words that indicate inclusion when it comes to the gospel.
37 “You know the events that took place throughout all Judea,
beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power,
and how he went about doing good and healing all who
were under the tyranny of the devil,
because God was with him.
39 We ourselves are witnesses of everything he did in both
the Judean country and in Jerusalem, and yet they killed him by hanging him on a tree.
40 God raised up this man on the third day and caused him to be seen,
41 not by all the people, but by us whom God appointed as witnesses,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify
that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets testify about him
that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”
All people can find forgiveness through faith in Jesus.
outline Peter’s sermon points.
Even though these events took place in Judea and Galilee,
the story of Jesus had made its way to Gentile areas, like Caesarea.
Whether the story of Jesus was being passed along in written or oral form,
eyewitnesses to Jesus’s life and ministry were still alive
and verifying the accuracy of His teaching.
Anointed
The word anointed is closely associated with the title “Christ” or “Messiah,”
so this sentence is affirming that Jesus is the Messiah.
He came to earth as the long-expected Anointed One,
whom the Father sent to save people from their sins.
In addition, Jesus relied on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Each member of the Trinity had a role to play in the provision of salvation.
Jesus also promised to share that power with His disciples,
allowing them to experience the Holy Spirit’s help as they became witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8).
Briefly discuss how fearing God would affect the way Cornelius and his friends heard and responded to the gospel.
Many people know a lot about Jesus, but they don’t know Him personally.
Cornelius feared God, but He needed to learn more about the Savior God had sent,
the Messiah who is the only way to find salvation and to a personal relationship with the Father.