WHAT KIND OF PERSON?
Acts 10:1-6 NKJV
10 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”
So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
What kind of person did God choose to first hear the gospel from among the Gentiles? The description of Cornelius in the first verses of chapter ten tells us a great deal.
After the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples were in Jerusalem waiting for the empowerment by the Holy Spirit. After the Holy Spirit came, the disciples spread the message in Judea and Samaria, and Galilee. But that was as far as they went. The disciples reached out to the Jews primarily, and the Samaritans were added a few years later. Now, it has been ten years, but no one is reaching out to the Gentiles. God sent Peter to a Roman Centurion named Cornelius, and he and his friends were the first non-Jews to hear of the salvation available in Jesus. This was a rather controversial move on Peter’s part that he would later have to defend. But it was too late; Gentiles had received Christ. The apostles finally figured out that salvation was available to all who call on the name of Jesus.
But Cornelius was not some random choice by God. The scriptures tell us he was a devout man who feared God. So even though he was not Jewish, Cornelius had a heart for the God of Israel and believed in Him. Devout is a word that means devoted and reverent. Cornelius was not a casual believer. He was a committed believer in God. Or, we could say he had a heart for God. He was devout and feared God with all his household. This is insightful in that we see this man had a respect for God that affected his entire family. When Peter came to Cornelius’ house later in chapter ten, not only was Cornelius there, but also his relatives and close friends. Cornelius was a man with influence. His devotion to God had changed his family and the people around him.
There were other characteristics about Cornelius worth noting. He always prayed and gave charitable gifts to the people generously. So he prayed consistently and gave generously. And God took notice. When the angel appeared to Cornelius, he said that the prayers and the giving of Cornelius had come up for a memorial before God. We know God does not say anything that He doesn’t mean. What Cornelius did on earth had an impact in heaven.
APPLICATION
Some would have you believe that our giving and our prayers do not matter. This passage completely refutes that misconception. What we do here matters in heaven. A man with a heart for God, a hunger for God, was the man that God chose to hear the gospel first. As we read the rest of the chapter, we find that Cornelius and his family and friends were extremely receptive to Peter’s message and were the first Gentiles, non-Jewish people, to receive Jesus and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The heart for God that Cornelius showed is not limited to a certain few. We all can be devout, God-fearing people who affect our world with our lives, our prayers, and our giving. Cornelius’ heart and habits mattered to God and still matter today.
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, show me how I can develop more of a heart for you. I would like it said of me that I am devoted to You in all that I do. I want my life here to resonate in Heaven.