Whom Should I Invite?
Whom should I invite? This was the question my wife Bethany had to answer leading into her 10th-birthday sleepover some years ago. As she pondered this question, she couldn’t fathom leaving any of the girls from her 4th-grade class out of the opportunity to gather for her party, so her parents graciously let her invite every girl from her class. I’m not sure they ever did that again, but Bethany had a great time, and all of the girls felt welcomed!
We extend invitations for events that we think are important and to people whom we care about.
In Luke 14:15-24, Jesus tells a parable about a man who sent out invitations for a great party. Invitations were extended to close friends, but they made excuses. They had better things to do and other commitments in their life. So, the servants were sent to the alley-ways and the overpasses of the city to extend invitations to the homeless, the blind, the crippled, and the lame. When that didn’t fill his party, he sent his servants to extend invitations to people outside the city – the highways and the hedges. Why? It was to be a great party, and a great party needs guests eager to dine at the table of the host.
Do you believe that that the people you know and meet need to be invited to the great party to dine at the table of the great host, Jesus? When was the last time you invited someone to church? When was the last time you invited someone to meet your church family, or more importantly, to meet Jesus? After all, there is no greater party than the ones thrown by Jesus.
On Sunday, August 6, Calvary will be hosting “Neighbor Sunday”, complete with a community party. This is a unique opportunity to invite our family members, co-workers, neighbors, and friends to dine at the table of the great host, Jesus, whose parties outshine all the rest. We will have great food, games, and bounce house and slides for the kids. This is not a gimmick, but an opportunity. It’s not a guilt trip but an invitation. It’s not high-pressure, but a friendly welcome to all who would come to meet Jesus and meet your church family.
Let’s consider together whom we might invite, because we aren’t simply extending an invitation to a fun afternoon on a hot summer day, we’re inviting those we care about to come and dine at the table of King Jesus.