The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
June 16
Acts 10:24-48
Commentary by Nick Boork
June 16
Acts 10:24-48
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June 16 ~ Acts 10:24-48
24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” 30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour[a] I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.[b] When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they[c] killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Here we see the coming together of God’s divine purpose to redeem not only the Jews but also the Gentiles. Jesus prophesied that Peter would be trusted with the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. The Lord was now using him to open the door of faith to the non-Jewish Gentile world. Had Peter not been willing to cross a cultural barrier he never would have went to the house of Cornelius a Gentile. However, the Lord prepared Peter for this through a vision that communicated the cleansing of the Gentiles and that he was not to call what God had cleansed common or unclean.
Prophetically speaking if you read Isaiah 53 you’ll see the sufferings of Jesus Christ for humanity. This chapter in Isaiah has actually been nicknamed the gospel of the Old Testament because It’s reference to the sufferings of Jesus Christ to save humanity is so clear. Isaiah 54 immediately begins to describe the growth of the kingdom of God into the Gentile world. It talks about enlarging the place of your tent and stretching forth your cords to make room for the incoming of new family members! This is a direct reference to the growth of the church into all the world through the Gospel. What Peter was doing was a direct fulfillment of this prophecy in the early stages.
Now it’s amazing to me that as Peter began to preach the gospel the Holy Spirit fell upon these Gentiles and they immediately began to speak in tongues and magnify God. Peter says that this experience was identical to what had happened to the original disciples on the day of Pentecost. Now the order of their experience is quite interesting as well. First they were gathered together the hear the gospel from Peter. Obviously, as they released faith in their hearts they were born again by the Spirit and immediately baptized in the Holy Spirit as well! The Bible is very clear, how did Peter and those with him know that they had received the Holy Spirit? It says that they heard them speak in tongues and magnify God! I think God was saying through this experience that these people are mine, they have been saved, and I manifesting my presence and power filling them all with the Holy Spirit.
Upon seeing that they were filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter asks can anyone forbid them water to be baptized? In other words, it’s evident to me that they’re all saved and filled with the Holy Spirit now I think we should baptize them according to the commandment of Jesus. Many times we try to put God in a theological box when it comes to how he operates and the order of people’s spiritual experiences. In this case they were born again, baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues then after this they were baptized in water.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Peter was originally used to bring the gospel to the Gentiles
2) Jesus prophesied that Peter would open the Kingdom of God to others.
3) Isaiah prophesied the expansion of the kingdom into the Gentile world Isaiah 54
4) The friends and family of Cornelius, upon hearing the Gospel were born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit immediately speaking other tongues!
5) God has groups of people prepared to hear the gospel and receive Jesus Christ.
6) The Great Commission that Jesus spoke to his disciples about making disciples of all nations means making disciples of “all ethnos” or people groups.
7) Each of us has a part to play by either praying, giving or going to bring the good news of God’s love and salvation to the people of this world.
24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” 30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour[a] I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.[b] When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they[c] killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Here we see the coming together of God’s divine purpose to redeem not only the Jews but also the Gentiles. Jesus prophesied that Peter would be trusted with the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. The Lord was now using him to open the door of faith to the non-Jewish Gentile world. Had Peter not been willing to cross a cultural barrier he never would have went to the house of Cornelius a Gentile. However, the Lord prepared Peter for this through a vision that communicated the cleansing of the Gentiles and that he was not to call what God had cleansed common or unclean.
Prophetically speaking if you read Isaiah 53 you’ll see the sufferings of Jesus Christ for humanity. This chapter in Isaiah has actually been nicknamed the gospel of the Old Testament because It’s reference to the sufferings of Jesus Christ to save humanity is so clear. Isaiah 54 immediately begins to describe the growth of the kingdom of God into the Gentile world. It talks about enlarging the place of your tent and stretching forth your cords to make room for the incoming of new family members! This is a direct reference to the growth of the church into all the world through the Gospel. What Peter was doing was a direct fulfillment of this prophecy in the early stages.
Now it’s amazing to me that as Peter began to preach the gospel the Holy Spirit fell upon these Gentiles and they immediately began to speak in tongues and magnify God. Peter says that this experience was identical to what had happened to the original disciples on the day of Pentecost. Now the order of their experience is quite interesting as well. First they were gathered together the hear the gospel from Peter. Obviously, as they released faith in their hearts they were born again by the Spirit and immediately baptized in the Holy Spirit as well! The Bible is very clear, how did Peter and those with him know that they had received the Holy Spirit? It says that they heard them speak in tongues and magnify God! I think God was saying through this experience that these people are mine, they have been saved, and I manifesting my presence and power filling them all with the Holy Spirit.
Upon seeing that they were filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter asks can anyone forbid them water to be baptized? In other words, it’s evident to me that they’re all saved and filled with the Holy Spirit now I think we should baptize them according to the commandment of Jesus. Many times we try to put God in a theological box when it comes to how he operates and the order of people’s spiritual experiences. In this case they were born again, baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues then after this they were baptized in water.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Peter was originally used to bring the gospel to the Gentiles
2) Jesus prophesied that Peter would open the Kingdom of God to others.
3) Isaiah prophesied the expansion of the kingdom into the Gentile world Isaiah 54
4) The friends and family of Cornelius, upon hearing the Gospel were born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit immediately speaking other tongues!
5) God has groups of people prepared to hear the gospel and receive Jesus Christ.
6) The Great Commission that Jesus spoke to his disciples about making disciples of all nations means making disciples of “all ethnos” or people groups.
7) Each of us has a part to play by either praying, giving or going to bring the good news of God’s love and salvation to the people of this world.
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
