Living Examples - Cornelius - A Soldier for Christ

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.” (Acts 10:1)
      Passage: Psalm 128:1-6

        A bumper sticker read, “If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, thank a soldier.” Both of those statements come together in our area on Memorial Day as the local school year finished for most students at the end of the week and today is Memorial Day. America is “the land of the free and the home of the brave”, but freedom is not free. It is bought and held at a price of the lives of those who have fought to gain and preserve that freedom.

Soldiers are important in preserving the freedom we have in our nation and they were important in the Roman Empire. One such soldier was a Centurion named Cornelius. Centurions were the backbone of the Roman Army with absolute command over a regiment of 100 soldiers. When Cornelius came to know Christ, he was not told to leave the Roman army. He continued being a soldier for Caesar, but he became a soldier of a higher commander with a higher purpose. He because a soldier for Christ. The characteristics he had a soldier transferred to his new call and he is a living testimony of the what is means to be a soldier for Christ. As you give thanks for your freedom in America and remember the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for it, give thanks for the freedom you have in Jesus and set your heart to be a good soldier for Him.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)