About This Message
Pastor Roy Jones opened the Sunday morning service in Psalm 118 — "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD" — then introduced the morning messenger: Minister Wiggins, who preached from Acts 10:1–8 with the topic, in his own words, "When you put God first — it's a heart condition." Wiggins said his pastor gave him the topic, and it hit him "like a bulldozer." What follows is built from his message: the centurion Cornelius, the angel at the ninth hour, and what God does when a heart is fully His.
The Word — Acts 10:1–8
1There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
2a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
3About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!"
4And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
Acts 10:1–4 (NKJV)
5Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.
6He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do."
7And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.
8So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Acts 10:5–8 (NKJV)
33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
The Message in a Sentence
Minister Wiggins preached that putting God first is not a ritual but a heart condition — and held up Cornelius, a Roman centurion over a hundred soldiers, who was devout, feared God with his whole household, gave alms generously, and prayed always, even though Rome was pagan and emperors demanded worship as gods. Because his heart had changed, God sent an angel at the ninth hour: his prayers and alms had come up as a memorial before God, and he was told to send for Peter, who would tell him the whole message of the cross. The principle is Matthew 6:33 — seek first the kingdom, and all these things shall be added — and the proof is Cornelius's household: they heard, believed, spoke in tongues, and were baptized on the spot.
The Arc of the Message
Opening — The Topic Hits Like a Bulldozer
Pastor Jones opens in Psalm 118 — "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD" — and hands the pulpit to Minister Wiggins, who wastes no time: "When you put God first — it's a heart condition." His pastor gave him the topic, and it rolled over him like a bulldozer.
Development — The Portrait of Cornelius
Wiggins paints the centurion: a commander of about a hundred soldiers, rich, powerful, Roman — a man who could have been harsh with the Jewish community he policed. Instead he denounced emperor worship, gave alms generously, kept the Jewish hours of prayer, and led his whole household to fear God. Rome was pagan; his heart was changed. And Matthew 6:33 explains his prosperity: he had a heart to give, so God made sure he always had more than enough to give.
Landing — The Ninth Hour and the Whole House
About the ninth hour, an angel: "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa." Cornelius only knew the Old Testament — so God brought the full message of the cross to his door through Peter, and his whole household was saved, spoke in tongues, and was baptized on the spot. The altar call: put Him first and He'll make your enemies your footstool, open doors no man can shut, and be whatever you need — doctor, lawyer, provider. It's a heart condition.
Key Points
In His Own Words
Illustrations From the Message
The Centurion Who Could Have Been Harsh
Cornelius commanded about a hundred soldiers for Rome — rich, powerful, and in charge of keeping order over the Jewish community. He could have made life hard for them. Instead, the message says, he denounced the worship of Caesar, gave alms generously to the people, prayed at the Jewish hours, and led his whole household to fear God. Power in his hands became generosity — because his heart had changed first.
The Ninth-Hour Visit
About the ninth hour of the day — one of the Jewish hours of prayer — an angel walked into Cornelius's vision with heaven's ledger open: "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God." Then the assignment: send men to Joppa for Peter. God didn't leave the hungry heart with half a message; He brought the whole gospel of the cross to Cornelius's door, and the whole house came to salvation.
SOIL — Go Deeper This Week
S — Scripture: Read Acts 10:1–4 slowly. What four things marked Cornelius's life — and which one is weakest in yours right now?
O — Observation: Cornelius was rich, powerful, and Roman. What did he not let stop him from seeking God — and what are you letting stop you?
I — Interpretation: Why did God send an angel to tell Cornelius to send for Peter, instead of just saving him on the spot? What does that say about how God works through people?
L — Life application: Where have you been doing it halfway — giving, praying, serving? What would wholehearted look like this week, starting today?
Dig a Little Deeper
1. Wiggins said Cornelius "denounced" the Roman way — emperor worship, pagan gods — to follow the God of Israel. What is one "Roman way" in your own life — a habit, loyalty, or comfort — that putting God first would require you to denounce?
2. "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God." If heaven opened its ledger on your last thirty days of giving and praying, what would the memorial say?
3. Wiggins said God is watching not just you but your whole household through your life — "it could be your neighborhood, your job, the grocery store." Who is watching your life right now, and what are they seeing?
This Week's Challenge
Pick one thing you've been doing halfway for God — giving, praying, serving, forgiving — and do it wholeheartedly every day this week. No half measures. Watch what God does with a fully surrendered heart.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank You for looking at the heart and not the résumé. Give us Cornelius's heart — devout, generous, praying always. Change what needs changing: our places, our words, our temper. We put You first, wholeheartedly, trusting You to open doors no man can shut and to be everything we need — our doctor, our lawyer, our provider. In Jesus' name, amen.