“All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed , because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also….” Acts 10: 45
Peter found himself in Caesarea in the house of a Gentile; that of a Roman centurion no less! Peter did not disclose the vision to Cornelius, but he did share the personal lesson he had learned from it—“God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.” But why am I here?
Cornelius began his incredible tale. He was praying to the “unknown God” at 3 p.m. in the afternoon, when a man stood before him in shining garments, and said, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God….send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also Peter, to come to you….So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.
…We are all here present before God to hear what you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Ever the military man, it was his expectation that Peter would do as he had been commanded by the Lord. Like the centurion that Jesus had encountered in Capernaum. “I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me, and I say this ,”Go!’and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’and he comes…” (Matthew 8:9). The soldier knew that Jesus had authority, and his servant was healed that same hour. And now, Peter had come to Caesarea from Joppa in response to the same command.
What prayer had Cornelius prayed? Was it in response to the prophet’s urging “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your soul…”( Jer.6:16) ?
Cornelius was a man who thrived in the military. The military was, and still is, a paragon of the system of meritocracy. Their armor was embellished with awards for bravery and distinguished service. The laurel crown was awarded for leading troops to victory, and the mural crown for being the first over an enemy’s city wall.
But his prayer was how to get God’s attention and to know Him. And Peter had arrived to tell him just that.
Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him……
You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, ……
As Cornelius was listening to Peter’s address, I think he must have felt like John Wesley, listening to Martin Luther’s “commentary on Romans. John Wesley was an unconverted vicar of the Anglican Church, until the Holy Spirit strangely warmed his heart , “I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message….Because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?
Spurgeon has said: “The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.”
Cornelius was delivered from the burden of self-righteousness, and was free to enter the rest of Christ’s grace and love. Peter had come to see that his religiosity was as filthy rags, and that he was unclean apart from the blood of Christ. I think that Cornelius and Peter would agree, after leading His troops to victory, the laurel crown and mural crown belong to Christ, and Christ alone.
Questions To Think About:
Peter found himself in Caesarea in the house of a Gentile; that of a Roman centurion no less! Peter did not disclose the vision to Cornelius, but he did share the personal lesson he had learned from it—“God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.” But why am I here?
Cornelius began his incredible tale. He was praying to the “unknown God” at 3 p.m. in the afternoon, when a man stood before him in shining garments, and said, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God….send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also Peter, to come to you….So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.
…We are all here present before God to hear what you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Ever the military man, it was his expectation that Peter would do as he had been commanded by the Lord. Like the centurion that Jesus had encountered in Capernaum. “I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me, and I say this ,”Go!’and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’and he comes…” (Matthew 8:9). The soldier knew that Jesus had authority, and his servant was healed that same hour. And now, Peter had come to Caesarea from Joppa in response to the same command.
What prayer had Cornelius prayed? Was it in response to the prophet’s urging “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your soul…”( Jer.6:16) ?
Cornelius was a man who thrived in the military. The military was, and still is, a paragon of the system of meritocracy. Their armor was embellished with awards for bravery and distinguished service. The laurel crown was awarded for leading troops to victory, and the mural crown for being the first over an enemy’s city wall.
But his prayer was how to get God’s attention and to know Him. And Peter had arrived to tell him just that.
Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him……
You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, ……
As Cornelius was listening to Peter’s address, I think he must have felt like John Wesley, listening to Martin Luther’s “commentary on Romans. John Wesley was an unconverted vicar of the Anglican Church, until the Holy Spirit strangely warmed his heart , “I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message….Because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?
Spurgeon has said: “The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.”
Cornelius was delivered from the burden of self-righteousness, and was free to enter the rest of Christ’s grace and love. Peter had come to see that his religiosity was as filthy rags, and that he was unclean apart from the blood of Christ. I think that Cornelius and Peter would agree, after leading His troops to victory, the laurel crown and mural crown belong to Christ, and Christ alone.
Questions To Think About:
- Cornelius was highly successful in a military system that rewarded physical merit, medals, and crowns. In what areas of your life (career, parenting, ministry) do you still try to apply a “merit system” to earn God’s validation?
- Reflecting on the quote by Charles Spurgeon, in what subtle ways do you find yourself looking to yourself for salvation, emotional peace, or moral superiority ?
- The Holy Spirit was poured out as a free gift, amazing the onlookers. How easy or difficult is it for you to fully accept grace without feeling like you need to pay God back? How can you shift your daily mindset from “working to be accepted by God” to “working because you are already accepted”?
- Jeremiah promises that walking the good way leads to “rest for your soul,” while the military meritocracy Cornelius lived in offered only the exhausting pursuit of laurel and mural crowns. In what ways has your pursuit of earthly achievements left you spiritually exhausted, and how does Christ’s grace offer the “rest” you are actually searching for?
Posted in The Last Battle Pt. 2