200 She was converted and bore a sweet testimony to how God heard and saved her. v. 29. For what intent have ye sent for me? A prepared preacher and a prepared people means an outpoured Spirit.—Horton. v. 30. Behold, a man stood before me. It was COMMENTS FROM while he was MANY SOURCES praying t h a t Keith L. Brooks the heavenly vis itant came and it is then that they are most likely to come to us (Dan. 9:21; Lk. 1:10, 11- 3:21, 22; 9:29.— Torrey. v. 31. Thy prayer Is heard. Cor nelius was a man who prayed and pub licly acknowledged God. What lacked he yet? Ask him and he will tell you that he is not at rest and why. “ I seek but I have not yet found. I seek God, but is He mine with my sins of which I see daily more in my life and which His own word reveals to me so clear ly? I have no peace.” Salvation is no mere frame of mind, no virtuous exer tion'. He is a living Person. He gives Himself and the soul has rest. That man who is satisfied with praying has never prayed aright. The man whom God teaches to pray cannot rest until he has the Saviour Himself.— Saphir. There are many who know the Gospel, and professing to believe it, must feel ashamed when they compare themselves with the centurion— of whom it cannot be said they are devout, they fear God with all their houses, they give alms and pray.— S. S. v. 33. I sent to thee. How unlike many today who know they need a message of salvation and know who can tell it to them but do not act.— Torrey. We are present before God. A good recipe for all who listen to sermons.— K. B. This was an ideal congregation. They were unanimous, devout and eager.:—SeL To hear all things. Scrip ture gives 'the record of a king who was not willing to hear all that God would say to him. He took his pen knife and cut out what he did not like and threw it into the fire. (Jer. 36:22, 23.) In our day there are many who dot not take what they do not like in Scripture.— Haldeman. v. 34. God is no respecter of per-
T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S sons. In Jesus Christ neither circum cision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, for by His finished work the door of the Gospel has been opened to “ who soever believeth.” Whatever nation one may be of, though far removed from the seed of Abraham, that will be no prejudice to him if he will receive God’s appointed sacrifice.— Sum. Bible. v. 35. In every nation. Observe— not in “ every religion” according to a common distortion of these words.— J. F. & B. He that worketh righteousness is accepted. The word is “ acceptable.” It does not teach that God will accept them on the ground of their own works of righteousness. To do so would be to contradict the testimony of the angel that Cornelius was to be saved through the words Peter should preach unto him. (11:14.) It would render Peter’s mis sion foolish. The ground of acceptance Peter proceeds to declare, (vs. 39-43.) -—Haldeman. God is willing to accept service and righteousness from all who accept His Son.— Cook. While no one who has not accepted Christ is saved (Rom. 10:9, 10), nevertheless anyone who honestly seeks to know God’s will and do it, even though he is under the curse (Gal. 3:10-13), is acceptable as one to whom He will make known the way of salvation and thus save him. (Jn. 7:17.) -¿-Torrey. v. 36. Peace by Jesus Christ. The glorious sum- of all Gospel truth. (1 Cor. 1:20-22.)— Jamieson. Sent to the children of Israel. The word of peace was first preached unto Israel as God’s chosen people but now God is the giver of remission of sins to every one that believeth on Him. (v. 43.) The mes sage was now to be between God and the Jew and Gentile alike.— Camb. Bible. v. 40. Showed Him openly. Many proofs were given to those who saw Jesus that it was the same body, even though now glorified, which had been wounded on the cross, that was alive again.-—Lumby. v. 42. Judge of quick and dead. He had before proclaimed Him Lord of all for the dispensing of peace to all alike, (v. 36.) Now he announces Him in the same supreme Lordship for the exercise of judgment upon all alike. (See Jn. 5:22, 23, 27.) Thus we have here all Gospel truth in brief. Forgiveness from the Exalted One is the closing note of Peter’s beautifuly simple discourse.— J.
Made with FlippingBook HTML5