The Invitation
I know a church leader who says, “No one is interested in our message.” I don’t know why he’s concluded this, and I sometimes wonder if it is his excuse for not attempting to share Good News with people.
To accept his premise is to ignore or, worse, deny the truth of what scripture implies about the hunger of people who are looking for a way to give meaning to their lives. Why would Isaiah say, “Come to the waters…Come buy wine and milk.”
And why would Jesus say “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” if there were none of these sort of people? And also tell us about the people that crowded into Levi’s house to hear Jesus?
Churches were not meant in the beginning to occupy campuses and expect people to come to them to hear the truth. Rather, churches were small and portable. Relationships with people were and are the primary method of the gospel. Disciples of Jesus invite and share with the world around them. No strings attached.
Their “product” was and is good news. Good news that is modeled and carried everywhere.
This week’s sermon is built on four principles:
- First of all, our God is an inviting God.
- Second, God wants us to be inviters as well. To imitate the generosity of God’s son, Jesus.
- Third, you have to intend to be this sort of people and pray about it constantly.
- Fourth, and finally, it is never an accident when disciples of Jesus live this sort of life.
Join us Sunday as we talk about “the Invitation.’ The texts used for this sermon come from Matthew 11:28-30; Isaiah 55:1-5; and Revelation 22:16-17.