Strengthening Faith Through Intentional Invitations
Summary
In our journey of faith, much like tracking physical workouts, we find ourselves at different stages. Some of us are new to faith, filled with questions and curiosity, while others have been followers of Jesus for decades. Regardless of where we are, the critical question remains: Is our faith growing, or has it become stagnant and boring? Often, we mistakenly believe that learning more will reignite our faith. However, the truth is that while learning is important, living out what we have learned is what truly revitalizes our faith.
Over the next few weeks, we will explore five practical "workouts" to strengthen our faith. These are not the only ways to grow, but they are accessible to everyone, regardless of where you are on your faith journey. Today, we focus on the first workout: the power of invitation. Jesus exemplified this through his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Despite cultural norms, he intentionally chose to engage with her, sparking a conversation that led to an invitation to follow him. This encounter transformed not only her life but also the lives of many in her town.
The challenge for us is to be intentional about our paths, to spark conversations, and to extend invitations. This means living with our eyes open to the opportunities around us, whether in our daily routines or through our online presence. It involves listening for cues in conversations, such as when someone is not prepared for a situation, not from the area, or when things are not going well. These moments are opportunities to invite others to experience the hope and community we have found in our faith.
Inviting others is not always easy, but it is a powerful way to grow our faith and impact the lives of those around us. Just as physical workouts can be challenging yet rewarding, so too can the spiritual workout of inviting others. By being intentional and courageous in our invitations, we can see our faith and the faith of others flourish.
Key Takeaways:
- Faith as a Journey: Our faith is at different stages, much like a workout regimen. It's essential to assess whether our faith is growing or stagnant. Growth often requires living out what we have learned, not just acquiring more knowledge. [03:09]
- The Power of Invitation: Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman shows the transformative power of intentional conversations and invitations. By engaging with her, he not only changed her life but also impacted an entire town. [22:52]
- Intentional Paths: Being intentional about our daily paths and interactions can open doors for meaningful conversations and invitations. Whether through personal interactions or online presence, we can create opportunities to share our faith. [32:01]
- Listening for Opportunities: Pay attention to cues in conversations, such as when someone is not prepared, not from the area, or when things are not going well. These are opportunities to invite others to experience the hope and community of faith. [35:45]
- The Challenge of Inviting: Inviting others can be challenging, but it is a vital workout for our faith. It requires courage and intentionality, but the rewards are significant, both for our growth and for those we invite. [31:08]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:59] - Charting Our Faith
- [03:09] - Is Your Faith Growing?
- [04:01] - The Misconception of Learning More
- [05:39] - Living Out Our Faith
- [07:40] - Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
- [09:38] - The Tension with the Pharisees
- [11:14] - Jesus' Intentional Path
- [14:40] - Breaking Cultural Norms
- [16:39] - Conversations Lead to Invitations
- [18:54] - The Offer of Living Water
- [20:57] - From Tradition to Heart
- [22:52] - Jesus' Invitation to Follow
- [25:20] - The Woman's Testimony
- [29:21] - Workout #1: Invite
- [32:01] - Being Intentional About Your Path
- [35:45] - Listening for the Three Nots
- [38:36] - The Power of Persistent Invites
- [40:02] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 4:1-42 (Jesus and the Samaritan Woman)
- Matthew 28:19-20 (The Great Commission)
- Acts 1:8 (Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth)
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Observation Questions:
1. What cultural barriers did Jesus break during his encounter with the Samaritan woman, and why was this significant? [14:40]
2. How did the Samaritan woman's response to Jesus' invitation impact her community? [25:20]
3. What were the disciples' initial reactions when they saw the Samaritan woman leaving her water jar and the crowd approaching? [25:20]
4. What does the phrase "living water" mean in the context of Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman? [17:39]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might Jesus have chosen to travel through Samaria despite the cultural tensions between Jews and Samaritans? [11:14]
2. How does the story of the Samaritan woman illustrate the power of personal testimony in sharing faith? [25:20]
3. In what ways does Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman challenge traditional views of worship and relationship with God? [22:07]
4. How can the concept of "intentional paths" be applied to modern-day faith practices and interactions? [32:01]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current faith journey. Is your faith growing, or has it become stagnant? What steps can you take to live out what you have learned? [03:09]
2. Think of a time when you felt unprepared or things were not going well. How can you use these experiences to connect with others and extend an invitation to faith? [35:45]
3. Identify a person in your life who might be open to an invitation to explore faith. What intentional steps can you take to engage them in a meaningful conversation? [32:01]
4. Consider your daily routines and interactions. How can you be more intentional about your path to create opportunities for sharing your faith? [32:01]
5. How can you use your online presence to spark conversations and extend invitations to others? What specific actions can you take this week? [33:26]
6. Reflect on the "three nots" (not prepared, not from here, not going well). How can you listen for these cues in conversations and respond with an invitation to faith? [35:45]
7. What fears or challenges do you face when inviting others to explore faith? How can you overcome these obstacles with courage and intentionality? [31:08]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith as a Dynamic Journey
Our faith journey is akin to a workout regimen, where growth is essential, and stagnation can lead to a lack of vitality. It's crucial to assess whether our faith is growing or becoming stagnant. Growth often requires living out what we have learned, not just acquiring more knowledge. This means actively applying the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives, allowing them to transform our actions and interactions. By doing so, we can experience a renewed sense of purpose and energy in our faith journey. [03:09]
"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific way you can actively live out your faith today, rather than just learning more about it?
Day 2: The Transformative Power of Invitation
The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well illustrates the transformative power of intentional conversations and invitations. Jesus broke cultural norms to engage with her, leading to an invitation that changed her life and impacted an entire town. This story reminds us of the potential impact of our interactions when we choose to engage with others intentionally. By extending invitations to others, we can open doors for them to experience the hope and community found in faith. [22:52]
"Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life might benefit from an invitation to experience the hope and community of faith? How can you extend that invitation this week?
Day 3: Intentional Paths and Opportunities
Being intentional about our daily paths and interactions can create opportunities for meaningful conversations and invitations. Whether through personal interactions or our online presence, we can be mindful of the opportunities to share our faith. This involves living with our eyes open to the possibilities around us and being ready to engage with others in a way that reflects the love and grace of Jesus. [32:01]
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: How can you be more intentional in your daily interactions to create opportunities for sharing your faith?
Day 4: Listening for Opportunities
Paying attention to cues in conversations can reveal opportunities to invite others to experience the hope and community of faith. When someone is not prepared for a situation, not from the area, or when things are not going well, these are moments to extend an invitation. By listening carefully and responding with empathy, we can offer support and encouragement to those who may be seeking something more in their lives. [35:45]
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where someone expressed a need or struggle. How can you offer support or an invitation to them today?
Day 5: The Challenge and Reward of Inviting
Inviting others to experience faith can be challenging, but it is a vital workout for our spiritual growth. It requires courage and intentionality, but the rewards are significant, both for our growth and for those we invite. By stepping out of our comfort zones and extending invitations, we can see our faith and the faith of others flourish. [31:08]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: What is one fear or hesitation you have about inviting others to experience faith? How can you overcome this challenge with God's help?
Quotes
And so the question really at the end of the day is wherever you are at, the question is this, is your faith growing or is your faith boring? Is your faith growing or is your faith boring? If you have been a follower of Jesus for any decent length of time, you probably get this question. [00:03:09] (18 seconds)
But I know that for many of you, if you've been a Jesus follower for a decent length of time like I have, you probably, like I understand and I know, that you probably know that learning more may not always be the answer. Because you know, as I do, that you've probably heard hundreds of sermons. [00:04:41] (19 seconds)
Jesus is choosing to go through Samaria. He has other options, but he's choosing to take this route. And so we're told that he came to a town in Samaria, called Sychar, near the plot of ground. This is a lot of detail, but there's a reason for all this detail. [00:11:14] (13 seconds)
And so Jesus answered her, if you knew the gift of God, like if you knew what God was doing in this interaction right now and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, you would have asked me, Jesus is saying, and I would have given you living water. [00:17:04] (17 seconds)
And Jesus is like, listen, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. And Jesus is like, listen, believe me, the time is coming. Indeed, it's here now when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. [00:21:49] (18 seconds)
And then Jesus declared, I imagine he probably looked her in the eyes in this moment. He said, I'm going to save the world. I'm going to save the world. I'm going to save the world. And very calmly and kindly said to her, I, the one speaking to you, I am he. I'm that guy. [00:22:52] (15 seconds)
And so we're told that many, as a result, as they arrive, many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him. They believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony where she said, he told me everything I ever did. They came, they followed Jesus because of the invite that this woman gave. [00:26:12] (19 seconds)
Practicing this workout right here, it means that 24 seven, all day, every day, you're living your life with your eyes up, looking at the harvest that is ready to be harvested with your heart racing on a risk-taking journey of faith, depending on God's spirit to go ahead of you. [00:30:04] (18 seconds)
And then you can also invite, you can spark conversations actively by listening for what we often refer to around here as the three nots. This is the three nots. If you're not familiar with it, if you haven't heard it before, we talk about this a couple of times a year. [00:35:45] (15 seconds)
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