THE INVITATION

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The Invitation

 

His Name was Sparky

When he was a boy his friends gave him the nickname, “Sparky.” Though he was quite intelligent, Sparky’s shyness and timidity made school an agonizing experience. High School was especially challenging. He was a small, 136-pound nobody. He remembered being astonished whenever anyone said hello. He had some skill in golf, but lost an important match. He was a fair artist, but his school yearbook did not include any of his drawings. He was never invited to parties. He later said, “I never regarded myself as being much and I never regarded my self as being good-looking and I never had a date in high school, because I thought, who’d want to date me?”

We live in a world where we can feel excluded and abandoned. Share a time when you felt excluded or abandoned. How did it make you feel?

Read Psalm 18:4–6.

  • Where do we need to turn when we’re feeling left out and our negative thoughts and feelings surround us?

 

His Name was Matthew

Matthew had a highly unpopular job. In fact people generally ran when they saw Matthew or any of his co-workers approaching. He was a tax collector in Capernaum for the Roman government. The Jews considered tax collectors traitors. They were despised because they generally collected more than necessary and pocketed the difference, vastly enriching themselves.

His neighbors rarely invited Matthew out to lunch or over to their house. Matthew probably felt left out and he also left others feeling rejected and forgotten as he probably levied taxes that took away their hard-earned money.

 

His Name is Jesus

One day Matthew was sitting in the tax office as Jesus passed through the outskirts of Capernaum. It was to that man, the most despised of the despicable, to whom Jesus said, “Follow Me!” Matthew was invited. He was included. These two words made it clear that Jesus extended His forgiveness even to the outcasts of society.

Luke tells us that the moment Jesus called him. Matthew “left everything and followed Him” (Luke 5:28). That simple call by Jesus was more than enough reason for Matthew to turn his back on everything he was and possessed. Because of his position as an agent of Rome, he knew that once he forsook his post he would never be able to return to it. He knew the cost and he was willingly paid it because he received a personal call from Jesus who accepted, loved and invited him.

Read Matthew 9:9–13.

  • Describe how Matthew must have felt. What did Jesus invitation show the other people who may be watching?

Read Acts 9:1–6.

  • Do you think Christians were surprised when Saul accepted Jesus’ invitation?
  • Would he have been included before this encounter? Why?
  • Did his past matter to Jesus? Does ours?

 

Challenge

God has a special invitation for you. While we live in a world where we feel excluded and feel like Sparky (who grew up to be famous Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schultz), we don’t have to feel that way. God has an invitation for each one of us. All we need to do, as Matthew did, is RSVP—say “yes” to Him.

Read Psalm 23:5–6.

  • What is God’s invitation saying? What will He do for those who say, “yes” to His invitation?

Read Mark 1:16–18.

  • What kind of men were Peter and his friends? Educated? Trained? What was Jesus invitation?
  • Have you accepted Jesus personal invitation? He’s open, accepting and loves you more than you can imagine.

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  • Ronald Ponkey

    I enjoyed Christmas Eve at Northridge with my many Christian parishioners…..like Paul every time I start out to do something good I screw up…although this year I did better. I look at the story Sparky and boy can identify with him….I as abused in a Lutheran School for over 7 years…while my Parents live their life out in a Manhattan glass every night and every day. Today the Lord has graciously led me to Northridge where I can continue to grow in Christ. I like what Joyce Meyers said, I had a lousy start but plan to have a FANTASTIC finish.
    I know Christmas is about the conception of our Savior and I loved being with the Lord and all fellow Christians on Saturday night at Northridge. But on Christmas morning my twin daughters (MSU Grads) presented me with a 42 inch Large Screen television which I have been saving for being self employed….well I lost it…embarrassing but that is me. I am the luckiest dude on the earth to have such loving daughters….GOSH I AM SO PROUD OF THEM….I THANK THE LORD HE HAS ENTRUSTED ME THEM. AMEN

    540 days ago1 Reply

    • Conversation LeaderCarrie (Discovery Island)

      in reply to Ronald Ponkey

      Glad you had a great Christmas!

      540 days ago

  • Carrie Bettinger

    Life is full of choices! But the best choice of all is to follow Jesus Christ. Matthew is a great example to us in learning to give everything we have to unapologeticly follow Christ. You see, Christ calls us each to come and follow Him. Our lives, though maybe not despised by others, are much like Matthew. When we know we are being asked to follow Christ it often means we must leave the old behind or make some changes to our lives in order to give him our whole selves. I know for sure that in my own life that when I hear that still small voice asking me to follow His voice, I am always the better for obeying. I find peace and joy in the ask as well as in the action.

    540 days ago

  • Conversation LeaderJosh (Social Media Pastor)

    I can remember the feeling of going to school on a Monday and finding out that there was a killer party the previous weekend that I had not been invited to. Ouch! There is just something about that feeling that is like a sucker punch to the stomach. I wasn’t invited. I wasn’t “in.” I wasn’t one of “them.”

    If I’m not careful I can allow those same feelings to rise up about God. Maybe I’m not good enough for His love. Maybe I’m not doing enough to earn his favor or gain his approval.

    Here’s the bad news I discovered a long time ago. I’m not, I can’t, and I’m not even CLOSE! God is too Holy, too perfect, and too great for me to measure up.

    Here’s the good news I have to remind my self of every day. He INVITED me into His family and made a way for me to measure up. When I placed my faith in Christ my name made it on the roster; I was on the list! Through the gift of His Son Jesus on the cross, my sins have been paid for and I have been set free. Because of the Holy Spirit living in me, I am capable of following Him and bringing His Kingdom to Earth.

    May I rest today and everyday in the truth that I am a part of God’s family through invitation, not status or self worth.

    540 days ago1 Reply

    • Ronald Ponkey

      in reply to Josh (Social Media Pastor)

      Hi Josh,

      The devil never quits….putting thoughts in my head that it is too late, that the Lord has abandoned me…..I know better….he is a liar….I hope we can hook up soon to talk…Have a blessed day.

      538 days ago

  • CathyM

    For most of my life I have felt like I was living on the outside of a glass house with everyone on the inside and me just standing outside watching as life went on. I gave my heart to the Lord when I was a little kid. I committed my life to him again as an adult over 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until making NorthRidge home, and especially my missions trip this year that I began to realize the value I have as His princess.

    This year I have learned that I am valued, respected and loved. I have learned that I am not alone and I never have to go it alone; God is always with me and He has surrounded me with some good godly friends who, although they don’t live near me, are just a text, email or phone call away. I have also learned that I can fly; I don’t have to let fear of living stop me from living life to the full. Jesus came to give us a full life. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” I am learning to live that full life.

    Now it is my turn to be that encouragement to others, to give that comfort I have received. Second Corinthians 1:3-5 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. ” It is my turn to pay it forward and love those God plants in my path whoever they may be. How about you?

    540 days ago

  • CathyM

    Wow, sure is quiet on The Conversation this week.

    539 days ago

  • Ronald Ponkey

    I am very excited as the New Year approaches. I have a opportunity to shed the issues which have been holding me back from continuing to mature as a good Christian. My main objective, slam the door on the past and never re-open it….it is gone….like Paul in Romans chapter 7, I know the right things to do but somehow I end up doing the wrong things…It is a real battle for me at least to fight to discard those bad habits, short cuts and bad attitudes. But the good news is Jesus Christ has his arms around me, his eternal forgiveness, eternal love and if i let him (which I will) He will guide me in my steps. I love how Paul in Romans says it,

    For you to become the person God wants you to be in 2012, you will have to abandon the old wineskins in your life so that God can pour himself into the wineskin of your new life-in-Christ.
    “No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22 NIV)

    I feel new strength to go forward and I love to remember Noah, Here is this old man with no craftsman tools, no computers, no trucks, ladders, etc…yet under God’s direction built a Ark over a 400 period and survived 40 days and nights of rain. I have made God my Ark and I will be safe and protected if I follow his directions…I look forward to becoming a more mature Christian…and a lifetime committed to serving the Lord as He directs….Life does not get any better then that. ….2012…BRING IT ON…..

    538 days ago1 Reply

    • CathyM

      in reply to Ronald Ponkey

      Ronald, I love your enthusiasm for our Abba Father and your desire for spiritual maturity. It is great to see you focusing forward.

      In Philippians 3:7-14 Paul says, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ”

      As you close the door to the past, remember to take the lessons with you.

      Keep focusing forward!

      538 days ago

  • Conversation LeaderCarrie (Discovery Island)

    My kids are adopted. In our family we love the picture of adoption. It’s such a great picture of our relationship with Christ. I think when we are adopted, into Gods family or an earthly family we take on the ways of that family. We bring with it our own style and zest for life, but we take on the characteristics of that new family. Because of the intimate close relationship we can quickly become a family unit.

    We laugh because my son and husband are more systematic and my daughter and I walk through life as if there was a rainbow everyday! Now how funny is it that two kids not born from us can be so much like us? We believe it’s because of the nurtured relationship we have!

    When God says to come and follow, He wants that same type of relationship. He wants us so close to Him that we begin to look and act like Him.

    538 days ago

  • Steve Alexander

    I have a question about the devotional, that was probably asked by someone long ago but I am sure I skipped past the dialogue in haste to be included in the conversation so as to draw closer to members of our very very very large church! My question: should we be completing the devotional reading/responses offline then using the conversation space herein for general dialogue or should we try to stick to the script by responding to the questions within the devotional in this space where this might function more like a virtual small group? I appreciate your guidance in this!

    538 days ago1 Reply

    • CathyM

      in reply to Steve Alexander

      Hey Steve,

      Love that you want to get closer to the members of our very, very, very large church! From what I have seen, it seems that the conversation is a bit of both general dialogue relating to the weekend talk as well as answering the questions from the devotional.

      It would be cool if it functioned more like a virtual small group. Wonder if the powers that be would consider a virtual small group for those who attend the online service regularly, separate from this Conversation. Are you in a small group already?

      537 days ago

  • Conversation LeaderCarrie (Discovery Island)

    Steve you can do any of the above! This really a place that you can just speak to how this is used in your life or it can be in response to the questions. We are here to help in anyway or be a sounding board for your thoughts and needs.

    537 days ago

  • CathyM

    For far too many years of my life I believed the lie of the enemy that I wasn’t good enough to be a part of the in crowd. Truth is I don’t want to be a part of the in crowd, I just want to be the woman God created me to be and use the gifts, talents and abilities He blessed me with to show others that they don’t have to believe the lies anymore either.

    God created us the way He chose because He has amazing plans for our lives if only we will let Him do His thing and mould us into the men and women of God that He created us to be. He calls us to love each other, not judge each other. It is through showing His love to the world, that we can become a catalyst to change it.

    536 days ago

  • Scott

    is it just me, I feel Northridge has been supporting the democratic party quite a bit as of late

    535 days ago