Acts 10:1-8 – At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.” The word regiment used here is probably better translated as “cohort.” A cohort consisted of about six hundred men. The cohorts were subdivided in groups of one hundred men and led by a leader called a centurion. They were called the Italian Regiment because they were all, or mostly all, Romans and not foreign conscripts.
“He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” It is amazing that this Roman officer was a man who was faithfully and ardently fearing and seeking God. He was a Roman and the Roman belief in many gods, and their deification of their Caesars, is well known. Yet here is a man who had no interest in the false beliefs of Rome, but who cried out to God to know who the one true God was. This truly is amazing that he could stick his head out of the stench of the morass of false beliefs. But he did. In fact the original language used indicated that he was crying out to God because of the lack of something in his life. That lack was the knowledge of God, who he was sure existed. Cornelius not only desperately sought God, but he also taught his family to do so.
Another thing to note is that Cornelius was a good man who was generous with the needy. This is noteworthy because as is shown in these scriptures, he was not on his way to Heaven. Being a good person who sought after God was not good enough. If so, God could have left Cornelius seeking Him and doing good deeds and then brought him to Heaven. But God did not. The truth is, this man who was a good deed doer and ardent prayer was on his way to hell. We know that good deeds don’t get us to Heaven, we only get there through Jesus. Displaying God’s heart to save all who will come, Jesus is about to be taught to Cornelius.
“One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”” God will do whatever it takes to save souls. Isn’t the fact that He sent His Son Jesus to be born a man, to suffer die and rise from death evidence enough that God will do whatever it takes to save a man? Even today we hear of Jesus appearing in visions to people to save whole tribes. Yet too many people say that God doesn’t work that way. They need to open their eyes and see that the love of God will do whatever it needs to save souls, or even, one soul. Perhaps the doubter needs to understand that doctrine that remains in the head, but not the heart, is of little value. Jesus is in the business of loving and saving souls.
“Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When Cornelius called the angel lord, it was likely that he was not addressing him as Lord, like Lord God, which the angel would have corrected. Only God is Lord. He was more likely speaking respectfully to this emissary with great power, like we might address someone as Sir.
The angel told Cornelius that God had heard his prayers and was now answering them. He gave him orders to send men to bring Peter to him.
Peter was staying with Simon the tanner. That is significant because Jews typically eschewed tanners because they handled things that were dead. Yet Peter was staying with this tanner. Perhaps the Lord, having Peter minister to the Samaritans, was using him with the Samaritans for their sake, but also in preparation to open up the eyes of Peter that Jesus planned to bring the Gospel to the whole world and not just the Jewish world. The Lord was about to show Cornelius to narrow his search for God and also was about to teach Simon to broaden his search for recipients of the Gospel.
“When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.” As soon as the angel was gone Cornelius did as he was instructed. He sent two servants and a trusted soldier to Peter. Cornelius was about to receive all he had wanted. He was about to receive what he knew was lacking in his life. He could hardly wait to finally get the answer to his prayers.
Cornelius was no different than every person who was ever born. We were all born with a lack. The lack was Jesus in our lives. Family, thank Jesus for all He has done for us. He filled the void, He has provided the lack so that we have received what we most needed, and that is, to become God’s family. Praise God! We belong to God! Now let’s share the good news and keep loving and praising God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.