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I. READY TO HEAR THE WORD. Cornelius was a Roman centurion — in modern phrase, heathen. How did he become ready to hear the Word?

1. By prayer. At the time the angel came he was engaged in prayer. This prayer was not a mere form.

(1) He had not stopped just when the ninth hour expired, but had persisted in his supplications "until this hour." It is fair to infer from that, that he was in earnest about something. Such prayers only are effective. General prayers, that seek for nothing specific, get just what they seek, and no more. It is safe to take the mission of the angel as an answer to Cornelius' prayer, and to deduce that Cornelius was praying that he might be shown the way of salvation (Acts 11:14).

(2) The angel came in response to his prayer. No celestial messengers are sent where the prayers are merely formal.

2. By a vision. His vision was not a dream or a trance. "He saw in a vision openly" (Acts 10:3). He was wide awake, as one engaged in earnest prayer could not help but be. "A man stood before me in bright apparel." Cornelius tells how he looked. Luke tells what he was (Acts 10:3.) When Cornelius saw him, he was affrighted, and said, "What is it, Lord?" The celestial character of his visitor, the circumstances of his appearing, and the fear that sinful mortals must ever feel in the presence of sinless immortals, combined to compel Cornelius to accept without questioning whatever the angel might say.

3. By the angel's words. They were —

(1) Words of assurance. "Thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance." Faith now takes the place of an angel in assuring all who approach the throne of grace that their prayers have prevailed. Neither are their alms or good deeds forgotten. "God is not unrighteous," etc. The declaration that his prayers and his alms were gone up for a memorial before God, gave comfort and prepared for further revelation.

(2) Words of direction. "Send therefore to...Peter." Whatever Peter might say had celestial endorsement beforehand. Many hearts are Divinely made ready for the reception of the gospel, when the Spirit moves one to speak the words of life. But observe, the angel himself did not tell the story of the Cross to Cornelius. He left that to Peter. No one can tell the story of redemption so well as one who himself has been redeemed. That Cornelius was thus prepared to hear the Word is made evident —

(a) By his sending for Peter. He sent "forthwith." He was in haste to hear.

(b) By his commendation of Peter. "Thou hast well done that thou art come." Cornelius believed that Peter was about to do that which would show him that he was right in disregarding the ceremonial barriers between Jew and Gentile.

(c) By his declaration to Peter. "Now therefore we are an here present in the sight of God to hear." Cornelius had improved the time while waiting for Peter to come (ver. 24). He was in earnest to learn the way of life, not only for himself, but for all of his friends.

II. PROCLAIMING THE WORD. We turn now from Cornelius to Peter.

1. The truth perceived.

(1) "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons." Until this moment, Peter had not known why he had been sent for, nor the real meaning of his vision. So far he had interpreted the vision to mean nothing only that he must not hesitate to associate with the Gentiles, to whom he was sent. But now he sees it meant a great deal more — spiritual as well as social equality. This was no new thought (Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19). But Peter and others had been thinking of this as true only as between Jews. He had not realised the truth he himself had declared (Acts 3:25).

(2) "But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to Him." Mark here two things —

(a) Peter's change of standards. His criterion for judging was outward no longer. He instantly dropped the notion that circumcision was necessary to salvation. All essentials were suddenly reduced to two — fearing God and working righteousness.

(b) That those two essentials were not enough. They made Cornelius "acceptable," but not accepted. If anyone, by good works, could be saved, there was no need for Cornelius to hear about Christ the Saviour (ver. 2). But his good works did not satisfy God, nor did they satisfy himself. Salvation cannot be purchased with good works. The only adequate price for that is the precious blood of Christ.

2. The truth preached. Note —

(1) That Peter did not tell anything new. His auditors were aware of the story of Christ. "Ye yourselves know." It was "the old, old story" that was effective, and that will be effective to the end of time.

(2) That he verified what he did tell. He offered himself and the other apostles as witnesses of the death and the resurrection of Christ. He offered also the prophets as witnesses, and probably showed how the sufferings and atoning death of Christ were symbolised in sacrifices and foretold in prophecy.

III. BLESSED BY THE WORD. "The Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word." Notice —

1. The time. "While Peter yet spake." There was no laying on of apostolic hands. The conferring of the gift was as direct from God to those Gentiles as it had been to the Jews on the day of Pentecost.

2. The abundance. "Was poured out."

3. The manifestations. "Heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God." They were affected and endowed in the same way that their Jewish brethren had been. Thus this Pentecost of the Gentiles proved their right to an unquestioned place in the brotherhood of the saints — their baptism of the Spirit to baptism by water.

(M. C. Hazard.)

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KJV: And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

WEB: Cornelius said, "Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,