Luke14:16ThenHesaidtohim,"Acertainmangaveagreatsupperandinvitedmany,17"andsenthisservantatsuppertimetosaytothosewhowereinvited,'Come,forallthingsarenowready.'18"Buttheyallwithoneaccordbegantomakeexcuses.TheIirstsaidtohim,'Ihaveboughta
pieceofground,andImustgoandseeit.Iaskyoutohavemeexcused.'19"Andanothersaid,'IhaveboughtIiveyokeofoxen,andIamgoingtotestthem.Iaskyoutohavemeexcused.'20"Stillanothersaid,'Ihavemarriedawife,andthereforeIcannotcome.'21"Sothatservantcameandreportedthesethingstohismaster.Thenthemasterofthehouse,beingangry,saidtohisservant,'Gooutquicklyintothestreetsandlanesofthecity,
andbringinherethepoorandthemaimedandthelameandtheblind.'22"Andtheservantsaid,'Master,itisdoneasyou
commanded,andstillthereisroom.'23"Thenthemastersaidtotheservant,'Gooutintothehighwaysandhedges,andcompelthemtocomein,thatmyhousemaybeIilled.24'ForIsaytoyouthatnoneofthosemenwhowere
invitedshalltastemysupper.'"
ThePowerofaSimpleInvitationThecoreideaofthisstoryisthat,GodisaGodofinvitation,andHeexpectspeopletorespondtoHisinvitation.
Onethingweseefromhumannatureisratherthangivepeoplea=latno,peopleusually=indanexcusetoavoidaninvitation.
Thinkaboutallthedifferentinvitationsyouhavereceivedandrespondedtoinyourlife.Somanypivotalpointsinourliveswereshapedbyacceptinganinvitationsomeonegaveus.
Thinkabouttheinvitationsyouhavegivenothers,andthedifferenceithasmadeintheirlivesastheyrespondedtoyourinvitation.
TheinvitationsofJesusarenotordinaryinvitations.WemustpersonallyaccepteachinvitationJesusgivesusorwewillnotexperiencethepowerofHisinvitation.
Thereareover1900invitationsintheBibleandeveryinvitationfromJesuswassupernaturallychargedtochangethings.Matthew14:28-29AndPeteransweredHimandsaid,"Lord,ifitisYou,commandmetocometoYouonthewater."SoHesaid,"Come."AndwhenPeterhadcomedownoutoftheboat,hewalkedonthewatertogotoJesus.
WhenJesussays“come”HebacksitupwitheverythinginvitingGodintothesituationcanbring.Thegreatestkeytoopenanydoor,isfoundtheBible.EverythingbeginswithasimpleinvitationbyacompassionateAlmightyGod.
Itisthewaythateverysinglepersonsawthebeginningofanyinterventionorful=illmentofapromise.
Itisthedefaultpatternthatcannotbeoverlookedever,andprovidesnotonlythebreakthroughbutalsotheprotectionneededduringtheprocess.
ItissoSimple…SimplyCome,andinvolveGodinanyandeverythinginyourlife.Thesimplicityofitiswhatcausessomanytomissit.
TheenemywantstoshortcircuittheprocessofSimplycomingtoHimasourresourcebecausehisonlychanceistoseparateusfromourbestandhighestsourceforeveryanswer!Thishasbeenthegreatestresourcehumanityhashadavailable,GodstandingbyreadytointervenethemomentahumansimplycomesandcallsoutfortheAlmightytobetheirAlmighty.
JesusinvitesustocomeandfellowshipwithHim.Isanyonethirsty?Comeanddrink—evenifyouhavenomoney!Come,takeyourchoiceofwineormilk—itísallfree!Whyspendyourmoneyonfoodthatdoesnotgiveyoustrength?Whypayforfoodthatdoesyounogood?Listen,andIwilltellyouwheretogetfoodthatisgoodforthesoul!Cometomewithyourearswideopen.Listen,forthelifeofyoursoulisatstake.Iamreadytomakeaneverlastingcovenantwithyou.IwillgiveyouallthemerciesandunfailinglovethatIpromisedtoDavid.Isaiah55:1-3
“Behold,Istandatthedoorandknock.IfanyonehearsMyvoiceandopensthedoor,Iwillcomeintohimanddinewithhim,andhewithMe.”Rev.3:20
TheoneresponsibilitywehavetoGod,istocomewhenHecallsus.
CorePoint:ItisanamazingthingtorealizeJesusHimselfgivesusinvitationstocometoHim.WeshouldclearlyhearHisinvitationstous,andrespondwitheagernesstocometoHim.Wewillthenexperiencethepowerandjoyofthosewhoknowthepowerofdivineinvitations!
CoreStatement:IhearclearlyandrespondfullytotheinvitationsofGod.IamonewhoknowsthelifechangingpowerandjoyofrespondingtotheDivineinvitationsofGodforme!