Topic: The gospel saves not religious practice
The life encounter of Peter and Cornelius is discovered in Acts 10-11. God sends Peter to proclaim Jesus’ death and resurrection to Cornelius, a devout worshipper of God.
Cornelius was a centurion, a commander in the Italian Regiment of the Roman military. He lived in Caesarea. His account in Acts 10 is important because it was in Cornelius’s household that God publicly opened the doors of the church to the Gentile world. The apostle Peter was present to see it happen, just as he had been a witness to the opening of the doors to the Samaritans (Acts 8) and the Jews (Acts 2).
While Cornelius was praying, he saw a vision of an angel of God who told him that God had heard his prayers (Acts 10:30–31). The angel told Cornelius to find Peter, who was staying in Joppa at the house of Simon, a tanner (verse 32). Cornelius immediately sent two of his servants and a devout soldier to Joppa to find Peter and bring him back.
Meanwhile, God was preparing Peter’s heart to minister to his coming Gentile visitors. God gave Peter a vision of an assortment of animals, both clean and unclean (Acts 10:11–12). Peter heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat” (verse 13). Peter resisted this command, having never eaten unclean food before (verse 14). But the voice replied, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (verse 15). This vision was repeated three times. Then, Peter heard the Spirit saying that three men were looking for him and that he should go with them without hesitation (verses 19–20). While Peter was contemplating the meaning of the vision, there was a knock at the door. Three men stood at Peter’s door confirming the vision Peter had and told of the vision Cornelius experienced. Peter invited the men to stay the night, and the next day Peter followed them back to Caesarea (verse 23).
As Peter proclaimed the gospel to Cornelius and his household another Pentecost took place as positive evidence that the gospel was for all people—not just Jews (see Luke 2:10; Matthew 28:19)
Application point: Out of personal time with God, public gospel affirmation is made.
See you Sunday,
Dr. Scott Kallem