The Man Who Looked for Something
Better
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who
heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter
were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even
on the Gentiles Acts 10: 44-45
The Life of a Soldier
When I was a young teen and would be driving with my father in the car and
he happened to see a young person who looked unkempt, long hair, slouching
gait--that sort of thing, there was an automatic response. He would say as
if I had not heard this before, "I would like to get that young fellow in
basic training" My dad had been a basic training instructor at the beginning
of W.W.II. He would continue, "I would get him on a twenty mile route march
with a fifty pound backpack. Teach him to stand up straight. Cut his hair.
Make a man out of him!"
I of course would slouch so no one would see me with this guy from the middle
ages and mutter, "Dad, not everyone needs to go in the army you know..."
Or something like that.
As I get older I think he had a point. Teaching discipline and self respect
to those who have little respect for themselves or others is not a bad thing.
I am not sure about all of my dad's philosophy, but if he were here, he would
be thinking--"see I told you!" I would have to admit that he had.
Not everyone who undergoes military training comes out the other end as a
model citizen, but in many cases it makes a real contribution. You have to
have the raw material to start with but in the gospels and in Acts we see
more than one soldier who is portrayed in very positive terms.
Case in point, a Roman centurion named Cornelius.
A centurion meant a commander of 100 men. Maybe not exactly, but thereabouts.
They were the equivalent in rank of Captain to Lt. Colonel in a modern army,
depending on promotions. These men could become staff officers, but had to
prove themselves first as battlefield commanders who led from the front,
and often suffered high casualties. To lead well and be promoted, a centurion
had to prove himself worthy to his men.
Character counted when steel met steel.
What we are told is that Cornelius is a centurion in the Italian Regiment
and garrisoned at Caesarea, the Roman administrative center for the region.
We are told he is a devout man, a gentile who admired the God of the Jews,
who gave generously to those in need and prayed regularly.
This is a sterling commentary on this gentile.
And put it up against the background we are not specifically told, but can
easily surmise.
It is unlikely he is originally from around there. Like military families
today, Caesarea may have been just one of many postings as he proved himself.
We don't know if he is from Italy. He could have been born in Asia or Syria
as there were many from there in Roman uniform.
Wherever he is from it is likely he had been around the mediterranean
world to a significant degree with the Roman army.
He likely had seen a lot of life in the empire in a lot of different places.
In the military garrisons where he lived and moved, he would have seen much
of the empire's different religions and the temples of many deities—and there
were a number of those. But when he came to Judea, he apparently saw
something different and decided that what he saw was for him.
Life Among the gods
There were many gods for special causes. Healing and prosperity were the
two favorites.
You went to the temple or shrine of the god when you wanted something. There
were various rituals and offerings that were required. Sometimes the cultic
ceremony involved indecent aspects such as prostitution.
You did what was required to obtain what you wanted. Once the transaction
was complete, your obligation was complete, and the god made on further claim
on you or your life, unless your wants were on a continuing basis.
The worship of the God of the Jews was totally different in that respect.
The Jewish God was one who claimed sovereignty over all of life for all time.
Not a niche “go-to” god for occasional use.
The God of the Jews demanded allegiance in all ways of life and claimed to
rule over land, sea and sky and all creatures therein. No other gods made
such a claim. At best they were local deities of a particular tribe or location.
But what was even more notable about the God of the Jews was the universal
law that governed all of life. It was based on a high moral and ethical code,
and there was none like it in all the ancient world. Sure other cultures
had a moral code of conduct, but the Torah, the law of God, claimed sovereignty
over king and commoner alike.
No other culture was governed by a high moral code by which even kings could
be held accountable to a higher power. It was the law of God that set the
template for documents like Magna Carta and the American constitution.
This is not Judeo Christian jingoism, this is historical fact, and was the
groundwork that permitted the prophets of Israel, those fearless shining
stars of antiquity to step out and face down kings and queens, when they
abused their powers.
Cornelius was not alone in his admiration for what he saw in Judaism. Jesus
encountered such a man and admired the man's faith.
Paul was escorted to Rome by a centurion, also notable for his character
and fair treatment of Paul.
What we have in Cornelius is a man who was looking for something better in
life and knew it when we found it.
And God honored him for his search and his insight, and his character.
Life with God
This passage in Acts is teaching us something very profound. Peter was sent
to Cornelius not because Cornelius needed Peter, but because Peter needed
Cornelius.
God was going to use this fine gentile to teach Peter a lesson and through
Peter to open a doorway in the church to the gentile world.
Peter goes to Cornelius' house--something a good Jew would not do as gentiles
were unclean.
But God gives him a vision and Peter obeys.
Peter begins to teach about Jesus, but before he can even conclude his lesson,
we are told that the Holy Spirit comes to Cornelius and his entire family
just like on the day of Pentecost.
Through this event, God shows Peter that He, God has chosen this gentile
in the same way He chose Peter and the rest and that they were to be accepted
into the fellowship not on the basis of becoming Jews, but by their faith
in Jesus.
This is a huge matter and it took a while for the Jewish church to accept
it, but eventually they did.
Just like last week when I spoke about the Ethiopian eunuch, God was opening
doors closed for centuries.
But it is just as instructive to look at the life of this Roman centurion
and learn from him.
God looks for those with a compassionate heart. Cornelius was a compassionate
man.
God looks for those who are drawn to Him. Cornelius was a man of prayer,
even though he was not a Jew.
And I think what sums up Cornelius is he was a man who wanted better than
what he had seen around him and found it in Jesus.
So with us?
Can God stir up in us a desire for something better?
Will we open our hearts and minds to believe that what is, is not the best
that can be?
And will we be dissatisfied until God opens the door and leads us to His
best?
When you are a believer all or most of your life, I think this is one of
the greatest pitfalls lose a sense of holy dissatisfaction with the status
quo.
Many Christians spend their lives trying to keep the status quo and resisting
those who long for something better.
Where do you stand?
Do you look for a better world, a better life, and do you believe we can
find it together in some measure here and now?
Or does talk like that make you want to step on the brake pedal?
Do you have a vision of God leading us to better and higher?
Are you willing to pray like Cornelius to find it, and in the meantime be
compassionate with those around you?
I think we can learn a lot from this man.
Lets put some of his character into our own lives.
I believe it is what God would want. I think He proved that with this Roman
soldier.
Preached May 17, 2009
Dr. Harold McNabb
West Shore Presbyterian
Church
Victoria, British Columbia
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