A Praying Father
Power of Prayer • Sermon • Submitted
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· 353 viewsThis message is about a Good Father who needed Jesus
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A Father
A Father
As the day that we set aside to show appreciation to all the Fathers has come, it doesn't come without having a moment of self examination. Many Fathers look at the response from children or the lack of to determine what kind of Father they've been to them. I say, if you've been there for your children when they needed you, You have been a Good Father! Sometimes though, being good is not Good enough.
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
Today, I want to talk about a Praying Father.
3 points on Cornelius:
He was a devout man (A devout man - Ευσεβης, from ευ, well, and σεβομαι, I worship. A person who worships the true God, and is no idolater.
2. Feared God with all his house (One that feared God - Φοβουμενος τον Θεον, One who was acquainted with the true God, by means of his word and laws; who respected these laws, and would not dare to offend his Maker and his Judge. This is necessarily implied in the fear of God.
With all his house - He took care to instruct his family in the knowledge which he himself had received; and to establish the worship of God in his house.
3. He gave to the needy and ALWAYS PRAYED!!! ( Gave much alms - His love to God led him to love men; and this love proved its sincerity by acts of beneficence and charity.)
Prayed to God alway - Felt himself a dependent creature; knew he had no good but what he had received; and considered God to be the fountain whence he was to derive all his blessings. He prayed to God alway; was ever in the spirit of prayer, and frequently in the act. What an excellent character is this! And yet the man was a Gentile! He was what a Jew would repute common and unclean: see Acts 10:28. He was, therefore, not circumcised; but, as he worshipped the true God, without any idolatrous mixtures, and was in good report among all the nation of the Jews, he was undoubtedly what was called a proselyte of the gate, though not a proselyte of justice, because he had not entered into the bond of the covenant by circumcision.
Prayed to God alway - Felt himself a dependent creature; knew he had no good but what he had received; and considered God to be the fountain whence he was to derive all his blessings. He prayed to God alway; was ever in the spirit of prayer, and frequently in the act. What an excellent character is this! And yet the man was a Gentile! He was what a Jew would repute common and unclean: see Acts 10:28. He was, therefore, not circumcised; but, as he worshipped the true God, without any idolatrous mixtures, and was in good report among all the nation of the Jews, he was undoubtedly what was called a proselyte of the gate, though not a proselyte of justice, because he had not entered into the bond of the covenant by circumcision.
4. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (When your works speak for you…)
4. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (When your works speak for you…)
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
He was missing one thing…JESUS
