Part Twenty-Four Acts 10

Acts 10:1-48

Acts 10:1 Now there was a certain man at Casarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,

Acts 10:2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually.

Acts 10:3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in to him, and said to him, “Cornelius!”

Acts 10:4 And fixing his gaze upon him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Acts 10:5 And now dispatch some men to Joppa, and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;

Acts 10:6 he is staying with a certain tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

Acts 10:7 And when the angel who was speaking to him had departed, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were in constant

Acts 10:7-8 attendance upon him, and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Acts 10:9 And on the next day, as they were on their way, and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

Acts 10:10 And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;

Acts 10:11 and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,

Acts 10:12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.

Acts 10:13 And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!”

Acts 10:14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.”

Acts 10:15 And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

Acts 10:16 And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

Acts 10:17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having

Acts 10:17 asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate;

Acts 10:18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.

Acts 10:19 And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.

Acts 10:20 But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.”

Acts 10:21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”

Acts 10:22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy

Acts 10:22 angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.”

Acts 10:23 And so he invited them in and gave them lodging.

Acts 10:23 And on the next day he arose and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Acts 10:24 And on the following day he entered Casarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.

Acts 10:25 And when it came about that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

Acts 10:26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.”

Acts 10:27 And as he talked with him, he entered, and found many people assembled.

Acts 10:28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown

Acts 10:28 me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

Acts 10:29 That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,

Acts 10:31 and he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

Acts 10:32 ‘Send therefore to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’

Acts 10:33 And so I sent to you immediately and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Acts 10:34 And opening his mouth, Peter said, “I most certainly understand that God is not one to show partiality,

Acts 10:35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him.

Acts 10:36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all) –

Acts 10:37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.

Acts 10:38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the

Acts 10:38 devil; for God was with Him.

Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

Acts 10:40 God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible,

Acts 10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

Acts 10:42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

Acts 10:43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.

Acts 10:45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also.

Acts 10:46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,

Acts 10:47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”

Acts 10:48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

Amen!

Let’s Celebrate!

The good news of Jesus Christ is for everybody!

The message of salvation isn’t merely for those who have been born into a certain nationality…

The message of Jesus Christ is for the nations!

God prepared to bridge the gap of racism and judgment with visions from heaven.

In this passage we will clearly see sovereign preparation, submissive wills, the gospel shared, spiritual power, public profession and sweet fellowship.

Sovereign Preparation! (Acts 10:1-20)

In His Sovereignty, The Lord Prepared Cornelius! (Acts 10:1-8)

Acts 10:1 Now there was a certain man at Casarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,

Acts 10:2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually.

Acts 10:3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in to him, and said to him, “Cornelius!”

Acts 10:4 And fixing his gaze upon him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Acts 10:5 And now dispatch some men to Joppa, and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;

Acts 10:6 he is staying with a certain tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

Acts 10:7 And when the angel who was speaking to him had departed, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were in constant

Acts 10:7-8 attendance upon him, and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Since mankind is dead in their sin, we need God’s help to experience salvation.

God used a vision at 3:00 in the afternoon to give Cornelius every opportunity to discover the truth.

What is a vision?

G3705 ὅραμα / hor'-am-ah From G3708; something gazed at, that is, a spectacle (especially supernatural): - sight, vision.

As a centurion of the Italian cohort, he would have been one of six centurions that oversaw 100 men each.

He was a man of position and power.

Many other men and women would have esteemed him.

His life had already been impacted by the people and word of God, but something was still missing.

He wanted to know more and was doing the best that he could to seek out the truth.

God responds to a heart that diligently seeks Him.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for

Isaiah 55:7 He will abundantly pardon.

Jeremiah 29

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

He felt compelled to pray, give and do good deeds.

Out of his genuine desire to know the fullness of truth and draw close to God, YHVH gave him a vision about Peter.

This military veteran was startled by the experience!

He fixed his gaze on the angel that appeared to him in a vision and was much alarmed.

“What is it, Lord?”

I’m responding to your desire to know the truth.

Your prayers and your acts of kindness and generosity have caught my attention.

It’s time!

Go contact Peter and he will share the truth you seek.

Send for him and he will come.

In His Sovereignty, The Lord Prepared Peter! (Acts 10:9-20)

Acts 10:9 And on the next day, as they were on their way, and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

Acts 10:10 And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;

Acts 10:11 and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,

Acts 10:12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.

Acts 10:13 And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!”

Acts 10:14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.”

Acts 10:15 And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

Acts 10:16 And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

Acts 10:17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having

Acts 10:17 asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate;

Acts 10:18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.

Acts 10:19 And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.

Acts 10:20 But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.”

What is a trance?

G1611 ἔκστασις / ek'-stas-is A displacement of the mind, that is, bewilderment, “ecstasy”: to be amazed, amazement, astonishment, trance.

Peter would never have agreed to leave with a bunch of gentile men if he had not heard from the Lord.

God used a trance at 12:00 noon to prepare Peter for who was about to knock on the door.

While the message contained several unclean animals it had nothing to do with lunch and everything to do with the gospel.

The good news of Jesus Christ is for every race, creed, color, nation and people group.

Don’t withhold the good news of Jesus Christ from anybody.

“Behold, three men are looking for you “Behold, three men are looking for you. But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.”

Notice that he was told three times to eat and three men came to the door.

Even after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; Peter still ate the way Jesus ate and enjoyed a Biblical diet.

The vision was not about changing your physical diet, it was about changing your understanding of who needed Jesus.

Everybody needs Jesus!

We See Sovereign Preparation Submissive Wills The Gospel Shared Spiritual Power Public Profession

Submissive Wills! (Acts 10:21-33)

Acts 10:21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”

Acts 10:22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy

Acts 10:22 angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.”

Acts 10:23 And on the next day he arose and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Acts 10:24 And on the following day he entered Casarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.

Acts 10:25 And when it came about that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

Acts 10:26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.”

Acts 10:27 And as he talked with him, he entered, and found many people assembled.

Acts 10:28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown

Acts 10:28 me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

Acts 10:29 That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,

Acts 10:31 and he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

Acts 10:32 ‘Send therefore to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’

Acts 10:33 And so I sent to you immediately and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Isn’t it amazing how quickly both Cornelius and Peter responded to the Lord?

Peter would never have invited Gentiles in to spend the night much less travel with them for several days.

But God’s plans were more important.

Because Peter and Cornelius were willing to put their own agendas aside and obey the Lord, many other lives would be impacted for the better.

Verse 28 reveals even more about the true meaning of Peter’s vision.

“God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.”

Now, Peter stood ready with a clean hear and clear conscience to share the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

And Cornelius along with everyone else in the room were open and ready to receive it.

Praise the Lord!

Do you think God just might be able to work with an environment that?

Wow!

We See Sovereign Preparation Submissive Wills The Gospel Shared Spiritual Power Public Profession

Sharing the Gospel! (Acts 10:34-43)

Acts 10:34 And opening his mouth, Peter said, “I most certainly understand that God is not one to show partiality,

Acts 10:35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him.

Acts 10:36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all) –

Acts 10:37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.

Acts 10:38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the

Acts 10:38 devil; for God was with Him.

Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

Acts 10:40 God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible,

Acts 10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

Acts 10:42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

Acts 10:43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

In contrast to the long explanations Peter gave to the religious leaders, he shares a simple and clear presentation of Jesus.

But before he shares the good news about Jesus, he starts with a personal confession.

I should have known better!

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him.”

I can almost hear Peter saying, “I remember what Jesus once said.”

John 10:16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

“I remember what is stated in the Law.”

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.

“I remember the mixed multitude at Mt. Sinai.”

God loves people and wants them to love and obey Him.

He’s made a way through His Son Jesus Christ for us to be forgiven and live the abundant life.

I’m reminded of the powerful words found in I Corinthians 15:1-19.

Let’s turn there together.

I Corinthians 15

The message is just as powerful today!

Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

He came to seek and to save the Lost.

He preached the truth and healed the sick.

The blind see! The deaf hear! The lame walk! The dumb speak!

The leapers are cleansed and the dead are raised.

Because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, your sins can be forgiven and you can be born again.

You can be born of the Spirit and receive the power and instruction necessary for victory over sin and abundant living.

Will you repent and believe?

Spiritual Power! (Acts 10:44-46a)

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.

Acts 10:45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also.

Acts 10:46a For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.

Peter’s sermon was suddenly interrupted by the Holy Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message

Those believers who had come with Peter from Joppa were astonished and overwhelmed.

God was up to something big!

This expression of love was almost too much to witness.

These gentiles who were once in darkness and separated from God were now praising Him in multiple languages.

Hallelujah! Their lives would never be the same!

We See Sovereign Preparation Submissive Wills The Gospel Shared Spiritual Power Public Profession

Public Profession! (Acts 10:46b-48a)

Acts 10:46b Then Peter answered,

Acts 10:47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”

Acts 10:48a And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

It’s time for a baptism service!

What could possibly hinder these former gentiles from being baptized?

They had been seeking God and wanted to know the truth.

God made a way for them to come in contact with the true message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

They receive the Word and begin praising the Lord when the Holy Spirit is poured out upon them.

Surely they can publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ and be baptized in His name!

Why did I say, “Former gentiles”?

Gentile means pagan!

Gentile means nations!

When you come to faith in Jesus Christ, you are no longer a lost pagan from another nation…

You have become an adopted son or daughter who is now part of the family of the God of Israel.

God is in the business of gathering from the nations those who were once scattered.

He doesn’t want us to add Jesus to our pagan activities.

He wants us to learn His ways and walk in them.

He wants us to come home!

We See Sovereign Preparation Submissive Wills The Gospel Shared Spiritual Power Public Profession

Sweet Fellowship! (Acts 10:48b)

Acts 10:48b Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

The desire for Christian fellowship and continued study of the Word is a mark of genuine faith.

They would spend the next few days worshiping, praying, serving one another, sharing stories, receiving good teaching and much more.

The barriers had fallen and the way was now open for the gospel to spread like fire to the world.

Amen!

We See Sovereign Preparation Submissive Wills The Gospel Shared Spiritual Power Public Profession

We See Sweet Fellowship