27. Thy Prayer Is Heard

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Hymns: RHC 134 Why Do I Sing About Jesus? 354 God Leads Us Along 284 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Acts 10:24-35

24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. 25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. 28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? 30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. 33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Thy Prayer Is Heard

OUTLINE

  • Prayer Posture (v24-27)
  • Prayer’s Provision (v28-33)
  • Prayer’s Power/Reach (v34-35)

INTRODUCTION

Thy Prayers Is Heard – Acts 10:24-35. I find a good definition of prayer given by Hunt and Walker in a series called “Disciple’s Prayer Life – Walking in Fellowship with God”. This is how prayer was defined: 

“Prayer is the fellowship of the highest Being in the universe with the highest and noblest of His own creation…Prayer is a joint work (2 Cor. 6:1), a divine work. Prayer is the divine use of human faculties and the human use of divine faculties. The trade-off is marvellously unequal, and yet that is exactly what God wants – the fellowship of those He does not need but desire.”

Man is connected with His Creator God through prayer. Prayer therefore is communion with the invisible God. It is in prayer that man finds his greatest fulfilment and satisfaction in life. Because he is connected with the Source of his being or life!

It is God who reaches out to man so that man may be reconnected with Him. How does God reach out to man? The Bible tells us.

John 3:16-20 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Our text brings us to the man Cornelius whom God loved and who seeks with all his heart to be connection the Source of his being. We saw in our first message the Portrait of a God-Fearer. 

  1. His Piety (v2a & c, 6-7)
    1. His Family (v2b)
    1. His Charity (v2c)

And last week, we said there is 

  • No Un-Saveable Sinner (v9-16)
  • Go With the Gospel (v10-23)

Peter was sent to Cornelius and Cornelius was told to receive God’s messenger. 

This is a scene of a visitation meeting that materialise through prayer.

  • Prayer Posture (v24-27)
  • Prayer’s Provision (v28-33)
  • Prayer’s Power/Reach (v34-35)

(1) Prayer Posture (v24-27)

24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. 25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. 

We left our text last week with two men coming to Peter in Joppa inviting him to visit Cornelius in Caesarea.

We notice how both Cornelius and Peter received guidance from the Lord during times of prayer. Commit yourself to spend regular periods of time in prayer. As you do, be attentive. The Lord may give you guidance on a particular decision or issue you face.

In the Near Eastern cultures, prostrating oneself before a king or superior is a sign of respect. The word means “to designate the custom of prostrating oneself before a person and kissing his feet, the hem of his garment, the ground…”

Peter said, “Stand up, I am only a man.”

We observe here the attitude of this man Cornelius in wanting to seek God. He humbled himself and understood his lowly position before God.

He was reminded of the vision that he saw. 

It was against the Jewish law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. It would render them ritually impure.

Doubtless, Peter had searched the Scriptures literally the night before or mentally since seeing the vision on the roof top.Gentile evangelism was not an afterthought in God’s redemptive plan. It was true that God has elected the Jews from the rest of mankind, but only because He wanted them to be a demonstration to all the other nations of the relationship God wants to have with every nation and every people.

The full implication of the coming of Christ and the inauguration of the new covenant has not dawned on Peter. God is lifting the distinction between clean and unclean foods – a boundary that separates Jews from Gentiles.

Cornelius showed forth a poverty of spirit and a willingness to seek God.

“Blessed are the poor.” None ever considered the poor as Jesus did, but here he is speaking of a poverty of spirit, a lowliness of heart, an absence of self-esteem. Where that kind of spirit is found, it is sweet poverty: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Blessed are those who are conscious of their own spiritual need.

How poor are they that think themselves rich! How rich are they that see themselves to be poor! I call it the jewel of poverty.

No man ever mourns before God until he is poor in spirit, neither does he become meek towards others till he has humble views of himself; hungering and thirsting after righteousness are not possible to those who have high views of their own excellence, and mercy to those who offend is a grace too! Difficult for those who are unconscious of their own spiritual need.

DO NOT LOOK AT YOURSELF, EMPTY YOURSELF. WHEN WE EMPTY OURSELVES, WE SEEK GOD. LOOK TO HIM, LOOK FOR HIM!

(2) Prayer’s Provision (v28-33) 

28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? 30And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. 33Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. 

God answers prayer. 

In fact, Jesus declared all foods to be clean during his ministry.

Mark 7:15-16 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Jesus emphasized that it is actually sinful thoughts and tendencies that defile people rather than what they eat. 

Mark 7:18-19 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

Mark 7:20-25 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

God now impresses the reality of this teaching of Jesus on Peter by means of this vision. Of course, this is a critical time. The gentiles are not to be incorporated into the new people of God.

(3) Prayer’s Power/Preach (v34-35)

34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

God does not show favouritism. God has never shown partiality toward one group of people over another. 

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:

2 Chronicles 19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

The word “accept” us frequently to describe the presentation of sacrifices in the worship of Israel. 

Leviticus 1:3-4 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. 4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Practicing righteousness in the Jewish context was understood as observing the law, not simply being a good person. Observing the law does not merit salvation. What Peter is expressing is that fearing God and seeking to follow His ways puts a person in an acceptable state (of repentance) to hear and receive the message of salvation and release from sins. Cornelius still needs salvation.

Come to God with reverence. How to approach God?

Godly fear and in sincerity and in truth!

To fear God means to reverence God with a careful reverence.

Get casual, get careless, lose the awe, lose the respect, lose the fear of the Lord. Over and over and over again in the Bible we are admonished to fear God.[1]

Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Psalm 115:13 He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

Psalm 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

What we need friend, is to fear the Lord. Now, I’m not talking about a negative fear. 

Do you know the difference between a slave and a son? A slave fears his master’s lash. But a son fears his father’s displeasure. Now I don’t want to break God’s heart. 

I think the best illustration I can give you of the kind of fear that I’m talking about comes from Mark 4. It’s when Jesus stilled the waves. Mark 4:37, listen to this. “And there arose a great storm of wind and the waves beat into the ship so that it was full.” That is, the water is up to the gunnels. It’s about to sink. It’s about to swamp. It’s about to go under. “… and he [Jesus] was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow”. Now you talk about confidence. Either he was mighty confident or mighty tires. “….asleep on a pillow. And they awakened him and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?” How can we sleep? We are sinking. 

Now listen to him as he rebukes them. “And he said unto them, why are ye so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And Jesus rebuked that kind of fear. But now listen to the very next verse. “And they feared exceedingly and said one to another, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” 

He rebuked them for fearing and in the very next verse they feared Him in a very wonderful and a wonderful way. One kind of fear was condemned because it was faithless. The other was exonerated and commended because it was reverential awe. Listen, never never get careless about your Christian life. Never lose the reverence. Have a careful reverence for God.

CONCLUSION

  • Prayer Posture (v24-27)
  • Prayer’s Provision (v28-33)
  • Prayer’s Power/Reach (v34-35) 

[1] The Adrian Rogers Legacy Collection – The Adrian Rogers Legacy Collection – Sermons.