God’s Angel Appeared to Cornelius <Ac 10:1-8>

Introduction:

** How did Peter rely on the Holy Spirit’s help to overcome the challenges he met in evangelism?**

1) Overcame illness and death <9:32-43>.

2) Overcame Jewish prejudice against Gentiles <10:1-48>.

3) Explanation to circumcised disciples <11:1-18>.

*When Jerusalem accepted that Gentiles also received grace, sent Barnabas to Antioch to serve Gentile believers.

* Barnabas also went to Tarsus to find Saul for help.

* Subsequently, it opened the doors for Saul and Barnabas to do missions in the Gentile world.

4）Overcame the persecutions that an evangelist has to go through <12:1-25>.

Read <Ac 9:1-8>

1. <v1> Caesarea and centurion, Cornelius.

2. <v2> The life and living of Cornelius.

* Life (devout, God-fearing).

* Living (gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly).

* Cornelius was a Gentile who feared the God of the Jews but was uncircumcised.

* <Ps 2:7-8> I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

* <Isa 2:1-2>: This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

* The Jews distorted the doctrine of the elect.

3. <v3> Ninth hour of the day (three in the afternoon) was the prayer time for the Jews.

* <Ac 10:30>: Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me…

4. <v4> Cornelius’ prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God (relationship with God).

5. <v5> No matter how powerful angels are, only humans are the evangelists sent by God.

6. <v6> Peter was already not so conservative.

7. <v7-8> Cornelius did not delay, showing that his heart was ready.

* God will not move someone who has no heart to evangelise to find a person who preaches the true gospel.

* God will also not send someone who preaches the true gospel to someone whose heart is not ready to hear the gospel.

Conclusion:

* God promised to give Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven <Mt 16:19>, the key is the gospel Peter preached.

* Peter already testified how he used this key in Jerusalem, Samaria, and among the Gentiles.

* The most important thing is how God changed Peter’s life (perspective, heart) in the midst of it.