TEXT: Acts 10:1-2

INTRODUCTION:

A.    ONE OF MY FAVORITES – I IDENTIFY WITH HIM – GENTILE – CONCERNED.

B.    A GOOD MORAL MAN.

        1.     Possessed of wonderful qualities.

        2.     Compared to us.

C.    LET’S STUDY CORNELIUS.

I.      HE WAS DEVOUT.

A.    eusebes, “Pious, Dutiful” (Thayer).  “Reverent, awe … directs us rather to the energy which directed by the holy awe of God, finds expression in devoted activity” (Vine).  COMMITTED IN REVERENTIAL FEAR (Prov. 9:10).

B.    GOD DESERVES IT.

        1.     The Creator (Gen. 1:1;  Rom. 1:20).

        2.     The Controller of our destinies (Matt. 10:28,  30-31).

        3.     Our Father (Heb. 12:9).

C.    DEVOUT INVOLVES SUBJECTION (Heb. 12:9;  Matt. 7:21).

II.     FEARED GOD WITH ALL HIS HOUSE.

A.    HIS FAMILY WAS INVOLVED (Acts 10:24).

B.    WE MUST PROVIDE (1 Tim. 5:8).

        1.     Israel (Deut. 4:9-10).

        2.     Ephesians 6:4.  “admonition of the Lord.”

III.    GAVE MUCH ALMS.

A.    COMPASSION (1 Pet. 3:8).

B.    BORN OF LOVE (1 John 3:16-18).

C.    TRUST GOD TO REWARD (Luke 6:35-38;  Matt. 10:42).

IV.   PRAYED TO GOD ALWAYS.

A.    1 Thess. 5:17;  Luke 18:1.

B.    GOD WILL NOT HEAR THE REBELLIOUS (Prov. 28:9).

C.    CORNELIUS’ PRAYERS (Acts 10:4-5 – James 5:16 – 1 John 5:16).

V.    CORNELIUS WAS NOT SAVED!

A.    WHAT ALL DID THE ANGEL SAY? (Acts 10:4-5, 30-32;  11:11-14).

B.    HE WAS NOT SAVED WHEN HE WROUGHT MIRACLES.

        1.     The miracles had a purpose (11:15-18).

        2.     They were commanded to be baptized (10:44-48).

C.    PETER ON BAPTISM:

        1.     Acts 2:38.

        2.     1 Pet. 3:21.

CONCLUSION:

A.    YOU ARE ALL NICE PEOPLE.

B.    THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU ARE SAVED!

C.    NOT ALL SAVED PEOPLE MEASURE UP TO CORNELIUS!