Jesus' Invitation: Come, Listen, and Go
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound simplicity and depth of Jesus' invitation to "come," "listen," and "go." We began by reflecting on the diverse reasons people find themselves in church, yet ultimately recognizing that the core reason is Jesus. He is the reason we gather, the reason we have a spiritual home, and the reason we are called to be part of His body, the church. Jesus' invitation is open to all, without prerequisites or barriers. He calls us to come as we are, to experience His presence and to know Him personally.
We delved into the significance of truly listening to Jesus. It's not enough to hear His words; we must actively engage with them, allowing them to penetrate our hearts and transform our lives. Jesus often spoke in parables, inviting us to ponder and seek understanding. This requires us to exercise our faith, to trust in His wisdom, and to be open to the journey He invites us on. Listening to Jesus means being attentive to His teachings and allowing them to shape our actions and decisions.
Finally, we considered the call to "go." Jesus commissions us to share His message with the world, starting from where we are. This is not just a call to evangelize but to live out our faith authentically, being witnesses to the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. We are called to be active participants in His mission, sharing the good news and making disciples. This involves being ready to testify to the difference Jesus has made in our lives, offering direct evidence of His love and grace.
Key Takeaways:
- The Invitation to Come: Jesus invites us to come to Him just as we are, without any prerequisites. This open invitation is a call to experience His presence and to begin a personal relationship with Him. It is a reminder that our journey with Jesus starts with a simple step of faith, responding to His call. [04:44]
- The Importance of Listening: Truly listening to Jesus requires more than just hearing His words; it involves engaging with them and allowing them to transform us. Jesus' teachings often challenge us to think deeply and to seek understanding, inviting us to grow in faith and wisdom. [15:11]
- The Call to Go: Jesus commissions us to share His message with the world, starting from where we are. This call to "go" is about living out our faith authentically and being witnesses to the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. [25:49]
- Faith as a Journey: Our faith journey involves trusting in Jesus and being open to the mystery of His work in our lives. It requires us to exercise our faith, to trust in His wisdom, and to be open to the journey He invites us on. [17:21]
- Being a Witness: To be an effective witness, we must know Jesus personally and be able to testify to the difference He has made in our lives. This involves sharing our personal experiences of His love and grace, offering direct evidence of His transformative power. [30:25]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:04] - The Reason We Gather
- [04:44] - Jesus' Invitation to Come
- [07:25] - Meeting Jesus Today
- [09:49] - The Decision to Follow
- [12:51] - Listening to Jesus
- [15:11] - Engaging with His Teachings
- [17:21] - The Journey of Faith
- [19:16] - Questions of Life and Faith
- [22:13] - The Good News of Salvation
- [25:49] - The Great Commission
- [28:26] - Starting Locally
- [30:25] - Being a Witness
- [32:25] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 1:36-39
2. Matthew 11:28
3. Matthew 28:19
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Observation Questions:
1. In John 1:36-39, what was the response of the two disciples when John the Baptist identified Jesus as the "Lamb of God"? How did Jesus invite them to follow Him? [04:44]
2. According to Matthew 11:28, what does Jesus promise to those who come to Him with heavy burdens? How does this reflect His invitation to "come"? [04:44]
3. What is the significance of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, and how does it relate to the sermon’s emphasis on the call to "go"? [25:49]
4. How does the sermon describe the different ways people might initially come to church, and what is identified as the core reason for gathering? [02:04]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to "come as you are" to Jesus, and how does this concept challenge traditional religious prerequisites? [07:25]
2. How does the sermon explain the difference between hearing Jesus' words and truly listening to them? What role does faith play in this process? [15:11]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that being a witness involves more than just sharing the gospel verbally? How does personal testimony play a role? [30:25]
4. How does the sermon describe the journey of faith as an exercise in trust and openness to Jesus' work in our lives? [17:21]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal reasons for attending church. How does the sermon challenge you to refocus on Jesus as the core reason for gathering? [02:04]
2. Jesus invites us to "come" without prerequisites. Is there anything in your life that you feel is a barrier to coming to Jesus? How can you overcome this? [07:25]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of truly listening to Jesus. What practical steps can you take to engage more deeply with His teachings in your daily life? [15:11]
4. Consider the call to "go" and share Jesus' message. Identify one person or group in your local community with whom you can share your faith this week. How will you approach this? [25:49]
5. The sermon discusses the importance of personal testimony. What is one specific way Jesus has transformed your life, and how can you share this story with others? [30:25]
6. Reflect on the idea of faith as a journey. What is one area of your life where you need to exercise more trust in Jesus? How can you actively work on this? [17:21]
7. The sermon mentions the importance of being a witness through actions. What is one tangible way you can demonstrate Jesus' love and grace in your interactions this week? [30:25]
Devotional
Day 1: The Open Invitation of Jesus
Jesus extends an open invitation to all, welcoming us to come to Him just as we are, without any prerequisites. This invitation is a call to experience His presence and to begin a personal relationship with Him. It is a reminder that our journey with Jesus starts with a simple step of faith, responding to His call. Jesus' invitation is not limited by our past or our current circumstances; it is a call to everyone, regardless of where they are in life. By accepting this invitation, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His love and grace. [04:44]
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel burdened or weary? How can you respond to Jesus' invitation to come to Him with this burden today?
Day 2: Engaging with Jesus' Teachings
Truly listening to Jesus requires more than just hearing His words; it involves engaging with them and allowing them to transform us. Jesus' teachings often challenge us to think deeply and to seek understanding, inviting us to grow in faith and wisdom. This process of listening is active and requires us to be attentive to His teachings, allowing them to shape our actions and decisions. By engaging with His words, we open ourselves to the journey of faith that He invites us on, trusting in His wisdom and being open to the mystery of His work in our lives. [15:11]
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." (Matthew 7:24, ESV)
Reflection: What is one teaching of Jesus that you find challenging? How can you actively engage with this teaching in your daily life this week?
Day 3: Living Out the Call to Go
Jesus commissions us to share His message with the world, starting from where we are. This call to "go" is about living out our faith authentically and being witnesses to the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. It involves being ready to testify to the difference Jesus has made in our lives, offering direct evidence of His love and grace. By living out this call, we become active participants in His mission, sharing the good news and making disciples. This is not just a call to evangelize but to embody the teachings of Jesus in our everyday actions and interactions. [25:49]
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)
Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you can share the message of Jesus with this week? How can you authentically live out your faith in front of them?
Day 4: Trusting in the Journey of Faith
Our faith journey involves trusting in Jesus and being open to the mystery of His work in our lives. It requires us to exercise our faith, to trust in His wisdom, and to be open to the journey He invites us on. This journey is not always straightforward, and it often involves challenges and uncertainties. However, by trusting in Jesus, we can find peace and assurance in His presence and guidance. Our faith is strengthened as we navigate the ups and downs of life, knowing that Jesus is with us every step of the way. [17:21]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust Jesus? How can you take a step of faith to trust Him more fully in this area today?
Day 5: Being a Witness to Jesus' Transformative Power
To be an effective witness, we must know Jesus personally and be able to testify to the difference He has made in our lives. This involves sharing our personal experiences of His love and grace, offering direct evidence of His transformative power. By being a witness, we not only share the good news with others but also strengthen our own faith as we reflect on the ways Jesus has worked in our lives. Being a witness is about living authentically and allowing others to see the impact of Jesus' love and grace in our everyday actions and decisions. [30:25]
"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a specific moment when you experienced Jesus' transformative power in your life. How can you share this experience with someone who needs encouragement this week?
Quotes
"People have all kinds of reasons for coming to church, don't they? Sometimes people come to church simply because it's a Sunday and they've always come to church on a Sunday. It's a habit. Sometimes they wander in because God has just prompted them and has said, come on in. I want you to go through there. They don't know what's drawing them in." [00:00:24] (27 seconds)
"And what I want to actually think about is, what is it that we're about when we're here? We're gathering to hear the word of God. We're gathering to be uplifted. But there's a reason for that. Because you could be doing lots of other things today. You could be washing the car. You could be sitting down to read the Sunday supplements, if people still do that in this internet world." [00:02:34] (28 seconds)
"God wants us to be here. And actually, the message, the welcome, the invitation from Jesus is very simple. He says one word, come. Come. In John's gospel, we read that two unnamed disciples are following John the Baptist. We actually can work out that they are Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, and John, who wrote the gospel." [00:03:18] (31 seconds)
"You see, in order to know Jesus, we have to be with Jesus. We have to come to him. You can't kind of look at him from a distance. You can't look on and see what his followers are doing and know him. You can know about him. You can hear of him. But you can't know him. So, the first thing he says is, Come. And actually, it's come just as you are." [00:05:34] (33 seconds)
"When we choose to come to Jesus, we are opening our minds to the possibility that he is the answer to life, the universe, and everything. And we have to choose how to respond to him. But the invitation is to all and the response is available for all. We had an invitation, well, a little thing in the post this week. It wasn't quite an invitation." [00:09:37] (31 seconds)
"In the same way, everyone who hears about Jesus has to decide for themselves, do I believe in Jesus? Who is he? You know, what difference does he make? And they have to say, shall I go to his church? You don't have to decide which church to attend, of course, but that's a different question." [00:11:42] (24 seconds)
"Jesus talked in parables a lot. He wanted people to work out for themselves what he was saying. You know, we have to think about it. If he'd come along simply and said, hey, listen up. I'm God in human form. Do what I say or else. Well, there wouldn't have been a lot of room for faith, would there?" [00:16:01] (24 seconds)
"Our faith journey involves us putting our trust in him and saying, God, if you will, let this happen. And then when it doesn't happen, we have to ask why. That's part of the journey of faith. You go to the gym, you don't get buffed muscles by just standing on the running machine. You have to actually turn it on and run." [00:17:04] (30 seconds)
"To ask questions about the meaning of life is something everyone does. We all say, why am I here? Is someone going to love me? How long am I going to live? How long will I live? Is my life worth living? What's the purpose of life? Everyone asks that. Every human being on the planet at some point has pondered those questions." [00:19:09] (21 seconds)
"So in short, we have to be a witness when we go. A witness is someone who can testify to what they personally know, what they've seen, what they've heard. What someone said to them. Often, they go to court. But when they go to court, they can't tell the court something about what someone else has said. That's called hearsay. It's not permitted." [00:28:51] (29 seconds)
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