One Is A Crowd

“And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.” (Ac 10:27 AV)

 

Never underestimate the hunger of one searching soul to affect many more with the same concern.  Acts chapter ten is a critical chapter.  In this chapter, it is revealed to the Apostles the gospel of Christ was intended to go to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.  To this point, there has been a separation.  The Jews had no dealings with the Gentiles.  However, the LORD gave Peter a vision and informed him the Gentiles are now considered fertile ground for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Praise God for that!  Furthermore, Peter is sent to the home of Cornelius.  Cornelius is a Roman official who would have been considered somewhat of a Jewish proselyte.  He built a synagogue for the Jews and gave alms as a form of worship.  He diligently sought the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He wanted a deeper relationship with this God of the Jews.  He fell under conviction and knew something was missing.  By a dream, Cornelius was told to send for Peter whom God has prepared to show him the way of salvation.   What we want to notice this morning is exactly what happened in this house of Cornelius.  In particular, we want to note the crowd that was gathered in the home of Cornelius.  This Roman official’s concern for his own soul impacted a lot of people.  His hunger and thirst for truth drew a crowd of equally hungry and thirsty people.  Herein lies a principle of evangelism.

It is part of human nature that zeal begets zeal.  Marketers know this.  If they can market their product to influence heavily a certain type of individual, that individual becomes the best advertiser for their product more so than any ad buy could ever produce.  Some years back, my wife and I met her parents at the  Louisiana state fair.  At the time, I was having the beginnings of severe shoulder problems.  One of the things I like to do at the state fair is to go to the convention hall with all those booths.  Most of what is being hocked are fly-by-night products that don’t really work.  However, we rounded one corner and this lady was selling a salve for muscle pain.  My father-in-law; bless his heart; convinced me to give it a try.  There I was, in the middle of thousands of people, dropping half my shirt so this lady could rub in this potion as proof of a miracle!  Do you know what?  It actually worked!  The more she rubbed in, the cooler it felt and the pain began to subside.  The longer she worked, the more of a crowd gathered to watch the miracle.  All it took was for one person to be changed and it drew a crowd.  Needless to say, my dear father-in-law bought me a bunch of them.

So, for all of you faithful soul-winners out there, don’t be discouraged.  It is not your place to draw a crowd.  You will encounter a multitude of scoffers.  By far, most will hate you for showing up at their door.  However, there will come a time when you will knock on the door of Cornelius.  He will be waiting for you to show up.  When you do, and the gospel is shared, he will accept Christ and bring a multitude with him.  This bares out throughout the scriptures.  There is the Philippian jailer of Acts chapter sixteen.  There is the woman at the well of John chapter four.  There is Peter who brings Andrew.  Time and again was see evangelism treated as one soul at a time.  That one soul will produce many more.  That is if we do our jobs right and there is true conversion.  So, don’t be discouraged.  Continue to sow that seed.  Be faithful and eventually the LORD will give you a Cornelius who will fill his house with people of like minds and heart who are just as hungry for the word of God and he is.