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"CONVERSIONS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS"
Cornelius And His Household (Acts 10:1-48; Acts 11:1-18)
INTRODUCTION
1. Up to this point, the gospel had been somewhat limited in its
outreach...
a. It had spread throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria - Acts 9:31
b. But other than the Samaritans (who were half Jewish), it had gone
only to the Jews
2. With the conversion of "Cornelius And His Household" the first
Gentiles are saved...
a. A conversion noted not only because they were the first Gentiles
b. But also because of the miraculous events that precipitated the
conversion
a. An angel appearing to Cornelius
b. Peter's vision, followed by the Spirit's instruction
c. The Spirit falling upon Cornelius, his family, and close
friends
d. Cornelius and his household speaking in tongues
3. As in the case of Saul of Tarsus, we have more than just one account
of the conversion...
a. There is Luke's description - Acts 10:1-48
b. There is Peter's description, as he is called to defend his
actions - Acts 11:1-18
4. Important questions are raised as we consider the events of this
conversion...
a. Exactly when did the Spirit fall upon Cornelius and his company?
b. What was the purpose of the Spirit falling upon them?
c. Were they saved when the Spirit came upon them, or later when
they were baptized?
[These are some of the questions we will answer as we examine the
conversion of "Cornelius And His Household". Since we have two
accounts, let's consider them together as we start with...]
I. A HARMONY OF THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSEHOLD
A. THE ANGEL APPEARS TO CORNELIUS...
1. Cornelius, a centurion, is a very religious man - Acts 10:1-2
2. The angel appears to him - Acts 10:3-6
a. With an announcement that his prayers and alms have been
noticed by God
b. With instructions to send for Peter; please note:
1) The angel said, "He will tell you what you must do."
- Acts 10:6
2) As Peter recounts it, "...who will tell you words by
which you and all your household will be saved."
- Acts 11:14
3. Cornelius then sends two servants and a devout soldier to
Peter - Acts 10:7-8
B. PETER HAS A VISION...
1. While the three men are traveling toward Peter, he has a
vision - Acts 10:9-16; Acts 11:4-10
a. It involves a sheet descending from heaven, containing all
sorts of creatures
b. A voice tells Peter to "kill and eat"
c. Peter objects, for he has never eaten anything common or
unclean
d. The voice tells him, "What God has cleansed you must not
call common."
2. Three times the vision is repeated
C. THE SPIRIT TELLS PETER TO GO WITH THE MESSENGERS...
1. The men from Cornelius arrive as Peter contemplates the vision
- Acts 10:17-18; Acts 11:11
2. The Spirit tells Peter to go, "doubting nothing, for I have
sent them" - Acts 10:19-20; Acts 11:12a
3. Peter receives the men and takes six with him as they go to
Cornelius - Acts 10:21-23; Acts 11:12b
D. PETER ARRIVES AT CORNELIUS' HOUSE...
1. Cornelius has gathered his family and close friends - Acts 10:24
2. Peter deflects an attempt by Cornelius to worship him - Acts 10-25-26
3. Peter explains his presence is a violation of Jewish custom, but
now understands "I should not call any man common or unclean"
- Acts 10:27-28
4. Asked by Peter to explain why he was called, Cornelius
recounts the appearance and instructions of the angel
- Acts 10:29-32; Acts 11:13-14
5. Cornelius and his household were ready "to hear all things
commanded you by God" - Acts 10:33
E. AS PETER BEGINS TO SPEAK, THE SPIRIT FALLS UPON THE LISTENERS...
1. At this point, we need to carefully note the actual sequence
of events
2. Luke's record gives attention to the sermon first, and then
the Spirit coming upon the Gentiles - cf. Acts 10:34-44
a. But Luke also says that "while Peter was still speaking...
the Holy Spirit fell"
b. From this we do not know exactly when the Spirit fell
c. It could have been at the beginning, in the middle, toward
the end, of his sermon
3. Peter, however, explained what happened "in order from the
beginning" - Acts 11:4
a. He describes the events as they happened
b. He says "as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon
them" - Acts 11:15
4. So we learn from Peter that the Spirit actually came upon the
Gentiles at the BEGINNING of the sermon!
5. With the Spirit falling upon the Gentiles, they began speaking
with tongues, which amazed Peter and his Jewish companions
- Acts 10:45-46; cf. Acts 2:4; Ac 2:6; v 8; v 11
F. PETER'S SERMON TO THE HOUSEHOLD OF CORNELIUS...
1. He begins with a full perception that God shows no partiality
- Acts 10:34-35
a. A perception started with the vision of the sheet and
unclean beasts
b. A perception continued with the Spirit's instruction to go
with the messengers
c. A perception made clear with the Spirit falling upon the
Gentiles - Acts 11:15-17
2. Peter then proceeds to proclaim Jesus Christ - Acts 10:36-43
a. As Lord who was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power
- Acts 10:36-38
b. Who was killed, but then raised from the dead and seen by
eyewitnesses who knew Him well - Acts 10:39-41
c. Who has commanded the apostles to proclaim Him as ordained
by God to be the Judge of the living and dead - Acts 10:42
d. Through Whom remission of sins is offered to those who
believe - Acts 10:43
G. PETER COMMANDS THEM TO BE BAPTIZED...
1. How could anyone forbid water to those who had received the
Spirit just as the apostles did? - Acts 10:47; cf. Acts 11:17-18
2. So Cornelius and his household were commanded to be baptized
in the name of the Lord - Acts 10:48
[The events surrounding this conversion are certainly remarkable. They
evidently were intended to convey important truths. As we endeavor to
learn what those truths are, we make some...]
II. OBSERVATIONS REGARDING THIS CONVERSION
A. RELIGIOUS PEOPLE NEED TO BE SAVED...
1. Many people believe that if you are religious, you will be
saved
a. That if you go to church, do good, etc., you have a hope of
heaven
b. That you will have earned the right to enter heaven
2. Yet, though Cornelius was a man who...
a. Was a devout man
b. Feared God with his whole family
c. Gave alms generously
d. Prayed to God always
...he still needed to be told "words by which you and all your
household will be saved"
3. Clearly, being religious isn't what saves you Mt 7:21-23
4. Rather, it is the blood of Christ! 1 Pe 1:18-19
B. THE GOSPEL IS FOR ALL...
1. Peter perceived that God is no respecter of persons - Acts 10:34-35;
2. Indeed, God desires that ALL men be saved - cf. Jn 3:16; 1 Ti 2:3-6;
2 Pe 3:9
-- Therefore He has not predestined some to be saved and others
lost!
C. THE PURPOSE OF THE SPIRIT FALLING...
1. Some presume that the purpose was to save Cornelius and his
family
a. That therefore they were saved before obeying the command
to be baptized
b. But the Spirit came upon them as Peter "began to speak",
before they could hear words by which they could be saved!
- cf. Acts 11:13-15
2. The purpose of the Spirit can be gleaned from the following:
a. The effect it had on the Jewish brethren who were present,
and Peter's response - Acts 10:45-47
b. The reaction of the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem when Peter
told them what happened - Acts 11:17-18
c. Peter's explanation at the council held later in Jerusalem
- Acts 15:7-11
3. The purpose of the Spirit falling on them was therefore to
show Jewish brethren...
a. That God was no respecter of persons - Acts 10:34-35
b. That God was willing to grant them opportunity to repent
and have life - Acts 11:18
c. That Gentiles could be saved in the same way as Jews...
1) By faith, repentance, and baptism - Acts 15:9; Acts 15:11;
cf. Acts 2:38 with Acts 10:48
2) Which faith comes through hearing the word of God - Ro 10:17
D. THE POINT AT WHICH CORNELIUS WAS SAVED...
1. Remember that Cornelius was told to send for Peter, who would
tell him:
a. "what you must do." - Acts 10:6
b. "words by which you...shall be saved." - Acts 11:14
2. From this, and from what we have already seen in other
conversions...
a. Cornelius was not saved until he heard the "words" (i.e.,
after the sermon)
b. Cornelius was not saved until he obeyed what he was told to
do
c. What were the words he was told to do?
1) Certainly they were told to believe, as implied in
Acts 10:43
2) Clearly they were told to be baptized, as commanded in
Acts 10:48
3. Thus Cornelius and his household were not saved until they
"believed and were baptized"! - cf. Mk 16:16; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:13
CONCLUSION
1. So while miraculous events surrounded the conversion of "Cornelius
And His Household," their salvation was no different from what we
have already seen...
a. They heard the gospel of Jesus Christ
b. They were taught to believe and be baptized
-- Thus they were saved "in the same manner" as all those previously
2. As Peter said at the council, it is "through the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ" that both Gentiles and Jews are saved - cf. Acts 15:11
a. We are saved by grace, not works - cf. Ep 2:5; Acts 2:8; Ti 3:4-5
b. For it is not enough to be religious...
1) Who could be more religious than Cornelius?
2) Or even the 3000 at Pentecost, or the Ethiopian eunuch?
3. The grace of God which saves does require a response, however...
a. A response of faith - Acts 10:43
b. A faith in Jesus that comes by hearing the gospel - Acts 10:42
c. A faith which expresses itself in obedience - cf. He 5:9
1) E.g., repentance and baptism - cf. Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 10:48
2) Not as works of merit, but as acts of faith by which one
receives God's grace
Those of us who are not descended from Israel can rejoice in what God
revealed with the conversion of "Cornelius And His Household". As
properly concluded by the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem:
"...God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."
(Acts 11:18 )
Have you taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity,
by responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
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