Acts 10:1-2: Cornelius' Conversion (What is NOT enough to be saved?)

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1)     Cornelius was…

A)   He was a notable man.

1)     Cornelius was a centurion.

(a)   A centurion was a mid-level leader of approx. 80-100 soldiers. He was responsible for training, discipline, and battlefield command. They were often experienced veterans and were a respected group.

(b)   This is basically Major Dick Winters in Band of Brothers who was responsible for Easy Company, who was authorized up to 140 soldiers.

2)     POINT: Neither Cornelius, nor anybody else, can be right with God because they are important by worldly standards.

(a)   Acts 10:34-35 – The entire point of this section of Acts is to make the point that God doesn’t show partiality to ANYONE (Jew/Gentile, Rich/Power, Powerful/Weak, etc.).

(b)   e.g.

(i)    Matt. 8:5-9 – A man with authority humbled himself.

(ii)  Lk. 7:36-40, 50 – The sinful woman.

3)     We live in a world where it’s important to build a resume with LOTS of good-looking skills and experience; but please don’t ever think even for one second that ANY of that matters to God at all.

B)    He was devout.

1)     Def.

(a)   BDAG – pert. to being profoundly reverent or respectful

(b)   L/N – In a number of languages the concept of ‘living a godly life’ may be best expressed as ‘to live as God would have one live’ or ‘to live like one should who believes in God’ or ‘to always do what God requires.’ In some languages, however, the only equivalent is ‘to live a good life’ or ‘to live always doing good to others.’

(c)   2 Pet. 2:9 (only other place in the NT) – “the Lord knows how to rescues the godly from trials”

2)     Cornelius was a genuinely good and religious man, and that wasn’t enough for him to be right with God.

(a)   Matt. 19:16-20 – The rich young man said that he lived his life inside the lines and did what God required of him. His question was, “What good thing do I need to do to have eternal life?” Jesus pointed out to him that there is nothing any of us can DO to be right with God.

3)     Eph. 2:8-10 – We are saved FOR good works, but not BY them. (Acts 13:38-39)

(a)   (Gal. 2:16; 3:10-11; Rom. 3:20, 28)

C)   He feared God…

1)     Acts is making a major jump with this story.

(a)   1:8 – “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

(b)   Acts 1-5 – Jerusalem

(c)   Acts 6 – Spreading out to Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews)

(d)   Acts 8 – Samaria (Fringe Jews) and the Ethiopian

(e)   Acts 10 – Cornelius, but a God-fearer.

2)     In the OT, this would be people who were not Jews, but who served Yahweh:

(a)   Rahab (Josh. 2)

(b)   Ruth (Ruth 1:16 – “Your people will be my people, and your God my God”)

3)     Knowing God, serving God, worshiping God is not enough to be right with God.

(a)   Matt. 7:21-23

D)   …With all his household.

1)     I make this its own point because it’s one thing to serve God and live like a God-fearer, but when you can bring your family along in that then you have really achieved something.

2)     All of us can SAY Josh. 24:15 – “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” but it is a completely different thing to demonstrate that you can do it.

3)     This is the thing about Cornelius that impresses me the most because it is my highest goal. There is nothing that matters more to me in this world than whether or not my wife and kids are faithful Christians. I would literally give up every single other thing that I have in this life for my family to be faithful.

(a)   NOTE: When I say faithful, I don’t mean “they show up to church.” This is barely even the minimum standard for what I’m working for in my house. Saying I have kids that go to church is like saying I have a car that has wheels.

4)     Cornelius feared God…with all his household. He’s no joke. And yet…he was not right with God.

E)    He gave alms generously to the people.

1)     Giving people are ALWAYS impressive to everyone.

2)     It matters to God.

(a)   God built sharing into his Law.

(b)   Prov. 19:17 – “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”

3)     Being a giving person is not the standard for being right with God.

(a)   Through the years, I have known people who are not Christians, or maybe they’re unfaithful Christians, who make a point to make sure that I know that they are giving money (sometimes A LOT) to the church.

(b)   This is not the standard for being right with God.

F)    He prayed continually to God.

1)     1 Thess. 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”

2)     This is to be constantly aware of God and in an ongoing dialogue with him as if he is your coworker sitting next to you all day every day.

2)     …And none of it, or all of it, was enough to be right with God!

A)   If you wanted to make a case that Cornelius was a good guy, I don’t know what else you would put on this list. What else can he do to be considered a good person by worldly standards?

B)    Yet…

1)     10:3-5 – Send for Peter.

2)     11:2-5 – Peter explaining himself.

3)     What Cornelius said to Peter – 11:13-14 – “he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.”

C)    Cornelius was a good guy, who lived a good life, and did lots of good things…and yet he was not right with God, and he would not be right with God until he heard the Gospel of Jesus of Christ and responded to it.

D)   10:34-43 – The Gospel

E)    10:47-48 – Baptism

3)     So…Are you right with God?

A)   If your answer has anything at all to do with what kind of person you are or what kind of things you’ve done in your life, then the answer is NO, I’m not right with God.

B)    If you are not, the way forward is the same for you as it was for Cornlius. To respond to the Gospel of Jesus. If you want to do that today, we can help you with it.