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Lesson 21

Cornelius Finds Jesus

Acts 10:34-48

When I was a kid in elementary school I had difficulty with certain aspects of math namely fractions. Algebra and Trigonometry I never did comprehend very well, but it was fractions that really gave me problems. I just could not seem to get the whole division thing how you had to invert one set of numbers to be able to come up with the correct answer. You can imagine my joy and relief the day it finally clicked in my brain how it all worked. I have experienced many other challenges in my life much more difficult than math. Each time that God gives me a break through I am so thankful to Him.

The church has from the beginning face challenges that needed to be confronted and conquered by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are in the midst of such a challenge right now. We are being asked to figure out the leadership style that will best allow for us to advance the kingdom of God in the community surrounding the church. We certainly need God’s guidance as we move forward. There is a hope that the problems that have seemed unsolvable will not continue to confront us. A new direction for the church will only occur as we break down some the barriers that have hindered us and come up with new solutions to face a new day.

It is important to note that nothing can happen until there is meeting of the minds. Unless we can come together with a spirit of unity God will not be able to carry out His work in the church. The key as we have seen in the lesson today is that God brought two totally different people with diverse backgrounds and belief systems and made them united in heart and mind.

The passage being studied today finds the church at one of its defining moments. How the people involved handled it would impact the future of the church. In the next couple of weeks the church will deal with the issues brought on by what happened in Caesarea and Antioch. The decisions made were dependent on the reaction of the leaders in the Jerusalem church to the events that begin with what took place in the rest of Acts 10.

Acts 10:34-35

The opening remarks by Peter are a direct response to the words of Cornelius and the description given by the three men in Acts 10:22. When Cornelius said in Acts 10:33, “we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord,” it was a defining moment in the life of Peter. His words, “I most certainly understand now,” was reflective of the work that God had been doing in his heart. Cornelius’ statement was the missing piece to the picture of what God was trying to accomplish for His glory.

What was it that God had been trying to show him that he NOW understood?

• God shows no partially.
• Men who fear Him and do what is right are welcomed into His kingdom.

In a way Peter saw that it was God who had been changing him to meet with someone whose path he would have never crossed if God had not had His hand in bringing them together. The events that have been studied individually now can be seen in light of the larger scheme of God’s plan for His church and the world today. This is the reason the approach has been to present each event separately to show how each was dependent upon the other in order for Peter and Cornelius to meet.

That message had been there in Scripture all along. All the way by to Solomon is seen that God desired to work in the hearts of the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Isaiah 56 speaks of foreigners joining themselves to the Lord.

1. Why did it take the words of Cornelius to finally open the eyes of Peter?
2. What did he now understand that he had somehow missed even back in Joppa when he saw the vision?
3. What was different now?
4. What are some of the things in our own lives that cause us to be blind to what God is doing?
5. What was so important about all that had occurred up to this point?

Acts 10:36-39

Once again as he had done before gave a brief history of Jesus fixing in the minds of the hearers the true identity of Jesus and what He did while here on earth. This was done to dispel any rumors or misinformation about Jesus that may have been broadcast about by the Jews and Gentiles alike. Peter tried to reassure the people that what he was telling them was accurate by stating that the apostles had been witnesses to all that Jesus did. As Peter continued he shared the part that the Jews had played in the death of Jesus.

1. Why was it so important for Peter to take the approach he did in sharing about Jesus?
2. What did want to establish in the minds of those assembled?
3. Why did Peter interrupt his account by explaining that he and the other apostles had been witnesses to all that Jesus had done?
4. Why did he include what the Jews had done to Jesus?

Acts 10:40-42

Peter wanted to emphasis that the story did not stop with the death on the cross. God raised Him from the dead. He continues to give proof that Jesus is truly alive. His account covered the facts that:

• The chosen witnesses ate with Him after the resurrection
• They had received the command to preach to the people
• They were to give testimony to His appointment by God as Judge of the living and the dead

 

1. Why did Peter keep what he said simple and straightforward?
2. Why did Peter not give specific examples of what Jesus had actually done?
3. What was different in the ministry that Peter was doing in Caesarea as opposed to Lydda and Joppa?
4. How does this compare with the way you might share with someone?

Acts 10:43

Peter went one step further. He says, in essence, do not just take my word for what I am telling you. Look to the prophets. He said, “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

1. Why was it necessary for Peter to bring what the prophets had said into the discussion?
2. What do you think of Peter’s approach up to this point?
3. What would you do differently?

Acts 10:44-48

What occurred at that moment could only have come as a result of hearing that through Jesus they could receive forgiveness for their sins, thus finding salvation. At that point the Holy Spirit fell on them as evidenced by the speaking with tongues and the exalting of God. Notice that Luke used the term “circumcised believers” to describe those who had come with Peter from Joppa. Their reaction to all that was taking place was one of amazement.

Peter immediately recognized what had happened. His desire was that those who “had received the Holy Spirit just as we “the apostles” did” be baptized. It did not take any persuasion for the men with Peter to agree that Cornelius and his household had met the requirements for baptism which is salvation in Christ alone. They were “baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” Peter then spent several days with them discipling them in their new found faith.

1. What was the key element of Peter’s message that the people heard that opened their hearts to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
2. What are the important factors that have been studied that led to this moment?
3. Why did Luke describe the men with Peter as not just believers but circumcised believers?
4. Although they are not mentioned again, what important role might the men play in the future?
5. What evidence do we need today that a person has fulfilled the requirements for baptism?
6. Why was it necessary for Peter and his companions to spend several days with Cornelius?
7. What does it say are the needs for new believers in our churches today?

 

What were the pieces of evidence that validated what Peter was saying?

Summary:

It was necessary for someone like Peter, A Jewish follower of Christ and an apostle to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. If anyone without his qualifications had been instrumental the conversion of a Gentile would have been suspect as best.

As we shall see later two of the critical issues in the early church involved the conversion of Gentiles. Peter was involved in the decision making process and the resolution of both of them. Remember, with a different results in those two meetings the church today might have a completely look to it.

Each of the last several lessons have shown that every decision made and every step that each of the people took was of great consequence in its affect on the lives of believers and non-believers both then and now.

As you participate in the discussions about the events now taking place remember that each step is important and none of them occur in isolation.

1. Pray that the church will make godly decisions as we proceed.
2. Search the Scriptures for a better understanding of all that is being proposed.
3. Do not be afraid to ask questions of those who are involved in the process.

If we have learned anything from these lessons it is not to get ahead of God. He truly does want to bring all the pieces of our lives together if we will just take it a step at a time. We sometimes want things done according to our own time table which quite often leads to disaster. Peter did not know the future when he left Jerusalem but he was willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. We should follow his example and allow God to open and close doors. If we do this the right decisions will be made.

Additional Notes:

C-While Peter was speaking to the whole household of Cornelius about the movement of God in the world through Christ, the Holy Spirit fell on all those in the house. They then were baptized. (Acts 10:34-48; 11:17)

GC-Because God does not show partiality we are to be like Him. (Acts 10:34: Col. 3:11)

GC-It is critical to the spread of the gospel to be a witness of what God has already done in one’s life. (Acts 10:39, 41)

GC-Each of us has been called to preach (proclaim or evangel). Our message is always to be to testify Jesus. One of the aspects of Jesus to which we do not pay enough attention is that of judge. (Acts 10:42)

GC-Through Christ’s name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness. (Acts 10:43)

GC-On three different occasions we are told that a man believed and his whole household.

1. What does this say about the influence a man can have in his family in the matters of faith?
2. What caused the families respond as they did?
3. What does it tell us about the respect that each man had from those in his household?
4. Look also at the diversity of these men.                                                                           (Acts 10:44; 16:31; John 4:53)
5. RT-It took something out of the ordinary to prove to the Jews that indeed the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit and that they were now part of God’s kingdom. (Acts 10:44-48)
6. RT-As new believers the Gentiles wanted to be discipled immediately. Therefore, they asked Peter to remain with them for a period of a few days. Can you imagine the kind of teaching they received from one who had been with Jesus for the three years He was here on earth? (Acts 10:48)