The Holy Spirit uses people to enlarge the Kingdom of God. When
people are not willing to be used of God, they grieve the Holy Spirit,
and, as a result, the Kingdom ceases to grow. As Jesus began His earthly
ministry, the people played a prominent role in promoting His ministry.
The masses came to see and witness the power and authority that Jesus
displayed. Amazed at the miracles which He preformed, they sought out
the sick and possessed and brought them to Jesus for His healing touch.
So was the case with a certain Centurion. This elite soldier was
stationed in the seaside town of Capernaum. Through the influence of the
Jewish community, he became receptive to their religion. He built a
Synagogue so they could easily hear and study the Word of their God. One
day the Centurion's servant became gravely ill. He had heard the people
talk about a "prophet/ teacher" that healed people. He summoned the
elders of the Jews and urged them to bring the miracle worker to him.
They came to Jesus and beseeched Him to respond to the Centurion's
request. Jesus consented, and as He made His way to the soldier's house,
He encountered a number of people who were bringing a message from the
Centurion himself. He was asking Jesus not to come to his house, for he
felt he was not worthy. All that Jesus needed to do was to speak and his
servant would recover. The request and expectation resulted in the
servant being healed and for Jesus to say, "... I have not found so
great faith, no, not in Israel." (Luke 7:9) There is no hint that the
Centurion knew whom Jesus really was, but he began to understand who God
was. A beautiful account, but it may not have ended there!
Forty miles from Capernaum lay the city of Caesarea, the seat of Roman authority in the conquered land of Israel. The soldiers stationed there were the elite. Those with certain leadership ability were promoted from other assignments to be part of the Caesarean group. One such individual was a man named Cornelius. He was the Centurion of the special group called the "Italian band/cohort." This man was a devout advocate and follower of God. He prayed continually and gave a lot of money to the people. This should not surprise us, for this could be the same Centurion whose servant was healed while he was stationed in Capernaum. It had been less than ten years since that wonderful miracle had happened. His relationship with God was limited to the Jewish mindset. Cornelius may have realized there was still something lacking in his life, so with the faith he had exhibited previously, he quests for a deeper spiritual experience. The Bible says that he was a just man and feared God. He also had a good reputation among the Jews. Motivated from a vision, he summoned Peter, who was in Joppa, to come to Caesarea and share whatever God put on his heart. Peter came with his entourage and shared the expanded Truth to a household of spiritual seekers. The Holy Spirit fell upon them and Cornelius and his household were saved! (Acts 10:1 through 11:18)
Cornelius started on the road to eternal life, but it took him almost ten years to understand who Jesus really was. He knew the Jewish faith, but no one had explained to him that the way to know God was through Jesus. Cornelius and his cohort could have been sent to Jerusalem to reinforce the Roman Garrison during the Passover in Jerusalem, and even witnessed the crucifixion of the one whom had brought healing to his servant. I wonder what he thought, when he witnessed the people turning against Jesus. Ten years later, it all came together as Peter brought the "rest of the story" to him. Lacking in Cornelius' life was the new birth and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Through Peter's response to the vision, the Centurion would finally understand who Jesus really was.
How many pray and give their monetary donation to their places of worship and feel that is what the Kingdom of God is all about? It is more than praying and writing a check. It is an internal change that results in an eternal destiny. There are people in churches today that have been deceived into thinking that the traditional and ritualistic beliefs are all that is necessary to being a Christian, but it is far more than that. The sincerity of the people is without question, but what they need to do is sincerely quest for the full Truth. We need more willing to be used like Peter, for there are many more like Cornelius out there!
Forty miles from Capernaum lay the city of Caesarea, the seat of Roman authority in the conquered land of Israel. The soldiers stationed there were the elite. Those with certain leadership ability were promoted from other assignments to be part of the Caesarean group. One such individual was a man named Cornelius. He was the Centurion of the special group called the "Italian band/cohort." This man was a devout advocate and follower of God. He prayed continually and gave a lot of money to the people. This should not surprise us, for this could be the same Centurion whose servant was healed while he was stationed in Capernaum. It had been less than ten years since that wonderful miracle had happened. His relationship with God was limited to the Jewish mindset. Cornelius may have realized there was still something lacking in his life, so with the faith he had exhibited previously, he quests for a deeper spiritual experience. The Bible says that he was a just man and feared God. He also had a good reputation among the Jews. Motivated from a vision, he summoned Peter, who was in Joppa, to come to Caesarea and share whatever God put on his heart. Peter came with his entourage and shared the expanded Truth to a household of spiritual seekers. The Holy Spirit fell upon them and Cornelius and his household were saved! (Acts 10:1 through 11:18)
Cornelius started on the road to eternal life, but it took him almost ten years to understand who Jesus really was. He knew the Jewish faith, but no one had explained to him that the way to know God was through Jesus. Cornelius and his cohort could have been sent to Jerusalem to reinforce the Roman Garrison during the Passover in Jerusalem, and even witnessed the crucifixion of the one whom had brought healing to his servant. I wonder what he thought, when he witnessed the people turning against Jesus. Ten years later, it all came together as Peter brought the "rest of the story" to him. Lacking in Cornelius' life was the new birth and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Through Peter's response to the vision, the Centurion would finally understand who Jesus really was.
How many pray and give their monetary donation to their places of worship and feel that is what the Kingdom of God is all about? It is more than praying and writing a check. It is an internal change that results in an eternal destiny. There are people in churches today that have been deceived into thinking that the traditional and ritualistic beliefs are all that is necessary to being a Christian, but it is far more than that. The sincerity of the people is without question, but what they need to do is sincerely quest for the full Truth. We need more willing to be used like Peter, for there are many more like Cornelius out there!
By Paul W Hoffmaster
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