The Invitation Of Community Series

Have you ever received an invitation that changed your life?

Maybe it was an invitation to a wedding, a job interview, or even just a meaningful conversation over coffee.

Some invitations lead to moments that shape our future in ways we never expected.

In John 1, we see one of the most powerful invitations in Scripture — an invitation to meet Jesus.

And it wasn’t complicated.

It wasn’t a big theological debate.

It was a simple, heartfelt invitation: “Come and see.”

And that’s the title of our series.

A simple invite to –

Coffee, to church, to Jesus.

There are so many ways that we can start the process to invite others to connect spiritually.

Today, we explore why inviting people to church and into a relationship with Jesus is one of the most powerful things we can do.

1. Jesus Calls Us to Follow Him (John 1:43-44)

In our reading, Jesus finds Philip and gives him a direct invitation: “Follow me.”

There is no long explanation, no pressure, just an invitation to come and be part of something greater.

Jesus’ call is personal and direct.

He reaches out to Philip as an individual, showing that His invitation is not about rules, rituals or religion.

It’s about a personal relationship.

Jesus calls people as they are, wherever they are, into a journey of transformation.

He invites ordinary people to follow Him.

Philip was not a religious leader or scholar; he was an everyday person.

Jesus’ invitation reminds us that God doesn’t call a certain type of person.

And sometimes we make judgements as to who may or may not be interested in following Jesus.

Our Lord calls people from all walks of life.

It’s not for us to judge who God will have in heaven.

It’s for us to invite, invite, invite.

Philip immediately responds.

There is no hesitation or debate — Philip follows because something about Jesus draws him in.

This moment illustrates the power of a simple invitation.

We have no idea what the Holy Spirit has been doing in each person’s life.

When the Spirit is at work, hearts are moved, and lives are changed.

An invitation leads to action.

Philip doesn’t just keep this encounter to himself; he goes and finds Nathanael to share the good news.

This demonstrates that when we experience Jesus, the natural response is to invite others to experience Him too.

When we invite others to church or to explore faith, we are simply passing on the same invitation Jesus gave to Philip.

We don’t have to have all the answers; we just need to share the opportunity.

Like Philip, we can extend a simple but life-changing invitation to those around us: “Come and see.”

Come and see

• What our coffee shop is like

• What we do on Friday nights

• What church is like

Just come and see!

2. The Power of a Simple Invitation (John 1:45)

Philip, now a follower of Jesus, naturally goes to find Nathanael and shares the news: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Philip doesn’t try to convince Nathanael with deep theological arguments.

He simply shares his own excitement about meeting Jesus.

• We don’t need to be experts in theology to invite others.

Sometimes, people feel they need to know all the answers before they can invite someone to faith.

But Philip shows us that a simple invitation is enough.

His excitement alone is a powerful testimony.

Our enthusiasm and testimony can be more compelling than any argument.

When people see genuine joy and transformation in our lives, they become more open to exploring faith.

Our personal stories of how Jesus has impacted us can be more persuasive than any debate.

o Tell people your experience of the Highfield Family

o Tell them how your prayer was answered

o Talk about how you used to be, and how you are now God is working in you

o

Philip shares Jesus as he knows Him.

He doesn’t exaggerate or embellish; he simply states what he has discovered.

This is a reminder that we don’t need to overcomplicate our invitations — just be real and honest about who Jesus is to us.

• Invitations create opportunities.

Without Philip’s invitation, Nathanael might never have met Jesus.

Sometimes, the people we invite are just waiting for someone to give them the chance to explore faith in a welcoming space.

I checked the figures last week….

In the UK nearly 3 million adults have indicated that they would consider attending church ….. if they were invited.

Isn’t that tragic? Tragic?

Yes! There are 3 million adults missing out on church because us Christians didn’t bother to invite them!