AN INVITE TO THE PARTY
Denise Linton
Today’s Scripture: “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Romans 10:14, NLT
Theme: We “talk up” things we are passionate about. Get excited to invite people to meet Jesus!
A PERSONAL INVITATION
Everyone likes to be invited to something. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter what the event is. An invitation just makes us feel accepted, important, and noticed.
I attended a very small college in Virginia where there was one fraternity and one sorority. It was easy to know most of the people on campus since there were only 300 students. One night, at the beginning of my sophomore year, I saw a new freshman sitting alone in the lobby. I asked her if she knew there was a fraternity party going on right then, and if so, why was she just sitting there alone? She told me that she had heard people talking about the party all week and it sounded fun, but nobody had invited her.
COME WITH ME
That’s when I told her, “You are invited now, so come on with me.” I introduced Amy to many of the fraternity brothers, my suite mates, and my sorority sisters. Amy went on to have a great college career. She became the yearbook editor, wrote for the school paper, was on the student government, and even joined the sorority. Yet Amy shared with me a couple of years later that she had been miserable that first week at college. She felt like she didn’t fit in and had planned on leaving college and returning home. Because she had been invited, introduced, and made to feel welcome at the party, the course was changed for her next four years.
DON’T JUST MENTION – INVITE
As Christ followers, we tend to talk about Jesus, our church, serving, our Life Groups, and all the wonderful activities that we are part of in front of non-believers, but we often forget to give them an invitation to join us. Maybe that’s because it’s awkward, we feel they wouldn’t be interested, or maybe we don’t really know the person very well. But imagine how much it could change a person’s life to be invited to join the party, instead of just hearing about it.
Make It Personal: Is there anyone you have been telling about the party, but could instead offer a personal invitation?
Pray: Dear God, I am so thankful for the people who invited me into Your Church and into a relationship with You. Help me to remember how kind an invitation – even one I choose not to respond to – can be. Help me to notice people I could invite and to follow through in an encouraging way. Help me not to focus on the outcome of my invitations as much as on being obedient and kind when I have an opportunity. You have the power to draw people without my help. Thanks for allowing me the privilege of joining You in the work You are already doing! Amen.
Read: Luke 5:27-32
Weekly Memory Verse: “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2, ESV