Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1540
Delivered on Lord’s-Day Morning, May 30, 1880
“And He commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:42,43.
THESE two verses are an extract from a very remarkable sermon, a sermon preached by Peter in the house of Cornelius upon the occasion of the Gentile Pentecost. I think we are entitled to call the event by that name, for then the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Gentiles. Peter preached at the first Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fell upon the company of Jewish Believers and it is remarkable that he should be the preacher at the second Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon those of the uncircumcision while they were listening to the Gospel. Philip was at Caesarea and might have been called in, but God had determined that the strict Peter, the minister of the circumcision, should himself open the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Paul was, at that time, converted and it might have seemed to be more appropriate to have used him in enlightening this Italian officer, but the Lord thought not so—He would send the Spirit upon the Gentiles in connection with the same person who preached when this visitation blessed the converts of Israel. Peter preached, as it were, upon the ruins of the middle wall of partition which once divided the sons of men. The occasion was very special and hence the sermon is the more worthy of our earnest consideration. What kind of discourse is that which is likely to be sealed by the Holy Spirit? We may learn something upon that point from the instance before us.
Notice that it was a sermon “preached by request.” I have seen those words printed upon the title page of very poor sermons—as a sort of apology for their being printed. I have wondered who it was that requested them and whether the requesters were pleased with what they got by their petition. I should think that they would hardly have asked that the same words should be spoken to them again. But this request was a very honest and hearty one, for Cornelius sent many miles to fetch the preacher and the preacher came a long day’s journey in order to deliver his discourse. It were devoutly to be wished that many such sermons would both be preached and published by request. When men are anxious to hear such discourses and count the preacher to be their benefactor, there is every hope that the Truth of God will work their salvation.
This discourse was delivered to a model congregation. One might be satisfied to preach in the middle of the night to such an assembly, for a devout family had come together at the earnest request of a leading kinsman to have the Gospel preached to them. To that assembly not a single person came in late—everyone was there before the speaker arrived. Late attendance frequently means heartless worship, disturbance and distraction. “Now, therefore,” said Cornelius before Peter began, “we are all here present before God.” This was well—O that all hearers were punctual, that all worship might be undisturbed! Better, still, would it be if all our audiences felt that they were “before God”—this would create a solemn feeling and ensure devout attention.
The hearers were all in a waiting and expectant mood and all in a receptive condition, desiring, as Cornelius said, “to hear all things that are commanded you of God.” Never was the ground better plowed, nor in a finer condition for receiving the living Seed. Peter gave them a very plain and simple sermon—you cannot find a flourish in it, nor a metaphor, nor even the least attempt at oratory as, indeed, you do not find in the sermons of Inspired men. Those gentlemen who preach grandiloquently are uninspired, you may depend upon that, or else they would not attempt their high and mighty style. The Inspiration which the Holy Spirit gives, leads men to use great plainness of speech. Not in words, only,
was Peter plain, but the Truths of God which he taught were the first principles of the faith and it is generally by these that men are saved—points of difficult theology are not often the means of conversion.
What have we to do with the fireworks of rhetoric, or the playthings of controversy when men are anxious to know the way of salvation? Simple as the discourse was, it was a very powerful one. So powerful, indeed, that all that heard it were converted! I do not see any intimation that one of them remained unconvinced, for the 44th verse says, “The Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the Word.” What a very remarkable occasion was this, when all who heard the Truth of God felt the power of the Holy Spirit! What would I not give to be enabled to preach after that fashion and to see such a result! Peter’s sermon, however, was never finished—it remains forever a homiletical fragment, a broken column of the temple of wisdom, a discourse of which we shall never know the conclusion intended by its author.