The Invitation

Generally speaking, an invitation is a good thing. When you are having a special occasion, and you want those special and important people in your life to come and participate and share in the joy of that day with you, you send out an invitation. We invite people to be a part of all kinds of milestones in life. There is the wedding invitation, the shower invitation, the confirmation invitation, graduation open house, birthday party, 50^th wedding anniversary. The list goes on and on.

For the most part, responding to an invitation is relatively simple. We may have to RSVP or return a card indicating whether we want beef or chicken. We may have to bring a little gift to the event. But for the most part all we, as the recipients of the invitation, have to do is show up and celebrate. It’s actually a pretty good deal. The person throwing the party carries the brunt of the responsibility here.

But not all invitations work that way. Some require a little more of a commitment. Some have a little bit of a higher price. Consider the call that Jesus makes to anyone who would follow him. “If any would come after me,” says Jesus, “let them deny themselves. Take up their cross and follow me.” However, we also know that even though this may be a difficult invitation to follow, it is also the greatest invitation we could ever be extended. Life lived in this way is true life. It is a life filled with meaning, purpose, and significance. In denying ourselves, in giving up our lives, we actually find true life. We find life the way that it was meant to be lived. For whoever would save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Jesus’ sake and for the sake of the gospel will save it.

This invitation that our Lord extends to us, and by the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to accept, is possible because of another invitation that was accepted a little before Jesus extended his.

Savior of the nations, come, - Virgin’s Son, make here Your home! – Marvel now, O heav’n and earth, - That the Lord chose such a birth.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, made everything that there is, everything that we can see, and everything that we cannot see. This creation was beautiful and perfect. There was no sin, there was no death or sickness or suffering or injustice. There was perfection. There was harmony. There was the right relationship with God, and with one another. It was very good.

The Father invited the Son who is the Word in which all things were made and without which nothing was made. And in this loving and awesome act of creation there is vulnerability. Not for the creation but for God. Because the creation could turn against the one who created it. The self-giving love of our Triune God could never coerce the creation, and would never manipulate it for self-satisfaction.

You know how this all turned out. The creation fell. And when it fell, the darkness of sin came into the creation. It corrupted it, broke it, twisted it and destroyed it. In the midst of this very bleak and sad picture, God’s love for the creation is not outlasted. And the Word through whom all things were created, then became the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ.

Now the Father invitees the Son to come and live among the creation, not just there as a visitor, but as God in the flesh. There is a human being living among sinful human beings in order that this Word made flesh might speak light and life into the creation.

With great humility and love the Son accepts this invitation and leaves his throne in heaven and becomes the son of the virgin. In this amazing and wonderful act of love, he became one of what he created.

More amazing than the work of creation that God has done is the fact that he would become one us. He is like us in every way, but without sin, and because he came, we are righteous, we have God’s approval because of him and for his sake.

Wherever he went we see the creation being healed. Diseases are cured. The dead are raised. Sins are forgiven. Eternal life is granted. And each time he does these things with his words. Through his perfect life, death on the cross and glorious resurrection, Jesus forgives, heals and restores us. He puts us in the right relationship with our God, and allows us the privilege of being a part of the work of reconciliation that he is doing right now, as he is restoring his creation back to himself.

Advent is a time for us to bring back to mind all of these wonderful things that our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit has done and continues to do in our lives. It is an opportunity for us to be reminded of the invitation that Jesus gives to us to live in his Kingdom and to follow him. It is an invitation for us to share, speak, and live the Gospel to the very ends of the earth.

Someday, in the near future, the Father will extend another invitation. When this one goes out the Son will return in all of his awesome glory. On that great day the creation will be restored. Sin, death and the devil will no more be a part of the creation. And we will live forever with our God. It is a day to look forward to with much excitement. It is a day to hope and trust for. It is a day that moves us out into the world to extend an invitation to others that they too might know of its joy and hope.

And while we wait for that day with great anticipation, living in the grace of our God, we too extend an invitation as we call out to our Jesus, “Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly.” Amen.