The Power of An Invitational Life

[00:00:06] Good morning everyone. [00:00:11] Hey, good morning. [00:00:15] That was an awesome greeting. [00:00:21] I want to thank you all for the thoughts and prayers for our family as we at a memorial service for our sister in law yesterday. [00:00:32] And it was pretty incredible. The standing room only at the church that I formerly pastored at over in Hazelwood, north County Community Church. Her son is a fireman who's been a chief for a number of years and they brought out a fire engine that was sitting out front. And the beauty of that is knowing the extended family, a lot of the people, a lot of friends. [00:00:57] There was over 200 there and I know that probably 50% of them have never trusted Christ. And so getting the opportunity to share the gospel was just the hallmark of that day. So thanks for your thoughts and prayers. [00:01:12] Title this morning's message is the power of an invitational life sometimes there is nothing better than receiving an invitation to a special event, a special celebration in someone's life who you deem important or someone you love and care about. [00:01:27] In grade school, maybe it was receiving an invitation for Cool Johnny's birthday party, being included as one of his friends. [00:01:35] Maybe it was a time when that special boy or girl in high school invited you to go to homecoming or prom. [00:01:42] Whether it's an invitation to a wedding or special anniversary party or a significant birthday in someone's life, a wedding or baby shower, or simply being invited to someone's house for dinner, everyone loves to be invited. [00:01:56] But then there are those times when you are left out and that hurts. You know those times when you overhear family or friends or church brothers and sisters talking together about what a great time they had, but you weren't invited. That can sting. [00:02:11] I think we all probably have a story to share about a time we weren't included, when we weren't invited to a special event. And when you think about it, it still serves as a jab to the heart. [00:02:21] And there are other times when we are invited but forget to RSVP to the invitation or refuse to accept the invitation because we've decided that we're just not going to go. [00:02:32] Well, there's a far way to your invitation that if you missed out on responding, has a far greater hurt and pain that is involved. [00:02:40] That is an invitation to the wedding supper of the Lamb the Bible speaks of a book that includes the names of every person who has accepted God's invitation, who by faith trusts his son Jesus for forgiveness of sin and eternal life. In revelation 21 27, it says nothing impure will ever enter it, nor is anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the lamb's book of life. [00:03:05] Randy Alcorn shares this story in his book titled Heaven. [00:03:10] Several years ago, Ruthanna Metzger, a professional singer, was asked to sing at the wedding of a very wealthy man. According to the invitation, the reception would be held on the top two floors of Seattle's Columbia Tower, the northwest's tallest skyscraper. She and her husband, Roy, were excited about attending. [00:03:26] At the reception, waiters and tuxedos offered luscious hors d'oeuvres and exotic beverages. The bride and groom approached a beautiful glass and brass staircase that led to the top floor. [00:03:36] Someone ceremoniously cut a satin ribbon draped across the bottom of the stairs. They announced the wedding feast was about to begin. Bride and groom ascended the stairs, followed by their guest. [00:03:47] At the top of the stairs, a major d with a bound book greeted the guest outside the doors. May I have your name, please? [00:03:53] I am Ruth Anna Metzger, and this is my husband, Roy. He searched the M's. I'm not finding it. Would you spell it, please? [00:04:01] Ruthanna spelled her name slowly. After searching the book, the maitre d looked up and said, I'm sorry, but your name isn't here. [00:04:09] There must be some mistake, Ruthanna replied. I'm a singer. I sang for this wedding. [00:04:14] The gentleman answered, it doesn't matter who you are or what you did. Without your name in the book, you cannot attend the banquet. [00:04:21] He motioned to the waiter and said, show these people to the service elevator, please. [00:04:25] The Metzgers followed the waiter past beautifully decorated tables laden with shrimp, whole smoked salmon, and magnificent carved ice sculptures. Adjacent to the banquet area, an orchestra was preparing to perform, the musicians all dressed in dazzling white tuxedos. [00:04:40] The waiter led Ruth, Anna, and Roy to the service elevator and pushed G for the parking garage. After locating their car and driving several miles in silence, Roy reached over and put his hand on Ruth Anna's arm and said, sweetheart, what happened when the invitation arrived? I was busy. I never bothered the RSVP. [00:05:00] Besides, I was a singer. Surely I could go to the reception without returning the RSVP. [00:05:05] Ruthanna started to weep, not only because she missed the most lavish banquet she had ever been invited to, but also because she suddenly had a taste of what it might be like someday for people as they stand before Christ and find their names were not written in the Lamb's book of life. [00:05:22] Most, if not all, of us who are sitting here this morning have our names written in the Lamb's book of life. We've responded to God's invitation to trust Christ and will be partakers in the great wedding feast that will be prepared for us in heaven. [00:05:36] My prayer for each of us this morning is that we will be so moved in our hearts as Ruthanna was at the thought of our friends, our family, our neighbors, our coworkers, our classmates missing out on it all, that we'll get beyond our fears, move out of our comfort zones, risk rejection for the sake of our friends and family, and begin to live an invitational life inviting people to come to Jesus. [00:06:03] It reminds me of what Pastor Sam frequently prays. God, we want to be a church that sees countless salvations to the point where our baptismal is worn out. [00:06:13] This will only be possible if you and I decide to commit to living an invitational life. [00:06:20] Emmanuel Fellowship is not just some faceless organization with a name and a building with an address attached to it. You and I are the church. [00:06:30] We've been through a lot to become Emanuel Fellowship Church. [00:06:34] Both churches, red Tree and West County Bible, experienced some very difficult and heartbreaking challenges over the years as independent churches. [00:06:42] Then there was a season of COVID that was so hard to navigate that a whole bunch of churches didn't survive. Then we went through what felt like a long, arduous season of trying to understand God's will and whether or not he wanted the two churches to become one. [00:06:57] That came with conflict and disagreements, as would be expected when such a monumental change is being pursued by two longstanding churches. [00:07:05] Then there's the pain of people you love leaving in the beginning who chose not to be part of this new church, and more recently by people who hung around for a while and then decided that it wasn't for them. [00:07:17] But now, as I look out at you, what I see is the family of God, the one that he's created out of two brothers and sisters who decided, this is my church family. These are my people that I want to grow with, experience life with, who I want to love and care for and serve and be on mission with. We are Emanuel Fellowship Church. [00:07:40] Your pastors believe with all of our hearts that Emanuel Fellowship church was created by God to see this family of believers on gospel mission for him in our world, to be a church that cares about and puts its life on the line for the sake of the lost. [00:07:55] Otherwise, we're just another club created for the enjoyment and service of its members. [00:08:01] Jesus gives a promise to the apostle Peter that I believe applies to both the global church but also every local church in including Emmanuel Fellowship Church in Matthew 1613, he says, when Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, who do people say that the son of man is? They replied, some say John the Baptist, others Elijah. Still others, Jeremiah, are one of the prophets. But you, who do you say that I am? [00:08:29] Peter answered, you are the messiah, the son of the living God. [00:08:33] Jesus responded Peter, on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. [00:08:41] There was a lot of confusion in Jesus day over who he was, just as there was a lot of confusion and doubt and unbelief over his true identity. Today, after several of the disciples share who the people of the world think he is, Jesus asked them, what about you? What do you say? Who do you say that I am? [00:09:01] Peter responds with words of faith, Jesus, you are the messiah. You are the Christ. You are the one who has come to save us. [00:09:08] Then Jesus gives Peter a promise that I believe not only applies to Peter, but applies to Christ church in every place and at all times. A promise that he guarantees when a church decides to commit itself to being on mission with the gospel. Peter, when my people advance the gospel in their world, I will build my church. And the devil's attempts to thwart it will have little to no effect. [00:09:31] Jesus is telling us that when the people of God move out with the gospel of God, that the church will grow. [00:09:38] It's what Paul says to the church in Corinth. [00:09:42] He says, one believer in Christ plants the seeds of the gospel. [00:09:46] Another believer in Christ waters those seeds and God interjects himself and causes those seeds to take root and grow in that person's life. [00:09:56] After that person is saved, they are baptized, they are unfolded into the church family. They grow in their faith, they embrace the mission and the church grows. People are coming to Christ and are added to that church's numbers. [00:10:11] Right now, while it is evident that individual members of this church are experiencing life in the church and they're growing in their faith, and that is a wonderful thing. [00:10:21] But Immanuel fellowship church is not growing, and the reason might be what Jesus says in Matthew, chapter nine, verses 36 38. He says when Jesus saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dejected. The NIV says, harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. [00:10:39] The harvest is abundant means it's always ready to be had. But it's not realized because the workers are few. [00:10:47] Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. [00:10:53] The reason IFC isn't growing may be because there are too few of us who are actually working as laborers in Christ's harvest field. [00:11:03] I'm going to share with you an opportunity for you to do just that at the end of the message today. [00:11:11] If you remember, the title of this morning's message is living an invitational life. And there's a cool example of this found in John chapter four, about the impact of one woman upon an entire village as she invites them to come see Jesus. [00:11:25] It's a story of the samaritan woman at the well. If you have your bible, turn to John, chapter four. And does somebody actually have a CSB that I can borrow? That one with bigger print than this, because all I brought was an NIV and all the passages are up in CSV. Somebody might borrow there. [00:11:47] Thank you, sir. John, chapter four. [00:11:52] Oh, wow. This isn't much bigger. [00:11:57] Anybody got a magnifying glass? [00:12:00] No. Just kidding. This will be fine. John, chapter four. Before we jump into it, let's pray. [00:12:09] Heavenly Father, we just come before you. And, Lord, all of us are probably already being challenged by the message thus far. [00:12:21] Lord, it's just difficult, emotionally, to truly commit, to be involved in your harvest field. [00:12:29] Emotionally, Lord, we feel rejection. We feel being looked at as weird. [00:12:36] There's just so many reasons, Lord, why we hold back the glory and the truth of the gospel that you have so changed and transformed our lives with. [00:12:45] So, Father, I pray by the power of your spirit that you would move through the message in all of our hearts today and change our hearts and move in our hearts in such a way that as you did, as you looked upon those who were lost, you had compassion, and that means love with action. That we were willing to put aside our fears and inner insecurities. To say those people's internal destiny is more important than me not overcoming my fears. [00:13:09] So, Lord, we just pray that you do a work in us in such a way that we would be known. Emmanuel Fellowship Church, as a family that is on gospel mission for you and their world. And we pray that in Jesus name. Amen. [00:13:24] Thanks, brother. [00:13:29] John, chapter four. [00:13:32] And we're going to start out reading verses one through six. [00:13:36] When Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, he was making and baptizing more disciples than John. Though Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were. He left Judea and went again to Galilee. He had to travel through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sachar, near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob well was there. And Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon. [00:14:02] So Jesus early ministry in the region of Judea is gaining attention. The Pharisees noticed that the growth of the movement. Was surpassing that of John the Baptist. He knew that it could wrongly be interpreted as a movement that was political in nature. And he didn't want any outward conflict with the Jews or the roman government. That would only serve to distract or be an obstacle. To the spiritual kingdom ministry that he was ushering in. So he left Judea to go to Galilee. [00:14:30] The text says he had to travel through Samaria to get there. And I find the use of that phrase he had to very interesting. [00:14:41] You see, the Jews and Samaritans hated and despised each other. The Jews were prejudiced against the Samaritans. They considered them half breeds, people who were unclean and they weren't to be associated with. [00:14:54] There was a historical debate between them. About where the true Place of worship should be. Though the most direct route to Galilee would have been through Samaria. Most of the Jews would actually walk around its border, significantly extending their journey. Because they despised the Samaritans that much. And didn't even want to set foot on their soil. [00:15:15] Jesus, a jew, could have also gone around the country. But John says he had to go through Samaria. [00:15:23] I believe this reveals that Jesus refused to allow the cultural barriers of his day. To prevent him from ministering to everyone. He showed no partiality, no favoritism, no prejudice. [00:15:35] I also believe the spirit was leading him there. [00:15:38] For an encounter with a woman. [00:15:42] That God the father was providentially setting up. That would have a profound impact for the kingdom. [00:15:49] Always remember that our God is a God of divine appointments orchestrated by him. To reach people. He is prepared to receive the gospel. [00:15:58] Let's go ahead and continue on in our text, and let's read verses seven through 26. [00:16:05] A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Give me a drink, Jesus said to her. Because his disciples had gone into town to buy food. [00:16:12] How is it that you, a jew, asked for a drink from me, a samaritan woman? She asked him for. Jews do not associate with Samaritans. [00:16:20] Jesus answered, if you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, give me a drink. You would ask him, and he would give you living water. [00:16:28] Sir, said the woman, is it just a chance and encounter? [00:16:33] Is it a coincidence? [00:16:35] Is it some mystical force of fate? [00:16:40] Do you believe in such things, or do you believe in the providence of God? [00:16:45] Most christian folk would easily answer, I believe in the sovereignty of God. [00:16:50] But often miss seeing that his sovereignty over their lives is true every day in every arena of life that you walk. [00:17:00] I believe in a God who divinely directs and orchestrates the affairs and encounters of human beings as a part of his working out his eternal purpose and. And God's desiring for us as we walk through life to get our spiritual antenna up and realize that the people that we pass every day, wherever we go. Are the possibility of him creating divine appointments in our lives for the sake of the gospel. [00:17:24] I believe he's placed you in your extended family, your neighborhood, your school, your workplace, the place where you work out, even in this church, to create divine appointments for you. Appointments that will change your life and the eternal destinies of the people you encounter. [00:17:46] Do you see those places where you live and breathe and move and work and play? Have you seen it that way? [00:17:57] Jesus is at this well, in this exact moment of time, in obedience to the will of the father, being led by the spirit just to have an encounter with this one woman. This is why he had to go to Samaria. [00:18:11] Let's take a closer look at this encounter. [00:18:15] Let's go back and read verses nine and ten. [00:18:18] How is it you, a jew, asked for a drink from a samaritan woman. [00:18:22] She asked him for, Jews do not associate with Samaritans. [00:18:26] Jesus answered, if you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, give me a drink. You would ask him, and he would give you living water. [00:18:35] A samaritan woman questions him, astonished that a strange jewish man would be speaking with her. You're a man, I'm a woman. I'm a Samaritan. You're a jew. [00:18:45] Jesus arouses her curiosity by being a man like no other man that she's ever met. [00:18:51] Whereas the samaritan woman thought the encounter was about her meeting his physical thirst, Jesus reveals he's there to meet something far greater, her spiritual thirst. [00:19:02] Verses eleven and twelve. [00:19:06] Sir said to women, you don't even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this living water? [00:19:11] You aren't greater than our Father Jacob, are you? He gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock. [00:19:19] A jew would not even think of taking a drink from a samaritan's bucket or cup. [00:19:25] They are unclean. [00:19:28] He would need to have his own. [00:19:31] Notice that Jesus never directly responds to her questions. And his response is, he doesn't follow her down a rabbit trail. He's not interested in getting into a debate or argument. [00:19:42] She's still thinking, naturally about quenching physical thirst. She wants to know if there's another source of water so that she won't have to make that long trek from the village in the heat of the day and fetch water. [00:19:55] Why does Jesus refuse to answer her superficial questions? [00:20:01] Well, in John 224 and 25, it says, Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them since he knew them all and because he did not need anyone to testify about a person, for he himself knew what was in their hearts. [00:20:15] Jesus will reveal that he knows what is going on inside this woman. He knows her greatest need. [00:20:21] He knows her sin. He knows her guilt and shame. [00:20:25] He sees her heart filled with pain and brokenness, the kind of hurt that comes from searching for love in all the wrong places. The kind of brokenness that comes from repeatedly being used and cast off by man after man. [00:20:38] The kind of pain that comes from being judged and condemned and socially rejected and ostracized, especially by the women in the village. [00:20:47] The kind of suffering that comes from a deep seated loneliness and emptiness and a lifelong struggle searching for a man that could fill her void and always coming up empty. A void that only Jesus can fill, a pain that only Jesus can heal. [00:21:04] Let's read on verses 13 and 14, Jesus said, everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. [00:21:13] But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life. [00:21:25] Jesus continues to try to help her understand that he is not talking about quenching a physical thirst or alleviating the difficult challenges she has in the heat of the day to go back and forth from the village fetching water. [00:21:39] Jesus here is offering her living water, a water that refreshes and revives the soul, a spiritual water that quenches every thirst, a water that leads to eternal life. He is offering her a source of spiritual water that will fill her void, that will mend her brokenness, that will heal her pain, that will set her free from her idolatry of men and launch her into a new way of life. [00:22:04] It's time now for Jesus to press through her pain barrier, the barrier that is an obstacle to seeing her true need that only Jesus can meet. [00:22:16] Verses 15 through 18 so the woman said to him, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and come to have to draw water. [00:22:25] Go call your husband, he told her, and come back here. [00:22:28] I don't have a husband, she answered. You've answered correctly when you said, I don't have a husband. For you've had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. [00:22:38] What you have said is true. [00:22:43] Jesus saves her from having to articulate her sordid, sorry past. [00:22:49] Why his intention is not to humiliate or shame her. [00:22:56] That's the devil's job. [00:22:58] In this moment, Jesus isn't as much concerned about her sin as to her pain and brokenness. That is leading her to choose, as the prophet Jeremiah says, broken cisterns that cannot hold water, that can never fill the void in her heart or satisfy her spiritual thirst. [00:23:15] Jesus shows us in this encounter the nature of his heart for lost, hurting and broken people. And it's a heart that is gentle and humble. It's a heart full of mercy and grace, a heart of love for this woman that is unquenchable. He loved this sinner deeply, hating the sin that kept her broken and in bondage. [00:23:33] How he longed for her to come to him for life. [00:23:39] And this is how he wants to see all the broken and hurt and lost people in our world that surround us every day. [00:23:48] And sometimes we can just see people from the outside and see what their behavior and their actions are. And we forget that it's hurt people that hurt people. It's broken people that act and act out in the way that they do. And sometimes they're so irritating to us, and we're offended by them and their behavior and their choices, and we want to distance ourselves from them. But Jesus said he looked upon the crowds and had compassion for them, for they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. And he wants to see the people that surround us each and every day of our lives in that very same way. Whether they vote Democrat, whether they vote Republican, whether they look like you, act like you, have the same color as you, education of you, walk around the same circle of you. It doesn't matter, because every single person is created in the image of God. And because of that, because they have value and worth regardless of their choices, regardless of how they behave, regardless of who they vote for. [00:24:42] They're people who are lost and in need of the living water that Jesus supplies. [00:24:54] Let's go on. In verses 19 and 20, sir, I see that you're a prophet. [00:25:01] Our fathers worshiped on this mountain. But you Jews say that the place to worship is Jerusalem. [00:25:07] A samaritan woman is starting to see that something beyond the natural is at work here. [00:25:12] She does not know this man. He does not know her. He is a jew. She's a Samaritan. There's no way he could know the history of her life unless God has revealed it to him. [00:25:23] There are two opinions that scholars hold on what her response reveals. [00:25:28] The first, it's a picture of every one of us at one time or another when someone confronts us over our sin. You know how you start feeling the heat? You start squirming a little bit, you get nervous and uncomfortable, and you want to quickly change the subject to get the focus off of you. [00:25:45] And whenever I've read this passage in the past, that's what I thought was leading her to respond in the way that she did. [00:25:52] But there's another aspect that some scholars have brought out. [00:25:57] I want you to notice that she's asking about worship. [00:26:01] And as I said earlier, there was a historical debate on which temple location was a true place to worship God. [00:26:08] What's another reason she might be asking about where is the right place to worship right after her sins revealed? [00:26:19] It's in this moment, maybe that she realizes that she's a mess. [00:26:24] Maybe she's starting to see clearly that she's a sinner. [00:26:28] Where does sinner in that day go to find forgiveness? Well, they go to the temple to offer sacrifices for their sin. [00:26:34] Could it be that the spiritual blinders are starting to be lifted from her eyes for the first time? I feel as if the upcoming text may reveal that this is actually what her response reveals. [00:26:47] Verses 21 24, Jesus told her, believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the father. Neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know because salvation comes from the Jews. But an hour is coming and is now here when true worshippers will worship the father in spirit and in truth. Yes, the father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. [00:27:16] Jesus says an hour is coming. [00:27:20] And there's multiple times recorded in the Gospels when Jesus uses this phrase, an hour is coming or the hour is at hand. And whenever he does, he's speaking of the cross. He's speaking about his crucifixion. He's speaking about the finished work that he is about to do on that cross, the punishment he would take to pay for her sins. [00:27:42] His finished work on the cross will make the Old Testament sacrifices in temple worship obsolete. [00:27:47] Believers will become the temple of God where his spirit resides, and worship will be done each day wherever they are, as they live their lives. [00:27:56] In essence, Jesus responds, this is not about where you must go to find God, but about God coming into this world to find you. [00:28:08] Verse 25 and 26. [00:28:11] The woman said to him, I know that the Messiah is coming, who is called the Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. Jesus told her, I, the one speaking to you, am he. [00:28:24] It's obvious from her response here that her samaritan faith has led her to believe that a future messiah was coming and would explain everything to them. [00:28:35] I believe it was Jesus revealing to her his true identity right here, that led her to a confession of saving faith in Jesus the Messiah, the one who could save her from her sin. [00:28:45] It's important that you don't miss this. Jesus has chosen to reveal to an obscure, nameless woman living in sin. What? Up to this point, he hasn't conceived. He's concealed from everyone else, I am the Messiah. I'm the one you've been waiting for. And it has a profound impact not only on this woman's life, but on an entire town. [00:29:09] The remainder of the story of the samaritan woman is going to show us how God's power works through someone who chooses to live an invitational life. [00:29:19] As I was reflecting on this, I thought of the passage that I often pray for our church, Ephesians 320, where it says now to him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than all we can ask or imagine. And I don't know about you, I can ask for a whole lot. My list is pretty long. And I can imagine a whole lot of things that this God who can do exceedingly and abundantly more than all that can do. [00:29:45] And I hear christians speak of God in this way all the time. [00:29:49] But what we leave out is the end of the verse. [00:29:53] According to his power that is at work in us, our God can do exceedingly and abundantly, more than all we can ask and even imagine according to his power that's at work in us. [00:30:10] You see, God's not going to just drop a bunch of people on our doorstep who will visit and become part of our church family, even though that's what we hope. Open the doors and they'll come. [00:30:21] Oh, we may have a few people that find us through our website or through Facebook or who decide to visit and make IFC their church. But the vast majority of church growth comes through relationships, relationships that you have with people outside of this church. [00:30:40] And this is the beauty of what has happened in one woman's life, who found forgiveness, healing, and salvation through Jesus Christ. It was so wonderful what Jesus had done in her life. She had to tell others about it to tell others about him. Do you feel that way ever, that what Jesus has done in your life and for you, that it's so wonderful that I got to tell some other people about it? [00:31:07] Why do we hold it to ourselves if we are so thrilled and excited at this savior who is willing to pay the punishment for our sin, die on the cross for us, give us resurrection life, come into our life and walk through life with us, heal us from our hurts and wounds, set us free from our sin. And yet that's not good enough to talk to anybody else about. [00:31:33] John 427 28. [00:31:37] He sent his disciples arrived, and they were amazed that he was talking with a woman. Yet no one said, what do you want? Or why are you talking with her? Then the woman left her water jar, went into town and told the people, come see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the messiah? They left the town and made their way to him. [00:31:58] You know, it's interesting here that this woman, who was so fixated on quenching physical thirst, is now so excited to get back to town, the town that rejected her and held her in contempt, that she leaves her water jug behind, the very vessel that sustained her life. The thing that she was so concerned about in the beginning, she's like, she's so excited about jesus and going to the town and letting everybody know about it, that she even leaves this jug behind, the vessel that could quench her physical thirst in the moment becomes unimportant, for she has found something far greater, someone who could quench her spiritual thirst. [00:32:37] The invitation goes out. Come see a man. [00:32:43] The invitation's got to come before the saving encounter can be experienced. [00:32:50] Verses 39 42. Not many samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman had said when she testified. He told me everything I ever did. So when the samaritan came to him, they asked him to stay there two days. Many more people because of what Jesus said, and they told many more people believed because of what Jesus said, and they told the woman, we no longer believe because of what you said. Since we've heard for ourselves and know that this really is the savior of the world. [00:33:20] Wow. [00:33:23] Wow. [00:33:28] Can you see yourself in this story? [00:33:32] It begins with one lost, broken, hurting individual who has an encounter with Jesus and experiences the forgiveness and the freedom and new life in him, who goes to friends and family and shares a testimony, invites them to come, and people get saved as a result of your invitation. Can you see yourself? This is you. It's supposed to be you. [00:33:59] You see, God's not going to grow Ifc unless we become people on mission with the gospel laborers in his harvest field. Unless we are willing to share our story of how Jesus changed our lives. Unless we begin to live invitational lives, inviting people to come. [00:34:17] And here's the opportunity I told you about in the beginning of the message that I want to offer you. [00:34:25] On seven Sundays starting May 26 through July 14, we're going to be doing seven week seeker series. [00:34:34] We've selected seven passages from romans where we will answer seven questions that many unchurched people would like to have answered. And I think those seven questions are up on the screen. [00:34:45] I think they will be. [00:34:49] And those questions are, how can I know I'm right with God? [00:34:52] Does God have a purpose for my suffering? [00:34:55] Does God have a plan for this messy and broken world? [00:34:59] How can I know I'm secure in God's love? [00:35:02] Can I know what's in store for me after this life? [00:35:06] Can God really use me to make a difference? [00:35:09] How can I find peace with those who hurt me? [00:35:13] And over the seven weeks, I've been inviting different people to come and share their toast testimony. There's going to be a person each week who's going to share a five minute testimony of how God has answered one of these questions in their life and basically transformed their lives. [00:35:27] I've invited two women from the broken who graduated the broken and beautiful prison ministry in two different weeks who are going to come and share their testimony. I got to hear it already, and it brought me to tears. That will bring you to tears. [00:35:42] There's going to be eight to ten women who, every time they give a testimony, they need cheerleaders and support. So there's going to be eight to ten more women who have graduated the broken and beautiful prison ministry who are going to be here. And you'll get to interact with them and talk with them about how God has gloriously transformed their lives. [00:36:04] We'll have a special song each week that will fit the theme, and the gospel is going to be clearly presented every Sunday. [00:36:11] We're going to have invitation cards that Chris Otterson put together. [00:36:15] There's going to be a couple hundred of them back there. And I want you to visualize that card that you often see when we've done it for eastern things. Instead of it just being a card, what that card represents is an individual person, or that card represents a couple. [00:36:33] That card could even represent a family. [00:36:37] And so every card that sits back there and you guys walk out without taking them and without committing to give to is basically represents a person or a couple or family that won't get a chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. [00:36:55] This is your opportunity to embrace the gospel mission that God has called every one of us to on behalf of IFC. This is your opportunity to get out in your world and invite them to come to see Jesus. Do you want to know what the worst thing is that can happen if you commit to do that? [00:37:12] They can say no. [00:37:15] That's it. [00:37:17] They can say no. [00:37:19] And that's really, most times the worst thing that's going to happen to you. [00:37:26] What I want you to do now is you've probably seen cards and pens at your seats. [00:37:31] I want you to take some time right now to list the people in your life who have not yet found a saving faith in Christ. [00:37:38] As you return home today, there are maybe people in your neighborhood who you talk across the fence or in your front yards or as you walk your dog who needs one of these invitations? [00:37:50] Maybe there is someone in your home, a spouse or a child, who needs to receive one of these invitations. [00:37:57] As you walk into your workplace on Monday, there are people who need to receive one of these invitations. [00:38:04] You have classmates who need to receive one of these invitations. [00:38:08] You have extended family members who you've been praying for for years who need to receive one of these invitations. [00:38:15] There are long time grade school or high school friends who you stay in touch with who need to receive one of these invitations. [00:38:23] There are places of business that you frequent so much that you know some of the employees by name who need to receive one of these invitations. Do you see when you begin to see your world as the potential of everywhere you go, there's potential divine appointments that God has orchestrated for you for the sake of them getting a chance to meet Jesus. [00:38:43] You need to start seeing your world that way. You need to start seeing your life that way. [00:38:49] And as I told somebody on the last time for Easter, the very person that you've already convinced yourself in your mind that it's going to say no, that's the person you need to give the card to. [00:39:02] The person that you think might think you're weird, that's the person you need to give the card to. [00:39:08] The person that you're afraid maybe your friendship's going to end if you give them a simple card. You really think that's going to happen? [00:39:16] That's the person you need to give the card to. [00:39:18] So go ahead and make that list now. Write those names down and being exhaustive as you can go and spend a little time doing that. [00:40:55] It so guys, I made my list this morning before I came to church, and my list is 29 people. [00:41:40] And I'm committing to you that I'm going to give a card to all 29 people. [00:41:45] People from club fitness, people from my extended family, old grade school, high school buddies, people I've met at restaurant that I frequent. [00:41:55] And so if I can hand out 29, you guys can hand out three or four or five. I'm confident in that. [00:42:04] Pray for these people. [00:42:06] Pray for their hearts to open. [00:42:09] Pray for them to come during the series. [00:42:12] Pray for yourself and the rest of us to have the conviction and courage to hand them out. [00:42:17] Pray for the Holy Spirit's power to move in hearts every Sunday. [00:42:21] Pray specifically for salvations over the next three weeks. Hand out every card to every friend, and if you need more, we will get more. They will be available here next Sunday and every week following throughout the series. And we've got initially ordered 200, and I'd love to see those 200 gone. So we have to order another 200 and continue to hand them out all seven weeks. [00:42:47] Chris, you can come on up. [00:42:51] There's going to be a prayer meeting, as Sam said before the gathering on Sunday, May 26, during the normal discipleship hours. So if you guys want to come up with me and pray for this whole series, we're going to do that from nine to ten. Sunday, May 26. [00:43:07] Can everybody stand with me? [00:43:20] Let's pray together with sincere hearts lifting our hearts up to the Lord and asking him to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or imagine according to his power that is at work in us. Let's pray gently. Father, this morning we thank you for Emmanuel Fellowship Church. We thank you, Lord, that it's your creation, that, Jesus, you're the head, and that we live and we exist as Emmanuel Fellowship church for one main thing, amongst many others, to spread the gospel of your great love and forgiveness of us. [00:44:02] Lord, we pray that you would do a work in our hearts in such a way that we would no longer excuse ourselves from the mission, that we would no longer close our eyes to the people who are lost around us in our world, that we would overcome our fears and our anxieties, Lord, of someone thinking that we're weird or that we're going to be rejected by them. Lord, help us to see in our hearts the kind of, and have the kind of love and compassion in our hearts for the lost people around us that were willing to risk all of those things for just a chance that they might come to know you. [00:44:38] Lord, we pray that as we go out on mission throughout these weeks as we hand out these invitations, Lord, that you would draw the people that you're already working in their lives to lead them to you. [00:44:51] Lord, we pray that you would grow your church as we become laborers in the this harvest field. And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen.