The Word Is Alive The Book of Acts

1. The Word Is AliveThe Book of Acts Chapter Ten Narrated by Tony Gillon

2. Chapter Ten • Acts 6:1–11:30 – • The Witness beyond Jerusalem (continues)

3. Chapter Ten • Acts 6:1–11:30 – • The Witness beyond Jerusalem (continues) • Acts 9:32–11:18 – • Peter preaches in the coastal towns (continues)

4. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Ten • The conversion of the Roman Centurion.

5. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Ten • The conversion of the Roman Centurion. • Cornelius visited by an angel.

6. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Ten • The conversion of the Roman Centurion. • Cornelius visited by an angel. • Peter’s vision from heaven.

7. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Ten • The conversion of the Roman Centurion. • Cornelius visited by an angel. • Peter’s vision from heaven. • Cornelius’ men welcomed by Peter.

8. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Ten • Peter at Cornelius’ house.

9. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Ten • Peter at Cornelius’ house. • The Holy Spirit is poured out.

10. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Ten • Peter at Cornelius’ house. • The Holy Spirit is poured out. • Peter stays with Cornelius for a while.

11. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 10:1–8 - Cornelius calls for Peter

12. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 10:1–8 - Cornelius calls for Peter • 1 At Cæsarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.

13. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Cornelius resided at Cæsarea, a city on the coast, 31 miles or 50 km north of Joppa. • Cæsarea was the seat of the Roman government of Judæa. • Cæsarea was commented on in Acts 8:40.

14. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Cornelius was a centurion, a commander of 100 men, and a member of the Italian Regiment, or cohort in some translations. • A regiment consisted of 600 men, under the command of six centurions, but with auxiliary forces in remote areas such as Judæa, a regiment might have as many as 1,000 men.

15. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Cornelius is the second Centurion to come to our attention. In Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10, we read of one who had great faith in Jesus to be able to heal his servant.

16. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Centurions are desired not to be overbold and reckless, so much as good leaders, of steady and prudent mind, not prone to take the offensive to start fighting wantonly; but able, when overwhelmed and hard-pressed, to stand fast and die at their posts.

17. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Italian Regiment: • Cæsarea was the seat of government for Judæa and this regiment was probably the governor’s personal guard, used both for his personal security and as a guard of honour.

18. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

19. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. • Devout and God-fearing identifies Cornelius as a Gentile who worshiped Israel’s God and was in some way attached to a synagogue but who had not submitted to Jewish conversion rites, especially circumcision.

20. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • God-fearers were found in many synagogues: • Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! (Acts 13:16).

21. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • God-fearers were found in many synagogues: • Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! (Acts 13:16). • Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent (Acts 13:26).

22. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • His search for God had clearly made him love other people, especially the poor of this foreign nation. He was close to the Kingdom.

23. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:25-28).

24. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

25. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” • Three in the afternoon was a set hour of prayer for Jews, not according to the OT but according to later tradition.

26. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • He distinctly saw refers to this probably not being a vision but an actual manifestation of an angel of God.

27. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • He distinctly saw refers to this probably not being a vision but an actual manifestation of an angel of God. • Cornelius is called by name, helping to confirm we are all known individually to God.

28. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

29. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Stared at him in fear. • Cornelius was a professional soldier and would have been a very courageous man, but was in awe of the angel and rightly showed reverential fear. • Others had displayed this same healthy response to an angelic presence.

30. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • A memorial offering: • The priest shall burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as an offering made to the Lord by fire (Leviticus 2:16).

31. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • A memorial offering: • I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18).

32. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • A memorial offering has been described as the sign, whereby the worshipper is reminded or taught that the whole offering is in fact owed to God.

33. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

34. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. • Joppa, modern day Jaffa, was discussed at some length in Acts 9:36 and 9:43. It was more than a day’s walk for the three men he sent.

35. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Bring back a man. The angel did not proclaim the Gospel to Cornelius but instructed him to send for a man who would: • It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. (Hebrews 2:5).

36. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Simon, who is called Peter: • And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter) (John 1:42).

37. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

38. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” • 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.

39. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Cornelius sent two of his most trusted servants and a soldier, whose description as being devout likely indicates he was a God-fearer himself.

40. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • There is no indication in scripture that this soldier pretended to be a believer to ingratiate himself with Cornelius.

41. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • There is no indication in scripture that this soldier pretended to be a believer to ingratiate himself with Cornelius. • My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. • (Psalm 101:6).

42. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

43. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 10:9-23a - Peter’s vision

44. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 10:9-23a - Peter’s vision • 9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

45. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • About noon the following day indicates the men must have left Cæsarea fairly soon after Cornelius had instructed them, and that they had walked late into the night, with only a brief stop during the night.

46. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Noon was one of the standard times for the Jews to pray along with 09:00 and 15:00: • Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. • (Psalm 55:17).

47. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Houses in Judæa typically had flat roofs accessible by ladders or outside stairways. It was from his flat roof that David first saw Bathsheba: • One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful (2 Samuel 11:2).

48. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven”. (Mark 2:3-5).

49. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.

50. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • His trance-like state was probably Spirit-induced and refers to Peter having a vision.