LUKE 14:16-24 NUMBERS 10:29-32

GOD INVITES EVERYONE TO THE CELEBRATION! “…I looked and saw a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands, and they shouted with a loud voice, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb…” Revelation 7:9,10

GOD’S INVITATION “COME NOW”, SAYS THE LORD (ISA. 1:18) “COME TO THE WATERS, EVERYONE WHO IS THIRSTY…” (ISA. 55:1) “COME AND EAT…” (ISA. 55:1) “COME WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT COST” “COME UNTO ME…” MTT. 11:28 “COME AND TAKE OF THE WATER FREELY” REV. 22:17

I. THE INVITATION WHAT IS AN INVITATION? ‘IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY GIVEN TO OTHERS THAT THEY CAN EITHER ACCEPT OR REJECT ACCEPTANCE WOULD BRING BLESSING REJECTION WOULD BLOCK BLESSING

II. WHO IS INVITED TO THE CELEBRATION?

“…A certain man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; and at the dinner hour he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’ Luke 14:16-18

And another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’ And another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’ And the servant came back and reported this to the master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’

“And the servant answered, ‘Master, what you have said has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in that my house may be filled” Luke 14:19-23

II. WHO IS INVITED TO THE CELEBRATION? 1.THOSE THAT WE KNOW “SAY TO THOSE WHO HAD BEEN INVITED, EVERYTHING IS NOW READY…” VS. 17

2.THOSE WHO ARE NEEDY “Go at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…” vs. 21

3.THOSE WHO ARE STRANGERS “Go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come…” vs. 23

III. WHY INVITE OTHERS TO THE CELEBRATION? 1.BECAUSE GOD TELLS US TO DO SO! “Go at once and bring them in…” vs BECAUSE THERE IS STILL ROOM “and still there is room…” vs. 22 “compel them to come that my house may be filled…” vs. 23

IV. HOW TO INVITE OTHERS TO COME NUMBERS 10:29-32

“Then Moses said to Hobab, the Midianite, (Moses’ brother-in-law), ‘We are setting out to the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you;’ COME WITH US and we will do you good, for the LORD has promised good concerning Israel.” (Num. 10:29) 1.APPEAL TO THE ADVENTURE AND OPPORTUNITY 2.APPEAL TO THE BLESSINGS AND BENEFITS

“But Hobab said to him, ‘I will not come, but rather will I go to my own land and relatives.”

“Then Moses said to him, “Please do not leave us, in as much as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be eyes for us.” APPEAL TO THE NEED: WE NEED YOU!

“…and it will come about that whatever good the LORD does for us, we will do for you.” APPEAL TO WHAT WILL BE MISSED IF THEY DON’T COME

1.INVITE BY MAKING APPEAL! 2. INVITE BY BEING APPEALING! *BE SINCERE *BE HONEST *BE PASSIONATE *BE GRACIOUS

TRUTH TO LIVE BY GOD IS A GOD OF INVITATION!

TRUTH TO LIVE BY PEOPLE MISS OUT ON THE GOOD THINGS OF GOD, IF THEY ARE NEVER INVITED!

TRUTH TO LIVE BY RECEIVING AN INVITATION COMMUNICATES TO OTHERS – ‘I AM WANTED’!

TRUTH TO LIVE BY THE INVITATION ‘TO COME’ AND A POSITIVE RESPONSE CAN CHANGE A LIFE FOREVER!!