RSVP - The “calling” of the 12
Luke 6:12-14

Message by Kurt Jones
December 10, 2006

Read Ps. 95:1-7

Worship focus = worship

What IS “worship”? – Candles, hymns, communion, emotional experience?

The most likely definitions held by people related to expressions of praise or thanks to God (19%); praying to God (17%); attending church services (17%); having a personal relationship with God (12%); a particular attitude toward God (10%); a way of living that reflects one’s spiritual commitment (9%). Barna Research

“…Worship is a response – an active, open, unguarded response to God, whereby we declare His worth in an intimate manner, leaving Him room to touch us, to flood us with His peaceful presence.” – Charles Swindoll

To glorify God is to publicly recognize that God is worthy of honor, fame, praise admiration, or distinction or to cause others to publicly recognize that God is worthy of that honor.

To put God’s name “up in lights”….

Can you give me the names of Santa’s 9 Reindeer?

(Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph.)

Not bad. Now, how about the names of the 12 disciples?

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Luke 6:12-16

Review a couple of other invitations of Jesus we’ve studied in our series “Up Close and Personal with Jesus” = Closer Walk through the New Test in 2006.

Luke 18:16 - But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Matt 14:28 Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

Matt 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come , follow Me."

Two weeks ago we looked at Jesus invitation to supper… the Lord’s Supper and all that it means.

Jesus often told parables about an invitation to a wedding feast.

Luke 14:16-24 But He said to him, " A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; 17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come ; for everything is ready now.' 18 "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.' 19 "Another one said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.' 20 "Another one said, ' I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.' 21 "And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' 22 "And the slave said, 'Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' 23 "And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 'For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'"

There is something about an invitation that demands a response… a Respond sil vous plait.

Six invitations from Jesus (by no means ALL of Christ’s invitations)

1. Come and see.

John 1:35-41

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see."

So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

40 Andrew , Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).

What’s the appropriate response? Check it out! You bet. There are so many people who don’t have a real clue about who Jesus is because no one ever really told them. They’ve believed their philosophy prof from college or what they saw in a movie, or read in some book other than the Bible.

Jesus satisfies our CURIOSITY.

2. Come and rest

Matt 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Response? Comfort and rest – security and safety. I’m not talking about “comfort” like a lazy Boy recliner comfort. Often people will come to Christ in a time of crisis… My own situation – When every other security was gone…

Jesus gives us COMFORT.

3. Come and be healed

Luke 6:8 - But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and come forward!" And he got up and came forward.

What’s the right response? Eat! 20 years ago there was this debate about confusing the Gospel with acts of compassion. “Just preach the Gospel! No – the Gospel and acts of compassion go hand in hand. Jesus knew that and so are most people who are making a difference among the poor and outcast in the world will tell you. How many times did Jesus feed the hungry, raise the dead, heal the sick?

JESUS meets our NEEDS.

I didn’t say Jesus meets our WANTS…

4. Come and follow

Matt 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Jesus turns a corner… “you mean I have to give something up?”

Yep, give up your fishing nets Peter…

Jesus gives us DIRECTION

After a church service on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to his mother, "Mom, I've decided to become a minister when I grow up."
"That's okay with us, but what made you decide that?"
"Well," said the little boy, "I have to go to church on Sunday anyway, and I figure it will be more fun to stand up and yell, than to sit and listen."

5. Come and be saved

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:16-18

There is no worship without relationship…

Jesus offers us SALVATION

Nick – after listening to Robert’s testimony…

6. Come and die that you may truly live…

Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, " If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him “Come and Die” - Bonhoffer

“…Worship is a response – an active, open, unguarded response to God, whereby we declare His worth in an intimate manner, leaving Him room to touch us, to flood us with His peaceful presence.” – Charles Swindoll

“True worship of God is not dressing up our words and our vocal parts and our bodies and impressing Him with ourselves. True worship is to lay ourselves bare before God.” Chris Rice

Jesus provides us with PURPOSE

Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." (Westminster Shorter Catechism)

“the true condition of acceptable worship is not that your feet should be standing in either Jerusalem or Samaria, or anywhere else for that matter, but that your heart should be receptive and responsive to His revelation.” J.I. Packer

RESPONSE TIME

Ps 95:7-8

Today, if you would hear His voice,

8 Do not harden your hearts…

Curious?

Need comfort?

Need healing?

Looking for direction?

Is today the day for you to receive the gift of salvation?

Maybe today will the day for you to finally die to yourself so that you may live for God.

Community Group Questions

You just received an invitation to a party… What helps you decide whether to accept or reject the invitation? Give a personal example.

Read Psalm 95:1-7. Apply your above criterion to this invitation. Do you accept or not?

What are some of the different responses we read in the Bible to the invitations of Jesus? (Think first… then look up Luke 18:15-17; Matt. 19:21,22; Mark 10:48-50…) Why did these people respond the way they did?

A definition of the word “excuse” is “a reason or explanation, not necessarily true, given in order to make something appear more acceptable or less offensive.” Read Luke 14:16-24. What do you think is the main point Jesus is teaching with this parable? If Jesus were telling the parable today, what might he put in the place of “I have bought five yoke of oxen”?

Compare the invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to the one in Luke 9:23,24. What are the differences? What are the similarities?

Compare our response to the invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to the one in Luke 9:23, 24. Why would our response be different?

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