Jesus Christ and baptism in the Holy Spirit is for everyone everywhere.

Acts 10:24-48

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click here for a description of the image of the beast.

• The Gospel of Christ is for every person and nation.
• Cornelius shares why he sent for Peter.
• Peter shares that the God of Jesus Christ is for everyone.
• Infilling of the Holy Spirit for Any Believer.

The Gospel of Christ is for every person and nation.
“And the following day they entered Caesarea.” Acts 10:24a.

The “following day” refers to the day after three men stayed overnight with Peter in Joppa. Those men were sent by Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, to invite Peter to his home. Cornelius’ home was in Caesarea. That is described in the post on Acts 10:17-23. On the map below, Caesarea is to the north of Joppa, and both are on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. “SHARON” is between the two.

“Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.” Acts 10:24b

The Roman Centurion, Cornelius, was waiting for Peter and his three men to arrive at his home. He knew Peter was a leader of the way of Christ, and asked him to his home according to the instructions of an angel of the Lord. Cornelius was a devout man who feared God with all his household, and gave generously to the people, and prayed to God always, as described in the post on Acts 10:1-2. Cornelius invited all of his close friends and relatives to this meeting with Peter.

As a Christian, I do not have any relatives or close friends who would have a sincere and heartfelt desire to go to a meeting where an evangelical preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be. If they did come, they would be described in this way, “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves.” Jude 1:12 We are living in the days where people love the darkness and hate the Light of Jesus Christ, “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:20-21

“As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.” Acts 10:25-27

As a Roman Centurion, Cornelius, was commander over 100 Roman soldiers, and here he was bowing down to a person he knew was not only a Jewish person, but a leader of the way of Jesus Christ. When we see that type of humility in a person towards Christians, we know they are not supportive of the atheistic culture that receives their instructions from the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel.

The humility of Peter towards the non-Jewish Gentile Roman centurion was also remarkable. Peter lifted up Cornelius and said, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” This type of mutual humility towards one another describes this verse, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 The key is “…you are all one in Christ Jesus…”. Honoring one another but rejecting the honor that comes from God is what today’s atheistic culture thrives on, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44

As Peter and Cornelius were speaking with one another, they entered a room where Peter saw many who had come together to hear what he had to say in the name of Jesus.

“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. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” Acts 10:28-29

By the laws of Judaism, it was illegal for a Jewish person to associate and keep company with non-Jewish people. This was seen often in the interactions of Christ with others, “Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans…And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” John 4:9, 27 And also, “And behold, a woman of Canaan came…and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed…But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Matthew 15: 22, 26 As we know, Jesus offered the Samaritan woman the Water of Life and healed the daughter of the woman from Canaan.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for every country, nation, and people around the world, and His testimony has been heard in homes in every city around the world.

In the post on Acts 10:9-16, Peter was grappling with the meaning of the vision that the angel of the Lord showed him. He saw a bag full of “unclean” animals, creeping things, and birds that were not legal to eat by Jewish customs [Leviticus 11]. The Lord commanded Peter to eat and to discard the letter of the law. After entering the Centurion’s home and seeing the crowd of “unclean” Gentiles, Peter had a clear understanding of what the vision meant, as he said to all of them, “God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”

If our born-again experience is to be shared, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ written on our heart, we have to remove long-held beliefs, prejudices, and other barriers that prohibit us from doing that. To call a culture of people [or an individual] “unclean” is to discard them from God’s Salvation plan found in Jesus Christ. No one is to be written off; Jesus Christ died to atone for the sin of everyone, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

Because the Lord showed Peter not to call any person common or unclean, he came to the Roman Centurion’s home without hesitation. The only question that Peter had for them was, “…what reason have you sent for me?” As followers of Jesus Christ, we are eager to share His Gospel with whoever has the desire to hear His testimony.

Cornelius shares why he sent for Peter
“So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 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. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 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.” Acts 10:30-33

In the previous verse, Peter asks Cornelius, “…what reason have you sent for me?” In today’s culture, after years of living for Jesus Christ, when someone wants/wanted to see me, I never know/knew what the encounter might bring. Many can relate–At the workplace would it be a job performance issue or customer complaint? In school, would it be a “fitting in” issue? In the home would it be parental or spousal issue? In community settings, would it be a conflict of values? Worst yet, the reason being outright sinister from those who seek to afflict, persecute, jail, and even kill a Christian. Our Lord Jesus says, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you…” Matthew 10:16-17

Cornelius had a good motive for wanting to see Peter, as described below.

“So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing…” Acts 10:30

For four days Cornelius was fasting, until the arrival of Peter. How wonderful that would be to hear, that someone was devoted in prayer to God in their anticipation of greeting a follower of Jesus Christ. What’s the chances of that happening in today’s atheistic culture? Cornelius, the Roman Centurion, testified to seeing an Angle of the Lord. That would be very comforting to hear the person who sent for us speaking of Heavenly beings and expressing their faith in God in that way.

“…and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.” Acts 10:31 

Cornelius spoke of the Angel of the Lord saying his prayers had been heard and his charitable giving was remembered in the eyes of God. “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Hebrews 6:10 How refreshing that would be, to hear someone speak of meeting a Christian as being an answer to prayer. On top of that, being someone with a desire to help those living for Jesus Christ.

“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. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 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.” Acts 10:32-33

Cornelius testified to following the instructions of the Angel of the Lord to send for Peter. He also gathered a group of his close friends and relatives to hear the word of God given to Peter to speak to them. For a Chrisitan to hear someone say that would be very good news. To hear someone say they sought us out to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And with that, they gathered their most trusted people to hear the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Peter shares that the God of Jesus Christ is for everyone.
Cornelius, a Roman Centurion and God-fearer, said this to Peter, “…we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.” As a response, Peter began to speak about Jesus Christ.

“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” Acts 10:34-35

Whatever country or nation a person is from, God shows no favoritism to one over another. Whoever reveres God and is a conduit of righteousness is accepted by Him. That is the Gospel, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

“The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— ” Acts 10:36

The word of God came through Jesus Christ, was sent to the Jewish people, but He is Lord of all. In other words, the Jewish people did not and do not have exclusive rights to God and to His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Christ sent to every human being on this planet, sent by the Creator of all. Peace with God comes from within the human heart and soul through Jesus Christ who gives the Holy Spirit to whoever believes in Him.

“…that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 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.” Acts 10:37-38

Peter is speaking to a Roman Centurion, his close friends, and relatives, all who were non-Jewish Gentiles from a “different world” than the Jewish culture. They knew the word of God that came through Jesus Christ because His word spread everywhere. In fact, our Lord Jesus healed a servant of another Roman centurion, as described in Luke 7:1-10. Jesus came after the preaching of John the Baptist, meaning Jesus was the Christ apart from any previous person of the Old Testament. That meant faith was required to be put in Jesus as the Christ, not in Moses, David, or any other person of the Old Testament [and certainly not the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees]. That meant the non-Jewish Gentiles, and all the world, could come to God through faith in Jesus instead of through the laws of Judaism.

God anointed our Lord Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with the power of the Spirit to enable Him to do healings and to cast out demons for non-Jewish Gentiles. Jesus cast out demons from a man of the country of the Gadarenes [non-Jewish Gentiles], as described in Mark 5:1-20. This showed that Jesus came to bring Salvation to all the world, even to Roman soldiers, their close friends, and relatives. This made it plainly seen that God is not just the God of the Jewish but is God over all His creation.

“And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 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.” Acts 10:39-41

Peter, and others, were witnesses of everything that our Lord Jesus did in the power of the Spirit, which Cornelius the Roman Centurion would have heard about. Through our born-again experience, we are witnesses to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are the non-Jewish Gentiles. The Jewish people killed Jesus by having Him crucified on the Cross and today’s atheistic culture crucifies Him by serving the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. However, God raised Jesus from the dead after being in the grave for three days, and because He lives, we can live in the Spirit today [2000 years later] and have eternal life. Jesus showed Himself openly [for 40 days] after His resurrection, Acts 1:3. Three of His appearances on earth, after his resurrection, is spoken about in John 21:1-19 and Luke 24:13-35 and Luke 24:36-53.

“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. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:42-43

Our Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of all the prophecies of the coming of the Christ, the Son of God, who would enable the Gentiles to come to God. The following is one such prophecy, “I will set it up so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things.’ “Known to God from eternity are all His works.” Amos 9:11-12 This is the New Covenant, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

The above paragraph is what Jesus Christ commanded all of His Apostles to preach. Those who lived, ate, and slept with our Lord knew Him best, and they spread His Gospel everywhere. Today, the Gospel of Christ is on every continent of the world.

Through Jesus Christ, all the world is judged, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:18-21

“…those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Infilling of the Holy Spirit for Any Believer.
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 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. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.” Acts 10:44-48

In the previous section, Peter was speaking to a Roman Centurion and the Centurion’s relatives and close friends. The message is that God is the Creator of all people, not just the Creator of the Jewish people. Everyone is created to have fellowship with Him through the Holy Spirit, not through the laws of Judaism nor any other religious guidelines. That fellowship comes by the remission of sin so that we do not live by the carnal desires of the flesh, but we live by the Spirit. The remission of sin comes by believing the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is summed up like this, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

While Peter was still speaking, the holy Spirit came upon everyone who heard the Gospel of Christ. These were people who believed and were overtaken by the mercy and grace of God to include them as His children. That is how the Holy Spirit comes to people today, He comes into the heart of those who are grateful for His mercy and grace to forgive their sin. Those who came with Peter [they were all raised in laws of Judaism] were astonished that a Roman family had received the Holy Spirit, the same as they did. They were learning that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

“For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” Click here for a post on “tongues” and scroll to beneath the image of the map, from Acts 2:1-13.

Those raised in the laws of Judaism would have had a very difficult time accepting that non-Jewish Gentiles [you and me] could be baptized in equality with the Jewish people. However, the Jewish people with Peter, and Peter himself, were willing to let this external sign be done. After all, the Centurion and his relatives and friends had already received the Holy Spirit so who could prohibit them from being baptized into the family of God? As we see, the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the deciding factor over water baptism. Only the Holy Spirit can make us part of the family of Jesus Christ since He is the one who gives the Holy Spirit by putting our sin in remission.

The Roman citizens asked Peter and Peter’s friends to stay with them for a few days, and they did. For Peter and his friends to stay, associate with, and eat the non-kosher food of the non-Jewish Gentiles was further acceptance of the born-gain Gentiles. In those days, it was illegal [by the laws of Judaism] to associate with Gentiles, as quoted, “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.” Acts 10:28 Peter and his friend were living what they were preaching, that living for God came by faith in Jesus not in the laws of Judaism.

When God removed the barriers of who could be associated with and of what foods could be eaten, He opened doors. He paved a way for the Gospel of Christ to be presented, created Christian fellowship, and brought the infilling of the Holy Spirit. “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…” Romans 8:3

We live in a world today where the culture, which is global, is being bonded together by the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. They oppose the presence of the Holy Spirit, reject the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and do not believe in God the Creator. They are being “baptized” into the family as the beast is given life to speak and live through them. By what they say and do they are groomed to the mark of the beast.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11