Acts: The Expansion of the Church
Session 6
Estimated reading time: 25 minutes
Family Outreach — Cornelius
In this chapter, we will be talking about the household of Cornelius and for reasons you will understand as we get into it, I have entitled this particular section, “Family Outreach.” In the last chapter, we learned about Saul’s conversion. Now in Acts chapter 9, verse 32 we pick up the record about what Peter had been doing. Peter was on a journey during which he was traveling to several different cities. He had left Samaria where he experienced his encounter with Simon the Sorcerer. He then started traveling around in the northern part of Israel and at this point he is going towards the west. He went into two cities, one is called Lydda and the other one Joppa. These cities were on the western side of Israel towards the Mediterranean Sea.
There were many miracles that had taken place there but there were two notable ones. One is a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed for eight years. He just got up and started walking when Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ is healing you.” He believed it right at that moment and he started walking. The second person who had a very notable miracle happen to them was in Joppa: a woman whose name was Dorcas (her other name was Tabitha). She was raised from the dead by Peter. As a result, many people were coming to the Lord.
Acts 9:42–43 APNT
And this was known in all the city and many believed in our Lord.
And he was in Joppa not a few days, lodging in the house of Simon a tanner.
Now to live with a tanner was an unusual thing for a Jew to do. Already we see, because of Peter doing this, that the rules were softening and lessening from what the oral law said that you could or could not do. If a person was a tanner they would be dealing with the carcasses of dead animals which would make the person doing the tanning unclean. If someone came in contact with them they also would be unclean. Obviously, Peter was not worried about this. From this, you can see there was beginning to be a softening with the restrictions they put themselves under so greatly. You can see this simply because of the fact that he actually stayed with Simon the tanner.
He was staying on the seacoast because there were less odors with fewer tanning hides and the breeze would blow it out to sea. We will begin in chapter 10, where we are introduced to a man whose name is Cornelius.
Acts 10:1–2 APNT
And there was a certain man in Caesarea, a centurion, whose name was Cornelius from the band of soldiers that was called the Italian.
And he was just and feared God, he and all his house. And he did many charitable works among the people and was always seeking God.
We learn quite a bit about this man named Cornelius from these first couple of verses. It says he was a centurion, that would be equivalent to our captain. He was over about a hundred men and he was from Italy. The band of soldiers he was in was from Italy. It was part of a cohort, which is about 600 men. So he is responsible for a hundred men of this regiment or cohort. This cohort was from Italy, probably sent to guard the governor or the Roman procurator. The place where he lives is Caesarea, which is right on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the Roman province of Judea which is where the governor resides. Herod had built this city. It was a Gentile city in which not very many Jews lived. There were some, a small minority, however, the majority of the population in Caesarea were Gentiles.
Another thing we learn about Cornelius, he was just and he feared God with his whole household. Right from the beginning, it is very clear that he is very influential in his household and has led all of his household to also follow the one true God. We would call Cornelius is a “God-fearer,” because he most likely was not a proselyte. In order to become a proselyte, he would have had to have been circumcised. A person could be a Gentile, and believe in God, follow many of the Jewish traditions, and learn from the Old Testament much about God. Therefore, they would be called a “God-fearer.” However, if they did not get circumcised, then they were not a proselyte. So it would seem he was a “God-fearer.” He trusted God and he was seeking God. That is what the Aramaic says. He “was always seeking God.” which means he was always lifting up petitions and prayers with specific petitions. He was giving alms. You see this man had really a wonderful heart for God. It does not say what he was petitioning, but when God sends an angel to talk to him, we can get the idea that one of the things he may have been petitioning is; “Could you please tell me more about you? What should I believe and how should I act?”
We will go on and read verse 3:
Acts 10:3–9 APNT
This [man] clearly saw an angel of God in a vision [about] the ninth hour of the day, (that is about 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon) who came toward him and said to him, “Cornelius,” (What would you think about an angel coming right towards you and then saying your name?)
And he looked at him and was afraid and said, “What, my Lord?” And the angel said to him, “Your prayers and your charity have come up for a remembrance before God
And now send men to the city [of] Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter.
Behold, he is living in the house of Simon, the tanner, which is on the shore of the sea.”
And as the angel who had talked with him was going away, he called two of his household and a certain servant, who feared God, one who obeyed him,
and told them everything that he had seen and sent them to Joppa.
What we see from this is Cornelius’ prayers had come up before God as a memorial or as a kind of offering in the Old Testament. This was the meal offering in which they would put frankincense, and the sweet aroma from the grain offering would come up to God and be acceptable to God in that type of an offering. That is what the angel told him prayers were like. He was giving this offering to God, and God heard him.
The angel gave him very specific instructions: where he should go in Joppa and to whom he should go. He does not ask any questions. He does not say, “Who is that?” He does not ask why. He simply immediately went and got his most trusted servants and sent them. You see also the hunger in his heart with his response of immediate obedience. As a result of this, God set up this timing, which is absolutely perfect. He sends the vision to Cornelius at three in the afternoon.
Now we will see what He did with Peter. So verse nine,
Acts 10:9–10 APNT
And on the next day, (so the next day) while they were traveling on the journey and approaching the city, (these three men from Cornelius) Simon went up to the roof to pray at the sixth hour. (That is noon the next day. Cornelius’ men had traveled 30 miles overnight, basically, to get there by noon the next day.)
And he was hungry and wanted to eat. And while they were preparing for him, astonishment came on him
The word “astonishment” in Aramaic could also mean a “vision or something amazing.” King James says it was a “trance”, but it was a vision, just like Cornelius had. This is what he saw in the vision.
Acts 10:11–16 APNT
and he saw heaven opened and a certain garment being held by four corners. And it was like a large linen cloth and it was coming down from heaven to the earth. (It was held on all four corners so that it had a section of it that was coming down.)
And in it there were many four-footed animals and creeping things of the earth and birds of heaven.
And a voice came to him that said, “Simon, rise up, kill and eat.”
And Simon said, “Let it not be so, my Lord, because I have never eaten anything that is corrupt and unclean.”
And again a second time, a voice came to him, “That which God has cleansed, do not regard as corrupt.”
And this happened three times and the garment was lifted up to heaven.
Acts 11:6 in KJV actually adds that there were wild beasts in the linen cloth as well.
Acts 11:6 KJV
Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
By this vision, God is moving Peter out of his comfort zone because he is showing him that there are clean and unclean animals among the sheep. It says all manner of “four-footed animals and creeping things of the earth.” God is showing him with the combination of all the animals on the cloth, the point is they are all available to eat. Then we see him puzzling and pondering over this vision.
Acts 10:17–20 APNT
And while Simon wondered in himself what was the vision that he had seen, those men who had been sent by Cornelius arrived. (You see God’s timing? It was absolutely perfect. God gives him this vision at noon and then, right on cue, these men arrive.)
And they asked for the house in which Simon lodged and they came and stood at the gate of the courtyard.
And they called there and asked, “Is Simon, who is called Peter, lodged here?”
And while Simon thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you.
Rise up, get down, and go with them, not letting your mind doubt, because I have sent them.”
Simon is getting little pieces. When you receive a vision about something, the first thing to do is to ask God; “What does it mean?” The second thing is; “What should I be learning?” That is really the question, because that is what Simon was asking. He was thinking on the vision, he was saying; “Well, what does it mean? What does it mean that I should do?” God immediately tells him, “Go down and talk to these three men who have just come to the door, because I sent them.”
Acts 10:21–22 APNT
Then Simon went down to those men and said to them, “I am he whom you seek. What is the reason for which you have come?”
They said to him, “A certain man whose name [is] Cornelius, a centurion, an upright [man] who fears God and about whom all the people of the Judeans give testimony, was told in a vision from a holy angel to send [and] bring you to his house and to hear a word from you.”
They proceed to tell him exactly what had happened to Cornelius. Peter immediately realizes the timing had to be so specific: the vision God had given Cornelius to send the men from his house to travel all the way from Caesarea to Joppa. Then God had sent a vision to Simon at another specific time precisely when these men were going to arrive in Joppa where he was lodged. He knows beyond a shadow of a doubt, God is in it. He knows the timing is perfect; just like it was with Philip on the road to witness to the Ethiopian eunuch. The timing was set up by God. You see God is in it completely.
Acts 10:23 APNT
And Simon brought them in and received them where he lodged. And he rose up on the following day and left [and] went with them. And some of the brothers of Joppa went with him.
Simon also is being obedient. He is not stopping nor questioning. He is not rebelling: “No, I do not know, perhaps I should not go. I am not going to Caesarea.” He is simply following the steps. He is walking out what God has told him to do; even if he does not understand everything about it, at that point.
Acts 10:24 APNT
And on the next day, he entered Caesarea and Cornelius was waiting for them, all his kinsmen and also beloved friends that he had being assembled with him.
Cornelius had really trusted that Peter was going to come. He believed if the angel had said, “Go ask for him.”, then he would come. As a result, he was already prepared; that next day. he had gathered all his household and his friends in a large gathering. They were all there waiting for Peter to come. Also in chapter 11, when Peter recounts this again, he relayed that he took he took six other men go with him from Joppa, to be witnesses of what was going to happen.
Acts 10:25–27 APNT
And as Simon was entering, Cornelius met him and fell down [and] worshipped at his feet.
And Simon raised him up and said to him, “Stand up. I am a man also.”
And while he was talking with him, he entered and found many who had come there.
Simon Peter does not let Cornelius worship him. He basically said in this response, “I know God told me to come, and He sent an angel to tell you that, but that does not mean that I am any more holy than anybody else.” Part of falling down and worshipping him was also a sign of respect and great honor. However, Peter does not allow him to be in a subservient position.
Now we are finally going to see what God had been telling Simon Peter as he was walking along on the road to Caesarea.
Acts 10:28 APNT
And he said to them, “You know that it is not lawful for a Judean man to associate with an alien man (or a Gentile) who is not [of] his race, yet God showed me that I should not say about anyone that he is unclean or corrupt.”
This was the explanation of the vision that God had given to Peter “as he was going” to meet Cornelius. That is so amazing that He showed this to him as he was obeying! The unclean animals in the sheet were Gentiles, but I should not call any man unclean or corrupt.
Acts 10:29 APNT
Because of this, I came promptly when you sent for me. But I ask you, “Why did you send for me?”
Simon then put the question to Cornelius and asked, “Why did you send for me?” This is also a really wonderful thing to learn when we are witnessing to someone or meet someone for the first time. We can ask them; “What do you want to know?” Simon is asking Cornelius, point blank, “Why did you send for me?” Cornelius then relates the whole story again.
Acts 10:30–32 APNT
Cornelius said to him, “Four days have passed, since behold, I was fasting, and in the ninth hour while I was praying in my house, a certain man stood before me, wearing white [clothes].”
And he said to me, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and there is a remembrance of your charity before God.
But send to the city [of] Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter. Behold, he is living in the house of Simon, the tanner, which is on the shore of the sea. And he will come to speak to you.”
Cornelius was very clear in the repetition of the vision. He did not embellish it. He did not say different parts of it that were not true. He was very matter of fact; this is what happened. This is how it went down.
Acts 10:33 APNT
And immediately I sent to you and you have done well that you came. Now behold, all of us [are] before you and we want to hear all that has been commanded to you from God.
This is an amazing thing for a Gentile person to say. “Now that you are here, could you please tell us everything God has commanded you to say?” There is so, so much hunger. You see such a meekness on the part of Cornelius that even though he is very much a leader; he has status in the Roman Empire; he is not thinking about any of those things. This is a heart cry of a man who wants to know more about God. As a result, Simon Peter, utters these wonderful words:
Acts 10:34 APNT
And Simon opened his mouth and said, “In truth, I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons,
Once Peter recognized the great humility Cornelius had, this is when God could show him, “There is no respecter of persons. I do not respect persons.” This was a completely brand-new idea for a Judean person to think because in Peter’s mind, God did respect persons. He respected the Jews more than he did any Gentile. The literal meaning of “to respect persons,” is to “receive faces or to take faces.” It is like saying,” I like this face more than that face. So I am going to receive the face I like, but not the one that I do not like.” The Judeans really thought the Gentiles were “dogs.” They did not have status. They were not worthy of their attention. They did not ever want to have anything to do with them because then you would be unclean. Their opinion of a Gentile person was a favoritism; that God would look with favor on the Judean, on a Jewish person, but certainly not on the Gentile. That is the first thing Peter states.
I will briefly summarize his speech because he goes through a number of different things. In verse 36, he says that Jesus is Lord and his lordship brings peace.
Acts 10:36 APNT
For [this is] the word that he sent to the sons of Israel and declared to them: “Peace and harmony by way of Jesus Christ, who is the LORD of all.”
One of the next things that he sets before Cornelius is that Jesus is Lord. It reminds you of Ephesians, chapter two, where God takes of the Jews and of the Gentiles and makes one new man, so making peace. This is the very beginning of the revealing of the mystery which will come into fruition in the Epistles of Colossians and Ephesians. The first thing is Jesus is Lord of all, and because he is Lord, that brings peace.
The next point that Peter makes is that God chose Jesus. He was the one that God chose. God anointed him.
Acts 10:38 APNT
…God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. And this is he who traveled around and healed those who were oppressed by the Evil [one], because God was with him.
God chose this man whose name we call Jesus, but his name is Yeshua. He made him the Messiah. God is the one who chose him. God chose him. Then verse 40:
Acts 10:40–41a APNT
And God raised him after three days and allowed him to be seen openly.
Now [he was] not [seen] by all the people, but by us, those who were chosen by God to be witnesses for him…
God raised Jesus from the dead! The central theme of every speech that Peter gives is about the resurrection. God raised Jesus from the dead. “This Jesus that I am talking about is the one God raised from the dead. When he raised him, because we saw him in his resurrected form, we became witnesses. We did not raise him up, but we are witnesses of his resurrection.” This was what Peter was saying: that Jesus is the one.
Acts 10:42 APNT
And he commanded us to preach and to witness to the people that he was the one who was appointed by God [as] the judge of the living and of the dead.
This statement would have really struck home with Cornelius because he was a man who commanded other men. When he heard that Jesus had commanded Peter and his fellow disciples to preach and to witness about him, he realized at that moment, this is what they were doing. This was good. He, then, also understood about the whole Roman system of justice. If a judge made a determination of what is true, or what is the verdict; it was to be upheld. That is how the Roman Empire functioned, of which he was very familiar. By Peter explaining that Jesus Christ will be the judge who in the future will judge both the living and the dead, he immediately decided this was somebody he really wanted to know. Peter communicated the gospel to Cornelius in a way he could understand. Verse 43 goes on to say:
Acts 10:43–46 APNT
And concerning him all the prophets witness, (Cornelius was a God-fearer. He would have read the Old Testament about the prophecies. Peter is saying to Cornelius that the prophets were talking about this man, whose name is Jesus, or Yeshua.)
so that whoever believes on his name will receive forgiveness of sins.” (Right there, right at that moment!)
And while Simon was speaking these words, (before he was even done) the Holy Spirit overshadowed all who were hearing the word.
And the circumcised brothers who had come with him were amazed and astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they heard them speaking in various languages and magnifying God. And Simon said,
Peter was not even able to finish his sermon. Right in the middle of the sermon, he had said enough. He had told them Jesus is Lord. He had taught them about the resurrection. He had told them; this is the one God promised in the Old Testament that was to come. He would be the Messiah who would bring salvation and forgiveness of sins. As soon as he said that they started speaking in tongues and magnifying God.
Now you would wonder; how did that happen? How did they start speaking in tongues? Nobody led them into it. They were not praying for anything like that. However it is very similar to how it happened in Acts, chapter two. Evidently they knew it was available to speak in tongues or had heard that people had spoken in various languages on the day of Pentecost. No one prayed for them, like in Samaria. Nobody led them into speaking in tongues. They simply started doing it. This is the reason the six witnesses who had come with Peter were so astonished. They were absolutely astonished because on the Gentiles also would be poured out this wonderful, beautiful gift of holy spirit. It was unmistakable because they heard them speak in tongues. They could not deny it.
It was the proof. It was evidence right before their eyes; God truly was not a respecter of persons. He was going to make this salvation, this Yeshua, available for the Gentiles also. The word “salvation” comes from the word Yeshua. They were magnifying God. It is truly astounding to see this turn at this time; because everything up until this point, the expansion of the church had been to the Jews. There were some Greek speaking Jews, they were Hellenistic Jews, but they were all Jews. This was the first 100% Gentile who had believed. We will see from this point on, all of the outreach turns to focus on a completely different group of people. Now the gospel had been made available to the Gentiles. Prior to this, they had never considered they would ever have anything to do with them, let alone talk to them about the gospel. Now we can read what happens after this.
Acts 10:47–48 APNT
Can anyone forbid water, so that those who, behold, have received the Holy Spirit as we, should not be baptized?
Then he commanded them to be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And they begged him to stay with them [some] days.
Now we will look in chapter 11, where Peter recounts the incident, when he comes back to Joppa and tells all the believers there what happened. This is what he said.
Acts 11:15–18 APNT
And as I began to speak there, the Holy Spirit overshadowed them, as [it had] previously on us.
And I remembered the word of our Lord, who said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Therefore, if God equally gave the gift to the Gentiles that believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, as also to us, who was I that I should be able to hinder God?
And after they had heard these words, they were quiet (These are all the believers in Joppa) and praised God and were saying, “Doubtless, God has also given repentance to life to the Gentiles.”
They made the connection; they put it together. God had orchestrated the whole timing of everything. He had sent the vision to Cornelius. He had sent the vision to Peter. He had sent him to be there at the exact time when Cornelius had gathered his entire household. It had all been God’s doing; just like God chose Jesus. God sent him. God raised him. God did everything! Now, God is also the one doing the outreach. Peter is obeying.
There are a few conclusive points that I would like to highlight. I love the part just before they start speaking in tongues when Peter said; ‘Whosoever believeth receives forgiveness of sins.’ Ken Petty had always said; “Well, I’m a whosoever.” I am a whosoever also; I am from a Gentile background as well. Had this not happened, I would not be standing here talking with you today!
This is a miracle that it opened up from a very narrow group of people, to now we are able to have the gospel go to the uttermost part of the earth. The other point, and the reason why I called this section, “Family Outreach;” I see Cornelius was such a wonderful man in that he was concerned about his whole family. It was not just him. He did not want to be the only one who heard what Peter had to say. He gathered everyone, his beloved friends, and his whole family. It shows that the kind of outreach that was taking place, even with the Judeans, was family outreach, in which entire families and extended families, along with all their friends were being won to the gospel It is like witnessing to households.
The third thing that I see is the Spirit is just poured out, and it is the evidence of speaking in tongues as the witness. It is the evidence that they truly had the gift of the spirit given to them, and they did not need to have anybody lead them into it.
The fourth thing is, now the open door is available to preach the gospel directly to the Gentiles; and not needing it to go to Jews first, which was also a progressive revelation of the mystery. We saw that God does not have favoritism, and now He is working with both Jews and Gentiles. We also saw that Jesus is Lord, which is what brings peace, and that there was a progressive revelation of the mystery.
Then, lastly, God is the chief actor in salvation. We are the witnesses, but He is the one who brings people together. He is the one who knows people’s hearts, and He listens to the people’s cries of their hearts, and then He works it out. If he has to send an angel, if he has to give a person a vision, it does now matter. It is His grace, His timing, His answers to prayer; but it is man’s job is to be obedient. If Peter had not gone to talk to them, then they would not have heard the gospel.
So I want to close with Romans chapter 10. In thinking of this passage, we see in Romans 10 there is a summary of the change from righteousness, which is by the law, to righteousness, which is by faith. We will begin in verse 6.
Romans 10:6–8 APNT
Now the uprightness that is by faith so says: DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, “WHO HAS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN AND BROUGHT DOWN CHRIST?
AND WHO HAS GONE DOWN TO THE DEPTH OF SHEOL AND BROUGHT UP CHRIST FROM THE DEAD?”
BUT WHAT DOES IT SAY? (What does the righteousness, or the uprightness, that is by faith, what does it say?) THE ANSWER IS NEAR TO YOU, TO YOUR MOUTH AND TO YOUR HEART, which is the word of faith that we preach.
I do not know about you, but I never really understood why this is a quotation from Deuteronomy, and it is talking about the law. It is saying there are no works of righteousness that anybody could do, even if you ascended to heaven, and if it was even possible to bring down the Messiah from heaven. If someone could do that, it would be a “work.” This is not possible. Who could go down to the depth of the grave and raise him from the dead? That is also a work that is not possible for any man to do. There are no works anyone could do to have salvation and righteousness. However, it does say, in Deuteronomy, “The answer is near to you.” It is in your mouth and in your heart. That is what verse 9 says.
Romans 10:9–10 APNT
And if you confess with your mouth our Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will have life. (You will be saved.)
For the heart that believes in him is justified and the mouth that confesses him has life.
These two things; that is what happened to Cornelius. He heard the part about Jesus is Lord and decided; “Yes, he is Lord. I can make him Lord. God chose him so I can make him Lord.” He maybe was not necessarily saying it out loud, but he was doing that kind of thing coming out of his mouth. Then “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.”
Mouth and heart. That is exactly what Cornelius did. That is what every single believer does, their answer is near. It is in our mouth and in our heart. Finally verse 11:
Romans 10:11 APNT
For the scripture said: ALL WHO BELIEVE IN HIM WILL NOT BE ASHAMED.
We can never be justified by works. By the works of the law, no man was ever justified. In contrast, by the uprightness or the righteousness, which is by faith, any man can have salvation because it is near to your mouth and near to your heart. All we need to do is be obedient, be witnesses, and preach the gospel.
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