Scripture: At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Acts 10:1-8 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, two men from Joppa arrive and plea for Peter to go with them to Joppa to restore the life of a beloved church member, Tabitha (Dorcas in the Greek), who has served their community well with good works and acts of charity. Peter agrees and, upon arrival, continues to the upper room where Dorcas’ body lies. Surrounded by hovering widow friends, who show Peter all the beautiful garments Tabitha made, Peter asks them to leave so he can prayerfully focus on restoring her to life. Once in the right mindset of discernment, Peter calls out Tabitha’s spirit by name and commands her corpse to rise. Miraculously, she opens her eyes, spots Peter, and sits up. Peter then extends a hand and helps Tabitha to her feet. Lastly, he calls for those gathered outside the upper room and presents Tabitha to them.
Today’s devotion introduces us to an event that sparks a revision of the church’s scope of the Gospel to include Gentiles. Luke first takes us to the Caesarean house of a devout God-fearing Roman centurion named Cornelius. He practiced his faith by generously giving alms to those in need and continuously praying to the God of Israel. Indeed, Cornelius was praying faithfully at about three in the afternoon (the second set time for daily prayer in Judaism) when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision and called him by name. Frightened, Cornelius respectfully inquires about the intent of this celestial encounter. The angel assures him that his pious acts of giving and praying have been a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord and instructs him to send men to Joppa to Simon the tanner’s house and escort Peter back to his house. So, without delay, Cornelius charges two of his servants and a devout soldier to go to Joppa and do as the angel instructed.
Of note: Luke adds that Cornelius oversaw an Italian Cohort (which comprises six hundred men). Thus, he exercised considerable influence in Caesarea. As for being devout and God-fearing, Cornelius’s influence particularly impacted his entire household, including his family, servants, and even some of his closest soldiers. Here, Luke hints at how the Gospel’s scope will also span the socio-economic strata.
Of further note: Caesarea is also a coastal city in Sharon, about sixty-five miles northwest of Jerusalem. During this period of Roman rule, it served as the provincial capital of Judea and boasted a first-class harbor thanks to Herod the Great’s earlier construction initiative.
Takeaway: What are we to make of Cornelius? Was he a proselyte to Judaism? In verse 35 of this chapter, Peter provides a clue when he says that “anyone” who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him. Hence, as theologian Richard Longenecker concludes, he was not a proselyte but a “Gentile who, having realized the bankruptcy of paganism, sought to worship a monotheistic God, practice a form of prayer, and lead a moral life, apart from any necessary association with Judaism” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Acts, p.385). To not be a proselyte is an important distinction, for it opens the door for the church to receive Gentiles by faith in Christ without adding all the baggage of circumcision, dietary restrictions, and all other aspects of Levitical law required of a proselyte.
This brief narrative also reveals the authenticity of Cornelius’ faith. He respectfully responded to the angel’s command and immediately acted—illustrating faith marked by trust and obedience. We also see that Cornelius’ faith was not his private belief system but a blessing that should be shared with others, starting with those closest to him (family and those under his charge). Lastly, Cornelius witnessed his faith in his family and the community through worship (daily prayer) and generosity (giving to those in need). For all these reasons, God chose Cornelius to become the marquee for the soon-to-be worldwide church.
Out takeaway? If we want to be an influencer like Cornelius, we would do well to live out our faith as Cornelius has modeled for us. Like Cornelius, we lay the foundation by developing authentic spiritual disciplines that foster our love for God and strengthen our faith. Prayer opens the communication channel to the mind and heart of God so that we can obey his good, pleasing, and perfect will. And giving our time and resources to others in need deepens our understanding of God’s generosity and love for us and frees us to pay it forward without fear of finding ourselves for want. Lastly, we move beyond our inhibitions to share our Good News, starting with those with whom we have the most influence (family and colleagues). And when we put our faith into practice, as did Cornelius, our prayers and acts of charity will be a memorial before God and inspire others to worship him.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who exemplified his trust in and love for you by seeking your will through ongoing and authentic prayer and by giving his all to those in need by laying down his life for us. And we thank you for Cornelius’s example. He was a man of influence who used his authority to bless his family and others. So would you please help us also to be influencers by putting our faith into practice, following the lead of your Holy Spirit to share your blessing with family, friends, and those in need? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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