Daily Devotional

This entire passage is built around invitations. Cornelius invited Peter to come. Peter invited the messengers into his house. Peter accepted the invitation to Caesarea. Cornelius invited his family and friends to hear the gospel. Each invitation opened the door for God to work in new and powerful ways.

The gospel itself is an invitation, God’s invitation to sinful humanity to be reconciled to Him through Christ. But those who have received this invitation are called to extend it to others. We become part of God’s invitation process, drawing people into conversation about eternal things.

The sermon ended with a challenge: “You will go to your neighborhoods and will you preach the Gospel of Christ? Invite them. Invite them all.” This isn’t just for pastors or missionaries, it’s for every follower of Jesus. We are all called to be inviters.

But extending invitations requires vulnerability. When we invite someone to church, to a Bible study, or into a spiritual conversation, we risk rejection. We step out of our comfort zone and make ourselves vulnerable. Yet this is exactly what God calls us to do.

Think about the people in your life who need to hear about Jesus. Perhaps it’s a neighbor, a coworker, a family member, or a friend. God may be preparing their heart just as He prepared Cornelius’s heart. Your invitation could be the key that opens the door for God to work in their life.

The story of Peter and Cornelius reminds us that God is always at work, always preparing hearts, always orchestrating encounters. Our job is to be faithful inviters, trusting that God will use our obedience to accomplish His purposes.