ACTS LESSON 21

    We will begin this lesson in Acts 10:1 "There was a certain man in
Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian
[band],"

    Acts 10:2 "[A] devout [man], and one that feared God with all his
house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway."

    Cornelius is a Roman.  He is a Gentile who loves God and prays.
This Roman Gentile, not only loved God and prayed, but was like Dorcas
in the last lesson.  He was full of good deeds.  He feared and loved
God. God does not let that kind of loyalty to Him go unnoticed.
Cornelius is to be the first convert of a Gentile to Christianity.
You see, Saul was a Jew as well as being a Roman citizen.

    Acts 10:3 "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."

    People who God speaks to in visions are those who keep their mind
and spirit stayed upon God.  Cornelius was such a man.  Cornelius was
a military man which many believe would keep him from knowing God.
God does not look at the outside of man, but at the heart.  Cornelius
had a pure heart.  This visit was from God.  God sent this angel
(ministering spirit) to Cornelius.  This angel knew Cornelius' name,
because God had given it to him.

    Acts 10:4 "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."

    God has been aware of the good deeds and prayers of Cornelius.
Fear gripped Cornelius.  You remember he feared God, and he associated
this Angel messenger with God.

    Acts 10:5 "And now send men to Joppa, and call for [one] Simon,
whose surname is Peter:"

    Acts 10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by
the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do."

    We see specific instructions for Cornelius to do.  Just as
Cornelius had said above, "What is it, Lord?", that is every person's
question: What must I do to be saved, Lord?  We see, here, that the
Lord leaves no question where they are to go and who to see.  Many
times we have a tendency to get ahead of God, but we must wait for our
instructions from God.

    Acts 10:7 "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;" Acts 10:8 "And when
he had declared all [these] things unto them, he sent them to Joppa."

    Notice, Cornelius did not delay.  He chose his most trusted
servants to do the job.  He sent them exactly where the Lord had told
him to.

    Acts 10:9 "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:"

    Cornelius had sent his men to Joppa to find Peter.  About noon,
Peter went up on the house top to pray.

    Acts 10:10 "And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but
while they made ready, he fell into a trance,"  Acts 10:11 "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:"

    This was a supernatural hunger.  It was the time of day to eat,
but this hunger was brought on by the Spirit of God, not by the flesh.
This trance just meant that the things of the real world around him
were not in his mind.  He saw a vision of a vessel descending from
heaven.  The sheet knit at the four corners means the four corners of
the earth and indicates that this is a universal message.  Four means
universe, spiritually, or all of the people.  This message was from
God to the people of the earth.  Heaven (its origin) and earth (its
destination) show it is a message from God.

    Acts 10:12 "Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the
earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air."

    These represented all life, except human life on the earth.  There
were clean and unclean life.

    Acts 10:13 "And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and
eat."

    This message came to Peter, because at this time he was the last
word on Christian matters here on the earth.  Jesus had placed him as
the ruling authority of His church on earth.

    Acts 10:14 "But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten
any thing that is common or unclean."

    What Peter is saying, is that he had kept the Levitical law about
clean and unclean food to eat.  Certain animals, certain fish, and
certain fowl were forbidden for the Jew to eat.  Peter had kept this
ordinance.  Here, though, he is disobeying God.

    Acts 10:15 "And the voice [spake] unto him again the second time,
What God hath cleansed, [that] call not thou common." Acts 10:16 "This
was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven."

    This voice spoke with authority and repeated it three times.  Then
the vessel was taken up into heaven.  There is no question that this
message is from God to mankind.  God made everything and everyone in
the beginning, and He said it was good.  This message is twofold.  Not
only is it speaking to Peter about not calling any man common, but it
is also speaking of eating food.  Food is made pure by prayer.  In
I Timothy 4:4-5 it says, I Timothy 4:4 "For every creature of God [is]
good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:"
I Timothy 4:5 "For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
We see from this that, God is saying that praying over food before we
eat it and thanking God for it cleanses it for us.  We cannot call
anyone common because except for the grace of God, we would be unclean
ourselves.

    Acts 10:17 "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 inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the
gate," Acts 10:18 "And called, and asked whether Simon, which was
surnamed Peter, were lodged there."

    These men had been sent by Cornelius to Peter, to bring him to
their master Cornelius.  God's timing is perfect.

    Acts 10:19 "While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said
unto him, Behold, three men seek thee."

    This Spirit is the Holy Spirit of God because it is capitalized.
The Spirit reveals to Peter that the men are there.

    Acts 10:20 "Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them,
doubting nothing: for I have sent them."

    This still is the Spirit giving Peter instructions.  Peter is not
to doubt, but go with them.  These three have actually been sent by
the Spirit of God.  Cornelius gave the orders, but his orders came
from the angel of the Lord.

    Acts 10:21 "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?"

    Peter already knows why they are here, but goes through the
formality anyhow.

    Acts 10:22 "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."

    We see here, that Cornelius is well thought of not only by God,
 but by his own men and even all of the Jews who live around him.
 These men of Cornelius tell Peter that Cornelius was told of God to
 send for Peter to come.  Peter is to bring a message from God to
 Cornelius.

    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."

    A true Jew would never have invited these non-Jewish people to
spend the night.  They were thought of as unclean people.  Christians
were not that particular, but had been taught to be a friend to man.
Jesus had even done miracles for those who were not Hebrews.  These
brethren of Peter's were not physical brothers, but they were brothers
in Christ.  They were disciples of Jews.  It was not unusual for an
apostle to be accompanied by other disciples.  Peter was not going,
because of the request of Cornelius' men, but because the Holy Spirit
told him to go.

    Acts 10:24 "And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And
Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and
near friends."

    We see that Cornelius was waiting for Peter.  This unselfish man
had invited others so that they might receive, as well.

    Acts 10:25 "And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and
fell down at his feet, and worshipped [him]."

    Remember, Cornelius was an humble man.  He did not know who Peter
was, only that God told him to send for Peter.  He, perhaps, thought
Peter to be deity so he fell down and worshipped Peter.

    Acts 10:26 "But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also
am a man."

    Peter was quick to tell Cornelius that he, too, was a servant of
God.  We will pick up here in the next lesson.

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                           Acts 21 Questions


1.  Who was Cornelius?
2.  Where did he live?
3.  Describe Cornelius' character?
4.  How was he like Dorcas?
5.  Who did Cornelius see in a vision?
6.  How did Cornelius feel when he saw him?
7.  Who did Cornelius call him?
8.  What had come up as a memorial before God?
9.  Where was Cornelius to send his men?
10. Who were they to go for?
11. Where was he staying?
12. Who did Cornelius send to Joppa?
13. Where did Peter go to pray at the sixth hour?
14. Why did he not eat?
15. What did Peter see in a vision?
16. What is the number four symbolic of?
17. How did we know this message was from God to man?
18. What was in the sheet?
19. What did the voice tell Peter to do?
20. What reply did Peter give?
21. The voice told Peter what about common things?
22. How many times did Peter see this?
23. What causes food to be clean?
24. What Scripture tells us that?
25. How did Peter feel about the vision?
26. What inquiry did Cornelians' men make?
27. Who told Peter to go with them?
28. Who really sent them?
29. What question did Peter ask the men?
30. Verse 22 tells us who, besides God, had great respect for
    Cornelius?
31. In verse 23, what did Peter do that a true Jew would not have
    done?
32. Who had Cornelius invited to meet Peter?
33. When Cornelius saw Peter, what did he do?
34. How did Peter correct him?


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