May 3, 2024

Dear Road Church Friends,

As we gather around the Lord’s Table this Sunday, my thoughts are drawn to the story popularly known as the “Conversion of Cornelius,” a captain in the Roman Army stationed in Caesarea. However, no one on the “Missions and Outreach Committee” in the Jerusalem Church would have dared suggest that such a man was a suitable candidate for baptism. Cornelius’ conversion was not the result of skillful planning by the church. All events were directed by the hand of God. After the fact, the church had to be dragged kicking and screaming to keep up with the advancing purposes of God. It seems the Lord is ever eager to enlarge his table to make room for a greater variety of people.

SERMON:  “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?”

SCRIPTURE:  Acts 10:1–11:18       

“A Roman Soldier Becomes a Christian”

There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, who was a captain in the Roman army. He was a religious man; he and his whole family worshiped God. He also did much to help the Jewish poor people and was constantly praying to God. It was about three o'clock one afternoon when he had a vision, in which he clearly saw an angel. He stared at the angel and said, “What is it, sir?” The angel answered, “God is pleased with your prayers and works of charity. He wants you to send someone to Joppa to find a certain man whose full name is Simon Peter and bring him here.

Three days later Peter arrived where Cornelius was waiting for him, together with relatives and close friends. Peter went into the house and said to them, “You all know that we Jews are forbidden by our religion to visit or associate with non-Jews. But now I realize that God treats everyone the same. Those who honor God and do what is right are acceptable to him, no matter what race they are. While Peter was still speaking, the Spirit of God came down on all those who were listening. The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were amazed that God had poured out his gift of the Spirit on non-Jews. They heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said: “These people have received the Holy Spirit, just as we did. Can any of you object to them being baptized?” So, he baptized them in the name of Jesus Christ. Then Cornelius asked Peter and his companions to be his guests for a few days.

Meanwhile, in Judea when the apostles and other Jewish believers heard that Peter had received Gentiles into the church, they became very upset. So, when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the Jewish believers who insisted that Gentiles must convert to Judaism before joining the church, criticized him for what he had done. They also reprimanded him for agreeing to be a guest in the home of a non-Jew and sharing meals with them!  Acts 10:1-5, 10:24, 28, 34-35, 44-48; 11:1-3

THE DAY—THE WAY

by John Oxenham

Not for one single day, can I discern the way,

But this I surely know—

Who gives the day will show the way,

So I securely go.

Blessings to you all,

  Pastor Norm

This Service on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/Wel4BDB1Usw?si=AMZ0Rlu-ycPAIK-7