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THE BOOK OF ACTS

CHAPTER 10

THE CHALLENGE OF CHAPTER TEN

Just like Cornelius, there are people who have hearts toward God that have not yet heard the
message of salvation. We must always remember God is searching for hearts that hunger after
Him, regardless of how they look or talk. We must always guard against prejudice, exclusivity,
and disrespect of people because of their nationality, race, gender, or social status. Obeying
God and the leading of the Holy Spirit ministering to all people should be a vital and integral
part of our daily Christian life.

SNAPSHOT

In fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8, witnesses have taken the gospel to “Jerusalem [the
Jews]” (Chapter 2), and “Judea [the Samaritans]” (Chapter 8). Now, in Acts 10, They will now
take the gospel to “the uttermost part of the earth.”

In this chapter, Peter will receive a clearer understanding of God’s will for the entire world. But
while Peter’s vision is becoming clearer, the vision of the church at Jerusalem is becoming more
clouded. In Acts 11, Peter will be challenged about ministering to the Gentiles, because church

leaders have forgotten the admonition of Jesus. They do eventually recover, but only
temporarily. Seeds of discrimination and bigotry have already arisen in the church against
other nations receiving the goodness and blessing of the Lord.

AN ANGEL APPEARS TO CORNELIUS (1-8)

Cornelius is a devout man who prays and is generous in giving money to those in need. An
angel appears to him instructing him to send a delegation to find Peter. Cornelius obeys and
sends men to Joppa

THE CITY OF CAESAREA

Herod the Great built Caesarea as a seaport for the Jews. It took Herod 10 years to dredge the
cliffs along the Mediterranean before he could build this great city. He then named the city
after his close friend, Julius Caesar.

When the Romans took over Palestine, they made Caesarea their headquarters. It then
became despised by the Jews because it represented heathenism to them. Greek culture took
over, and the city later became the nerve center of the Gentile world.

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