Salvation Stories, 3

We’ve been doing a study of the book of Acts in Jr. High ministry. The book of Acts is all about the spread of the gospel. Once the Spirit comes in chapter 2, the world begins to be shaken (sometimes literally) for Christ. No matter how much the Sanhedrin tries, they cannot kill this movement. The gospel is unstoppable.

In this Luke occasionally takes us to individuals whose lives are transformed by Christ and tells us their stories. Recently we’ve been looking at some of these stories. The third in this series is the story of a Centurion named Cornelius.

God uses some interesting events to bring him to faith in Christ.

God uses 2 Visions and a Sermon

Vision #1 – Preparation of the Recipient

God uses this vision to prepare Cornelius to receive the saving message of Christ. Cornelius is noted as an honest, generous and upright man. Yet, despite his best efforts, he was missing out b/c he did not have a true knowledge of Christ. This is an example of someone acting on the light that God gave him and God then delivering the full revelation through a human messenger. (cf – Rom. 1.18-32).

Vision #2 – Preparation of the Messenger

I’ve dreamed a time or two about food but nothing quite like this. God ironically uses this vision while Peter is hungry and supper’s being cooked. He sees a host of unclean animals and is commanded to ‘kill and eat.’ Peter’s a good Jewish boy who predictably refuses to consider such a thought. God insist and explains that the dietary standards of Lev. 11 no longer apply.

Peter is being prepared to take the gospel to the GENTILE Cornelius. God uses this vision to prepare the messenger – Peter.

A Sermon

This short sermon is stout and extremely effective. The tenets of the true gospel are in place, the passion narrative, the resurrection, the post resurrection appearances and the commissioning of the people (compare with I Cor 15). At the end of this sermon, the power of God is made evident through the falling of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles. This is a new day in Redemptive History.