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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley 20-8-1995 Guisborough Evangelical Church)
The conversion of Cornelius is one of the great landmarks
in the history of the early church. So far, Jews had a place in the Church of
Christ (Acts 2) and also the half-breed Samaritans (Acts 8). But up to this
point, there were no Gentiles in the Church. We do not realize nowadays the
awful hostility and hatred that existed between Jews and Gentiles in the first
century. Jews had such pride in their race, and despised the Gentiles as dogs,
merely fuel for the fires of hell. They kept themselves apart from Gentiles as
much as possible. No orthodox Jew ever entered the home of a Gentile, nor
invited a Gentile into his home, even less sit down and have a meal together.
When a devout Jew returned from market, he washed his hands very carefully
because of defilement from Gentiles.
In this situation, how could a
Gentile enter the Church? How could Jews mix with them at Church? As a result of
the vision to Peter and subsequent report of the incident to the leaders at
Jerusalem, the enormous obstacle was removed. The Church henceforth was for all
races and cultures. Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together
of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians
3:6).
This is not of any immediate
problem to us. We are Gentiles and are in the Church, and the Church has been
like that for over 1900 years. We would be glad to see Jews in the Church to
prove among other reasons that we are all one in Christ Jesus. Though the story
is still relevant in places where churches consist of people of one colour by
deliberate policy, one race, one class, one culture, or one age group. The story
underlines the importance of oneness in Christ, and there is no place for
prejudices and unwarranted suspicions against people who are not our type.
The Lord of the Church has no
favourites. In Christ, all are welcome and all in Christ should be welcomed by
His people. There is no place for segregated congregations; else we will not fit
into heaven very well. A great multitude that no one could count, from every
nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne (Revelation
7:9).
Our main concern now is to study Cornelius. He was a religious man, a good family man, a generous man and a God-fearing man, even to the extent of praying. Yet he was not a Christian. We have all met people like this. Sometimes they are nicer people and more attractive than many sound orthodox Christians. We meet them on the street, we live next door to them, we have been helped by them. Often, such people have had good training, a good parental example, Christian upbringing, a desire for good reputation, respectability, and the appearance of being good and generous. They are good people at least on the outside. But they do not belong to Christ. What is their situation before God? What do they need?
Cornelius lived in Caesarea, a
coastal garrison town named after the Augustus Caesar of Luke 2:1. Caesarea had
a splendid harbour, and was the administrative capital of Judea. Cornelius was a
centurion of an Italian Cohort. In the Roman army, a legion of 6000 men was made
up of 10 cohorts (battalions), and each cohort had 6 centuries (companies) of
100 men each. Each company was commanded by a centurion, with responsibilities
like a captain. Centurions were the backbone of the army, men of great courage
and loyalty (N.B. All references to centurions in the New Testament show them in
favourable light).
Cornelius and all his family
were devout and God-fearing (Acts 10:2). This word for God-fearing is a
technical term, mentioned several times in Acts, used for Gentiles who were
weary of polytheism and the immoralities of pagan religions. They attended the
Synagogue, and believed and used the Old Testament in Greek. They accepted there
was one God, and His high moral precepts. They kept the Sabbath and laws
concerning food. But they were not a full Jew, i.e. not a Proselyte, because
that required baptism, sacrifice and circumcision. (The latter was rejected by
many as degrading.) From the ranks of these God-fearers, the Christian church
drew many converts in the first century.
Cornelius was decent in every sense. He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly (Acts 10:2). Some of his troops had the same character (Acts 10:7). He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people (Acts 10:22). Therefore according to the light he had, he lived close to God. We meet others of the same character in the New Testament – the rich young ruler, Nicodemus, the Ethiopian Eunuch. And we meet many more around us. Aren’t they good enough? What more can we expect from them?
The record indicates that
Cornelius’s life was not only noticed by men, but also by God. God knew all
about him, his prayers had been heard and his almsgiving observed. Peter
summarized the situation: I now realize how true it is that God does not show
favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right
(Acts 10:34,35).
Here is the problem verse. It is
so important to interpret it in the light of the rest of the story and of the
New Testament as a whole. We do not say we are saved by religion and morality.
Cornelius needed to hear about Jesus, and needed to be told that everyone who
believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name (Acts 10:43).
He needed Christ and salvation and life. He needed the Holy Spirit (10:47). He
needed peace through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all (10:36). He had yet to
believe and repent.
So how do we interpret this
verse that whoever fears God, and whose works are righteous, is accepted by Him?
“Accepted” does not mean saved. But God prefers righteousness to
unrighteousness, and sincerity to insincerity among Gentiles as well as Jew,
because God has no favourites.
Others see Cornelius as being in
the same position as Old Testament believers. People who repented, brought
sacrifices, threw themselves on God’s mercy to be saved – as God worked in
their hearts. So Cornelius was not saved by his faith and righteousness, but he
knew his needs as a sinner, depended on grace of God which then led to a life of
righteousness. He had the same attitude to God as a man has when he becomes a
Christian – repentance and faith – as in Old Testament times, living up to
the light he had. No question of earning salvation. But still needing to learn
of the way God’s mercy seen in the Old Testament partially was fully revealed
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Needing to enjoy and understand the fullness of
God’s grace revealed in Christ, with all its blessing.
However we interpret this verse,
it is evident that Cornelius was not in a satisfactory condition. He needed the
full light of Christ and all the blessing which He brings, including knowledge
of forgiveness of sins through His Cross. But the story in total context tells
us that however commendable his spiritual progress and his response to the light
given, his light was incomplete. What faith and obedience he had was defective,
urgently needed to be brought into the full light of the Gospel, and receive the
assurance of forgiveness of sins in Christ.
This story is saying very definite things to our own situation. Religion is not enough. Morality is not enough. We need Christ. We need to be saved by Him, know His forgiveness, and place our faith in Him. Other religions are not ways to God. There is salvation in none other than Christ. Even less is it suggesting that all men are going to heaven, religion or no religion. The whole story contains the urgency in pointing men to Christ, for they urgently and desperately need Christ and nothing else.
It was clearly the Lord’s purpose to lead this seeker
to further light and into the full knowledge of salvation in Christ. He sent His
angel to tell Cornelius to make contact with Peter in Joppa, lodging with Simon
the tanner. Peter would give him further instructions. Immediately Cornelius
sent his two servants and a devout God-fearing soldier to Joppa.
Meanwhile God had prepared Peter
not to be prejudiced against Cornelius, with a vision of unclean and clean
creatures, given three times. The Spirit then told Peter to go with the three
men when they arrive from Cornelius. The whole episode was perfectly arranged
and timed by the Lord.
The next day a party of 10
(Cornelius’s three servants, with Peter and six friends) journeyed to
Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, prepared. He had assembled a good
company – servants, soldiers, relatives and close friends. Cornelius fell down
in worship, to be told by Peter not to treat him like a god. And at the same
time Peter did not treat Cornelius like a dog, because he did the unthinkable by
going into a Gentile’s home. Cornelius recounted how God had directed him to
seek out Peter. Notice instant obedience had followed the command, just like a
Roman centurion would have expected of his men.
Now we are all here in the
presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us (Acts
10:33). What a good way to start every church service – recognizing we are all
assembled in the presence of God to listen to His commands. All are present. God
is present. We wait to hear God’s Word. United, humble and expectant. A
God-conscious congregation – how much more blessing we would receive if that
was always our spirit.
When we are in the frame of mind
of Cornelius, we have the assurance we will be blessed. Cornelius was seeking
salvation, guidance, help, deliverance and the Lord’s will. Scripture gives
very clear and definite promises to people with that attitude. If anyone
chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or
whether I speak on my own (John 7:17). You will seek me and find me when
you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).
When eager to do God’s will, anxious to find His way, prepared to do anything He says, when we really are in earnest – we will find. Cornelius was living proof of that.
We are not going to go into the
full details of Peter’s sermon here, except to say it was God-centred
preaching – Christ’s ministry, death, resurrection, return as judge. Everyone
who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name (Acts
10:43). The response to his message was clear. The Gentiles repented, believed
in Christ and received the Holy Spirit. And in receiving the Holy Spirit, they
received assurance, fuller revelation of God’s love, larger understanding of
God’s truth, and the secret of holy living and effective service.
Cornelius was a fine man, but
there was one gaping hole in his life. He was without Christ. His basic need was
Christ. He had sins which needed forgiven. They may not have been crude vulgar
sins of the man of the gutter, they may have been sins of respectable pride,
self-sufficiency of a man who could boast he needed nothing, self-will and
directing his own life, self-righteousness of a man who thought he had a claim
on God, and the basic failure of every godless man or woman - unwillingness to
receive salvation as a free gift, refusal to bow the knee to Christ, obstinacy
which will not allow God to reign in the life.
Can you see something of yourself in that description? Are you aware of the gaping whole in your life? Christ is the only way. Believe in Him, and receive forgiveness of sins. Your search will be rewarded, as Cornelius’s was. Seek, and you will find.
