09.14.2025 | Why Invite?
Why invite?
Jesus tells us to
Luke 14:23 NIV Then the master told his servant, “Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.”
Why invite?
We have the love of God within us!
1 Jn. 4:16 NLT We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
Eph. 3:17 NLT Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
Why invite?
People around us are hurting
Eph. 2:12 NLT In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
Why invite?
We have been marked
John 4:28-30 NLT The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
John 4:39-42 NLT 39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Why invite?
People need an encounter with Jesus
John 1:35-42 NLT 35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.
38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.
They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”[a]).
42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”[b]).
It’s not enough to just invite, BE inviting!
Matt. 25:35-36 NIV For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Questions for discussion/reflection:
How did you come to visit Joy, or how did you first come to church?
Is the idea of inviting someone to church uncomfortable for you? Why?
Do you truly care about the unchurched, unbelieving friends/coworkers/neighbors around you? Based off what evidence?
What might help you overcome the above obstacles to invite someone to church?
Do you create an inviting environment for visitors at church, or are you more focused on your friends and your time with God? (This isn’t just the responsibility of the greeters and connections team! This requires everyone!)