Here is a teaching on chapter 10 of the book of Acts. If you want to check out previous Bible studies and chapters going forward, join our group here. Once you get added into that Facebook group, you can go to the "units" tab and you'll see all of the chapters and their study guides as they are being taught.
First I want to say a quick prayer... Lord I pray that you lift up every single person reading this right now. I pray that you open up our eyes to see the truth of your words and I pray that you give us knowledge and understanding to know exactly what it is that we're reading and wisdom to be able to implement it in our daily lives. Lord please lead, guide, and direct us through every aspect of our lives. I love you with my whole heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Acts Chapter 10:
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the Tanner, whose house is by the sea."
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19 "While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."
21 Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?" 22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
So in verses 1-8 we see that an angel came to Cornelius and told him to send men to Joppa to bring back Simon Peter. So Cornelius sent two of his servants and a devout soldier, told them everything, and sent them to Joppa. In verses 9-10 Peter went up on a roof to pray and in those days the roof was more like a patio. So he went out there to pray, he became very hungry, and he wanted something to eat. A lot of times whenever we're praying distractions can get in the way and make us think of other things. The enemy uses that to distract us from being able to pray to God, really hear what he has to say to us, and have that personal conversation with him. But in this case God used this distraction to speak to Peter and he fell into a trance.
In verses 11-14 Peter saw heaven open up and something like a large sheet was let down to the earth by its four corners. Then there were all kinds of four footed animals, kosher and non-kosher animals, and the voice told him to get up, kill and eat. So then in verses 14-15 Peter said he hadn't ever eaten anything impure or unclean and so he said, "surely not." Peter was very strong-willed and he always spoke his mind, but the voice spoke to him a second time and said not to call anything impure that God has made clean. Now at this point the voice was just speaking of food and Peter didn't know that it was about anything else, but we'll see in the verses a little later on that it makes sense that this vision happened right after the men came by Cornelius to see Simon Peter. In verse 16, this happened three times to show the emphasis on this. The first time Peter said no and this continued to happen to show that it was serious and this is what he was supposed to do.
Now in verses 17-20, the men sent by Cornelius found where Simon's house was, they stopped at the gate, and then they called out to Simon who was called Peter. This was while Peter was still wondering about the meaning of his vision. He hadn't quite understood the meaning yet and while he was still thinking about the vision the Spirit said to him that three men are looking for him, to get up and go downstairs, and not to hesitate to go with them. So at first in his trance Peter heard a voice, now the Holy Spirit is speaking to him and telling him not to hesitate to go with these men because he has sent them.
Whenever we're saved, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and we let the Holy Spirit guide us, then the Spirit will help us discern the truth and guide us to do God's will for our lives. Sometimes it may not make sense to us because what the Spirit is guiding us to do is something that we would never do on our own. But we have to stand firm in our faith, let the Holy Spirit guide us, stay faithful to the calling that God has placed in our heart, and do the will of God the Father.
Then in verses 21-23, Peter told the men that he's the one they're looking for and he asked why they came. The men said that they've come from Cornelius the centurion, they told about Cornelius, and they said that an angel came to him to have Simon Peter come back to his house so that Cornelius could hear what he had to say. So then Peter invited the men to his house to be guests and I think at this point Peter could probably tell that these men were Gentiles, because they didn't look like Jews. Before this, Peter had never spoke to Gentiles about Jesus Christ or really even had conversation with Gentiles, because that was something that the Jews didn't do.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."
27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"
I'm going to stop right there and discuss these verses with you guys here. So whenever they got to Caesarea Cornelius had called his relatives and close friends together because he was expecting Peter and the others. So they were all there waiting for them and when Peter entered the house Cornelius fell at his feet, but Peter told him to get up and he said that he's only a man also. Because of Peter's faith in Jesus Christ and in the name of Jesus Christ, Peter was able to perform miraculous signs and do these things that we saw in other Bible studies. But there was no power specifically in Peter. He got gifts from the Holy Spirit because of his faith and in the name of Jesus Christ. Peter was only a man himself and he knew that. He didn't want any type of special praise, honor, or someone to get on their knees and fall to the floor because of him. He knew that the power was in Jesus, and that because of his faith and in the name of Jesus, all things were possible.
So in verses 27-29 Peter found a large gathering of people inside and he told them that it's against their law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. So these people were Gentiles and it was against the Jewish law for the Jews to associate with Gentiles. But because of Peter's vision where the voice told Peter not to call anything impure that God has made clean, and the Spirit told him not to hesitate to go with them, Peter went with them without saying no or making any excuses.
30 Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest of the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they had heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Alright, so those are all the verses of chapter 10 of the book of Acts, but I'm going to discuss these verses with you guys here. So in verses 30-33, after Peter had asked why they sent him, Cornelius told Peter about the angel telling him to send for Simon Peter in Joppa, and that they were ready to listen to everything that the Lord commanded Peter to say. Then in verses 34-35, Peter then realized how true it was that God doesn't show favoritism. God loves everyone and accepts anyone who receives his message, asks Jesus Christ to come into their hearts, and believes in Jesus Christ. God made all people. He created us all, and there's not one culture, religion, or race that's better than the other. God doesn't show favoritism and neither should we. We shouldn't ever not talk to someone just because of their religion or what they look like. We should always be kind to others, portray the fruit of the Spirit to others, and spread the gospel to other people so that they may believe in Jesus and have eternal life also. This is what Simon Peter is now realizing, that God doesn't show favoritism and that God accepts everyone from every nation that fears him and does what is right. So it doesn't matter their culture, their skin color, none of that matters. Whoever fears God and whoever believes in Jesus Christ is accepted by Jesus and by God the Father. Jesus loves everyone. God loves everyone equally. He loves us so much. We are his children and he only wants what is best for us.
Then in verses 36-39 Peter tells these Gentiles that they know the message that God sent to the people of Israel telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. Then what had happened through Judea beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. That God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and he went healing the broken and the wounded, performing these miraculous signs, doing all of these things, and all that were under the power of the devil he healed because God was with him. Jesus is the Son of God and he has all the power and authority. In our Bible studies in the book of John that we went over before the Bible studies in the book of Acts, we saw a lot of the miraculous signs and different things that Jesus Christ had performed, and the good that Jesus Christ had done while on this earth.
In verses 39-43 Peter tells these Gentiles that him and the other brothers are witnesses of everything that Jesus did while in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem, and that these Jews had crucified him but he was raised three days later. God raised him up three days later and caused him to be seen. So whoever believes in him is saved and has eternal life in heaven with Jesus and God the Father. Like we see in verse 41, Jesus wasn't seen by all the people, but only by the witnesses whom God had already chosen. If you go back to our Bible studies on chapters 20-21 of the book of John, you can see where Jesus appeared to his disciples and all of that. But he only appeared to the witnesses who God had chosen for him, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. Jesus had commanded them to preach to the people and to testify about him. In verse 43 Peter says that all the prophets testify about Jesus. Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of their sins through his name. So whenever we believe in Jesus Christ and we're saved, then we're forgiven. All our sins are forgiven, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and we have eternal life in heaven with Jesus and God the Father.
Now in verses 44-48, the Holy Spirit came on all these people who heard the message as Peter was speaking. These circumcised believers (or other Jews) that came with Peter were astonished that even the Gentiles had the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out on them and they heard these Gentiles speaking in tongues and praising God. And like we saw in the verses before, God doesn't show favoritism and the Holy Spirit can be poured out on anyone that believes in Jesus Christ and accepts the message of the good news of Jesus Christ, the message of the gospel, and that accepts Jesus Christ into their hearts. Then Peter ordered that these people be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. They had received the Holy Spirit, just like Peter, the other brothers, the apostles, and the other Jewish believers had received Jesus Christ. So they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and this shows their faith in Jesus and obedience to Jesus Christ. Whenever we're saved, the next step is to show that obedience and that faith and get baptized. Then these Gentiles asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Acts Ch 10 Study Guide
Why did the angel come to Cornelius?
What was Peter’s vision about?
What happens when we listen to the Holy Spirit?
Does God show favoritism? Why or why not?
In verse 41, who were the witnesses that God had chosen?
Why were the circumcised believers so surprised that the Holy Spirit came on the gentiles in verse 45?
What is your biggest takeaway from this Bible study?
So that concludes this Bible study on chapter 10 of the book of Acts. Next week we're going to go into chapter 11 so stay tuned for that.
I love you guys so much.
Never forget to choose faith over fear.
-Lorena Camille (Faith Fuels My Fire)
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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
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