The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-04-14
INTERNATIONAL
LESSON
Ry E. O.. SELLERS. Acting Director Of
Sunday School Course OF the Moody
Bible Institute, Chicago.)
Copyright. 1915. Western Newspaper Union,
LESSON FOR APRIL is
PETER AND CORNELIUS.
LESSON TExT-Acts N:l-2a.

LESSON TEXT-Acts O:l-2a
GOLDEN TExT-There Is no d;stinc-
ton between Jew and Greek: for tho
same Lord Is Lord Of all. and is rich unto
all that call upon him.-Rom. lo:i2.
Thus far Christianity had to do with
Jews and Jewish proselytes only. Now
its circle begins to widen SO as to in.
clude the Gentiles. The central fig
ure Of this lesson, Cornelius, was q
captain commanding one hundred men
in the Roman army. The chasm be-
tween blacks and whites. which SO
widely exists in America. is nothing
compared to that which divided the
Jew and Gentle. We take the whole
story of Cornelius in today's lesson
and consider the Easter story next
week.
l. A Prepared Convert Tvs. 1-S). %
His position. Caesarea was on the
great sea and was the political capital
OF Judea. 1t was about seventy miles
from Jerusalem and thirty from Joppa.
Cornelius, who was captain of a band
OF men born in Italy, was a Roman
citizen, and perhaps had been connect
ed with the great Roman general
Scipio. ca His character. He was a
man of promptness, appreciation and
obedience, ". 33). He was also a
God-fearing man, whose piety included
his whole household. He was a man
of prayer and generosity (vs. 81, 32),
for he gave much aims" to both Jews
and Gentiles. The result YVES that he
was honored greatly by all, especially
by the Jews. 1t does not Geem that
Cornelius was a proselyte to the Jewish
faith Tvs. 2S-11:S), and he certainly
was not as yet a saved man l1:13,
14). Cornelius was a man Of q vision,
not of dreams or of frances, for this
vision came in the open daylight w.,
300, when an angel. looking like a man.
appeared unto him. His fear was
Gained and he was informed that his
prayer, for he was a seeker after
God" had been heard. The memorial,
". A spoken of was that part Of the
meal offering which the priest burned
upon the altar n which assembled I'M
to the Lord as a sweet SAVIOR (See
also Nal. 3:16). Cornelius is put to
a strange test. He is to send for an
unknown man to receive instruction.
The angel was not to enlighten him. as
1t is mans province to witness for
God. There is not a recorded Bible
conversion without some human in
strumentality. Cornelius, soldier that
he was. at once obeyed instructions
and sent out two devout retainers
after Peter. Man alone could finish
the work Of the angels.
II. The Prepared Preacher Tvs. 9-23).t
Tanning was considered an unclean
occupation, but in Simon's house was
the man God wanted to use on this
occasion. No matter how poor q
preacher, or unlikely the situation, If
we obey God we can preach better
than Gabriel. God laid, as it were, his
right hand on Cornelius, and his left
upon Peter, and drew them together.
Again God uses a dream, linking the
natural and the supernatural. A hun
cry man dreams of food, a very COM
mon occurrence, and God gave super
natural direction to a natural dream.
God knows the right time to do the
right thing. We do not need dreams
for our guidance as we have a full and
sufficient revelation in the Word for
our guidance. Many confused. uncer-
tain and often mistaken voices are
often related to us as the spirits ut
terances, yet the practical test tina.
Peter was given ought to warn and
teach us regarding all such claims.
Here are Cornelius servants, come in
obedience to Gods revelation and COM
mand; here is Peter confronted by an
opportunity Of presenting the gospel
to those whom he had considered "un-
clean" Peter was a spirit-enlightened
and guided man, and SO it was easy for
him to interpret his w dream in the
light of this evident opportunity; wit
ness DR.. A. J. Gordon's famous dream.
But the spirits directions were full
and explicit, arise. get thee down, and
go with them nothing doubling" No
vagary or mysticism about that. IL
men of today would as readily obey
the plain command of the word of
God, like results would accrue.
III. The Prepared Ones Meet Tvs.
1889. Cornelius had his whole house
hold ready when Peter arrived ". 24),
perhaps more people han on the day
of the first great P%entecost. He said.
I'VE are all here present in the sight
of God to hear all the things that have
been commanded thee Of the Lord"
This is a great statement if we ON
slider its full content. Peter refused to
accept worship, that alone belongs to
Christ ". 25) n he explained how
had thrust him outside of the cir.
Gle OF Jewish believers. He then re-
hearsed what God had done and as,
serted that H is no respecter of per-
sons" and that in response to those
In every nation who work righteous
ness God had sent forth Jesus for the
salvation of men, "a That men might
have peace through him ". 36); CD
That he might be Lord over all; (3)i
That he had been anointed with the
Holy Spirit and power: "a That he
had been crucified Il Pet. 1; Is, 49,;
2:24); (5) That God had raised him
from the dead; 60 That he is to be
the judge. and 90 That because of
what he had done-"through the name
Of Jesus"-all that believe shall have
remission OF SINS" (This is a good
outline.) Following this O