Sunday School Lessons: Acts 10

Lesson 15
Acts 10

• Cornelius’ Vision
• Peter’s Vision
• Cornelius’ Conversion
• Gentiles Filled with the Holy Spirit

We learned last week that Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, but it was Peter that the Holy Spirit used to open the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Review conversions of Ethiopian Eunuch and Saul/Paul

Read Acts 10:1-2

A centurion is an Roman officer in command of 100 men.  The Italian Cohorts were Roman soldiers from Italy.  Caesarea was a Roman city; Pilate lived there as well as the governor and government rulers.  Paul had been in Caesarea (Acts 9:30) and had most likely proclaimed Christ in the city, but during this time, he is in Arabia.

Name three thing we learn about Cornelius in these two verses.
    1.
    2.
    3.
Cornelius was not a believer in Jesus Christ, nor was he a Jewish proselyte.  He was what was known as a “proselyte of the Gate.”  He had not converted to Judaism, but he believed in God and knew that God must be revered and worshiped.  He followed the Jewish custom of the giving of alms and prayed to God.  He, unlike the Ethiopian eunuch, did not have the Scriptures and was untaught, but he knew that God was real and he desired to know Him, therefore he prayed.

Read Acts 10:3-8  Cornelius’ Vision

Here we see two things in verse three:  Cornelius saw a vision of an angel.  He recognized the vision had come from God in response to his prayers.  Also, it is encouraging to notice that Cornelius, a man who was outside of both the Jewish and the Christian faith was personally known by God.  Seeing the angel terrified him.  When angels appear to men, many times it causes them to be afraid.  He, like Saul, uses the Word “Lord” but in the case of Cornelius, it does not mean Lord God, it is a word of address to someone who is superior.  The angel tells him that “your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.”  This does not mean that Cornelius earned salvation because of his works of giving and praying, however it does tell us that such things do matter to God.  Notice that the angel tells him to send for Simon Peter and he tells him exactly where he can be found.  He sends two servants and a devout soldier to go and get Peter.  Notice, too, that Cornelius tells them all that has happened.

Read Acts 10:9-16

While Cornelius is back in Caesarea, and his servants are on their way to find Peter, God is preparing Peter.  God gives him a vision of all kinds of animals coming down from heaven and tells him to kill them and eat.  Now, the Jews had very strict rules about what kinds of animals could and could not be eaten.  Apparently, some or all of the animals in the sheet were the kind that could not be eaten.  They were “common and unclean.”
Notice that Peter knows it is the Lord who is speaking to Him.  He says, “By no means, Lord”  He calls him Lord but then tells him that he will not obey!  Peter was still living by the Jewish laws, but God is beginning to teach him that he is no longer under the Mosaic system and he is free from the dietary laws.  The vision was repeated three times.

Read Acts 10:17-23

While Peter was trying to figure out what the vision meant, Cornelius’ men arrived, asking for Simon Peter.  The Spirit told Peter that the men were there and that He had sent them.  (Cornelius chose the men but it was the Spirit who sent them!)  Peter was to go with the “without hesitation.”
Peter tells them who he is and asks them why they came.  Peter learns that an angel had invited him to go to Cornelius’ house.  He goes.

Read Acts 10:24-26

When he arrives, Cornelius is waiting there with all his friends and relatives! That took a lot of faith!  It also tells us something about Cornelius; he had influence on the people around him.
Cornelius starts to worship Peter, but Peter tells him to stand up because he is just a man, too.  We are only to worship God.

Read Acts 10:27-29

God has helped Peter to understand that the vision he had seen was not just about Jewish dietary laws being set aside, but also the wall that kept Jews and Gentiles apart.  It was unlawful for Jews to enter the house of a non-Jew or to even associate with them, but now Peter understood that God had taken away that prohibition.  
Peter asks Cornelius why he had sent for him.  He knew already that an angel had told him to send for Peter.  Why do you think Peter asked that question?  He didn’t start preaching right away.  Peter was being led by the Spirit of God to ask that question and we’ll see in Cornelius’ answer something very important.

Read verses 30-34

Notice what he says:  “we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Cornelius knows that they are in God’s presence and that God has commanded Peter to preach to them.  They are ready to listen—and obey.

Read Acts 10:34-43

Peter preaches about the Person and the Work of Jesus Christ.  He know that they have heard of what happened, but he repeats facts of Christ’s life, death,  and resurrection.  He also includes the commandment of Jesus to preach and testify concerning Him. (Acts 1:8)  He concludes by telling them that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins.

Read Acts 10:44-48

Peter didn’t get to finish his sermon because the Spirit fell on all who were there.  There were other Jewish Christians who had come with Peter and they, too, witnessed the gift of the Spirit on the Gentiles.  The Gentiles were baptized, just as had happened to the converts on the day of Pentecost.

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students.  You can find lessons for previous chapters here.