The Story Of Cornelius

I want to talk about a story of 10 men who went on a journey. One worker, 6 friends and 3 strangers. Most people know what that story is and we are thankful we can tell it again and again because it is life. I am aware there may be children that do not know the story very well and be some among us who would be strangers that may not have heard of the story. This is the story of Cornelius who was praying and an Angel of God came to him and said I will send for Peter and he will tell you what to do. The ministry going forth today which Jesus ordained and the two and two Ministry is a beautiful thing and we all feel so weak and helpless and if God can make a man out of dust and a woman out of a rib and it wouldn’t be impossible for God to tell the whole story to a seeking soul in a short time. We do not know how much Cornelius understood, but he was a praying man and that is a good beginning and God will always listen to a praying person. If you are praying to God He will be listening to you because that is in His heart to sit and listen for the prayers of His creation.

Cornelius had some wonderful servants and he sent three of the servants to Joppa where Peter was staying. The story tells us that Peter was hungry and they were cooking him a meal and he went up to pray. An old worker said once at least he wasn’t down telling them how to cook, but he was doing something far better and he was praying and getting close to God. We appreciate those that can serve in a natural sense and I have appreciated homes I have been in since I have been in this country and the kindness they have shown and the many things they have done for us and they do this because they love the Gospel story of Jesus. Peter was praying and gets a vision and we understand that and this story is very important to us because we are Gentiles and it was an opening for Peter to see that the Gentiles had the same right as the Jews do for the spirit and for baptism and to share in this beautiful story of Jesus. Peter was shown three times this vision and God assured him what I am doing and I mean it and I want you to do your part and obey. There was something on a shelf in a home and in the beginning of the book there was a little statement the reading only of this book will not help and that has helped me many a time. And Cornelius hearing the angel is not the end of this message.

 

We will go to verse 38 of Acts 10 and this is the main verse in this whole thing “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” That is a beautiful message of life and peace. We are very thankful the story of Jesus is easy to tell and it is not complicated, it is hidden to the wise and prudent and it is revealed unto the babes. Listening to the story of Jesus is something that never wears out. Peter showed these men’s hospitality as they had come a very long way and he took them in and gave them rest that night. This was very unusual to accept these Gentiles but God had told him you do this and obey and we read that verse where some had entertained angels unaware. Peter bought these three strangers in and fed them and they rested, the next day they went on their way.

And in chapter 11 verse 12 it mentions there were six brethren that entered into the house of Peter. We do not know where Peter’s companion was that day and sometimes a few of us have had to be alone for a few days or weeks. If ever I am alone I always look for a man to go with me on a visit and that means there are two of us. Now Peter was alone with these six brethren and do you feel he was very careful in who he asked to go with him. And we read another portion whereas it says look among you for someone to go with you and people that can be honest and people that can be upright and people that can listen to the message and people that can respond to the message from God. On their way to this home to visit I wondered what they talked about as they were walking? When we have someone with us we never walk in silence and we share various things and Peter may have been asking them you tell me a little more about your master Cornelius. What kind of Master is he and they would have told Peter our master has asked for you to come to his home as he has seen an angel.

Verse 25,26 tells us “As Peter was coming in Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter took him up saying stand up; I myself also am a man.” That was the custom of that day that people would bow down to the ground to someone that they respected highly. When we meet people in my country (the United States) and you meet people here in Australia it is a custom to shake their hands. You shake it with an open hand and it shows to them you have nothing in it to harm them and we can talk and visit together. And Peter asked Cornelius to stand up and said I am just another man like yourself, no difference and you may be a Gentile and I am a Jew and we are all equal before God who are just simple vessels that God can use.

 

Verse 24 it says that Cornelius was waiting for Peter and “he called together his kinsmen and near friends” Cornelius was wanting to share this beautiful story and he could have felt I have nothing to hide and I want other people to hear what God has to say to me and what God was going to ask him to do. I also like what Cornelius said in verse 33 “Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come.” Now this next part of this verse is very important. “Now therefore we are all here at present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.” I hope you felt like that coming into this meeting this evening that God is here and He is going to listen to your prayer. He is going to listen to your request for help, and He will be listening to- morrow also when we gather and He will be anxious to hear what your request is tomorrow and what you would like to hear and have spoken to your heart. May be something no one else would understand and no one else would know and we know God hears the righteous man’s prayers. We are all here to listen to God and we are not going to be impartial and put some things aside, but we are here to hear all things from God.

Verse 34 “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” We can appreciate this message so much. Cornelius would not have heard much about Jesus but I am sure he would have heard something. Peter did not get taken up with how far he had come and what he could have been doing at home. And Peter had put everything aside and knew God had planned this occasion so we are all here and understand that God is no respecter of persons. We appreciate that so much.

Verse 38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; God was with him.” A couple were coming to our meeting some years ago and one evening we had a visit and the man said I do not think God can forgive me for all that I have done in my past. And we assured him and his family that the gospel that we have and God is merciful and God is kind and very forgiving and this Jesus that came long ago and met a lot of people in His day that were wicked people and that were sinners and we can see when the gospel comes and these people are changed and they can become little children in His kingdom and learn to serve God whatever their past may have been.

 

Jesus said I came not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent me. Think about the power that Jesus had. He was tempted of the devil and we read of that in Matthew 4 for 40 days and He was hungry and extremely weak and the devil thought I can get Him now and He is hungry and I can just make Him bow down to me. Why don’t you take these stones and make them into bread? No, He did not want to do anything to glorify Himself and Jesus could have easily done it but He never. And later on we read of Jesus having a few fish and loaves of bread and He could feed a multitude, because He saw them as sheep without a Shepherd. They were needy and He felt for them. Jesus has sympathy with the human race that He was amongst. Jesus saw a mother walking to a cemetery and her son had died and He felt for her losing her son and Jesus went over and raised that son to life. That is the power that Jesus had. Jesus went into a home one time and a little girl was dead, Jesus told the parents and the people that where there that he would raise her from the dead and Jesus raised that girl from the dead and Jesus had so much power. The power of spirit can forgive sin and people could not understand how can it forgive sin and Jesus had the power to do it.

John 10 verse 17 and 18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I laid down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” When Jesus was nailed to that cross and it was very painful and Jesus had no anesthetic and no painkillers. He lay down and gave Himself and Jesus could have called on many angels to save Him. Jesus had the power and we are very grateful for the power that Jesus had.

Matthew 28 is the last chapter of Matthew verses 18 to 20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen.” This power that Jesus had and all power is given to me in heaven and in earth. This was after His resurrection. Jesus gave the power to His disciples that the world could not understand and when Jesus was a young man and was sitting in the temple hearing and asking questions and they were all astonished at a man that had never learned, never studied. We know where Jesus got His power from. Jesus said to His disciples to go into all the world. And Peter would have remembered this day when he was with Cornelius. And Peter baptised him in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and teaching him all things.

 

When we are looking at Acts 10 we are just wondering what more Peter might have told these people about Jesus. Verse 38 Jesus of Nazareth was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power and went about doing good. Then we think of the time that Lazarus had died and Jesus wanted to show the disciples of the power He had from His Father. He was on His way with the disciples and they met Lazarus’s sisters Mary and Martha and they came to Him one at a time and they said to Him Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died. Jesus said I am here today and I can do something today and we know that Lazarus was raised from the dead. We think about the times Jesus went around doing things that were good and we think about the gospel today and what it has done to people, what it has done to households and what it has done to families and what it has done to individuals. People that have been dishonest and we love the story we heard about the man that said if I have taken anything by false accusation I will restore it and that is what the gospel does. And it was a beautiful thing that Jesus could go around doing good and healing all those that were oppressed with the devil. Jesus knew so well what to do.

Like we mentioned in Matthew 4 and Jesus was tempted of the devil and in different ways and different methods and most of us may have given in but not Jesus, for He was righteous and He was the Son of God and Jesus was pure and holy and we appreciate that. The man that was among the tombs and no man could tame him and he could not be amongst people and this man was so free after Jesus dealt with him and Jesus did so much good for so many people. And there were times Jesus told people how it was and Jesus knew that He had on His side all the power and Jesus said I have power to lay My life down and power to pick it up again.

I wonder was Jesus thinking about what Job went through with the devil. When we read this story of Job and everything was going so well for him and he had so much then all of a sudden he loses his family and all his goods and then his health and we feel for Job. Can you picture the Lord saying to the devil have you seen my servant Job? There is none like him in all the world. And the Lord said you can have him for a while and the devil came away a loser because God preserved Job and made him a much better man. When we go forward from here and have our ship on course and often when going through a storm and things happen to people along the way and the devil bothers good people and the devil wants to destroy the very best amongst us.

 

Acts 10 verses 40 to 43 “Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly; not to all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Peter could think about the time he went up the mountain, and the time he sat at the Last Supper and heard beautiful words and times when they were walking with Jesus and they were witnesses of the majesty of His glory and purity. And even Judas could say I have betrayed innocent blood and Judas had been with Jesus day and night for at least three or more years and at the end of it and he had to admit I have never seen this man do anything wrong and He has always been merciful and kind. It is a beautiful story that Peter is telling these people and in verse 44 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” We are thankful that God has given us this beautiful message and we would like to continue in the way.

 

G. Lee - 2013 - Gospel Meeting - Convention - Brisbane