Acts 10 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Acts 10

• Have you ever been asked to something that makes no sense to you then but later on it did?
• Context:
  • We will see this in our text tonight. We are looking at chapter 10 of Acts this evening. It has been estimated that the church has been established now almost 10 years. We have seen it go from Jerusalem to the surrounding areas, to Samaria & an Ethiopian. But the church is still primarily made up of what?   What we look at tonight is the 1st recorded gentile conversion. This is important and Luke knew this because this is the longest narrative in the book of Acts. Gentile inclusion was the major issue facing the church in the middle of the 1st Century.
• Acts 10:1-8
• There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God. 3 About three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius. 4 Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, who was one of those who attended him. 8 After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
  • What do we know about Cornelius?
    • Roman Soldier (Most likely Italian). He believed in the One true God which means he had turned his back on the pagan beliefs of the Romans. 
    • The term God Fearing means, what? He went to the synagogue … He prayed regularly (most likely the times of Jewish prayer) and gave to the poor which would have been the Jewish poor.
  • What about his family?
    • Cornelius had influenced his whole household about the one true God.
  • Cornelius has this vision of an angel speaking to him…
    • The angels says send for Peter.  Don’t you find it interesting what the angel did not say?  The angel didn’t say anything about Jesus- the angels didn’t tell Cornelius what he needed to do to be saved. 
  • Do you think some might look at the life of Cornelius and think this is a God fearing person who is doing good and he does not need to converted?
    • It takes more than a moral life, prayer and good works to have salvation… it takes faith in Jesus Christ.
  • How did Cornelius respond to the angel’s instruction?
    • He acted immediately he did not delay.  It is not mentioned here but in Acts 11:14 we find something else the angel told him about getting Simon (Peter)… 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.
• Acts 10:9-17
• 9 The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. 12 In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. 13 A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.” 15 Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” 16 This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven. 17 While Peter was deeply perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, right away the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon’s house, stood at the gate.
  • When Peter says he has not eaten anything unclean what does he mean?
    • That he has never eaten any of the animals declared unclean by the Law of Moses.  What kind of animals were on this sheet that came down from heaven? 
    • Unclean determined from the Law of Moses: They could only eat land animals with divided hooves and chewed their cud. Fish with scales and fins, insects with hinged back legs for jumping and birds that were vegetarians.
  • How strongly did Peter feel about this?
    • What did God tell him to do? “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” But Peter still refuses to eat!  How many times did this happen?
  • What has Peter baffled?
    • The meaning of the vision.
• Acts 10:18-22
• 18 They called out, asking if Simon, who was also named Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them with no doubts at all, because I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you’re looking for. What is the reason you’re here?” 22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was divinely directed by a holy angel to call you to his house and to hear a message from you.”
  • What does the Holy Spirit do to assure Peter about all of this?
    • See verse 19-20
    • Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.
  • What does Peter do that shows his thinking is changing?
    • He invited these Gentile men in to this Jewish house, where he is a guest. They could use a rest they travelled all night to get here.  It will take them two days to make the trip back with Peter.  
    • Do you think Peter would have invited them in the house if he had not had the vision and the voice of the Spirit? 
• Acts 10:23-29
• 23 Peter then invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and set out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. 24 The following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up and said, “Stand up. I myself am also a man.” 27 While talking with him, he went in and found a large gathering of people. 28 Peter said to them, “You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner, but God has shown me that I must not call any person impure or unclean. 29 That’s why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So may I ask why you sent for me?”
  • Who does Peter bring along with him and why? See Acts 11:12
    • 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house.  He is going to a centurion’s home with soldiers. They are headed into to Gentile territory. 
  • How does Cornelius receive Peter?
    • fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
  • What does Peter point out about the law?
    • This was the Oral laws that Jews followed to help them from breaking the law of Moses. Peter and his fellow Jews there are breaking a taboo of their customs. Who is there to hear Peter?
• Acts 10:30-33
• 30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house. Just then a man in dazzling clothing stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered in God’s sight. 32 Therefore send someone to Joppa and invite Simon here, who is also named Peter. He is lodging in Simon the tanner’s house by the sea.’ 33 So I immediately sent for you, and it was good of you to come. So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”
  • Cornelius is answering why he sent for Peter, what was the answer?
    • You were summoned by God in answer to my prayers
• Acts 10:34-43
• 34 Peter began to speak: “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, 35 but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 He sent the message to the Israelites, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 You know the events that took place throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with him. 39 We ourselves are witnesses of everything he did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem, and yet they killed him by hanging him on a tree. 40 God raised up this man on the third day and caused him to be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by us whom God appointed as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”
  • Do you think Peter was out of his comfort zone?
  • Take a look at verse 34 “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.
    • What caused Peter to see something in scripture that had escaped him earlier?
  • What does Peter not use in this sermon that did use on the day of Pentecost?
    • Peter doesn’t call Jesus the Messiah… and notice Peter did not use any Old Testament scripture.
  • What does Peter tell them about?
    • Jesus his life- his power- his death- his resurrection- the call to be witness- the need of faith in him to receive forgiveness of sin.
  • How many times is it stressed that God’s invitation is to all people?
• Acts 10:44-48
• 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter responded, 47 “Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
  • What does the Holy Spirit do in the middle of Peter’s sermon?  
  • What does it remind you of?
    • Pentecost.   
    • Why is this important?   It is saying this is God’s plan that the gospel is for all people. It is a confirming sign.
  • How did the Jews their react to the pouring out of the Spirit on these non-Jews?
    • astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.
  • Even with the Holy Spirit being poured out these people what does Peter command them to do?
    • Be immersed in the name of Jesus.  
  • Why was it important that Peter was the one to do this?
    • It was Peter who was given the keys of the kingdom preached that 1st Pentecost; he now uses the keys of kingdom for the Gentiles… this gives authenticity and legitimizes Gentiles in the church. 
• TAKE AWAY
  • Is there anyone we are to keep the gospel from?
  • Should we ever think we have the Word of God completely understood?
  • When God gives us the opportunity are we willing to step out of our comfort zone?
  • If an angel of God appeared to someone today would they tell them how to be saved?  What do you think the angel would do?