Acts Chapter 10
One of the simplest ways to encourage someone to come to faith in Jesus is to tell them to go and pray and ask God to reveal Himself to them. If a person genuinely seeks God with their whole heart, God will answer. He may not answer their first prayer, but God will always reveal Himself when someone asks. Sometimes He answers that prayer in some pretty incredible ways. The testimony of Cornelius is one of those incredible accounts.
Cornelius was an Italian centurion who believed there was a God, and he prayed to God often. God heard his prayers, and He also saw the good works that he did. Cornelius was searching for a relationship with the God of heaven and God heard his prayers.
Let's Reflect
1. How did God answer the prayers of Cornelius?
2. Cornelius did as God had suggested to him and sent 3 of his men to Joppa where Peter was staying in the house of Simon. At the exact time that these 3 men were travelling to speak to Peter on behalf of Cornelius, Peter was praying. What disturbed Peter’s time in prayer? Does this ever happen to you as well?
3. While waiting for food to be prepared Peter was suddenly in some sort of trance and God gave him a vision. Peter would not fully understand the meaning of this vision until later as the Holy Spirit helped him understand while talking to Cornelius. In the vision Peter saw all kinds of animals come down together, including animals that were unclean to eat according to the Levitical law. What did God tell Peter to do and what was his response?
4. As Peter was thinking about the meaning of the vision he had just seen, the 3 men that Cornelius had sent were at the door. Notice that during the vision Peter heard the voice of God, most likely this was an audible voice to Peter. Now scripture tells us - the Spirit told Peter to go and meet these men. According to verse 23 what did Peter do when he heard why they had come?
5. The next day Peter and some of the brothers from Joppa went with the 3 men to travel to Caesarea to meet Cornelius. What did Cornelius do when he first met Peter?
6. Peter went in this man’s house but quickly reminded them how it was unlawful for a Jew to enter the home of a Gentile. Peter was demonstrating how God was at that very moment changing his heart. Peter entered the house and found that Cornelius had gathered several people there to listen to what he had to say. Peter asked why Cornelius had sent for him; and he began to tell the story of the angel he had seen. Never was there a more open invitation for a man of God to present the gospel! Acts 10:33 “…Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” What was the first sentence Peter spoke that showed he was now understanding the vision that God had given him?
7. Peter simply gave testimony of all that had happened in Judea from the time John the Baptist started his ministry to the death and resurrection of Jesus. What did Peter say about the appearance of the resurrected Jesus? See verse 41.
8. And the most incredible thing happened, when these Gentiles were presented with the gospel of Jesus Christ, they believed. And even more incredible - what else happened to these new Gentile believers?
Devotionals
