Inviting Others to Experience Jesus Together

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Personal Invitation

The story of the Samaritan woman at the well demonstrates the profound impact of personal invitation. Despite her past and lack of theological knowledge, her encounter with Jesus was enough to bring her entire town to Him. This shows that our personal stories and invitations can have a significant impact on others. We don't need to have all the answers or perfect theology; our genuine experiences with Jesus can speak volumes. By sharing our personal encounters and inviting others to "come see," we can lead them to experience Jesus for themselves. [11:59]

John 1:45-46 (ESV): "Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'"

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who might benefit from hearing your personal story of encountering Jesus. How can you extend a genuine invitation to them to "come see" and experience Jesus for themselves?

Day 2: Experiencing vs. Explaining Jesus

Jesus needs to be experienced, not just explained. The Samaritan woman at the well didn't try to explain Jesus with theological arguments; instead, she invited others to experience Him. This highlights the importance of personal encounters with Jesus over mere explanations. An experience with Jesus can transform lives in ways that explanations cannot. We should focus on inviting others to experience Jesus rather than feeling the pressure to have all the right words or theological knowledge. [08:01]

Psalm 34:8 (ESV): "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you experienced Jesus in a profound way. How can you share that experience with someone who needs to encounter Jesus today?

Day 3: Seeing Through God's Eyes

Jesus told His disciples to "open your eyes" and see the fields ripe for harvest. This means overcoming our spiritual nearsightedness and recognizing the divine opportunities in our everyday relationships. We cannot reach what we cannot see. By seeing people through God's eyes, we can recognize the potential for transformation in their lives. This requires us to be attentive and intentional in our interactions, looking for opportunities to share God's love and truth. [13:15]

Matthew 9:37-38 (ESV): "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'"

Reflection: Think about your daily interactions. Are there people you might be overlooking who need to experience God's love? How can you be more intentional in seeing and reaching out to them?

Day 4: Praying for a Heart Like God's

We should pray for God to break our hearts for what breaks His. This prayer aligns our desires with God's and helps us to see and care for the lost and broken in our world. It shifts our focus from our own needs to the needs of others. By praying for a heart like God's, we become more compassionate and driven to share His love with those around us. This prayer is a powerful way to align our hearts with God's mission and purpose. [23:13]

Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

Reflection: Spend time in prayer asking God to give you a heart that breaks for what breaks His. How can this change your perspective and actions towards those who are lost and hurting?

Day 5: Taking Personal Responsibility

We are called to take personal responsibility for the people in our lives. This involves building genuine relationships, sharing our personal stories, and extending invitations to experience Jesus. Our relationships are not accidental; they are divine opportunities to share God's love. By taking personal responsibility, we become active participants in God's mission, using our unique experiences and connections to make a difference in the lives of others. [26:08]

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us."

Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs to experience Jesus. What steps can you take this week to build a genuine relationship with them and share your personal story of faith?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we gathered to celebrate the final practice service at our North Lakeland location before its grand opening next Sunday. This is a significant milestone for our church, and we are excited about the potential to reach more people for Jesus. We are in the second part of our series, "Go Tell, Come See," which focuses on the importance of sharing our faith and inviting others to experience Jesus.

The core of today's message revolves around the story of the Samaritan woman at the well from John 4. This story illustrates the power of personal invitation and the necessity of experiencing Jesus rather than merely explaining Him. The Samaritan woman, despite her past and lack of theological knowledge, was able to bring her entire town to Jesus simply by sharing her encounter and inviting them to "come see."

We also discussed the importance of seeing people through God's eyes. Jesus told His disciples to "open your eyes" and see the fields ripe for harvest, emphasizing that we cannot reach what we cannot see. This means overcoming our spiritual nearsightedness and recognizing the divine opportunities in our everyday relationships.

To make this practical, we are called to pray for God to break our hearts for what breaks His and to take personal responsibility for the people in our lives. Building genuine relationships and sharing our personal stories are crucial steps in this process. Finally, we must extend personal invitations, whether to follow Jesus or to join us at church, to those around us.

###

Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Personal Invitation: The Samaritan woman at the well didn't have all the answers or perfect theology, but her personal encounter with Jesus was enough to bring her entire town to Him. This shows that our personal stories and invitations can have a profound impact on others. [11:59]
2. **Experiencing vs. Explaining Jesus**: Jesus needs to be experienced, not just explained. Like the Samaritan woman, we should invite others to "come see" rather than feeling the pressure to have all the right words or theological knowledge. An experience with Jesus can transform lives in ways that explanations cannot. [08:01]
3. Seeing Through God's Eyes: Jesus told His disciples to "open your eyes" and see the fields ripe for harvest. This means overcoming our spiritual nearsightedness and recognizing the divine opportunities in our everyday relationships. We cannot reach what we cannot see. [13:15]
4. Praying for a Heart Like God's: We should pray for God to break our hearts for what breaks His. This prayer aligns our desires with God's and helps us to see and care for the lost and broken in our world. It shifts our focus from our own needs to the needs of others. [23:13]
5. Taking Personal Responsibility: We are called to take personal responsibility for the people in our lives. This involves building genuine relationships, sharing our personal stories, and extending invitations to experience Jesus. Our relationships are not accidental; they are divine opportunities to share God's love. [26:08]
### [26:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:06] - How Did Access Grow?
[04:15] - The Role of Invitation
[05:33] - Explaining vs. Experiencing Jesus
[06:49] - The Yeti Cup Analogy
[08:01] - Jesus Needs to Be Experienced
[09:26] - The Samaritan Woman at the Well
[10:39] - Breaking Barriers
[11:59] - Come See
[13:15] - Open Your Eyes
[14:38] - Sharing Your Story
[16:03] - Evangelism Strategy
[17:32] - Spiritual Nearsightedness
[19:03] - Mission Trip to Honduras
[21:46] - Seeing People as God Sees Them
[23:13] - Praying for a Heart Like God's
[24:42] - Your Kingdom Come
[26:08] - Taking Personal Responsibility
[27:40] - Building Personal Relationships
[29:05] - Sharing Your Personal Story
[30:28] - Giving a Personal Invitation
[31:46] - Challenge to Invite
[33:04] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was the significance of Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, considering the cultural context of the time? ([09:26])
How did the Samaritan woman respond after her encounter with Jesus, and what was the result of her actions? ([11:59])
What did Jesus mean when he told his disciples to "open your eyes and look at the fields; they are ripe for harvest"? ([13:15])
According to the sermon, what are some practical steps we can take to see people through God's eyes? ([21:46])

Interpretation Questions

Why is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well a powerful example of the impact of personal invitation? How does her story illustrate the importance of sharing personal experiences with Jesus? ([11:59])
What does it mean to experience Jesus rather than just explain Him? How can this perspective change the way we share our faith? ([08:01])
How can praying for a heart like God's help us to see and care for the lost and broken in our world? What might this prayer look like in our daily lives? ([23:13])
What does it mean to take personal responsibility for the people in our lives? How can we build genuine relationships and share our personal stories effectively? ([26:08])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt compelled to invite someone to church or share your faith. What was the outcome, and how did it impact your relationship with that person? ([05:33])
Think about your current relationships. Are there people in your life who might be open to an invitation to "come see" what Jesus is doing? How can you approach them this week? ([11:59])
How can you overcome spiritual nearsightedness in your daily interactions? What practical steps can you take to see people as God sees them? ([13:15])
What specific prayers can you incorporate into your daily routine to align your heart with God's? How can these prayers help you to care more deeply for those who are far from God? ([23:13])
Identify one person in your life who does not know Jesus. What steps can you take this week to build a genuine relationship with them and share your personal story of faith? ([26:08])
How can you create opportunities for others to experience Jesus rather than just hearing about Him? What events or activities at your church could you invite them to? ([08:01])
Reflect on the idea of taking personal responsibility for the people in your life. How does this challenge you to be more intentional in your relationships and evangelism efforts? ([26:08])

Sermon Clips

1. "Not for us, but because heaven and hell are realities. And we're praying for you. We're praying for keeps. Can I get a good amen from anybody in here? Amen. It's going to be good. Excited about next week. Well, today we are in part two of a series that I've really liked. The series is called Go Tell, Come See. And in this series, we just really want to ask a question. What does it look like for us to be the kind of church that stops thinking just about us and realizes what I just said is true, that heaven and hell are real and we're playing for keeps." [01:20] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Can I tell you the real reason Access grew? It's really simple. It's because somebody invited you. It's because somewhere along the way, someone invited you. Now, maybe you're the rare person who came because you drove by the church and saw it and saw the sign. Maybe you Googled best church in Lakeland and found us. I don't know what it is. But for most people, the way they came to church is because someone had the courage to invite them." [05:33] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Jesus needs to be experienced, not just explained. He needs to be experienced. And for many of us, we feel like we've got to like say the right words and we have to have all the right verses and we have to know all the theology to invite people to experience Jesus. But I'm telling you, no amount of explaining will do what an experience with Jesus can do." [08:01] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Jesus says to them, like you're thinking the wrong way and you're seeing the wrong way. I'm telling you, I'm doing something that's going to matter for eternity. You're consumed with something that's going to just very temporarily satisfy you. Today, in the few minutes we have, I want to look at the two statements that we all read together. And I want to ask God to open our eyes to see the world around us the way he sees it." [13:15] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Can I tell you this? When it comes to sharing your faith, you don't have to have it all figured out. You don't have to have all the answers. People are like, well, I don't have a theological degree. I didn't go to seminary like you. I've got wonderful news for you. You don't have to have it all together. If Jesus has changed your life, let me be very clear. I believe he has. If Jesus has transformed your life, then a part of your life should be to share what you've experienced and to invite others to experience everything you have." [14:38] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "We cannot reach what we cannot see. We can't reach what or who we cannot see. Come on, can we be honest for a moment? You ever had a moment when people frustrated you? Come on, group confession everywhere we are. Anyone that get frustrated by people, come on, a bunch of y'all are liars. Like we get frustrated. Yesterday, I'm at the North Lakeland mall. I'm at a three-way stop and I've waited for two cars to go. It is obviously my turn. And some moron in a Ford F-150 thought he was better than me, skipped the rules and jumped ahead of me. North Lakeland needs Jesus." [17:32] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "If God answered all of my prayers, would it change the world or would it just change me? That's a hard pill to swallow. Like if you were to audit your prayer life, would the world get better? Would more people come to faith in Jesus? Would the city of Lakeland get closer? Would churches get more full? Would missions happen better around the world? Would we end issues like homelessness and hunger around the world? Would the world improve or would our little life just get better?" [19:03] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "What do you think God cares about and what breaks his heart? All of his sons and daughters who are far lost, separated from him. Okay. If God's going to break your heart, you're going to start to see people in a different way. You're going to start to realize that every relationship in your life is an opportunity for you to see people in a different way. For you to share your faith and to invite people to experience God at a church-like access." [23:13] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "The people in your life are not in your life on accident. That neighbor that you have, that co-worker, that teacher for your kids, your son's coach, the people in your life that know you and love you are not there on accident. There is a day where you have to stand before God and give an account for the way that we lived our life. A part of this is accepting the fact that God has put those people, listen to me, providentially in your life so that you can share your life with them." [26:08] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Your faith will come alive in a way you've never experienced when you're a part of someone's decision to follow Jesus. So what do we do? We accept the personal responsibility. We need to listen. We need to care about the people in our lives, develop personal relationships. And number three, when you ask people their story, they're going to ask yours. So you just share your personal story. And here's the point. This is what Liz talked about last week. If Jesus has changed your life, and I know he has, because that's what he does. If he's changed your life, make sure that he's a big part of your story." [29:05] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?