We Are Invited 5

Revelation 22:17

On an episode of “All in the Family,” Archie explained the social convention of giving the brush-off to people you don’t want to socialize with. He said that at the end of the conversation you tell them, “We must get together sometime,” but then you never do.

How often do we give false invitations to other people? We can often tell others that they are welcome to drop by any time, when in fact we don’t expect them to visit. We may in fact prefer that they don’t.

We believe that the Bible is God’s word, His message to all of us. I see the Bible as God trying to reach out to us. From the beginning to the end, the Bible is a message of love and invitation from God, and this is not an insincere invitation from God.

It is made extremely clear at the conclusion of the Bible. Here, in the final book of the Bible, near the end of this message from God, we have an invitation. Who calls us to come? What should the hearer do? What is offered?

The Holy Spirit summons us with an invitation to come to the refreshing spiritual spring God offers. All are welcome to take the free gift that is offered – the gift of life, a new life, a better life, a happier life.

But the Holy Spirit is not alone. Revelation speaks of the “bride” inviting others to come. The term “the bride” is a reference to the church of believers under Christ. So, according to this verse, the church joins with God in offering an invitation to those who seek a new, revived life in Jesus. It is part of the duty of all believers to invite the seeker to find a relationship with God.

And who are these who need an invitation? All who are thirsty, all who desire to know who God is and who Jesus is, are welcome and invited to take the free gift of the water of life.

Jesus invites us into a relationship with him. He invites us to allow him to share our burdens. He invites us into a revived spirit. Now we must join in with the Holy Spirit, with Jesus Christ and all the church in inviting all people into this loving relationship.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be part of the invitation?

We Are Invited 1

Luke 14:22-23

A struggle my family has had with my mother over the years has been her desire to be entertained. She loves to have a party and would enjoy the company of visitors every night of the week, it would seem. She has always loved to be occupied, to be engaged in card games and board games and light conversation. Growing up, we were busy every weekend, Friday night and Saturday night, visiting friends or relatives or having others over to our house as guests.

That same attitude of enjoying togetherness seems to be seen in our God. While eating at the house of a Pharisee Jesus told a parable about a wealthy man who planned a banquet and invited guests. The guests, however, refused to come, and so the man had his servant invite poor and crippled people in to his home.

What does the servant tell the master? What does the master command? Why?

Just as my mother liked to be in the company of others, so our God enjoys a relationship with us. The parable Jesus used to teach his lessons is a story that represents deeper meanings.

In the parable the man holding the banquet is God. The servant sent out to invite others in is Jesus. The banquet can represent heaven, or it can be the great and wonderful abundance of goodness and blessings that God gives us in our lives.

Now we must look at those who are invited to the banquet. The first group of people invited refused to come. One by one they made up excuses as to why they could not attend.

Are we like that? Do we refuse to accept the invitation from God to be part of His goodness and abundance?

Since those who were invited would not come, the man ordered that strangers, needy, poor, lame, struggling people should all be brought in to the banquet. Why? Because he wanted his house to be filled.

God desires that His house be filled. God desires that we be part of this wonderful relationship that He offers to us, that we be the people who fill His house. God invites us to come and be part of His blessings because He wants His house filled with joy and love.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be certain to accept God’s invitation?

Mediator 1

Revelation 19:6-9

There is nothing quite like getting an invitation to a party in the mail. And one of the best invitations is an invitation to a wedding. You are being asked to take part in a holy ceremony, but also to take part in a joyous celebration, a party that recognizes the love that is being shared.

Love is a reason to celebrate. The uniting of two people in love is a reason to be joyful. The holy consecration of this relationship, recognition of this spiritual communion, is a cause for happiness.

In Revelation, as in other passages, our relationship to God is compared to a wedding. What is the atmosphere described in this passage? What is going on? How are the faithful dressed? What is the message from the angel?

It is true that weddings can be a time of tension and nervousness. Those involved have spent a great deal of time planning things and hope that all will go off without a problem. Others may be anxious because they need to wear the best of clothing, clothing that may seem a bit uncomfortable.

Yet, in spite of all the tension and worries, in spite of occasional discomfort, weddings are a time of joy and celebration. They are times of rejoicing, a time to be glad of the union of two people. The celebration is the recognition of the relationship.

We have the image of celebration presented in this passage. And what is the celebration? The celebration is the coming together of God with those who are faithful to him.

Like any other wedding, time has been invested in preparation. Those who are faithful have been called to prepare themselves to encounter that spiritual unity with the Lord. They have been given new linen, new souls, new hearts, cleaned of sin and fears.

Those who believe are being brought as a bride to Jesus, the Lamb of God. That is the reason for Jesus and his sacrifice, to bring us into his presence so that we might be part of this tremendous love relationship.

The images from Revelation are similar to our times of Holy Communion. We are invited by Jesus to come, purified and holy, into a time of reverent unity with our God. And we can only do that through the work, the love and sacrifice of Christ. Jesus has made the sacrifice that allows us to be in this relationship. And Jesus desires to be in this relationship with us.

Let us respond to the invitation of our Lord. Let us take time in communion with God celebrating the love we receive and the love we can return.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can we make Holy Communion a time of celebration?

Prepared 4

Revelation 22:17-21

I receive a great deal of flyers and notices and invitations to workshops in the mail. Most of them now-days have as part of the invitation an explanation – “Who should come to this? Those wanting deeper understanding of the Bible.” Or “Those who need to learn the tax laws,” and so on.

This is an attempt to avoid wasting your time and their time. If you fall into such and such a category you should come. If not, this might not be for you.

But the Bible ends with a broad invitation from God. Who offers the invitation? Who echoes it? Who should come?

What warning is presented in verses 18 and 19? What promise does Jesus make?

We are all invited to come to God, to take part in His love and mercy. Who should come? All of us. Who invites us? The Holy Spirit and “the bride.”

The bride of Christ is the church, that body of believers who follow the teaching of Jesus and who are obedient to the will of God. And so, we who believe in God should join with the Holy Spirit and invite all to come to the Lord’s table. Then all who hear the good news of salvation, who hear about the cleansing love and power of God, should also take up the invitation.

God’s goodness is open to all who thirst for that goodness, who hunger for mercy and holiness. All those in need of healing, spiritual rejuvenation, spiritual strength and solace, are invited to freely partake in God’s love – His gift of new life.

Since the Holy Spirit joins together with the bride – that is, the church – then church worship is an opportunity to wash our robes, to cleanse our souls, to prepare to accept Christ’s invitation. So, how do you respond to this invitation to worship? Do you enter in with a heart desiring to connect with God? Do you take part in worship with a heart desiring to invite others to join in this goodness of God?

The Spirit says, “Come!” Will you as the bride or as one who hears also say, “Come”? Will you take freely of the water of life, and will you bring others to this wellspring of love?

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you prepare yourself to receive and offer an invitation?

Prepared 3

Revelation 22:12-16

An apparent trend in bigger cities is people going to clubs, waiting in line and hoping they will be the ones selected as “hip” and “trendy” enough to enter in. They hope that they will be the ones acceptable enough to be granted entrance into this exclusive gathering.

Fortunately for us we are offered an even better banquet and party than these clubs. Our invitation is to come to the table of God and enjoy the wonderful mercy and graciousness of our eternal Father. And it isn’t how we look or how we dress or how we stand that will get us in. Instead, it is what is in our hearts that grants us entrance into this incredible experience of communion with God.

But what are the details of our invitation? How are we to be prepared?

Today’s passage speaks to that. What is Jesus bringing with him? How does Christ describe himself? Who is allowed in? Who is left outside? Where do we get this information (verse 16)?

Through the author of Revelation Jesus is communicating to all believers. He proclaims that he is coming. Again, we can look at this as the second coming of Christ, the Rapture, the Apocalypse, the end of time.

But we can also view this on a personal level. Perhaps Jesus is coming to each one of us individually when we are ready to accept him as Savior. This would help explain Matthew 24:36 – that no one knows the day or hour.

Regardless of your personal interpretation of what is meant, the fact remains that only those who “wash their robes” have the right to the tree of life. And Jesus is not talking about outer garments. It is not important what we wear, but what is in our hearts and souls.

Have we washed the robes of our hearts? Have we cleansed our souls? Are we prepared to accept the invitation of God to be in His presence?

We must be prepared to receive Christ in whatever manner he comes to us. We must set our hearts and minds on the kingdom of God. We must make our hearts humble and contrite before the Lord, accept his invitation, and allow ourselves to be transformed by our relationship with him. Then we will be prepared to enter in to the banquet and sit at the Lord’s table.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you “wash your robes” to prepare yourself for God’s table?

Invited 5

2 Chronicles 36:23

“Come on down!” It’s a familiar saying to many. The game show “The Price Is Right” made it famous. Contestants gather in the studio audience with the hope that they will be called to take part in the game and win prizes. When their name is called, accompanied by the phrase “come on down!”, they jump up and run wildly to the stage.

Their excitement is obvious. Their patience has paid off and now they have a chance to get something good.

The Book of 2 Chronicles is a conclusion of sorts. The history of the Israelites and all of their turmoil, their capture and bondage, their forced exile, has been chronicled and now has ended. What does King Cyrus declare?

This is the happy ending for the Israelites. They have been exiled to a foreign land and have hoped and longed for a chance to return to their land in Israel. Now, Cyrus has followed the command of God and plans to build a temple in Jerusalem. Things have turned around. Things are looking better.

Cyrus makes a declaration of his intent and he ends with an invitation. Anyone wishing to return to the land of Judah is invited to do so. May God be with them. May they be blessed and happy. Let them go up.

I imagine that at the word of this decree there were many who waved their hands and ran much like the contestants on the game show. They were ecstatic. Their patience had paid off. Something good was waiting for them.

Are we any different? We may plod along in life trying to do the best that we can. We may go from day to day hoping for the best, longing for something better, wondering if good will come.

Then God gives an invitation. We are invited to come and be in communion with our Lord. We are invited to have our souls meet with the Holy Spirit to be refreshed and renewed. We are invited to receive incredible goodness from God.

So to any of you who hope for salvation, who hope for goodness, who hope for peace and love – may God be with you, and may you go up to the table of God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you respond to God’s invitation?

Invitation 4

Psalm 23:4-5

While in Haiti working at the orphanage we were told not to walk the streets by ourselves since Port-au-Prince is a dangerous place. But one day we had no choice. We had to get from one house to the other and there was no ride and no escort. So we began walking the half mile back to the main house, and we were admittedly a little afraid.

Yet, as we stepped outside the gate to begin our walk, someone called to us and ran to catch up with us. It was a local artist, a friend to the family operating the orphanage. He accompanied us all the way from one building to the other and we were quite safe.

What comfort is offered in Psalm 23:4? Where does that comfort come from? What does God offer us?

It may be a challenge to trust in the goodness of God at times. It may seem that we are confronted with hopeless situations, a sure and definite hardship. Yet, if we can trust in God, we will find protection and comfort. We need not fear evil.

With God’s presence surrounding us there is no harm that can befall us. We must trust and accept the invitation from God to be protected and kept safe.

And more than just safety and assurance, God invites us to partake of His table. In spite of our enemies and foes, in spite of hardships and challenges, God sets a table for us. We are invited to be a part of His plenty, to enjoy His good gifts.

And these gifts come in abundance. Our heads are anointed with oil. Anointing is an act to mark a person as special, as set apart, covered, in a sense, in holiness.

And our cup of goodness is not just full, it is full to overflowing. The love and mercy of God pours out in such abundance that there is not room enough to hold it all.

God prepares and invites. We must simply accept and come to the table.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What valley are you walking in? Can you trust God to walk with you?

Invitation 2

2 Kings 7:8-9

Continuing with the story of the army of Aram laying siege in Israel, four men with leprosy have decided to take their chances with the enemy. They left the besieged city of Samaria to go to the Aramean camp. They had nothing to lose. Either they died of starvation or they died at the hands of the soldiers. But the enemy might be merciful.

Surprisingly, when they arrived they found the camp deserted. God had performed a miracle in the gathering gloom of dusk and made the Arameans hear the sounds of an encircling army. Fearing a trap, the Arameans fled and left everything behind.

What did the lepers do in the camp? What decision do they make?

Four hopeless men in a hopeless city enduring a hopeless situation decided to take their chances with the enemy. There was a slim chance that their lives would be spared and this attacking horde would share some food.

Instead, these four find an empty camp – empty, that is, of the enemy. But the tents were still full of food and riches, left behind because of the miracle God had worked. And now these four bold (or desperate) men could gather whatever they wanted for themselves.

But then their consciences begin to nag them. It is not right that they should enjoy so much goodness while the rest of the city languishes. The abundance and blessing of God’s miracle should be shared.

Our lives may not be filled with the same riches these four men found, but we are given abundant blessings from God. We are frequently witnesses to miracles and good works from the Lord. God fills our lives with goodness and meets our needs. And we are always invited to the abundant table of God.

But, God’s table is open to more than just ourselves. God’s table is meant for all people. Like the men in the story, it is not right that we keep our blessings to ourselves.

God’s abundant goodness in our lives should be shared with others. We can share in the material blessings we have had, and we can share in the spiritual blessings we have experienced by witnessing to God’s goodness or by sharing of ourselves with those in need.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What blessing can you share with others?