You are invited to “Come and See!”

ONLY six times in the ENTIRE BIBLE will you encounter the invitation to “come and see?” The first three are in the Old Testament. They are an invitation to see the works and glory of the Lord.

Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. Psalm 46:8 (NIV)

Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf! Psalm 66:5 (NIV)

“And I, because of their actions and their imaginations, am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory. Isaiah 66:18 (NIV)

The next two are found in the gospel of John. Philip invites Nathaniel, the skeptic, to meet Jesus. 

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. John 1:46 (NIV)

The second time in John, Jesus asks where Lazarus has been buried.

“Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. John 11:34 (NIV)

But the last invitation is the best one. I saved the best for last. It comes from the invitation of the Easter Angel to the women at the empty tomb!

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

   Matthew 28:6 (NIV)

When you invite someone to “Come and See” who Jesus is this Easter, your invitation says, “I care about you. You matter to me.”  The people you invite may not know Jesus, but they know you and trust you. In a world full of email and social media posts, personal invitations stand out in the clutter.

This year’s Easter paper invite is designed for you and me to use to hand, mail, or email to people we know and care about with the hope, the aim, the intent, our prayer that they’ll accept your invitation and join with you, with us, in worship on Easter Sunday.   

Who should you invite?  Family who weren’t planning to go to church on Easter.  Neighbors, next door or down the street, who know you, and you know they stay home on Sundays while you go to church.  Invite your coworker whom you spend five days a week with already, only this time invite them to a life-changing opportunity to Connect on Easter with Jesus, the Risen Savior.

This one can be life-changing of all the invitations you will send out in your lifetime.  This invitation says something about you. It announces to others what you believe, and in WHOM you hope. You hope that the person you invite will spend eternity with you in the place the Risen Christ has already prepared.  This invitation says something “awesome” about Jesus.  It declares that Jesus Christ keeps His promises.  It answers THE question:  What will happen to me when I die?  Accept the invitation and let the Spirit of God have His way with your heart, and the promise of Easter can be theirs/yours. 

This Sunday, pick up an invitation or 10.  Take as many as you will pass out.  Before you invite, pray. After you pray, don’t delay.  Hand it to them in person.  Drop it in the mail. Let’s do this. This year, let’s make a difference as we invite people to connect with the risen Savior.

Get at it today.  May the LORD bless your inviting efforts in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Carl