Apr. 19, 2026

Last week we ended in chapter 10 verse 43 with Peter’s sermon to Cornelius and his relatives and friends. We pick up in verse 44 with the Holy Spirit falling upon all those who heard the Word.

Acts Lesson 18 Study Questions

1.    While Peter was still speaking these words: Salvation came when each one of these Gentiles _________ to Peter’s message with believing faith in their hearts, so that they were actually born again as they listened and _________.

2.    These were likely not the first Gentiles to trust in Jesus and be born again. Gentiles had probably received _________ in the eight years since Pentecost (Acts 2). But those Gentiles were saved as they embraced ________ as well as Christianity. Gentiles may have received salvation before this, but they were saved as Jews, not as Gentiles.

3.    The Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word… they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God: This was unique. It was not common in the Book of Acts or in subsequent Christian experience for those who were not previously converted (born again) to _______ be born again and receive such evident _________ gifts. Yet it was good and even necessary on this occasion, to show that they received the exact same Spirit, the exact same blessing as the apostles and first followers of Jesus did on the morning of Pentecost (Acts 2).

4.    This entrance of Gentiles into the church was not a new _____, but something promised long before. The Old Testament looked for the day when a light would shine in the darkness of the ________ world: Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1)

5.    We should also see that Cornelius was an undoubtedly good man; yet he needed _______. Even good people, who are respectful towards God, still need to come to Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and put all their ______ in who Jesus is and what He did for them.

6.    “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” The charges against Peter were simple: “You, who are supposed to be a faithful ____, associated with Gentiles and even _____ with them.” This offended these Christian Jews, so they contended with Peter.

7.    What God has cleansed you must not call common: At first, Peter thought God spoke this about ______. But Peter came to understand the vision of the sheet and kosher and unkosher animals had to do with ________, not food (Acts 10:28: God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean).

8.    The Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning: This conclusion was important. It showed that God’s stamp of _________ was on this work towards the Gentiles. Peter’s point to these Christian Jews (those of the circumcision, Acts 11:2) was clear: they could not withhold their ___________ when God had given His.

9.    They became silent: The Jewish believers in Jerusalem (those of the circumcision, Acts 11:2) first reacted with a stunned _______. But then they glorified God, because they saw He was now at work among the __________, also.

10.    When the Gospel came to Cornelius and he became a follower of Jesus, it came to a man who was already a ____________. He had a respect for the God of Israel and lived a moral life. When it came to Antioch, it came to an utterly pagan city.