Acts 10

CHAPTER 10THEME: Conversion of Cornelius, the Roman centurion (son of Japheth)Chapter 10 continues the record of the ministry of Simon Peter. Later Peter will pass from the scene, and the history will continue with the ministry of the apostle Paul. Although Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles, Peter opened the door to the Gentiles by entering the home of Cornelius and presenting salvation through Christ to his household.

Acts 10:1

CORNELIUS’ VISIONRemember that Paul had been in Caesarea (Act_9:30) and probably some of the other apostles had been preaching the gospel along the coast. Tel Aviv is really a part of old Joppa. As one travels up the coast from Joppa, the next place of any size is Caesarea, which was really a Roman city. It was the place where Pilate lived. The governor and those who ruled the land stayed there. This is where Cornelius was stationed. He was a centurion, which means he was a commander of a hundred soldiers in the Roman army. The Italian band was a cohort of Roman soldiers recruited in Italy.

Acts 10:2

He was “a devout man.” That means his worship was rightly directed. He recognized his dependence upon that which is divine. Remember that even a pagan can have devotion and a deep conviction to his gods. Sometimes we wish that Christians today had more devotion and conviction. He was a devout man and “one that feared God.” He was not a Jewish proselyte in the strict sense of the term, but gravitated toward Judaism and could be called a “proselyte of the Gate.” Today we might say that he was a man who lived in the neighborhood, attended church on special occasions, was friendly toward the church, but was not actually a Christian. That could have been Cornelius. He feared God. He “gave much alms to the people” means he gave many gifts of charity to the Jewish people. The nation Israel has always laid great stress upon giving. God had taught them this in the Old Testament. We speak of the tithe, but it is obvious from the Mosaic system that they actually gave three tenths. They gave for the running of the government (which was a theocracy at the beginning), they gave for the maintenance of the temple, and they gave a tenth of all that they produced. So they have been a giving, generous people. It is interesting that even today many of our eleemosynary, that is, charitable foundations, were established by Jews. There is no group of people in our day that gives as generously as does the Jewish community in its support of the nation Israel. They are a very generous people. Cornelius “prayed to God always.” This centurion took his needs to God. He needed to have more light. He wanted it. He probably didn’t really know too much about prayer, but he prayed.

Acts 10:3

This centurion was an officer in the Roman army, a career officer, and a man of influence. Also he had a tremendous influence in his own household, as we shall see. He was a good man to all outward observation. In America today he would pass for a Christian, a Christian of the highest degree, an outstanding man. But he actually was not a Christian. He had not even heard the gospel. He is an example of a man who lived up to the light which he had. Joh_1:9 says this of Jesus: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” This centurion had not met Jesus Christ nor come into His presence, but he was living up to the light that he had. Paul is referring to those who do not live by the light they have in Rom_1:19-20: “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” This is God’s answer to that oft-repeated question, “What about the poor pagan, that ‘good’ heathen, who wants to know God but never had a chance? Is he lost?” The answer is that God will get light to such a person. God will enable him to hear the gospel.

Now how will God get the gospel to Cornelius? The barriers seem insurmountable. The church at this timeand for the first eight yearswas exclusively Jewish. These Christian Jews were still going to the temple and observing many Jewish customs. They could do that under grace because they were trusting Christ. Then the gospel broke over into Samaria. The Jews in Jerusalem were surprised, but they recognized the hand of God in this. Now how is God going to open the door of the gospel to the Gentiles? Paul is to be the great missionary to the Gentiles, but God has Paul out in the desert in Arabia, training him there.

It is Simon Peter who must open the door to the Gentiles. God used perhaps the most prejudiced and religious bigot, the greatest extremist of the day. Obviously, the Holy Spirit directed every move in getting the gospel to the Gentiles. My friend, all genuine Christian work is directed by the Holy Spirit. No other work amounts to anything. The Holy Spirit had to work in the heart of the Gentile; the Holy Spirit had to work in the heart of the Jew.

The Holy Spirit directed the bringing of the gospel to the gentile world.

Acts 10:4

An angel of God appeared to Cornelius in a vision. He was not dreaming but was given this vision while he was praying. Now I do want you to notice that there are certain things that do count before God. These are things which can in no way merit salvation, but they are things which God notes. The prayers of Cornelius and his alms had come up for a memorial before God, and God brought the gospel to him. Wherever there is a man who seeks after God as Cornelius did, that man is going to hear the gospel of the grace of God. God will see that he gets it.

Acts 10:5

The angel tells him where to find Peter. He doesn’t need more of an address. The odor of those hides down in that vat will lead them to the right place!

Acts 10:7

These men won’t have any trouble finding the tanner’s house. While they are on their way, God must prepare Simon Peter.

Acts 10:9

PETER’S VISIONIt is absolutely necessary for God to prepare Simon Peter. You see, Simon Peter didn’t have the breadth that Paul had. Although he didn’t have the background or the training that Paul had, God can use him differently. I believe it is a tremendous mistake to think that every person has to be poured into the same mold for God to use him.

Acts 10:10

Notice that there were beasts, all kinds of birds, and all kinds of bugs.

Acts 10:13

While Peter is wondering what this means, a voice speaks to him. Isn’t it interesting that he calls Him, “Lord,” but he doesn’t obey what the Lord tells him to do? Now don’t miss this. Here is a man who is on this side of the Day of Pentecost. He is living in this age of grace when it makes no difference whether we eat meat or whether we don’t eat meat. However, Peter is still abiding by the Mosaic system and he is not eating anything that is ceremonially unclean. He is sincere and honest about it. Someone may say that he ought to be broad-minded and eat everything.

Well, you see that the Lord is teaching him that he is no longer under the Mosaic system and is free to eat anything. Today the big problem is that some people decide they don’t want to eat meat and then they try to put everyone else under that same system. My friend, under grace you can eat meat or not eat meat. That is your business. Eating some certain food may give you indigestion, but it certainly will not change your relationship with the Lord.

Acts 10:15

What God has made clean, don’t you call unclean. You can eat anything because God has said so.

Acts 10:16

Peter was left wondering what it was all about.

Acts 10:17

Simon Peter is to go to Caesarea. This little delegation from Cornelius gives an explanation to him, then extends an invitation to come with them to the house of Cornelius.

Acts 10:23

THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUSWe can see that Cornelius had quite an influence on his family and friends. He has called them together for this occasion. Also we can see that Cornelius is still a pagan, a heathen. When he is instructed by an angel to send for Simon Peter, he concludes that this man must really be important; so he falls down and worships Peter. It is interesting to see Simon Peter’s reaction to this. Friend, Simon Peter would never have let you get down to kiss his big toe. He just wouldn’t permit it.

Acts 10:26

Peter reached down and pulled him to his feet and said, “Stand up; I myself also am a man.” I like the way he did that.

Acts 10:27

Peter stepped into the house. What a step that was! It was the first time that Peter had ever been in a gentile house. He still is really a little baffled at God’s command to go there. He violates the first rule of homiletics when he begins his message with an apology. What he says is not a friendly thing to say. In fact, it is an insult. In essence, he said, “If you really want to know how I felt about this, well, I just didn’t want to come. I’ve never been in the home of a Gentile before. Never before have I gone into a place that is unclean!” But he does go on to add, “Even though I have never before been in an unclean home, God has told me not to call any man unclean.

We are all sinners and we are all savable.” How would you feel, especially if you are a lady who is a housekeeper, if some visitor came into your home and his first words were, “I am coming into your home, which I consider dirty”? You wouldn’t exactly respond with a warm, friendly feeling, would you? Yet this is the substance of what Simon Peter said. Because God had showed him that there was neither clean nor unclean, he continues his message.

Acts 10:29

This amazes me. Why would Simon Peter ask that question? Why didn’t he immediately begin to tell them about Jesus Christ? Well, you see, the Spirit of God is in charge here, and He keeps Peter from rushing right into this. This should be an important lesson for us. So often we are rather brisk and even crude in our witnessing. Because we find it difficult to witness, generally when we do it, we are very amateurish about it. We do it so abruptly and in such a way that often it offends people. We need to be led by the Spirit of God. I personally believe that the finest kind of evangelism today is prayer evangelism. I mean that we should begin by praying for an individual. Then the day will come when we need to put legs on the prayer. Ask God to lead you. Friend, I know that He will lead you. If you have been praying for a loved one, or a friend, or a stranger, don’t just go to him in your own strength and in the power of the flesh. If you do, you will fail. Let God be the One to lead you. Let me share with you one of my first experiences of witnessing. When I was a student in college, I was very zealous to be a witness for God, but I was rather timid about it, and, very frankly, I wanted to be sure I had the leading of the Holy Spirit. I didn’t have any money for bus or train fare, so I did a lot of hitchhiking. One time when I was out on the highway, a man in a brand new Model A Ford drove by and stopped fifty yards past me. Then he motioned for me to come on and get in. He said that he always looked over a hitchhiker before he picked one up.

He introduced himself and told me he was a salesman for drug companies. He asked where I was going and I told him it was to Memphis. Well, he was going all the way to Memphis and he would be glad to take me all the way, but he did need to stop at several drug stores on the way to get his orders from them. Obviously, that was fine with me. As we rode along, we talked of everything under the sun. Under my breath I was praying, “Lord, I’d like to witness to this man, but You will have to open the door for me. I’m not going to broach the subject because if I do, he’ll think he has some religious nut in the car with him. If I open the door, he will probably open the car door and tell me to get out.” So we rode along some more and just talked and talked. Finally he asked me whether I’d mind driving for him. Of course, I would love to drive that new car; so I did. He sat there and relaxed. We got about sixty miles from Memphis and we had run out of conversation. There was a lull, and I was still praying, “Lord, we’re getting near Memphis and there still hasn’t been a door open for me. I’m not going to open it because I’m afraid he’ll throw me out. You open the door for me if You want me to witness.” We rode on for about ten more minutes, and then out of a clear sky he said, “You know, my wife and I went to church yesterday.” He looked at me and laughed, and I laughed. Then he said, “I don’t go very often. But that preacher said the funniest thing. He said Jesus was coming to this earth again. What do you think about that?” Well, friend, I told him. Then I told him all about the first coming of the Lord Jesus. Finally I said, “The second coming of Christ means nothing to you now. You’ve got to come to Christ and accept what He did for you the first time He came if you are to have an interest in His second coming.” This man was wide open. He drove me to the dormitory where I stayed at the college. He parked there and said, “I want to see you again.” So I just blurted out, “Wouldn’t you like to accept Christ as your Savior?” He said, “I sure would.” I told him he could do that right there in the car.

So we bowed our heads in prayer. I prayed and then asked him to pray, and he accepted Christ. Now I’ll be honest with you, I would never have opened my mouth if the Lord hadn’t prompted him to open up the conversation. We need to be led by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit had prepared his heart, and his conversion was genuine. The first sermon I preached after I was ordained in Nashville, as I looked down at the congregation, I noticed this man and his wife.

He just sat there and smiled. Afterward I invited him to join my church. He said they had already joined a good church over in another part of town. He and his wife had become active Christians. What a wonderful experience that was! We ought to be very careful in our witnessing that we are being led by the Spirit of God. Simon Peter does not walk right in and begin lecturing or preaching. He first finds out what is going on. “Why have you called for me? Why did you send these men for me?”

Acts 10:30

Cornelius tells him, “I really don’t know why I sent for you, except God told me to send for Simon Peter. You must have some message for me.”

Acts 10:34

Apparently Cornelius and those assembled with him would have heard certain basic facts about Jesus of Nazareth and also about the ministry of John the Baptist.

Acts 10:38

Notice carefully what Simon Peter does. He presents the facts concerning Jesus Christ, assuming there are some of the incidents which they already know. He makes it very clear to them that this Jesus was crucified on a tree and that He rose again on the third day. God raised Him and showed Him openly. This is the gospel. Nothing short of that will do. This past Christmas I received many cards on which were printed the rather well-known message, “One Solitary Life.” It is very fine; there is no question about that. It is very readable, but there is a strange omissiona solitary omission in it. The most important fact is not recorded. It records that Jesus died, even mentions that He was buried, but completely leaves out His resurrection. Friend, there is not a single sermon preached, as recorded in the Book of Acts, that does not mention the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is the very heart of the gospel.

Until that is preached, the gospel has not been preached. Jesus Christ died, He was buried, He rose again from the dead. Those are the historical facts. Your relationship to a risen Savior determines your eternal destiny. He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was raised again for our justification (Rom_4:25).

Acts 10:41

You may remember that I have pointed out Peter’s weaknesses and his faults. I actually rejoice in the fact that Peter was so human and so like another fellow I know very well by the name of McGee. But the important thing is that Peter preached the gospel. Here is the gospel: Jesus Christ died, He has risen, and whoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins. If we do not tell people that message, we are not telling them the gospel.

Acts 10:44

This incident has been called the Gentile Pentecost. Peter was astonished that the Gentiles should receive the Holy Spirit. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit was made audible by their speaking in tongues. The tongues were an evidence to Simon Peter and the others with him that God would save the Gentiles and would give to them His Holy Spirit. Peter later relates this as evidence that these Gentiles had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and that God had granted repentance unto life also to the Gentiles (Act_11:17-18). In Act_15:7-11 Peter again refers to this incident, declaring that it proves that the Holy Ghost has been given to the Gentiles and that they are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ just as are the Jews.

It is hard for us to realize the great barrier that existed between Jew and Gentile. The Jews of that day simply could not believe that Gentiles were going to be savedin spite of the fact that the Lord had told them this was to be so. Then the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house are baptized in water. Again let me call your attention to the fact that the Book of Acts records three representative conversions. The Ethiopian eunuch was a son of Ham. Saul of Tarsus was a son of Shem. Cornelius was a son of Japheth. In each instance the Holy Spirit moved, using a man of God and the Word of God.