7 The Inviting Overcomer Series

You have heard of BC, Before Christ days? This is back in BK - Before Kids days for the our family. My wife and I went on a vacation trip – a Carnival Cruise to Cozumel, via Key West. At the time we thought we’d be able to go about once every 5 years, but then more kids came along, and well, we would love to go again, BUT we have both said it would be so much more enjoyable if another couple went along with us. And when it comes to going on a cruise, we would highly recommend it.

Are there places you have traveled, where if you overheard someone say they wanted to go there, you’d say, “OH! You have GOT to go!”? I heard that recently about Yellowstone National Park. “OH! You have GOT to go!” What are some thoughts that you have? In the book of Revelation, I have also heard that about the New Jerusalem. “OH! You have GOT to go!”

With these seven churches, Jesus has made it clear: Make NO mistake, JUDGMENT IS coming. But when you read through this Revelation from John and judgment is poured out, no one repents, no one turns back to God. And yet, God continues to reach out and invite all people, anyone, saying, “Come.”

If you ponder on the story of Noah building the ARK, we don’t know how long it took to build and finish–50 years, 75 years, 100 years. But there he was building and being faithful and being a testimony to the world of obedience to God. Even though things looked normal weatherwise. The ark could have been finished for many years and sat on that hill until the floods came. And there it sat, like one big invitation to call humanity with nothing but Noah’s testimony about the Word of God and his obedience to it.

Looking back over some moments in the NT, there are places where Jesus makes it plain –His Father is an inviting God. Take a walk with me through some of those stories. Some children are running to meet Jesus, but who gets in their way? The disciples. But what does Jesus say? “Let the little children come to me!”

Jesus tells a story of who God is like a King of the great Ponderosa plantation who throws a huge wedding feast, and days prior he sent out his servants to invite the usuals to come. And now that the feast was ready, he sends out the servants to tell them, but the usuals gave excuses as to why they couldn’t come. What does God say? “Go out to all of the unusuals–Luke 14:23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.” Our God is an inviting God! SO they went and invited them in. And as for the usuals? Luke 14:24 NIV I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’

Jesus invites you to come. While the invitation is free to you as well as all of the provisions, IT WILL COST YOU to come. Jesus tells us throughout the book of Revelation, “EVERYONE is invited!” –the door is not only open, but it is kept open for as long as God says so.

Rev. 22:16-20

The OVERCOMERS in this life are INVITING OVERCOMERS. We say, “Come!” Because our God is an inviting God! And he never gets tired of inviting people to come closer.

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Jeremiah 29:12-14a Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity

God has always been an inviting God! And so should his people. I read an article recently that spoke about how curiosity rewires your brain for change. When your brain is challenged by uncertainty, it often responds in a fight or flight, or stressed out sort of way. BUT curiosity REFRAMES this uncertainty as an INVITATION so your brain doesn’t see it as a threatening challenge, but an invitation into something maybe better.

<https://bigthink.com/smart-skills/how-curiosity-rewires-your-brain-for-change>

Think about how God uses curiosity to INVITE people in!

Moses - What did God use with him? A burning bush.

Abraham - God showed up for a visit, shared his plan, and Abe responded

There are too many to use from David’s life–but one big one = Goliath!

A star over Bethlehem for the Magi. And for a friend of mine, a cute girl at church.