PROFILES —-
CORNELIUS
GRACE FOR ALL
God wants all people to know Him, and He responds to people who pray to Him and want to know Him more deeply. Through Cornelius’s story, we see God’s heart for all the nations of the world. The early Christians didn’t know it yet, but God wants to save both Jews and non-Jews. Cornelius was not a Jew, unlike everyone else who had received the gospel up to this point, but God responded to his faith and his pursuit of Him, and He sent Peter to bring him the gospel.
This is a vivid reminder to us that we should not hold back from telling others about Christ, no matter their background. God sent Christ to save both Peter and Cornelius despite their completely different upbringings. Faith in Christ is a gift from heaven for all people, so let’s pay attention to those who desire to know God but may need to hear more about the gospel to understand how to be saved and have a relationship with Him through faith in Christ Jesus.
THINK & PRAY
THOSE WHO SEEK GOD
Even if we know much more about Jesus Christ, God’s Word, Christ’s church, and God’s eternal plan than Cornelius did, we can still tend to grow apathetic and not hunger for God. But one lesson we should take away from this story is that those who seek God will be rewarded! Cornelius knew very little about God, but he sought Him in prayer and by giving to the poor. For Cornelius, the message of the Gospel being extended to people beyond the Jews came as an unexpected and great gift.
Are you thankful, like Cornelius was? Do you approach God consistently out of awe and gratitude for what He has done?
How did God bring you the Good News of Christ’s forgiveness for your sins? When have you been challenged to share the knowledge of His grace with other people who have backgrounds different from your own?