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ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
Acts 10:1-8
Sunday Morning Sermon
April 19, 1998
Fair Avenue Baptist Church
We find here in the Word of God an interesting story. This chapter includes the story of Cornelius and Scripture gives us a lot of
information about him. It is story for all ages, a story for today because of the tremendous truth found here in the Word of God.
Here is Cornelius,
Scripture says, “a devout man.”
“Devout” means “dutiful, faithful, observing,
disciplined.”
Here is a serious man,
A man of character, of morals,
A military man with discipline as part of his life,
This is a good man.
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
Here we find a devout man,
A serious man,
A man who had his home in order according to V. 2
A man of character and morals,
A man who feared God, not gods, but the God.
A man you would want for a neighbor,
A man you would want to call your friend,
A good man,
A man who feared God,
A man who listened to God according to V. 5.
I know so-called Christians I wouldn’t want for neighbors,
I know so-called Christians I wouldn’t call my friend,
I know so-called Christians who don’t fear God,
And they certainly are not listening to God.
Here is a devout man,
Devout to the point where he gave money to the poor,
(Have you done that lately?)
This is a good man.
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
Devout - faithful
Good - sincere
Serious
Feared God
Gave money to the poor
This is not an ordinary man.
A man of means,
A centurion, a high ranking military man,
This was not a position to be taken lightly,
I’m sure he was influential,
Most probably well-liked and respected,
This is a man you would want your daughter to marry,
A gentleman.
He is described in V. 22 as a just man and a man of good report.
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
A good man, a gentleman,
A devout man the Word of God tells us,
Serious, careful,
Devout with his family
A man that feared God with his house,
A respected man,
A compassionate man, giving money to the poor,
AND he was also a praying man,
“prayed to God alway”
Devout - the Word of God says,
Feared God - the Bible says,
Gave money to the poor - Scripture tells us,
Prayed to God -
Regular - devout
I’m telling you that this is a good man.
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
A good man,
Well-respected,
A man of authority,
A devout man - took his religion serious,
He was not a haphazard man, he was a
disciplined military man,
He was devout, serious,
An on-purpose type of man,
Devout,
Serious,
Feared God,
Gave money to the poor,
Prayed to God,
This is not the ordinary man on the street, or in the pew, for that matter.
Devout,
Feared God - with all his family,
Gave money to the poor,
Prayed to God,
But wait - there’s more
Look at V. 30 - HE FASTED
Most Christians today never fast.
Most Christians are not even aware of the fact that they should fast and that fasting is a
Scriptural principle.
Here is Cornelius,
Devout,
Feared God,
Gave money to the poor,
Prays AND fasts.
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
Devout,
Someone who fears God,
Someone who gives money to the poor,
Prays to God, and prays regular,
Fasts,
But wait a minute,
Something is missing,
Yes, everything looks good,
Yes, everything sounds good,
Yes, everything appears right and proper,
There are all the signs of a good relationship with God.
Everything we would say looks like a good Christian.
And if we took a vote right now the vote would be a “YES” to Cornelius being a good Christian.
BUT HE WAS LOST!
He was lost,
He was unsaved and on his way to a Devil’s hell.
Acts 11:14 tells us that he got saved.
Here is a devout lost man,
Here is a lost man who feared God,
Here is a lost man who gave money to the poor,
Here is a lost man who prayed, “prayed to God alway”
Here is a lost man who fasted to God.
Cornelius lived a better Christian life as a lost man than most people today who claimed to be saved.
He was devout - most of us are not.
He prayed regular - most of us do not.
Did you pray this morning?
He fasted - most never do and never have.
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
God saw his sincerity,
God saw his character,
God saw his good life,
God saw the fasting,
God heard his prayer,
And God sent Peter to tell Cornelius about Jesus!
And Cornelius wanted to hear from God,
He wanted his family to hear,
AND THEY GOT SAVED!
AND THEY GOT BAPTIZED!
The question today is, “Are you a Cornelius?
Are you devout - but lost?
Do you fear God - but are lost?
Do you give money to the poor - but are lost?
Do you pray - but are lost?
Do you fast - but are lost?
I’ve known people who taught Sunday School for years who one day realized they were lost.
I’ve known full-time Christian servants who one day realized they were lost.
I’ve known Bible-college students who one day realized they were lost.
I’ve known preacher’s wives who one day
realized they were lost.
I’ve even known missionaries and preachers who one day realized they were lost.
Devout - yes
Fear God - yes
Pray - yes
Fast - yes
Lost - yes
Unsaved - yes
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
Are you searching like Cornelius?
Trying to do al the right things to get to heaven?
Trying to reach God through your good works?
Cornelius wasn’t going to make to heaven through his good works and neither can you or I.
Are you 100% sure that if you died today that you would go to heaven?
ARE YOU A CORNELIUS?
(1998 Sermons I / Cornel)
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