Sermon Tone Analysis

*Acts 10:1-6 ~~* Now /there was/ a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a *centurion* of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the /Jewish/ people and prayed to God continually.

About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had /just/ come in and said to him, “Cornelius!”

And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?”

And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

“Now dispatch /some/ men to Joppa and send for a man /named/ Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a tanner /named/ Simon, whose house is by the sea.” ►►►*Acts 10:7-10 ~~ *When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;

►►►*Acts 10:11-16 ~~* and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals *(KJV: and wild beasts) *and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.

A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”

But Peter said, *“By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.”*

Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

►►►*Acts 10:17-20 ~~* Now while Peter was greatly *perplexed in mind* as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.

While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the *Spirit said to him*, “Behold, three men are looking for you.

“But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”

Centurion of the Italian cohort -

 

Joppa (~~H~~ Yah-Foe) - Map - Jonah, Maccabeus, Vespasian, Titus

 

“*By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean*.”

X3

*Mark 7:18b-23 ~~* (Thus He declared all foods clean.)

*Perplexed in mind* - Deeply reflecting on new revelation, i.e. pondering the things of God - Same word Luke uses at the Pentecost.

Peter was with Jesus and was a guy who learned very slowly - the curse of "let's go," personalities.

They get things done, but half the time it's the wrong thing!

*Galatians 2:11-13 ~~* But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.

The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.

*Proverbs 26:11 ~~* Like a dog that returns to its vomit - Is a fool who repeats his folly.

Later quoted by Peter (2 Peter 2:22)

 

Truly bizarre - I throw the words out there, they hit the invisible wall and fall to the ground; then later I'll have the person tell me they got a revelation.

*Spirit said to him* - Go, and he did.

For all his faults Peter always came around.

Devout, feared God, gave and prayed to God continually-

Ascended as a memorial- He is chosen because He is able.

Did God love Cornelius more than the other five or six Centurians in Caesarea?

Did Peter need to see some Godliness to proceed?

 

Do you know what an embarrasing situation this was for a Roman Officer?

He humbled himself in front of friends, family and troops.

His heart was open to God and the others saw that too.

*Acts 10:21-23 ~~* Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”

They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.”

So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Invited them in - obviously on good terms with the tanner

 

Accompanied him - Christianity is a team sport

 

*Acts 10:24-29 ~~* On the following day he entered Caesarea.

Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.”

As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled.

And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

“That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for.

So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

Fell at his feet - not uncommon in the East, but Centurions don't grovel except to Tribunes or higher.

Assembled - a rider went ahead to make preparations

 

Why I came - Learning has taken place, Peter's there.

but do you think he knows what's going on?

What reason - a clue - in 11:14 we find the reason was salvation all along, but our friend Peter…

 

*Acts 10:30-33 ~~* “Four days ago (KJV: I was fasting) to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

‘Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ (KJV: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee) “So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.

Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord (KJV: God).”

 

? (KJV: I was fasting) Devout, feared God, gave and prayed to God continually-

 

? (KJV: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee) Stated in 11:14

 

Lord (KJV: God).”

Lord is far more likely, but we really find that Lord, Jesus and God are very often used interchangeably

 

Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God -

 

Congratulations you have manipulated God!

 

Abraham BBQ

 

You owe me

 

My son the Hunter; it was my gift to him and because I love him he could have rejected it, but he put it on and became a hunter.

Relationship is an unfortunate word -

 

*God Love in relationship vs Human Love in relationship*

 

*Acts 10:34-38 ~~* Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. “The word which He (KJV: /God/) sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all) — you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

►►►*Acts 10:39-43 ~~* “We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem.

They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

“God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

“And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

Verse 36 = (KJV: /God/) Probably: "The word sent to the sons."

God is not one to show partiality - God told the Jews it was too little a thing for Him to save only them - God save everyone, Jesus was sufficient sacrifice to cover all sin.

Who is saved?

Those who accept and acceptance that is real changes a person, the Holy Spirit converts them and they produce evidence of their new nature if in fact they have a new nature.

It is because of this nature that we automatically move to obey - it is a process because we hinder the movement - when we see the Truth of it we realize that selfless love is the only love that means anything and it is only from God Himself!

The message is God's plan through Christ validated by prophecy and miracles

 

*Acts 10:44-48 ~~* While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.

All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.

Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”

And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

(KJV: the Lord).

Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

Circumcised - Baptized the new dudes - water not knives

 

Tongues -

 

Baptized ((KJV: the Lord).

KJV mss "in the name."

So they make it Lord.)

Recent discoveries as above.