The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-04-13
INTERNATIONAL.
SlINlNSO1OOL
LESSON
CBy 70 O. sELLERs, Acting Director Of
sunday School Course Of the Moody
Bible Institute, ChicaGo)
tccpyrsht 1919. Western Newspaper Union.D
LESSON FOR APRIL IS
PETER AND CORNELIUS.

ton between Jew ana creek; Tor the
same Lord Ii Lord OF all. and 10 rich unto
all that call upon him.-Rom. io;n.
Thus far Christianity had to do with
Jews and Jewish proselytes only. Now
its circle begins to widen 90 ~ to In
ciude the Gentiles. Tue central ng-
ure of this lesson. Cornelius. was .
captain commanding one hundred men
in the Roman army. The chasm be-
tween blacks and whites. which 30
widely exists In America. 10 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.
N. A Prepared Convert Tvs. 1-s). O
Nlhs position. Caessrea was on the
great seq and was the political capital
of Judea. II was about seventy miles
from Jerusalem and thirty from Joppa.
Cornelius. who was captain of q band
Of men born In Italy. was . Roman
citizen. and perhaps had been connect
cd with the great Roman general
Scipio. t2) His character. He was .
man Of promptness. appreciation and
obedience, ". 33). He was also .
Godfearing man. whose piety included
his whole household. He was Q man
OF prayer and generosity Tvs. 81, 32).
for he gave much aims" to both Jews
and Gentiles. The result was that he
was honored greatly by all. especially
by the Jews. II does not seem that
Cornelius was proselyte to the Jewish
faith Tvs. 2s-ll:3). and he certainly
was not a. yet q saved man ul:i3.
Ia. Cornelius was q man of q vision.
not OF dreams or OF frances. for this
vision came In the open daylight ~.
30). when an angel. looking like 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"
". ~ spoken OF was that part Of the
meal offering which the priest burned
upon the altar and which assembled un-
to the Lord as q sweet SAVIOR (See
also NAL $3.50. Cornelius In put to
a strange test. He 10 to send for an
unknown man to receive instruction.
The angel was not to enlighten him. as
Il 10 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
Ia al N
the work OF the angels.
H. The Prepared Preacher Tvs. 9-23).
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. II
we obey God we can preach better
than Gabriel. God laid. as II we're. his
right hand on Cornelius. and his left
upon Peter. and drew them together.
Again God uses 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 full and
sufficient revelation In the Word for
our guidance.
iii. The Prepared Ones Meet Tvs.
23-33D. Cornelius had his whole house
hold ready when Peter arrived ". 2D.
perhaps more people than on the day
OF the frst great Pentecost. 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 IL a great statement II we con-
slider its full content. Peter refused to
accept worship. that alone belongs to
Christ ". 25) and he explained how
God had thrust him outside OF the cir
Gle OF Jewish believers. He then re-
hearsed what God had done and as
serted that He Is no respecter OF per.
sons" and that In response to those
in every nation who work righteous
hess God had sent forth Jesus for the
salvation OF men, % That men might
have peace through him ". 36): (2)
That he might be Lord over all; CD
That he had been anointed with the
Holy Spirit and power; (D That he
had been crucified Il Pet. 1; Is. 10:
2:2D; (D That God had raised him
from the dead; 90 That he is to be
the Judge. and ca That because OF
what he had done-'through the name
OF Jesus"-all that believe shall have
remission OF sins" (This is a good
sermon outline) Following this won
derful sermon. there occurred the Cen
tile Pentecost Tvs. 44-46).'
Practical. Cornelius had a lack.
and he went to God to have II sup
Piled ". a. Peter found his enlight-
eminent In prayer.
God revealed his regard for all man
kind. and that Jesus Christ can and
will save all who come to him by
faith.
AT Caesarea the infant church dis
covered that it's field is the world and
that the Pentecostal program was for
all mankind.
This occasion taught Peter and the
church that henceforth we are to re-
gard all men as brothers and seek TO