At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius…a devout man who feared God with all his household…
Acts 10:1-33
Peter remains in Joppa for a time, staying with a man, named Simon, who was a tanner. Tanners were tradesmen who made leather goods from animal skins. Though leather making is more mechanized today, it is still made in the same fashion as it was then, a smelly process of cleaning, treating and drying the animal skin into a soft pliable material for use in many industries today. We are introduced, in our verses today, to Cornelius, a Roman military man, who is described as devout toward God along with all his household. Typically, Roman centurions were not married, so, Cornelius’ household would have been slaves and other military men at his beck and call day and night. Cornelius was a generous man who prayed to God “continually.” During an afternoon prayer, Cornelius sees a vision of an angel of God who spoke to him. Though terrified at the vision, Cornelius addresses the angel as “Lord.” The angel told Cornelius that his prayers had been heard in Heaven and, now, Cornelius was to send men to Joppa to request that Peter, staying at Simon’s house, the tanner, to come to Cornelius. Then, the angel disappeared as quickly as he had first appeared. So, Cornelius called two slaves and one soldier, telling them all that he had seen and dispatching them to Joppa to retrieve Peter, bringing him to Caesarea to Cornelius. Notice that, in this vision, though Cornelius is terrified, the angel says nothing about “not fearing” him or calling Cornelius a “blessed” one of God. The angel does let Cornelius know that his prayers have “ascended before God as a memorial.” The God of all Creation has heard and accepted Cornelius’ prayers and, yet, we have not read of Cornelius having been converted, at least, not until Peter comes and the Holy Spirit falls upon all who are in Cornelius’ household. As Christians, we must remember that conversion is a work of God alone. We do not participate in any way to our conversion. Like our natural birth, which we had nothing to do with it, spiritual rebirth is solely a work of God. Cornelius was a converted man of God but he needed to know of the works of his Savior, Jesus Christ. Peter was summoned to tell that to Cornelius and his household. Christians may encounter the same in some who are godly but are not aware of the saving works of Jesus 2,000 years ago! Hard to believe?! Who is to say that Cornelius was the only human in the history of humanity who was converted before learning of Christ? Jesus commanded us Christians to go, tell, baptize, make disciples, teaching them all things Christ commanded. There are “Christians-in-waiting” out there ready to receive the Holy Spirit when we bring to them the good news of God’s Redemption of humanity.
Source: S C Ball June 23, 2023
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