Finding God in the Digital Age

When an Angel Showed Up for a Roman Soldier

What does it look like to search for God when you don't have the full picture? What happens when someone takes the little they know about God and actually lives it out?

These are the questions at the heart of this episode, where Sharon explores the story of Cornelius from Acts chapter 10 — a Roman centurion who was seeking God long before he had all the answers.

A Soldier Who Didn't Fit the Mould

Cornelius was a centurion in the Roman army, stationed in Caesarea. He was part of the Italian Regiment, a leadership role at the lower end of the military hierarchy. He knew what it meant to take orders, and he knew what it meant to give them.

But here is what makes Cornelius stand out. He lived in a city that was culturally hostile to the Jewish faith. Caesarea had been rebuilt by Herod the Great and was dominated by Gentiles. History tells us there had been significant tension between Jewish and non-Jewish populations, with Roman soldiers typically siding against the Jews.

And yet, Cornelius had turned his back on the polytheistic Roman religion. He was drawn to something in Judaism — something that rang true. The passage describes him and his household as "devout and God-fearing." He prayed regularly and gave generously to those in need.

As Sharon points out, the Greek word used for "devout" means worshipful. The term "God-fearer" was commonly used to describe Gentile sympathisers — people who looked at the Jewish faith favourably, who perhaps recognised truth in it and adopted some Jewish practices in varying degrees.

Asking the Right Questions

Sharon raises a point that cuts right through modern thinking. Many people today question the beliefs they were raised with, but often the question they ask is, "Is this working for me?" or "Is this true for me?"

She suggests we are asking the wrong questions. The real question is: "Is this objectively true? Is God objectively real?"

Many assume all paths lead to God or that all belief systems are equally valid. But as Sharon notes, that position does not hold up logically, and it is certainly not what the Bible teaches. She has explored this concept in previous talks available on the Crowd Church website.

Cornelius was not casually hedging his bets. The Greek word for "prayed" in this passage means to beg of God. This was not someone going through the motions. He was serious about finding God, even though he did not have the complete picture.

Living in the Light You Have

This is where the talk lands on its central idea. Sharon frames it around two questions: Are you seeking God? And are you living in the light that you already have?

Cornelius knew God existed. He knew to respect God. And his actions — prayer and generosity — reflected what he understood. He was living up to the light he had.

Sharon references Romans 1, which says: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

For those who are unsure whether God exists, she offers several starting points. Paley's watchmaker analogy suggests that complexity in nature points to a designer. Biochemistry professor Michael Behe's argument for irreducible complexity makes a similar case — that even a single cell contains systems that all need to be present simultaneously to function, suggesting intentional creation rather than accident. And the DNA in our cells contains language, which in every other context we attribute to intelligence.

These are just a few pointers from a much larger body of evidence spanning scientific specialities, morality, and consciousness.

When God Responds to a Seeker

Then comes the moment that changes everything for Cornelius. One afternoon, at about three o'clock, he has a vision. An angel appears and says, "Cornelius, your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God."

The angel gives him specific but limited instructions: send men to Joppa to find a man called Simon Peter, who is staying with Simon the Tanner by the sea. No explanation of why. Just the next step.

Sharon observes that this is often how God works in her own experience — not giving the whole picture at once, but providing just enough information for the next step.

Cornelius had a choice. He could act on the message or ignore it. The passage tells us he acted immediately, calling two servants and a devout soldier and sending them to Joppa.

In the conversation afterwards, the hosts reflect on what it means that Cornelius's prayers and giving "came up as a memorial before God." In the Old Testament, memorials were tangible reminders of what God had done — altars, piles of stones, feasts. The idea that our prayers and generosity build something before God, that heaven sees and remembers, is a striking thought.

As Matt puts it, sometimes prayer can feel like it is falling on deaf ears. But the story of Cornelius suggests otherwise.

A Story That Includes Guest Testimony

The episode also features a testimony from Anya, who shares her own story of searching for God. Raised in a Catholic background in Poland, she could not find God there. She moved into occultism, still searching, and found only "the enemy of God." Eventually she gave up entirely.

It was through her adopted mother sharing a personal experience of God that everything changed. Anya realised God had been in front of her the whole time — she had simply been looking in the wrong places. Her encouragement is straightforward: "Open your Bible. He is there and he is waiting for you."

What Is Your Next Step?

Sharon closes with a practical challenge. What is your next step?

Maybe it is to consider the evidence for God's existence. Maybe it is to actively seek God and cry out to him. Maybe it is to do something you know you are meant to be doing but have not got around to yet.

The story of Cornelius shows that you do not need to have it all figured out. You do not need perfect theology or decades of Bible knowledge. But you do need to live within the light you have, to seek God actively, and to respond when he speaks.

As Matthew 7 puts it: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Next week, the story continues — what happened when Cornelius's men found Simon Peter?

What light do you already have that you might not be living up to?