Cornelius
Acts 10
Cornelius was:
He was a MAN OF CHARACTER (v. 1-2)
Devout – Dedicated
Cornelius was diligent to obtain his position.
He was a MAN OF PRAYER (v.2-4)
He was a MAN OF ACTION (v.5-8)
immediately obeyed God
He was a MAN OF INTEGRITY
He did exactly as he was told in the vision without deviation
He was a GOD-FEARING MAN
respected God’s regulations
He was a GENEROUS MAN
Giver – Generosity – Compassion
He was a MAN OF INFLUENCE
Whole house followed in his footsteps
He lead his family!
Men step up!!
Wives, learn to submit
Wouldn’t the church love to have many Cornelius’ in the house?
Why did Luke record this event?
To show that Good isn’t good enough.
there is just one little problem with Cornelius, in spite of all his goodness, he is doomed for hell and in need of a savior. He was still lost
Good or God?
In spite of all of his good works, he still was lost…
Are you like Cornelius? Soon he will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Will you?
10:2 “What will happen to the heathen who have never heard about Christ?” This question is often asked about God’s justice. Cornelius wasn’t a believer in Christ, but he was seeking God, and he was reverent and generous. Therefore God sent Peter to tell Cornelius about Christ. Cornelius is an example that God “rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Those who sincerely seek God will find him! God made Cornelius’s knowledge complete through Peter.
Missionaries must be obedient as Peter was. Evangelist must be obedient as Peter was. Christians must be obedient as Peter was.
Salvation and Revival can only be obtained through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Before we can even begin to talk about revival, one must know Jesus as his/her personal Lord and Savior!!
TS. Lets talk about the revival that we witness in Acts chapter 10… I see three transformations that must take place in order to experience revival. Multiplication instead of addition.
I. We must exercise transformational thinking to have revival. V. 3 – 8
What memorial do you offer up? Everything comes up before God.
We really don’t believe this or would act differently.
Change your thinking and realize that everything we do is recorded before God. Praise the Lord for the blood of the lamb that keeps us from paying the penalty.
Ill. Elevator story: I read a humorous story on the internet about a family in a big city. In fact it was entitled “Transformed by an elevator.” It said;
A family from a remote area was making their first visit to a big city.
They checked into a grand hotel and stood in amazement at the impressive sight.
Upon leaving the reception desk they came to the elevator entrance.
There they saw something that they had never seen before. It was an elevator, and they just stared at it unable to figure out what it was for.
Suddenly an elderly lady hobbled towards the elevator, the door opened and she went inside.
The door closed, and soon, the door reopened and out came a good-looking young woman. The father just couldn’t stop staring. First at the woman than at the elevator.
Then without turning his head he nudged his son’s arm and said, "Quick, Go get your momma, boy."
Peter – Transformational thinking (Kill and Eat)
Sometimes it takes repetition - Peter took 3 times of being shown.
Parents be patient with your children
Transformational Thinking for Peter and Cornelius. Gentiles and Jews had no fellowship together (Explain)
Cornelius Trusted God to prepare Peter
Wives trust God to prepare your husbands
Ill. Natalie and I.
Feeding Children
Our home
Transformation of Thinking – The Book of Acts is all about transformational thinking.
In order for revival to take place, the Holy Spirit calls us out of our comfort zones.
a. Whether or not we experience revival depends on our willingness to abandon our comfort zones and listen to the Spirit’s voice.
b. Are we willing to go the extra mile out of our comfort zones in order to be in tune with the Holy Spirit
App. We must learn to trust God to change people’s hearts. It is not our place to change them.
TS. We must also learn to
II. Practice transformational action to obtain revival.
Cornelius obeyed immediately.
Illustration: Charles Finney noted this about obedience and sacrifice, “Revival is nothing more or less than a new obedience to God!”
Peter – Transformational actions
v. 23 – invited them in
people came from all over town to see what was happening.
“Revival is nothing more or less than a new obedience to God!”
The Request of Obedience (9-16)
A. Rise, Peter; Kill and Eat
The Response of Obedience (17-33)
A. Go With Them Doubting Nothing
The fact that it took Peter a while to figure this out does not mean that he lacked faith.
The Result of Obedience (44-48)
1. THEY EMBRACED THE WORD THEY HEARD (v.44)
2. THEY RECEIVED A TREASURED GIFT (v.45)
A. The Holy Spirit Fell
3. THEY GAVE GOD PRAISE (V.46)
10:45 Cornelius and Peter were very different people. Cornelius was wealthy, a Gentile, and a military man. Peter was a Jewish fisherman turned preacher. But God’s plan included both of them. In Cornelius’s house that day, a new chapter in Christian history was written as a Jewish Christian leader and a Gentile Christian convert each discovered something significant about God at work in the other person. Cornelius needed Peter and his gospel to know the way to salvation. Peter needed Cornelius and his salvation experience to know that Gentiles were included in God’s plan. You and another believer may also need each other to understand how God works!
10:35 In every nation there are hearts restless for God, ready to receive the gospel—but someone must take it to them. Seeking God is not enough—people must find him. How then shall seekers find God without someone to point the way? Is God asking you to show someone the way to him?
Body dependence – we must be there for each other by obeying what God tells us to do.
Sometimes we need HELP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
In order to experience revival , we must align our actions with our talk and our talk with the Word of God. We must be obedient to the Spirit of God.
TS. And lastly, we must
III. Walk in transformational Faith.
Acts 10:24 (NIV)
The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
Acts 10:33 (NIV)
So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
Cornelius was expectant and prepared for revival v.24
He called (more than invited) his relative and close friends to come hear the Word of God.
What are you doing to prepare for revival?
Personally and corporately
Ill. Personal
Completing and following up
Seniors Group - delayed
Women’s Group – delayed
Physical shape
Not round
Ill. Corporately
Get out of debt.
God will meet us when we step forward
Look at the building.
The presence of the Lord had already been ushered in through Prayer and Worship. V. 33
They were ready to receive the word of the Lord.
What will happen as we begin to adopt this posture?
Results for Cornelius:
Spirit fell upon ALL of the people gathered.
You don’t have to wait for an Altar call… receive the spirit right now, where you are. Some more Transformational thinking... Let God out of the box.
Prayer for his family led them into salvation
Revival included speaking in tongues and praising God
Revival is available for everyone, God does not show favoritism
You can have an encounter with God !!!
What are you expecting? I am in revival. I invite you to join me.
Closing:
Salvation: Condition of acceptance – do what is right. V. 35
New converts did what was right and they were hungry to learn more and to spend time with God and His people. This is a sign of revival.
10:48 Cornelius wanted Peter to stay with him for several days. He was a new believer and realized his need for teaching and fellowship. Are you as eager to learn more about Christ? Recognize your need to be with more mature Christians, and strive to learn from them.
In closing let me share a story with you:
Illustration: A Fellow was sitting at a stop light. The lady in front of him was going through papers on the seat of her car, and when the light changed to green she did not obey its command - a green light is a commandment - NOT a suggestion. When the light turned to red, and she had still not moved, He began (with his windows up) screaming and beating on his steering wheel. His expressions of distress were interrupted by a policeman, gun drawn, tapping on his window. Against his protestations of, "You can’t arrest me for hollering in my car," the officer ordered him into the back seat of his patrol car. After about two hours in a holding cell, the arresting officer advised him he was free to go. He said, "I knew you couldn’t arrest me for what I was yelling in my own car. You haven’t heard the last of this." The officer replied, "I didn’t arrest you for shouting in your car. I was directly behind you at the light. I saw you screaming and beating your steering wheel, and I said to myself, "What a jerk. But there is nothing I can do to him for throwing a fit in his own car. Then I noticed the ’Cross’ hanging from your rear view mirror, the Jesus is Coming Soon’ bumper sticker, and the Fish symbol, and I thought you must have stolen the car."
Do you want people to think you are a thief or a child of God?
It takes more than bumper stickers and crosses to have revival. It takes transformation…
You can have revival through transformed thinking, transformed action, and transformed faith.
Altar
Selected Bibliography
Special thanks and acknowledgement to Sermon Central and their contributors. Points and or illustrations may have been drawn from materials found on their website: www.sermoncentral.com.
A Treasury of Great Preaching. Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2005. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
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Tan, Paul Lee. Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Dallas, TX: Bible Communications, 1998. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
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