Cornelius

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The three men sent by Cornelius spent the night in

Joppa, and the next day Peter started out with them
to go to see Cornelius.
What would his Jewish brothers think? The law of
Moses taught that Jews could not marry Gentiles or
participate in any of the heathen worship. And then
Jewish tradition had restricted it further by teaching
that a Jew could not even visit nor eat with a Gentile.
Peter took six Jewish men with him to serve as witnesses
 to what was happening. His Jewish brethren would
be very upset when they found out he had gone to
the house of a Gentile.
In Caesarea, Cornelius had called together his family
and his close friends, and they were all assembled in
his house to wait for the arrival of Peter.
When Peter came into the house, Cornelius fell down at
his feet to worship him, but Peter told him to get up.
"Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself." God
did not want people to worship men or angels.
When they went inside, Peter saw that a large group of
people had gathered. He told them it was against
Jewish law for Jews to associate with Gentiles.
According to the law, he Peter, should not even be
visiting with them, but God had shown him that he
should not call any man unclean. (Remember the
vision on the roof.)
"Why did you send for me?" he asked.
Cornelius told him about the vision he had seen while he
was praying, and how the man in shining clothes had
told him to send for Peter.
Cornelius said, "We are all here in the presence of God
to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you
to tell us." Their hearts were ready and open to
receive the message.
Peter began to tell them about Jesus, how he came and
lived among them, was crucified, and how that God
had raised him from the dead. Jesus had been seen
by certain people after he was alive again.
Peter said that everyone who believes in Jesus receives
 forgiveness of sins through his name.
Then a remarkable thing happened! While Peter was
still talking, the Holy Spirit came on those who were
listening, and they began to speak in other languages
(tongues) just as the apostles had done on the day of
Pentecost.
The six men who had come with Peter were amazed.
Here were Gentiles being blessed by God just as the
Jews had been blessed!
Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being
baptized with water? They have received the Holy
Spirit just as we have."
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them a
few days. No longer is Peter in the house of an
"unclean" Gentile, but a Christian brother.
Sure enough, the Jews were very upset when they heard
that Peter had visited in the house of a Gentile, but
he told them the whole story, and he had the six
Jewish brethren to vouch for him.
The Jews were convinced that the Gentiles had indeed
been accepted, and they praised God for it.

What does this story

mean to me?

Did you notice the words of Cornelius: "We are here in

 the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord
has commanded you to tell us"? Cornelius had a
good attitude.

Attitude is so important. Are you willing to listen to

your parents? Parents have the responsibility of
training their children and teaching them how to
please God. If you resist their efforts, you cause grief
to them and also to God.

You can bring harmony and happiness to your home

by developing a good attitude.

Memory Verse

Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to

everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.

Acts 10:33 (NIV)

REVIEW
(Rest the mouse lightly over the ??? to see the answers in the alternate
tags.)
1. Where did Peter go with the three men?
2. What did the law of Moses teach about Jews and

Gentiles?
3. How many Jewish men did Peter take with him to

the house of Cornelius?

4.Why did he take them with him?

5.Who was waiting for Peter at the house of

Cornelius?
6. What did Cornelius do when Peter arrived?

7. What did Peter say to him?

8. Why happened while Peter was preaching to

them?

9.What did Peter order them to do?

10. How did the Jews react when Peter told them
the whole story of what had happened in Caesarea?
You can read about Cornelius in the Bible in
Acts 10:23-48