2. The Power of an Invitation
Invitations found in the Bible
guide us and remind us
Bible text is New King James Version. Basic outline by Mark Copeland.

3. "Come now, and let us reason together,“ Says the Lord,
D i v i n e I n v i t a t i o n s
God invited sinners
Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, and let us reason together,“ Says the Lord,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;

4. "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters;
D i v i n e I n v i t a t i o n s
God invited the poor
Isaiah 55:1-3
"Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?

5. Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
D i v i n e I n v i t a t i o n s
God invited the poor
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you —
The sure mercies of David.

6. Jesus - burdened Matt 11:28-30
D i v i n e I n v i t a t i o n s
Jesus - burdened
Matt 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

7. D i v i n e I n v i t a t i o n s
Spirit - thirsty
Rev 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

8. Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
Prophesied
Isaiah 2:1-3
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord's house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say,

9. He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths."
H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
Prophesied
"Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths."
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations . . .
They shall beat their swords into plowshares . . .
Neither shall they learn war anymore.
5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk
In the light of the Lord.

10. H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
John 1: One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

11. Philip said to him, "Come and see."
H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
John 1:43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see."

12. H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

13. H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
John 4: And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did.“
40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word.

14. H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
Luke 5:27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.
29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.

15. H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
Acts 10:24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.
33 [Cornelius:] So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God."

16. The Power of An Invitation!
God & Jesus extended their invitations
The disciples extended their invitations
Those who came invited others
AND SOULS WERE SAVED !!!
Today
Most saved by receiving an invitation!

17. Willingness to receive information through… personal conversation with a friend or neighbor from the church
Adapted, April 2009, "Used by permission of Lifeway Christian Resources",
website found at or lifeway.com

18. Willingness to receive information through… personal conversation from a family member
Adapted, April 2009, "Used by permission of Lifeway Christian Resources",
website found at or lifeway.com

19. Let’s put it to work . . . . . . Invite people to worship assemblies
“Come, let us go…” Isa 2:3
“Come and see…” Jn 1:46
. . . Invite people to study the Bible
“Come . . .let us reason together” Isa 1:18
“Come . . .he will teach you His ways” 2:3

20. Let’s put it to work . . . . . . Invite people to obey the gospel
“Come all you who are…laden” Mt 11:28
“Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized…” Acts 22:16

21. H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
Luke 14:16 Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'
18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.'

22. H u m a n I n v i t a t i o n s
As Practiced
Luke 14:19 And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' 20 Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'
21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'

23. The 1st Gospel Invitation by Peter
36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

24. The 1st Gospel Invitation by Peter
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 2:36-42