The Way of JesusSample

The Invite List

Jesus’ invitation to Matthew is a perfect example of the kind of people who are welcomed into the Kingdom. This dude was a traitor to his people—a tax collector working for the empire of their oppressors. But Jesus picks this guy to spend basically every waking moment by His side for the next three years. Why? 

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:30-31 NIV

Jesus had a mission. He was announcing the nearness of heaven and inviting everyone to be part of it. The people who accepted that invitation, though, were the ones who were aware that they needed it—the ones who were desperate for hope and for healing. The Pharisees were so obsessed with their own put-togetherness that they refused to acknowledge their illness. Is that us? Sin is a cancer that escalates and infects. It blinds us to the image of God in ourselves and others. One result of that blindness is self-righteousness. And that’s not a characteristic of Jesus’ “ideal partner.” Jesus’ invite list looks completely different. 

He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:2-10 NIV

The Kingdom of Heaven is a place where the last become first, the least are made most, and the lost are found. N.T. Wright says it beautifully:

“This is what it looks like today when Jesus is running the world. This is after all what he told us to expect. The poor in spirit will be making the kingdom of heaven happen. The meek will be taking over the earth so gently that the powerful won’t notice until it's too late. The peacemakers will be putting the arms manufacturers out of business. Those who are hungry and thirsty for justice will be analyzing government policy and legal rulings and speaking up on behalf of those at the bottom of the pile. The merciful will be surprising everybody by showing that there is a different way of doing human relationships than being judgmental and eager to put everyone else down. Jesus was announcing a program yet to be completed. He was inviting his hearers then and now to join him in making this happen. This is quite simply what it looks like when Jesus is enthroned.” —N.T. Wright

So will we accept the invitation to partner with Jesus and restore creation?