Sermons
Devout And Godly, But Lost
Series: The Way Of SalvationDEVOUT AND GODLY, BUT LOST
Sermon By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / September 15, 2019
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?Please open your Bibles to Acts chapter ten ?
In Acts chapters ten and eleven we have recorded another important conversion story.
Luke begins this narrative by calling attention to a certain man named Cornelius.
Luke uses this expression “a certain _____” repeatedly in his writings.
In Luke's gospel account we read his references to:
a certain priest name Zacharias (1:5) … a certain centurion's slave (7:2) …
a certain man from the city possessed with demons (8:27) … a certain lawyer (10:25) …
a certain man suffering from dropsy (14:2) … a certain ruler (18:18) … a certain blind man (18:35) …
a certain poor widow (21:2) … a certain servant-girl (22:56).
In the book of Acts, also written by Luke, we again encounter this same technique or style:
a certain lame man (3:2) … a certain man named Ananias (5:1) … a certain man named Simon (8:9) …
a certain disciple named Ananias (9:10) … a certain man named Aeneas (9:33) … a certain disciple name Tabitha (9:36)...
a certain woman named Lydia (16:14) … a certain Jew named Aquilla (18:2) … a certain Jew named Apollos (18:24)...
a certain prophet named Agabus (21:10) … a certain attorney named Tertullus (24:1).
Although Luke was not one of The Twelve Apostles, he seems to be echoing the teaching style of Jesus.
Again, in Luke's gospel, Luke recorded stories told by Jesus, many which begin with this same “catch phrase”:
a certain money-lender had two debtors (7:41) …
a certain rich man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho (10:30) …
the land of a certain rich man was very productive (12:16f) …
a certain man had a fig tree which he planted in his vineyard (13:6) ...
a certain rich man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many (14:16) …
a certain man had two sons (15:11) …
Luke declares that he researched the life and words of Jesus for his gospel account.
More precisely he affirms that he investigated everything carefully (Lk.1:3).
Maybe he adopted this style because it was used by Jesus.
It might be a style that was not so much taught as “caught” by being immersed in the words spoken by Jesus.
I know I've spent a few minutes on a side-bar consideration that might not seem to matter so much.
I find these kind of details to be thought-provoking. If you don't, I thank you for bearing with me.
Now to the heart of this morning's message.
I'm going to try to be a bit briefer today as I think I might have been a bit long-winded last Sunday.
Actually, if you think I was long-winded last Sunday, you don't really know what long-winded is.
But, seriously, my intention is to get right to the point, to make the point without belaboring the point.
Having said that, I don't want to shortchange the story of the conversion of Cornelius.
It's a very important episode in the early development of the church - - a story about Gentiles coming to Christ.
It occupies all of Acts 10 and the first half of Acts 11.
If you are not familiar with the full details of this story, I would urge you to read them sometime soon.
What makes this conversion account stand out is not just that Cornelius was a Gentile.
As the story begins we discover that Cornelius was a really GOOD man.
Acts 10:1-2 reads as follows - -
Now there was a certain man at Caesarea named Cornelius,
a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,
a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household,
and gave many alms to the Jewish people,
and prayed to God continually.
Here, with just two verses, we are given a brief dossier that tells us quite a bit about Cornelius.
He lived in Caesarea (perhaps in a beautiful ocean-side Mediterranean villa).
He was very likely a well-to-do man with both soldiers and servants at his disposal.
He was a military centurion, a man of distinction who have been given significant responsibilities.
He was a devout man … who feared Jehovah God … with all his household.
I feel confident in saying that he feared JEHOVAH God, in light of the added words:
(he) gave many alms to the JEWISH people.
Acts 10:22 records that the messengers he sent to invite Peter spoke of him saying that:
Cornelius (was) a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire Jewish nation.
And then we read that he prayed to God continually.
Furthermore, as Acts 10:4-5 reveals that God was listening.
In a vision he saw and heard an angel of God who called out his named and told him,
your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
And now dispatch some men to Joppa, and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter.
Now, at this juncture we might easily conclude that Cornelius was pleasing to God in every way.
He seems to be in possession of so many sterling qualities - -
qualities that we often attribute to a man (or a woman) whom we think is in good standing with God.
When Peter and his companions arrived at Cornelius' home we discover other noteworthy qualities about him.
Peter was naturally apprehensive about going into the home of a Gentile, so he took six brethren with him (Acts 11:12).
When Peter arrived, Cornelius was eagerly waiting.
He had assembled his relatives and close friends to hear a message from Peter (Acts 10:22).
Would that we were all that eager to hear words spoken by a messenger from God.
Note, too, that when Peter met Cornelius, Cornelius fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
Peter hastened to tell him, stand up - - I too am just a man (Acts 10:25-26).
Vs.27 adds, as he talked with him, he entered, and found many people assembled.
Cornelius conveys the story of the vision with the angel of God and summarizes saying (Acts 10:33) - -
And so I sent to you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.
Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.
We cannot fail to recognize that this man Cornelius was a HUMBLE man.
Again, if we don't read this text carefully we might be quick to conclude that Cornelius was all that he needed to be.
But there's is a serious snag in this kind of logic that defies the words of Scripture.
WHY WAS PETER SENT TO THE HOUSEHOLD OF CORNELIUS?
It wasn't just to meet a really good man.
It wasn't even to tell this good man how much he meant to the Jewish people.
It wasn't to pin him with a medallion of thanksgiving.
When Peter spoke, he told his audience (gathered in the home of Cornelius) all about JESUS.
He told them (Acts 10:45) of Him all the prophets bear witness that
THROUGH HIS NAME, everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.
Notice now how Peter concludes his exhortation (Acts 10:48) - -
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Christ Jesus.
Later on when Peter is rehearsing all these events to the apostles and church in Jerusalem (Acts 11:1ff),
Peter references the words of Cornelius (vss.13-14) - -
And (Cornelius) reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying,
'Send to Joppa, and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;
and he shall speak words to you by which you will be SAVED, you and all your household.
So, back to our question, “Why was Peter sent to the household of Cornelius?”.
He was sent to preach the gospel of Christ so that they could be SAVED.
Surely we can understand that if someone needs to be saved it implies they are in a lost condition.
As we draw this lesson to a close, I want you to highlight in your Bible an important verse from Isa.64:6 - -
for all of us have become like one who is unclean, and
all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment (literally, a bloody rag).
Lest somehow, with warped thinking, we come to think too highly of ourselves or others, may this story of
the conversion of Cornelius remind us all that salvation is not about any good that we bring to the table.
Cornelius was an outstanding man in many respects - - he was good and god-fearing, but he was LOST.
As with all of us, he was a sinful man in need of the salvation that only comes through Christ Jesus.
The apostle Paul reminds us (Rom.3:10 & 23) - -
There is none righteous, not even one … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
One last citation and then we will pray. Rev.7:14 speaks of those who
have washed there robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
When we stand before God dressed in our own “righteousness” we appear as ones draped in dirty, stinky rags.
But when our sins are washed away in the waters of baptism (Acts 22:16)
our robes are made pure white by the blood of the Lamb.
What a picture: from dirty, stinky rags to robes made white by the blood of Christ Jesus.
