The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-24
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR APRIL 4.

Subject: Peter and Cornelius, Acts
1O:1-4s-Golden Text, Acts 10:
35-Commit Verses 13-15-
Commentary on Days Lesson.
TIME. "A. D. 40. PLACES
Caesarea and Joppa.
|. EXPOSITION. II. A Cody Sol.
der, 1-S. The central figure Of this
lesson is a captain in the Roman
army. The barracks at Caesares
would seem to be a most unlikely
place to find the first Gentle convert
to Christianity, but there Is where he
was found. Cornelius was a God.
fearing man. He was one who did not
keep his piety to himself, but called
upon his whole household to share il
with him. He was a man Of prayer
and a generous giver. He prayed fol-
light (cf. VS.. 81, 32) and followed
the light when it was given. 1t was
because he asked for light that he
got it (cf. James 1:5). The aims he
gave to others had much to do with
Gods giving the saving truth to him
". 4: CT. Luke 6:3S; Prov. 21:13; 2
Cor. 1868. Cornelius does not
seem to have been a proselyte of the
Jewish faith ". %; CT. Oh. 11:3) and
he certainly was not al yet a saved
man (ch. 11:13, 14), but he was on
the road that leads to salvation. He
became a saved man by believing on
Jesus Christ ". 40; CT. CHI. 15:7-9).
There are those who contend we
should lever get a man to pray until
he is definitely saved, but it was in
answer to prayer that Cornelius got
the light by which he was saved. Of
course, II a man is a deliberate rebel
against God, we should not get him
to pray; for the prayer Of such a one
Is an abomination unto God prov.
1873; 1888; Is. SOL, p. But a man
may be a sincere seeker after truth
like Cornelius, though he has not yet
found the truth. There is nothing
better for him to do than to pray
(James 1850. God will always lead
into light all those who sincerely de-
sire it John 7:17). 1t was while
Cornelius was praying that the first
leadings came to Cornelius. It is
when we draw neal unto God that
He draws near unto us Gas. 4:8).
Cornelius was frightened by the CO.
lestiaf visitor as sinful man always Is
by the approach Of the supernatural
(cf. Dan. 1911; Luke 1:12-19: "a:
81. But Cornelius while frightened
maintained his equilibrium and was
ready to obey; he was every inch a
Roman soldier. He was encouraged
by being told that God had noted and
remembered his prayers and aims.
His prayers and aims did not save
him (ch. 11:13, IA; 10:43). but they
had prepared the way for his saliva
ton. God takes note of sincere pray
sr and Of. the aims that accompany
them. Praying and giving should al
ways go hand in hand II John 1916
22). Cornelius faith was put to, a
severe test; he was told to send to q
certain unknown man who would tell
him what he ought to do (cf. Oh. IL:
l4). The angel himself might have
told Cornelius this, but it is the plan
Of God to have the way of life made
plain to man by man (cf. Oh. 9:6-17;
1920. Cornelius proved his faith
by his prompt obedience. Cornelius
piety was of the communicative sort;
for the soldier who waited upon him
continually was also a religious man.
Ii. Peter Prepared to Preach the
Gospel to the GentIles, $50. While
God prepares n man to hear the
Gospel, He also prepares another
man to preach it to him. 1t certainly
cannot be explained away as empty
dreams of a fevered imagination that
Cornelius at one end of the line saw
an angel who babe him send for
Peter, and that Peter at the other end
Of the line should have a vision pre-
pairing him for the call just before
the messengers arrived, and should
hear the voice of the Spirit bidding
him go. There is, beyond question, a
supernatural world and a possibility
Of present contact between the suIer.
natural world and human life. His
tory demonstrates this. One can be
an Atheist or a Deist or Agnostic only
by deliberately shutting his eyes to
the established facts of history. Note
how the supernatural and natural
play into n another in Bible his
tory: Peters hunger was natural, and
there is nothing more natural than
that a hungry man dream of eating,
oos NV 6o'S hdIul al J. CCllOu
to the dream that had a natural orr.
gin. God knows how to time things
Just right. Just when Peter was in
a p~erplezity about the meaning of
the vision Of unclean beasts, the "un-
clean" Gentiles are asking for him at
the gate. The Spirit was very def
mite in His words to Peter. He told
him just how many men there were
at the gate asking for him ". 49,.
Peter had a very practical test as to
whether it was the Spirit of truth
that was speaking to him. How un-
like the confused and uncertain (of-
tentimes mistakenly voices that people
tell us are voices of the Spirit. When
the Spirit sends there is nothing left
to do but to go and that without
doubling, eve though we do not ur-
derstand at all ". 20). Peters faith
was equal to the occasion, he obeyed
orders. 1t was while Peter was in
prayer that the guidance came to him
". 81.