greece. Many, including Cornelius, found something better in the teaching of the synagogues and accepted the truth of the one true God. (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Locations 4484-4486)
Caesarea is in the center of the coastal Plain of Sharon in northern Palestine, on the shores of the Mediterranean, some sixty-five miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was named in honor of Augustus Caesar (Caius Octavianus, later called Augustus), the adopted heir of Julius Caesar. Formerly it was called Strata’s Tower and was considered a second-class harbor because of its shallow entrance and openness to the strong southern winds. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 384)
While the ninth hour was the second of the set times during the day for prayer in Judaism (see comments on 3:1), here the expression is used with phaneros (“plainly,” “distinctly”) to emphasize that the vision happened in broad daylight. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 386)
No indication is given as to why Peter was to be summoned. Instead, the emphasis is on the fact that Cornelius was prepared to respond to God (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 386)
The centurions who make their appearance in the New Testament record make a favorable impression. It is noteworthy that the first Gentile with whom Jesus had dealings during his public ministry (so far as we are informed) was a centurion stationed in Capernaum (possibly seconded from the Roman army to the security forces of Herod Antipas); it was with reference to this man’s faith that he is reported to have said, “many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 8: 11). These words now began to find their fulfilment in another centurion. (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts, 226)
Many Gentiles of those days, while not prepared to become full converts to Judaism (the requirement of circumcision being a special stumbling block for men), were attracted by the simple monotheism of Jewish synagogue worship and by the ethical standards of the Jewish way of life. (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts, 227)
The Roman army had its own religious observances, officially prescribed for appointed days and carried out with the same routine punctiliousness as modern church parades, but utterly incapable of feeding men’s souls. Roman soldiers who felt the need to satisfy their religious hunger looked elsewhere—many to Mithraism; some, like Cornelius, to Judaism. (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts, 227)
In many respects, John Wesley was like Cornelius. He was a religious man, a church member, a minister, and the son of a minister. He belonged to a “religious club” at Oxford, the purpose of which was the perfecting of the Christian life. Wesley served as a foreign missionary, but even as he preached to others, he had no assurance of his own personal salvation. On May 24, 1738, Wesley reluctantly attended a small meeting in London where someone was reading aloud from Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans. “About a quarter before nine,” Wesley wrote in his journal, “while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed, I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” The result was the great Wesleyan revival that not only swept many into the kingdom, but also helped transform British society through Christian social action. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 356)
There are times the Lord allows us to stumble onto what He’s prepared. Other times He details His guidance in undeniably clear ways. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 180)
An ancient historian describes the qualifications of the centurion like this, “Centurions are desired not to be overbold and reckless so much as good leaders, of steady and prudent mind, not prone to take the offensive to start fighting wantonly, but able when overwhelmed and hard-pressed to stand fast and die at their posts.” Cornelius therefore was a man who first and foremost knew what courage and loyalty were. (William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 79)
Cornelius was a God-fearer. In New Testament times this had become almost a technical term for Gentiles who, weary of the gods and the immoralities and the frustration of their ancestral faiths, had attached themselves to the Jewish religion. They did not accept circumcision and the Law; but they attended the synagogue and they believed in one God and in the pure ethic of Jewish religion. Cornelius then was a man who was seeking after God, and as he sought God, God found him. (William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 79)
God has His hand on people who are not yet saved but who are going to be saved. He watches over all of us in the years before we come to Christ. Look back in your own life and see the care of God over you before you came to know Christ as your Savior. (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Acts, 88)
We are told a number of additional things about Cornelius in verse 2 of chapter 10, all of which are indications of his genuine faith: He was devout; he was God—fearing; he was active in his piety, giving to all who were in need; and he prayed to God regularly. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 174)
That Cornelius was a “God-fearer” meant that although he worshiped Jehovah he had nevertheless not become a Jew by circumcision. God-fearers were Gentiles who expressed interest in Judaism and attended worship in the synagogue but who, because they had not yet fully converted to Judaism by circumcision, had to sit in the back as observers rather than as full participants in the community. In the eyes of Jewish people it was a good thing to be a God—fearer. It meant that they were on the right religious track. Nevertheless, because they were not yet Jews, it was improper for Jews to associate with them socially. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 174)