Lesson 303 - Senior
Memory Verse
"It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17).
Cross References
I Peter In Cæsarea
1. Peter found Cornelius waiting for him, [ACT:10:24].
2. Cornelius would have worshiped Peter, but Peter forbade it, [ACT:10:25-26]; [ACT:14:11-18]; [REV:19:10].
3. A large company of kinsmen and friends had gathered in Cornelius' house to hear Peter's words, [ACT:10:27].
4. Peter asked the reason and received the answer as to why Cornelius had sent for him, [ACT:10:28-33].
II Peter's Sermon
1. The truth in all its brilliance revealed that God is no respecter of persons, [ACT:10:34-35]; [MAT:5:45]; [ROM:10:12].
2. A partial revelation of Jesus had already been given to these people, [ACT:10:36-38].
3. Peter's sermon expounded the verity and fullness of the Gospel, [ACT:10:39-43]; [1TM:3:16].
III The Promised Holy Ghost
1. The Holy Ghost fell upon the whole company, [ACT:10:44]; [ACT:2:1-4]; [ACT:19:1-7].
2. Peter and his companions were astonished, [ACT:10:45-46].
3. Peter counselled and commanded that these new disciples should observe the ordinance of water baptism, [ACT:10:47-48]; [MAT:28:19].
Notes
"Go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.” The messengers from Cornelius had arrived at the gate of Simon, the tanner; and God was preparing the heart of Peter to receive these Gentiles and return with them to their city of Cæsarea. Peter called the men into the home, and on the morrow he started with them on the journey back to the Roman centurion. The great Apostle had learned the lesson well: that the quicker God's bidding is acted upon, the easier it is to do. While the vision was still fresh in his heart and mind, Peter went forth boldly; but had he tarried and pondered, the task at hand would have become harder and harder to him.
Peter and the brethren that were with him in Joppa knew the attitude of the Jews at Jerusalem regarding Israelites and Gentiles having communion. It was considered an unlawful procedure for a Jew to eat with a Gentile -– not because God had at any time set up such a law, but because such a tradition had been handed down from generation to generation. God helped Peter overcome this lifelong influence in a few moments, but Peter used wise judgment when he did Gods bidding promptly. The Christian who desires triumphant victory should follow a similar pattern.
Equality
When Peter and his company came to the house, Cornelius met them with such joy that he fell at Peter's feet to worship him. The people of the East often prostrate themselves before their superiors; or Cornelius may have felt that Peter was a special emissary from God, having been sent by the angel. At any rate, Peter soon clarified the matter, for he lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself also am a man.” God's vision to Peter had taught another valuable lesson. The Jews were willing to speak of the Gentiles as dogs, but seldom were they willing to yield equality to their foreign neighbours; yet Peter spoke to Cornelius as a man -– one equal to himself.
The recognition of equality among men is one of the foremost attributes of Christianity. Nations have tried to legislate this quality into their citizens; councils and conventions have spent numberless hours trying to find a solution to the problem of the unequal rank and status of men; but the problem finds its only answer in Christianity. Being born into the family of God produces a natural brotherhood among its members, regardless of rank, colour, or former creed. Many organizations make great boats of their theoretical brotherhoods, but in application their high-sounding theories fall completely short of their goal. Real Christianity will never fall short of this goal.
As Peter entered Cornelius' house, he found many people there waiting for him. He asked the people why they had sent for him, at the same time relating to them the fact that a Jew made himself the object of scorn, criticism, and persecution, by coming to a man of another nation. Cornelius had an answer ready. He had sent for Peter because an angel from God had directed him to do so, and Cornelius said. "Thou hast well done that thou art come.” As spokesman for the group of people waiting to hear Peter, Cornelius further said, "Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.” These were hungry heart indeed! "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” [MAT:5:6]).
Revival
"He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do,” were the words of the angel that caused Cornelius to send for Peter, but Cornelius was of no mind to hear alone the wonderful words of life. There were many people in Cæsarea of Cornelius' acquaintance, kinsmen and friends, who were as equally interested in true godliness as was Cornelius. No doubt Cornelius had discussed matters of religion with these people on many occasions, individually and perhaps collectively as well. One thing was certain: Cornelius wanted Peter's mission to Cæsarea to be a very fruitful journey. The man of God was coming! A revival was in store if every man did his part. In this particular case the responsibility was singularly upon Cornelius, because he was the only person who knew Peter was coming. Cornelius performed his task wonderfully well, for a great crowed gathered to hear Peter, and God did not withhold His choicest blessing.
Here is a successful formula for a revival in any church: prayer and supplication until God assures the people that He will send help; also wide publication that a man of God is coming to proclaim the Good News of salvation. The whole group of people who enter the doors of the church do so with a single heart, "to hear all things that are commanded . . . of God.”
Could such a movement fail? It could not! Can such a movement be realized in this day of sin, wickedness, and love for pleasure rather than godliness? It can be realized if the saints of God are earnest enough in prevailing prayer for such an event, and honest in their endeavours to bring their kinsmen and friends to the house of God.
Saved and Sanctified
The strongly-emphasized truth in the first part of the Acts of the Apostles is the wonderful baptism of the Holy Ghost, yet those who received this gift must have first received what was also enjoyed in former dispensations -– regeneration (justification) and entire sanctification -– in order to be prepared for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. God never cancels former truth and light or in any way opposes it; but each succeeding revelation only causes the former to shine with greater light. This is the law of the revelation of God. While God is now pouring out the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, He does not annul justification as revealed to faithful Abram, but enables us to see it more clearly. Neither does He abolish the experience of entire sanctification, but reveals it in greater light and importance in this New Dispensation.
The household of Cornelius were justified and sanctified before the baptism of the Holy Ghost fell upon them. Cornelius was a devout man and one that "feared God with all his house” [ACT:10:2]). People to be devout must be walking in all the light they have. They had heard "the word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ.” Peter said, "That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa” [ACT:10:36-37]). Also, God said to Peter in the vision, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” [ACT:10:15]). Paul, through the inspiration of the Spirit, said, "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” [EPH:5:25-27]).
Peter tells us, "God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying (or cleansing) their hearts by faith” [ACT:15:8-9]). In the original Greek, this means a definite act completed in past time. It is very clear that these people were justified and sanctified before being baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Some teach that these people were unsaved because the angel said to Cornelius, "Peter . . . shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved” [ACT:11:13-14]). This does not mean that they were unsaved any more than it does that the Apostles were unsaved when they said: "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” [ACT:15:11]). These Scripture passages have the same meaning as the words of Jesus: "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” [MAK:13:13]).
No one has ever received all God's graces and gifts at the same time. Scripture never even hints at the thought that the Apostles, the Ephesians, the Samaritans, the house of Cornelius, or anyone else, ever were regenerated and sanctified wholly at one and the same time. We may not know when the Apostles and the Pentecostal saints each received the second work of grace or the first work of grace, but that they had received both before Pentecost is clear.
We do not read of any prophet, Apostle, martyr, or reformer, in or out of the Word of God, being converted and at the same instant cleansed from all inbred sin; but the testimonies of thousands and tens of thousands of the people of God declare they received a distinct, second work of grace. Among them are the most intellectual, the most spiritual, and the most God-honoured saints since the time of the Apostles.
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost
As Peter was preaching to the group of Gentiles in Cornelius' house, the Holy Ghost fell on all those who listened. Peter and the brethren from Joppa were astonished when they realized that God had given the Gentiles the like gift that He had given to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost. Here again, the Jews thought that the Holy Spirit of God -– the Shekinah of the Tabernacle and Temple -– was restricted to the confines of the land of Israel and to the descendants of Abraham; but these disciples found that God is not restricted to places nor people. When Peter saw that God had received these people in full measure, he commanded that they should be baptized in water and received into the Church, thus showing to all concerned that God's decrees in Heaven were instantly obeyed by His representatives on earth.
This glorious gift of the Holy Ghost to Cornelius and his friends had far-reaching effects. It showed to the Gentiles the truth of Peter's words -- the message of the Gospel regarding Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. It opened the door of grace and faith directly to the Gentiles and gave them equal standing with the Jews in the Apostles' eyes. It enlarged the vineyard of the Lord from the vicinity of Palestine to the regions of the whole world. Many years have come and gone since that time, but the work seems just as great as ever. The Lord's vineyard is still in desperate need of workers. There is much work left to be done; but lo! What will the Lord of Harvest say to us when we stand before Him? Will He be compelled to say, "Why stood ye all the day idle?” Or will He be able to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Questions
1. Why did Peter and his friends make the trip to Cæsarea?
2. Who was in Cæsarea to meet Peter?
3. To whom did Peter preach?
4. Name at least three important truths that Peter brought out in his sermon.
5. What important event took place at the end of Peter's sermon?
6. Why were the disciples and Peter astonished?
7. What was Peter's counsel when he saw that the Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost?