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!