“When Prayers Are Answered”
Acts 10:1-23
Several weeks ago I received a card from a preacher, which attended Liberty Baptist Bible Collage where I am the Dean of Students.
Intrigued I opened the letter and there was a card that was signed by several people who I have never met and a hand written portion that simply said: “Praying for you.”
The pastor’s wife is a student of the collage and I wrote that I had received the note and was very encouraged.
She told me that her husband was concerned because the Lord put me on his heart and he wanted to let me know that he and others were praying for me.
The back story: What he did not know but the very days he was praying for me I was having some difficult decisions to make and I found great peace as the Lord gave me direction. HMMM I wonder if I asked the hour they were praying, would there be a crossover???? I think that there would be.
I love to hear when the Lord directs a person to go and speak to someone; but what I am even more excited about is hearing of the back story from the other side how God made this all happen.
That is our passage today.
I. When Prayers Are Asked
Acts 10:1-2 “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.”
We seem to have a problem…. In our text we see that there is a Roman solder that has been praying and directing his prayer to the God of the Jews.
It has been the practice for centuries from the Jews that those who are not Jewish are nothing more than “dogs.”
And that is not in a pet like we have today.
I our text we see that he is an officer “centurion”
Centurion - One who was the commander of a division in the Roman army, consisting of 100 men.
A captain of 100.
We get our number 100 from the Greek word Century or 100.
Devout - pious, dutiful, godly
One that feared God with all his house, - As he exercised his reverence it was practiced with his entire house.
(Interesting that one person could be the influence to an entire house).
Feared - phobeo (fob-eh’-o) to reverence,
Which gave much alms to the people - as exhibited in giving alms, charity, a donation to the poor,
Prayed to God always - to ask, to beg
II. When Prayers Are Announced
Acts 10:3-6 “He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.”
Angel of God - Angel = messenger
We have no idea which angel this is probably because if we did we would desire to pray to the angel instead of calling upon the LORD.
Vs. 4 “…he was afraid” - it is interesting that Cornelius was a man of prayer and yet reacted in fear when he was confronted from “an angel of God.”
Memorial - to remember, to call to mind
God has heard your prayers and it is now time for you to understand.
III. When Prayers Are Acknowledged
Acts 10:7-8 “And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.”
Simply put Cornelius called his servants and directed them to go and find Peter.
IV. When Prayers Are Ambiguous
Acts 10:9-16 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.”
Meanwhile …..
Peter is having a prayer time of his own.
This prayer was very different because it involved animals not for sacrifice but for consumption.
Notice the vast list of animals and most would be considered unclean to the Jewish people, and God said “kill, and eat.”
Peter being a devout Jew in the Law of clean and unclean animals decided that he would argue with God.
Not a good idea!!!
Also notice it was done thrice (3) times.
I believe Peter was struggling with the lesson he was just given.
Sometimes we still have difficulties with prayers????
V. When Prayers Are Answered
Acts 10:17-22 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, 18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? 22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.”
Doubted - to be entirely at loss, be perplexed
Vs 19-20 we begin to see the unfolding of this prayer
Vs. 22 is an introduction of Cornelius to Peter, But God already said “go with them, doubting nothing.”
VI. When Prayers Are Attended
Acts 10:23 “Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.”
The following day Peter left with these men and they returned to Joppa.
Conclusion:
I must say that this is a great opportunity for the Lord to show Himself to someone, who like Cornelius, believes there is a God but has not yet understood what a real relationship is with the Saviour.
I do not believe in coincidence and there may be someone here that, like this man in our passage, is seeking the Lord.
You are here for a reason and I do not believe in a mistake.
Jesus loves us so much that He did what no other person could do, and was to be my sacrifice for my sin.
Do you know My Saviour?
