“The LORD of
All”
"There
was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called
the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with
all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God
always." (v.1-2)
Cornelius
was a first-century Roman military official. He was assigned the task of
maintaining order in the turbulent area of Judea. Most Romans of that time
believed in many gods but, not Cornelius. He feared the one true God, gave
generously to the needy, and prayed regularly (v.2). Even though the Jewish
people didn't accept him as one of their own, God recognized him as one of His.
Because
of Cornelius' faith, God chose him for a special assignment and sent an angel
to tell him what to do. The angel didn't explain why, and he didn't say what
the outcome would be, but Cornelius followed the instructions. Because he
obeyed, he and his household became the first Gentile believers to receive the
Holy Spirit (v.45).
The example
of Cornelius shows us that God has no partiality (v.34), He is not just the God
of the Jews, but of the gentiles as well. His promises of salvation and the
gift of the Holy Spirit are for all who believe.
He is the LORD of all (v.36).
The Truth
“Jew and
Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives
generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:12-13)
