Normal or Supernatural – 9

 Normal or Supernatural – 9

Subject – Cornelius Going from Normal to Supernatural

by Rick Welborne

Acts 10:1-8 (NIV)
¹  At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.
²  He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
³  One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
⁴  Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.
⁵  Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.
⁶  He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."
⁷  When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.
⁸  He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa. 

--As I continue reading through the Book of Acts I see this theme over and over where God is taking someone or a group of people from the normal to the supernatural. 

--So far we have seen the disciples and the 120 go from normal to supernatural. We have seen a lame man at the gate of the temple be transformed. We have seen persecuted believers re-filled with Holy Spirit.

--We have seen ordinary men of God, considered laity in the church, be transformed by Holy Spirit power and become deacons in the church. They were used to do the supernatural.

--We saw how Stephen who had been anointed for service stand before obstinate leaders with boldness, preach God’s Word with power, and lay down his life as a martyr. Supernatural enablement. 

--We saw Philip in a city in Samaria used by God to see the sick healed and those with evil spirits set free. He showed us what it meant to be transported by God to another place of ministry. Supernatural. 

--We witnessed the total transformation of Saul as God took him from being a normal angry man seeking to kill the Christians and the church to a supernatural, Spirit-filled preacher of the Gospel.

--We saw Peter used of God to heal a paralytic who had been bed-ridden for eight years and a lady named Tabitha raised from the dead. Normal dead. Alive supernaturally. 

--Cornelius was evidently an incredible person. He was a leader (a centurion), he was a family man, he was devout and God fearing, he was generous, and he was a man of prayer. 

--Probably any pastor I know would want Cornelius to be a member of his church and would undoubtedly have him in some type of leadership position. 

--He was extremely sensitive to God and His voice in his life. He was willing to quickly obey whatever God spoke to him or to do what he felt was right. Interesting what Jesus said about obeying His commands:

John 14:15-17 (NKJV)
¹⁵  "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
¹⁶  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
¹⁷  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

1. For Cornelius to go from normal to supernatural he must be born again. 

--Does God answer the prayers of sinners? I had someone tell me that Jesus would never answer the prayer of a sinner. Really? My response was how could we ever be saved if that were true?

--Someone here at our church many years ago asked me a very common question people ask who are not very familiar with the Word of God. 

--Pastor, don’t you believe there are people in every religion who are saved? Won’t they make it to Heaven?

--I asked this person if he believed people of other religions would make it to heaven as long as they were crying out to God (their version of who he was) in sincerity? He said “yes” which was disconcerting to me.

--God would never send a person to hell who, in their heart, felt like they were praying to the right being. I told him I understand the dilemma we have with people’s sincerity but they can be sincerely wrong. Many are.

--Let me ask all of us here today and those who are livestreaming with us…was Cornelius born again according to God’s Standard, the Word of God? Look again at our text:

Acts 10:2 (NIV)
²  He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 

--As far as we know, Cornelius and his house had not become proselytes of the Jewish religion but had gravitated toward the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He prayed. 

--There are many people who pray regularly and who are generous. You could definitely say that they have a godly fear and want to do what was right.

--My mom was a difficult case because she was generous and she acknowledged God was real and that He was ultimately in charge. She was not saved or born again.

--She would tell me…Ricky, I am better than many of those people who are down at your church. I would say to her…you are right but being good does not make you right in God’s eyes.

Philippians 3:8-10 (NLT2)
⁸  Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ
⁹  and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
¹⁰  I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,

--Many people pray (I did before I got saved) but are not right with God. Many people acknowledge there is a God (so do demons and they tremble), and many people are generous but they are not saved. 

--Cornelius had so much going for him and he even had a desire to know this God in a more intimate way. This is why God thru an angel had him send for Peter. 

Acts 10:33-36 (NKJV)
³³  So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God."
³⁴  Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
³⁵  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
³⁶  The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all.

--Again, Cornelius was God fearing, generous, and a man of prayer but there was one thing that was lacking in his life.

Acts 4:10-12 (NKJV)
¹⁰  let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
¹¹  This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'
¹²  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

--Think about this…many of the countries our missionaries go to are filled with people who pray regularly but the reason we send missionaries is so they can hear Jesus preached. No other Name!

--Pastor Rick, you still have not convinced me Biblically that Cornelius was not already saved before Peter came and preached to he and his family. He prayed and he was generous! Ok! Watch this: Peter’s defense: 

Acts 11:13-14 (NKJV)
¹³  And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,
¹⁴  who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.'

--Cornelius needed Jesus just like we need Jesus to be saved. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life!

2. For Cornelius to go from normal to supernatural he needed a Gentile Pentecost.

Acts 10:44-48 (NKJV)
⁴⁴  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
⁴⁵  And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
⁴⁶  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
⁴⁷  "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
⁴⁸  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

--Think about this…even the Christian or completed Jews did not think that a Gentile could be saved, much less, be filled with Holy Spirit power.

--Peter, again is obedient to the Great Commission and to go where God wants him to go. How many awesome things would happen in our lives if we would simply just do what God tells us to do.

--When I was a youth pastor in Covington, Louisiana, I was out on a Friday night. The Lord said, “Go to Pizza Inn for dinner. I knew He was trying to set me up like He did Peter.

--I got to share Christ with several tables of young people who ended up coming to my youth group. On the way out a young lady (Desiree) was sitting alone. God said speak to her and I did. She got saved that Sunday.

--Cornelius represents so many people who are out there who are hungry and are looking for Jesus. They may not know that’s what they need and that is where we come in. Go and tell them!

Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) ⁶  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 

--Cornelius was hungry for something better. What happened? Jesus was preached, salvation came, and Holy Spirit fell on him and his house.

--He and his house received Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues just like they had done in the beginning. This promise is for you, your children, your children’s children, to all who are afar off. Everyone!

--God had opened up a new door of ministry to the Gentiles. The Great Commission expanded! PTL!

--God is always looking for people who are hungry and thirsty for Him and who are desiring more of Him and His presence! 

2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV)
⁹  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…

--Cornelius wanted all God had for him. He received more than he could even imagine. He found out Jesus was to be Lord and Savior. He also, was baptized in Holy Spirit power! Can you imagine the witness he became?

3. Cornelius wanted even more. 

Acts 10:47-48 (NKJV)
⁴⁷  "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
⁴⁸  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

--After salvation and Holy Spirit baptism Cornelius followed the Lord in water baptism. He wanted to identify with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. 

Romans 6:3-5 (NKJV)
³  Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
⁴  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
⁵  For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

--And they wanted even more…They asked Peter to stay a few days! So hungry for more! They wanted to go from normal to supernatural! More, Lord!