Hosting Jesus: Invite Him Into Your Mess

May 11, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Little Hands, Open Hearts

A group of parents stood before their church, infants in arms, committing to raise children in God’s ways. Jesus once rebuked disciples who tried to block children from approaching Him. He insisted, “Let the little children come,” valuing their place in His kingdom. The church family pledged to support these families—not as distant observers, but as spiritual relatives. [41:20]

Jesus’ embrace of children reveals God’s heart for the vulnerable. He didn’t see them as future believers but present participants. When parents dedicate children, they echo Christ’s invitation—trusting God with what’s most precious.

Your home holds both chaos and holiness. What if you saw daily routines as sacred training grounds? Name one way your choices this week can point a child toward Jesus. When did you last let a child’s faith challenge your own?

“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’”
(Matthew 19:13-14, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal His purpose for the children in your sphere—biological, adopted, or spiritual.
Challenge: Text one family with young kids today: “How can I pray for your parenting journey this week?”

Day 2: Dye-Stained Hospitality

Lydia’s hands reeked of snail secretions from crafting purple cloth. Yet when Paul preached riverside, she didn’t rush home to scrub before inviting his team over. Her hospitality wasn’t performative—it was immediate, messy, and bold. The apostles ate her food, slept in her beds, and witnessed her unvarnished life. [58:18]

God opened Lydia’s heart before opening her home. Her story shows faith isn’t about presentability. True community happens when we stop hiding our “snail stains”—the quirks, struggles, and unfinished edges.

You’ve postponed hosting until life looks perfect. What if you invited someone into your real space this week—dirty dishes, unfolded laundry, and all? What spiritual connection might happen over takeout pizza in a cluttered living room?

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia… The Lord opened her heart to pay attention… After she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’”
(Acts 16:14-15, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one insecurity that keeps you from authentic hospitality.
Challenge: Invite a neighbor or church member over within 7 days—no deep cleaning allowed.

Day 3: The Smell of Hidden Things

A teenager’s room reeked of death. Beneath piles of clothes lay a crushed mouse—unseen but undeniable. His mother insisted he confront the mess. Spiritual decay works the same way: ignored sin and secret shame poison our souls until we air them out. [54:06]

Jesus enters locked rooms—literal and emotional. He doesn’t recoil from our rot but brings light and cleansing. Like the boy’s gloves and broom, God provides tools for repentance through His Spirit.

What “closed door” have you been avoiding? Addiction? Bitterness? Financial chaos? Name it aloud today. How might inviting Christ into that space transform your fear into freedom?

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”
(Psalm 51:10-11, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for His willingness to enter your messiest places.
Challenge: Write one hidden struggle on paper. Burn or shred it as a surrender ritual.

Day 4: Purple Cloth, Unlikely Honor

Lydia sold fabric dyed with snail guts—a smelly, socially awkward trade. Yet God chose this “outsider” to host Europe’s first church. Her hands, stained with the world’s most coveted color, became vessels for spreading the gospel’s radical inclusivity. [59:42]

God glorifies what culture discards. He used Lydia’s trade—associated with both royalty and stench—to display His kingdom’s upside-down values. Your most embarrassing traits might be His chosen tools.

Where have you felt “too messy” for ministry? Your past failures? Current doubts? Physical limitations? How could your perceived weaknesses become platforms for Christ’s strength?

“But the Lord said to Samuel… ‘The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’”
(1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to redeem one insecurity for His glory.
Challenge: Compliment someone’s “unlikely” strength today (e.g., “Your honesty about struggle helps me”).

Day 5: From Spark to Flame

A pastor held a child dedication certificate, envisioning generational faith. Jesus compared God’s kingdom to a mustard seed—tiny but unstoppable. The sermon’s closing plea: let Christ’s spark ignite your ordinary moments into eternal significance. [49:35]

The early church exploded because Lydia’s household, Philippian jailers, and other “small” people said yes. Your faithful parenting, honest conversations, and daily obedience fuel the same unstoppable fire.

What “spark” has God placed in you—a nudge to serve, reconcile, or create? What practical step will you take this week to fan it into flame?

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly… divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 2:1-4, ESV)

Prayer: Ask for boldness to act on one Spirit-prompting you’ve resisted.
Challenge: Share a 2-minute faith story with someone before sunset tomorrow.

Sermon Summary

We gather to celebrate child dedication as a concrete act of faith and a public pledge to raise children toward God. We present our children because Jesus welcomed them, and we commit to creating a clear pathway for them to know Christ as savior and lord. We promise, with the Spirit’s help, to discipline, teach, and model holiness so grace may lodge in their hearts and their steps toward God become natural. Extended family and close friends accept responsibility to supplement and encourage parents, and the congregation accepts the role of spiritual family that nurtures and protects these young lives.

We commit to practical care, time, and resources so children see kingdom values lived out. We pray over the children, asking God to bring them near, to grow them into Christlike likeness, and to give parents courage when the world looks bleak. We recognize that small faith sparks movement; a mustard-seed trust opens the way for God to do great things among us.

We study Lydia as a model of spiritual hospitality and leadership. Lydia worked in a messy trade, she worshiped God outside formal structures, and the Lord opened her heart to the gospel. Her personal response changed her household, led to baptism for her family, and turned her home into a base for ministry. Lydia invited the apostles into the reality of her life without polishing the surface first, demonstrating what true hospitality and discipleship look like.

We wrestle with the question of whether we will host Jesus into our full, interior lives—the smelly, broken, and hidden places. God acts as a master cleaner; when we open the door, God reveals the dead mice and then cleans them. We invite God to work in our messy rooms and in the rooms of those whose lives touch ours. Many respond by raising hands to welcome God’s cleansing, forgiveness, and new beginning. We resolve to be a church that goes out, finds open hearts, and offers homes and lives where Jesus can dwell and do transforming work.

Key Takeaways

1. Children belong to the kingdom We present children to God as a primary spiritual act, not a ritual. Dedication reorients family priorities so decisions, discipline, and daily rhythms point toward Christ. This act affirms that children receive spiritual formation through household practices, not only through programs. [41:55]
2. Parents pledge spiritual leadership We vow to raise children with intentional faith practices and holy example. That pledge requires dependence on the Spirit, consistent habits, and sacrificial presence that model God’s grace in ordinary life. Leadership here means patient formation, not performance. [43:36]
3. Church becomes extended family We accept the obligation to act as spiritual parents, grandparents, and mentors. The congregation sustains families through presence, programming, and visible righteousness that young hearts can imitate. Community prevents isolation and multiplies spiritual formation. [45:36]
4. Invite Jesus into our mess We open our unclean rooms and hidden hurts to Christ’s cleansing rather than hiding them behind polish. True hospitality for God means letting Jesus experience our smells, fears, and brokenness so healing can begin. God does the work of transformation when we stop pretending and start inviting. [74:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:57] - Connection and next steps
[10:45] - Vision for victorious life
[39:50] - Child dedication begins
[41:09] - Ceremony and meaning explained
[41:38] - Jesus values children
[42:32] - Giving children a clear path
[43:20] - Parental pledge and vows
[45:36] - Congregation’s responsibility
[47:03] - Prayer for the children
[49:06] - Spark of movement and faith
[58:18] - Lydia introduced
[67:03] - Lydia’s hospitality and impact
[74:39] - Invite Jesus into the mess
[81:35] - Response and invitation to trust

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 19:13-14 (ESV)
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Acts 16:11-15 (ESV)
So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi... A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Observation Questions

What did Jesus emphasize about children in Matthew 19:13-14, and how did His response contrast with the disciples’ reaction?
Lydia’s story in Acts 16 describes her hospitality despite her “messy” occupation. What specific actions did she take after encountering Paul’s message?
The sermon mentioned that child dedication is “not a ritual” but a reorientation of family priorities. What practical commitments do parents and the congregation make in this process? [43:36]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus specifically highlighted children as belonging to the kingdom of heaven, even when others dismissed them? How does this challenge cultural attitudes today?
Lydia invited Paul into her home without “polishing” her life first. What does this reveal about the relationship between vulnerability and true discipleship?
The sermon compared inviting Jesus into our “messy rooms” to Lydia’s hospitality. Why might hiding our struggles hinder God’s transformative work? [01:14:39]

Application Questions

Parents are called to model holiness through “ordinary life” habits. What is one intentional way you could incorporate faith practices (e.g., prayer, gratitude) into your family’s daily rhythm this week? [43:36]
Lydia’s openness led to her household’s baptism. Is there a “messy” area of your life (e.g., a strained relationship, a hidden fear) where you need to stop pretending and invite Jesus in? How might this impact others around you?
The congregation pledged to act as “spiritual family” for dedicated children. What is one tangible way you could support a parent or child in your community this month (e.g., mentoring, prayer, practical help)? [45:36]
The sermon described God as a “master cleaner” who works in our brokenness. What step could you take this week to actively trust Him with a situation you’ve been trying to fix on your own?
Lydia’s story shows hospitality isn’t about perfection. Who in your life needs to experience the “unpolished” reality of your faith journey? How could you invite them into an honest conversation or shared activity? [01:07:03]

Sermon Clips

41s

#SparkTheMovement

“We just need to get a little little spark out of it, man. If we could get a little spark out of today, what might happen? If there is just a little spark in your heart for the movement of Christ, who knows what could happen? I mean, Jesus tells his disciples, all you need is the faith of a mustard seed, and you can move a mountain. And so I wonder what it might look like for us, you and me, to open our eyes, to open our hearts, and let the spark of what happened in the beginning of the movement of the church after the resurrection of Jesus take hold in us too.”

69s

#MosaicOfGrace

“God, I am convinced that if we give it to you and we open ourselves up to you, that you will take those things and that you will do incredible work. Make mosaics of the broken pieces. Clean out the smells so that they become something that's a pleasing aroma. Clean the glass so that we can see clearly. And God, if there's something you want to do in somebody's heart and life today, may we open up ourselves to being the hosts, maybe that don't have the most, but what we have is offered to you.”

41s

#BringGodIntoTheMess

“God comes into our hearts if we let him into those dirty places, those ugly spaces, those scary or smelly or loud or messy places, even those painfully broken spaces, he will reveal the mess. There's a dead mouse there, buddy. We're going to have to do something about that. But as he reveals it, he won't just let you get to work by yourself. He will get to work if you'll let him.”

41s

#FromBrokenToWhole

“where they were something and then they become something else. They were this this kind of broken thing, and then god puts them back together. And when we hear those stories, we're moved by that. So Lydia hears, and she's moved, and she accepts Jesus in her heart. And when she does that, what happens? I I love this. She hears it and accepted accepts it, accepts Jesus, and, you know, yada yada yada. Her whole family is baptized. There's a lot in that yada yada yada, by the way.”

53s

#FaceTheInnerMess

“Not just the outside us, not just the presentation purple of us, but the inside us, the the mess that we are. What would happen if we let Jesus in? I opened my door to my bedroom, and the smell was overwhelming. I can still smell it right now. I mean, it hits your it hits your nose, and just the memory of it brings back the smell. And as I opened the door and the smell came at me, I thought, there's no there's no way. Is anybody a sympathy puker? I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to cause you angst.”

40s

#GodTheMasterCleaner

“The mouse, like letting somebody in to the reality, the vulnerability of someone seeing your true self, knowing you're not perfect. Like, you know it. You know it, and I know it. And I know I'm not perfect either. And I know there are things that cause my life to stink or to look bad or to look off. These are the very places that God wants to be because he is a master master cleaner. Cleaner.”

50s

#CleanedByGrace

“But I think about the way my mom, the moms that I'm closest to, take care to clean on behalf of us, not because we deserve it. I mean, we made the mess. We dirtied the clothes, and yet they come in and they clean. And this is what it's like with Jesus. We made the mess in our lives. We're the ones responsible. Or maybe somebody did it for you like I did at my mom's house when I was growing up.”

52s

#HostForJesus

“And Lydia invited them into her space without any way to clean up, without any way to get it done, without any way to make it look right, smell right, be right before they got there. And I wonder I wonder what kind of hosts we are for Jesus. Lots of people love what Jesus does for them. Oh, man. He's so good. The forgiveness, the grace, the the adorable, miraculous little birth in the stable at Christmas time. Isn't it wonderful? It's so cute.”

42s

#TrustGodWithYourMess

“God, I think this is what it means to lay down our life, to have intimacy with Jesus. If there's anybody in here that is is needing to trust God with a broken space or a mess or a smell or a lack of ability to see. If you need God to come in and clean something in your life, whether it's you or someone else that's creating this for you, would you just raise your hand so I can pray directly for you? Is that you today? Yeah. I see I see those hands. Anybody else? Anybody else?”

50s

#GiveYourMessToGod

“I made the mess for her, and she also had to live in it. But I wonder if we invited God into those spaces, if you did today. If you can just picture what that looks like. Just take all that stuff, give it to the Lord, and see what he does with it. Would you bow your heads with me? God, it's not easy to be a host when in reality, we know that the rooms of our hearts are messy.”

47s

#MessSpillsOver

“And God, there's probably some people in the room too who who are recipients of some of that mess, and the mess is spilling over into their lives. I mean, we know all of us have created a mess in one way or another. But God, we also know that there's other things that have happened in our world where the mess is coming into us. We started with it. It's somebody else's room. It's somebody else's mouse. But it's impacting us.”

60s

#MessImpactsEverything

“It's not easy to be a host, Lord, when we know that there are things that we're just not good at, that we'd like to hide away and close the door. But honestly, God, we know that the smells escape the room. God, I'm thinking about maybe people in this room who are like me that have made great messes, and it's impacting their life. It's impacting their relationships. It's impacting their finances. It's impacting the things that provide stability or joy or peace.”

34s

#ForgivenAndCalled

“God, thank you for these that have raised their hand. Call them into relationship with you. Let them know that they are forgiven today. Give them hope and joy in the future that you promise. Draw near to them so that they know that this day is a marker in their lives, that they don't have to be who they've always been. They get to be everything that you've created them to be.”

38s

#ProblemsKeepComing

“And at the time, it was after my parents had split up, and and we had, you know, two young men that were supposed to deal with the mice. They just kept coming. And and we would we would get one, and and my brother and I would go out to the trap, whichever kind of trap we had, that kind of snaps down on you or the sticky pad or whatever it was, or maybe we even got the the live trap to put it back out there. But, man, they just kept coming. Started off big, and then they just progressively got smaller.”

30s

#WhenLifeGetsMessy

“You can pick them up from anywhere. In fact, if you just spread them out on the floor, you can see them really well. And so that's kinda where I was at. I'd bring my nicely folded clothes into my bedroom and put them on my bed, and eventually, would pick through them, and eventually, they would end up on the floor. And and then my dirty clothes would end up on the floor too, and and eventually, I didn't know which ones were clean and which ones are dirty. And then my mom would come in and say, you have to clean your room. It was it was a real process.”

31s

#HiddenDeadThings

“And I reach in, and I get down, and I I get one, and I pull back like that. Put that one outside. I was safe. And I get down, and I reach another one, I get in, and I pull it back, and there's there's no live mice. There's no I don't see anything. And I and pretty soon, I pull one off, and there's a little dead mouse right there. It looks intact. Why is it stinking up the place? I don't understand.”

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