He Spoke, They Heard, And All Believed
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
I know you’ve done it. I have. My mom has. Your cousin did it.
We’ve looked at somebody and thought “There is no hope for that person. They are gone.”
Peter was raised, for his whole life of maybe 22 years, that there were entire races of people that God would never welcome. They were fuel for the fires of hell getting in the way of God’s chosen people.
The house of Cornelius got saved this day, but Peter also got changed. They were all seeking after God and wanting to learn the truth. It’s not a matter of being convinced of this idea or that idea. They wanted to know what was true.
When an angel told them who to ask, they listened.
When Peter was told to go and tell them, he went.
When they heard the truth, they believed it. The Holy Spirit answered their reaction to His grace, and the whole household was saved.