Monday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 10:1-8
In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.
4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.
And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”
7 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. 8 He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.
In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.
4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.
And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”
7 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. 8 He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.
Commentary:
10:1 Cornelius resided at Caesarea, a city on the coast 31 miles (50 km) north of Joppa; Caesarea was the seat of the Roman government of Judea (see note on 8:40). Cornelius was a centurion, a commander of 100 men, and a member of the Italian Cohort. (A “cohort” consisted of 600 men under the command of six centurions, but with auxiliary forces in remote areas such as Judea a “cohort” might have as many as 1,000 men.) Ten cohorts formed a “legion.” Centurions were paid very well (as much as five times the pay of an ordinary soldier), so Cornelius would have been socially prominent and wealthy.
10:2 Devout man who feared God identifies Cornelius as a “God-fearer” (cf. v. 22; 13:16, 26), a Gentile who worshiped Israel’s God and was in some way attached to a synagogue but who had not submitted to Jewish conversion rites (esp. circumcision). He followed two of the primary expressions of Jewish piety—prayer and almsgiving. Alms are gifts to the poor.
10:3–4 The ninth hour is 3:00 p.m. This was a set hour of prayer for Jews, not according to the OT but according to later tradition.
10:4 The designation of Cornelius’s piety as a memorial is sacrificial language (cf. Lev. 2:2, 9, 16), indicating that something has been “remembered” by God (see Phil. 4:18).
10:5 Joppa was about 31 miles (50 km) south of Caesarea, along the coast.
10:7 Cornelius sent two of his most trusted servants and a soldier, whose description as being devout likely indicates he was a God-fearer himself.
10:2 Devout man who feared God identifies Cornelius as a “God-fearer” (cf. v. 22; 13:16, 26), a Gentile who worshiped Israel’s God and was in some way attached to a synagogue but who had not submitted to Jewish conversion rites (esp. circumcision). He followed two of the primary expressions of Jewish piety—prayer and almsgiving. Alms are gifts to the poor.
10:3–4 The ninth hour is 3:00 p.m. This was a set hour of prayer for Jews, not according to the OT but according to later tradition.
10:4 The designation of Cornelius’s piety as a memorial is sacrificial language (cf. Lev. 2:2, 9, 16), indicating that something has been “remembered” by God (see Phil. 4:18).
10:5 Joppa was about 31 miles (50 km) south of Caesarea, along the coast.
10:7 Cornelius sent two of his most trusted servants and a soldier, whose description as being devout likely indicates he was a God-fearer himself.
Questions:
- Thus far in Scripture, from Genesis until Acts 10, has been centered around one group; Jewish people. But in Acts 10 we see a shift that officially moves towards fulfilling Jesus' command to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, every tribe, tongue and nation. Now it's about to go to Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus and eventually... Lubbock! And it starts here with Peter and Cornelius. This is pretty amazing to consider! God used one encounter between two complete strangers with absolutely nothing in common to ignite a movement. The same could be said of your own life if you are living for the Gospel. God could use YOU to reach someone that causes a ripple effect that could change whole family trees, maybe even entire cities or regions! Do you believe God could use you in such ways? What would need to change in your life to be made more available to God's leading?
- Cornelius is said to be a believer in the one true God. He was a "God-fearing man." In other words, he was a good, religious guy. but is this enough to save him and make him right with God? NO! He must surrender his life to Jesus the Messiah. What will history say of YOUR life when you're gone? That you were a good person? God-fearing? Or that you were a sold out follower of Jesus?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would be someone who's life screams Jesus to those around you.
- That you would be a sold-out follower of Jesus.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
No Comments