The Cornelius Story, Acts 10 The story started with a man from Caesarea called Cornelius, “centurion of the band called Italian band” (v.1). Basically, Cornelius was a Gentile. He is known to be “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always” (v. 2). As Baptist, we strongly believe that good works cannot save. There must be someone to tell Cornelius about the Gospel. The angel of God talked with Cornelius through a vision to send men to Joppa to call Peter to tell him what he should do, (vv. 3-7) Peter was also fallen in a trance to be convinced to go to Cornelius to share to him the gospel (10:8-33; 11:14). Peter started his preaching to Cornelius that “God is no respector of persons. But in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him” (Acts 10:34-35). Peter opened the Gospel which was only for the Jews to the house of Cornelius, with this note: Acts 11:36, That Word which God sent unto the children of Israel . . . Acts 11:37, That Word I say, ye know . . . Peter preached the same message that was given to the Jews. That Gospel that was of the Jews has become to the Gentiles also. God sent missionary to the house of Cornelius. Cornelius and all his house was saved and was baptized and received the Holy Ghost. What makes Cornelius so special? What was in Cornelius that makes to send an angel to him and Peter and send Peter to be a missionary to him? The answer is found in verses 2 and 22. Verse 2 declares that Cornelius “gave much alms to the people.” Who was that people? Verse 22 says that Cornelius received a “good report among all the nation of the Jews.” This alms became a memorial in the sight of God. Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God . Acts 10:4 Cornelius helped the Jews. God favoured him. God sent Peter to share to him the gospel for him to be saved (Acts 11:14). Genesis 12:3, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Digging Deeper into our Philippine History We are the only country in the entire world that saved 1, 200 Jews during the Holocaust. When Hitler sold Jews for money to profit Germany, no one bought Jews except the Philippines. The Philippines, through Pres. Manuel L. Quezon opened the door of Philippines to the fleeing Jews. He even opened a bigger door by welcoming 100,000 Jews that were sent to Mindanao, but sadly out of this noble effort, only 1, out of 200 Jews was saved. In Rishon LeZion, “First in Zion”, was erected a monument recognizing the Philippines as the only country to help fleeing Jews during the Holocaust. As a sign of goodwill, a monument was conceptualized on 2005 and was erected in 2009 with a name “Open Doors Monument”. Not only a monument was erected but Filipinos visiting Israel will no longer need a VISA. *Why is it that of all the countries in Asia and even the world, Philippines enjoyed so much freedom of the gospel? We become now number 1, by proportion in missionary sending. Why Philippines is so blessed with the Gospel? Digging deeper upon our history, we have been a help to the Jews in Holocaust and in the establishment of the modern Israel. We are the only country who saved 1, 200 Jews during the Holocaust in 1940 and we are the only Asian country who voted for the creation of the nation of Israel in 1948.
Principle of Application In Hermeneutics, there is a principle called, “The Principle of Application”. We are not the person involved, but we do what that person did. In this case Cornelius in application to what Philippines has done. Cornelius gave much alms to the Jews. The Philippines sent 10, 000 VISAs and saving 1, 200. God sent missionary to Cornelius in the person of Peter. After the 2nd World War (WWII), God sent missionaries into this country, and most of us are products of American missionaries. Why Americans? Because they are the willing and available missionaries. Bible Examples Three Bible accounts where helping the Jews gave them the opportunity to be saved. 1. Rahab was saved by helping the Jewish spies. And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. Joshua 6:17 2. The Ethiopian Eunuch was saved through the witness of Philip from his worship at Jerusalem. He must have brought some present to Jerusalem knowing the Bible details what kind of person he was. “And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,” Acts 8:27 3. Cornelius gave much alms to the nation of the Jews. If my understanding is wrong, forgive me. But I found no reason why Philippines was blessed of the gospel just like Rahab, the Ethiopian Eunuch, and Cornelius was saved. Genesis 12:3, as I reiterate, “I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curseth thee, and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” References:
http://www.philippine-embassy.org.il/the-open-doors-monument/33-history-of-the-jews-in-the-philippines http://thenutbox.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/how-jews-found-refuge-in-the-philippines-during-the-holocaust/ http://www.truth-that-matters.com/prophecies13and14.htm http://www.philippine-embassy.org.il/the-open-doors-monument http://globalnation.inquirer.net/47492/jews-honor-manuel-l-quezon-on-his-134th-birthday http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=727976&publicationSubCategoryId=94