A Preacher for a People
Acts 10: 5-8
The way our Lord promised to call out his elect from the nations was through the gospel of his Son using pastors whom the Lord has sent. (Isa 1: 24-26; 30: 20; Jer 3: 14, 15; 23: 1-4; Eph 4: 11, 12.) Notice with what precision the Lord directed Cornelius to Peter.
· The Lord told Cornelius the exact city--now send men to Joppa.
· The Lord told Cornelius the exact name of his preacher--call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.
· The Lord told Cornelius exactly where his messenger could be found--he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side
· The Lord told Cornelius exactly why he was to hear Peter--he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
First, when folks attempt to justify themselves for not assembling where the Lord has established his church, they often question whether or not it is necessary for believer's to assemble together at all. Not only did it please God to make it absolutely necessary, but the Lord Jesus our King rules all things to make it absolutely come to pass (1 Cor 1: 18, 21; Rom 1: 16; Dan 2: 20.) Whether the Lord sends the gospel into Jerusalem to deliver his church out of the hands of Pharisees, or whether he sends a hurricane to strand Paul on an island like Malta, or whether the Lord sends Peter with his gospel to an elect Gentile like Cornelius, and those elect in his household, it is the Lord's will to do so and he has the power to do so.
Secondly, as we see Cornelius' willingness to send for Peter we also see how the Lord gives his people a desire to hear of Christ. Cornelius esteemed the words of the Lord's mouth more than his necessary food (Job 23: 12.) Cornelius declared with David, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psa 119: 103.) Hearing of the Messiah was so much more important to Cornelius than his daily bread that he even sent away two of his household servants and a devout soldier who provided his daily necessities for him continually. That meant he would do without those temporal things while they were gone. He could but the Word of God he must have. So it is when the Lord directs one of his "certain men" to his table, the believer makes haste to hear the Lord's word, no matter what worldly "honey" he has to do without.
Finally, as we consider what great lengths our Savior went to, in order to save Cornelius by the sacrifice of himself and to send Peter to Cornelius through his providential dealings, we recognize what a slight it would have been toward the King of glory if Peter had not preached the truth and if Cornelius had not heeded the command of the Lord in seeking out, hearing and obeying the word of the Lord which Christ delivered through Peter. When the Lord provides a preacher for a people, both the preacher and the people, will go to whatever lengths necessary in order to hear the Prince of life speak to their heart. May it be so with you and I!