What did you do with your Invitation?

What did you do with your Invitation?

by David Brenneman 

‭"And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”" Luke 9:59-62.

We're all invited...and we all have a choice to make concerning the invitation.  Did you catch the first words of this passage?  "And He said to another, "Follow Me".

In our world today as it has been for generations, excuses abound regarding listening to the call of God and not listening.  So many people embrace aspects of life that the Bible says is sin so they ignore the invitation...for now...or so they make themselves believe. 

My Dear Reader you do not have a promise of a today set before you. 

It's not a given that you'll even have the time to finish reading this post. 

How will you, in a moment, in a heartbeat, choose salvation in Christ and live for Jesus?

Your invitation wasn't lost in the mail.  Your invitation wasn't given to someone else.  Your invitation wasn't stolen.  Your invitation was personally delivered to you. 

Are you letting the words of others keep you from following Jesus? 

Are you letting something or someone in your life be a reason, be an excuse, to not follow Jesus?

We choose. 

We.

You.

It's not going to be acceptable for anything anyone says as to why they said no to the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  There's nothing that can be offered as a valid reason...nothing. 

Many have their own stories as to how and when they took their invitation to the Lord Jesus Christ to become a child of God.  

Mine day was back in 1974. Some would try to argue that I was just a kid. Didn't know any better.  Was easily persuaded.  Caved in to peer pressure.  Shouldn't have been allowed to make such a life altering choice.  The list can go on and on. 

"And He called a child to Himself and set him [b]before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:2-6.

As Jesus is the one speaking in both places, what have you to say about it now?

Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost.  His open invitation was taken to the world personally and through His Disciples.  

Jesus said as well that any who come to Him for salvation by no means would He cast out.  This, by true definition, means man, woman and child. 

So it did include people like me.  

It includes people like you as well.  While I wouldn't wish many of the things that have happened to me in my life to have happened...I can truthfully say that Jesus kept His word and was with me through all of them.  

Jesus is a promise keeper.  As Paul wrote of salvation in Romans 10:8-13, "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”", so has that been true of millions of people since. 

Your invitation remains open and valid until that day you breathe your last.  

Are those things that you cling to in life that important to gamble your eternal destination for?

Are those things or people that you hold to rather than coming to Christ...are they really that good or are you thinking so little of the life that Jesus promised you would be yours after coming to Him to be saved?

It's been heard the world over about how people say they would miss out on living life.  That they wouldn't be able to have any fun anymore.  That they would have to give up this or give up that.

The truth is...you're never, ever, going to know the full life that is only found after coming to Christ for salvation that would be yours...until you do. 

You're never going to know. 

You cannot know.  Because until He removes your sin...and washes away everything to do with it...you're never going to have eyes that see or ears that can hear..

or even a mind that can know all that He has prepared for those who love Him.  1 Corinthians 2:9.

My Dear Reader...Jesus knocks. 

Will you invite Him in?

Drop the excuses.  Jesus kept His word and went to the cross. Died a death He didn't deserve. Paid the price for all the sins of all mankind...including yours...and wrote all the invitations for all mankind...in His own blood. 

Jesus did all that...and promised to return when His Father said He would to take all who have accepted that invitation home to forever be with Jesus. 

Your invitation is waiting...why not open it today?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.