1st Week of Advent

Many will come from the east and the west, and will recline . . . at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven. 

Jesus was amazed that this Roman soldier had exhibited such faith in him—more faith, even, than many of his fellow Jews.   And yet, in Jesus’ time, this man would not have been considered worthy to be on the “guest list” for that heavenly banquet.   But that didn’t stop Jesus; he made it clear that he had come to save not only the Jewish people but every single person, including this pagan commander.

This is the heart of the good news that Jesus was proclaiming:   no one was excluded from God’s guest list.   Not that Roman soldier, not any other Roman, not any Greek or anyone else alive at the time.   And the same holds true today: not the nephew who says he’s an atheist, not the neighbor who has struggled all his life with addiction, not the coworker enmeshed in New Age practices.   Everyone is on the list.   Everyone is invited.

Why such a wide invitation into the kingdom of heaven?   Because God loves each person equally and deeply.   They don’t have to believe in him for him to love them.   They don’t have to love him for him to love them in return.   They don’t even have to repent of their sins before he will love them!

This is an important truth to keep in mind in these weeks leading up to Christmas.   There are usually more parties and family gatherings this month, and you will likely be around people you don’t normally see.   That means that there will be more opportunities to share with people about Jesus’ open invitation.   You don’t have to worry about what to say, either.   Just talk about how you have experienced God’s love.   Talk about how you have felt it in good times and in bad times, when you felt deserving of it and when you felt unworthy.   Let your story assure them that the kingdom is available to them as well.   Let them see that Jesus’ love is wide enough for everyone.

“Jesus, thank you for inviting me into your kingdom.   Show me how I can extend your invitation to everyone around me.”

Isaiah 4:2-6
Psalm 122:1-9

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