Your Invitation to God’s Family

I’m Invited to God’s Family

Scripture References

• Luke 7
• Luke 14

Overview

The message launches the new series “I’m In,” unpacking four identity statements for every believer—Invited, Invaluable, Influential, and Invested. Week 1 centers on the first truth: we are personally invited into God’s family through Jesus. Craig Groeschel traces the ache of feeling left out, walks through the story of the sinful woman who crashes a Pharisee’s dinner (Luke 7), and proclaims that Jesus always welcomes those others reject. The invitation both rescues us and compels us to invite others.

Context

• 34 campuses are beginning a new semester of LifeGroups; the series is designed to ground the church in core identity.
• Each “I” is pictured on the foyer wall: an envelope (Invited), a diamond (Invaluable), a magnet (Influential), and a dollar sign (Invested).
• Pastor describes his sermon‐planning goal: a balanced spiritual diet—books of the Bible, outreach series, felt-need series, and now identity.

Main Points

1. The Pain of Being Uninvited

• Scrolling social media and realizing friends gathered without you produces a unique sting.
• Story: As a young guest preacher, Craig greeted people beside “Mad-Vein Guy,” who literally fought against laughing because “we never laugh in church.”
• Story: A poorly dressed woman was turned away from that same church with the words, “Is that the best outfit you have? We wear our best for God here.” She left ashamed and uninvited—an experience that shaped Craig’s future ministry philosophy.

“Jesus invites the people others reject.”

2. Luke 7 – A Woman Crashes a Pharisee’s Party

• Setting: first-century Pharisees hold public discussions in an outer room; commoners listen from an open porch—early “free entertainment.”
• Simon the Pharisee invites Jesus; an unnamed town prostitute—“a woman who had lived a sinful life”—walks in with an alabaster jar.
• She kneels, weeps, washes Jesus’ feet with her tears, wipes them with unbound hair (a public scandal), and pours perfume worth a year’s wages.
  • Illustration: Perfume was both her life savings and her “advertisement” in sex work—breaking it symbolized repentance and surrender of her future.
• Simon silently judges both woman and Jesus. Jesus reads his thoughts and contrasts Simon’s absent hospitality (no water, kiss, or oil) with the woman’s extravagant honor.
• Verdict: “Her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
• The woman leaves forgiven, whole, and welcomed.

3. Judgment Never Transforms—Invitation Does

• Pointing out sin, shaming lifestyles, or enforcing dress codes did not free the woman; Jesus’ open invitation did.
• Jesus came “not for the healthy, but for the sick… not for the self-righteous, but for hurting, broken, repentant sinners.”
• Common feelings today mirror hers: shame, guilt, unworthiness, confusion over “how did I end up here?”
• Jesus’ call (echoing Matthew’s parallel context): “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
  • weary from trying and failing
  • burdened by religion’s rejection
  • crushed by secrets no one else knows

4. Compel Them to Come – Luke 14

• Jesus’ parable: invited guests offer excuses; the host orders servants to “go out and compel the blind, the lame, and the crippled” to fill the banquet.
• In that culture the disabled were assumed cursed—Jesus highlights the very people society ignores.
• Application: If regular churchgoers shrug at the invitation, the church must pursue overlooked, hurting, skeptical, or “messy” people.
• Pastor’s personal dress code decision: “If I ever lead a church, the dress code will be simple—please do. Just put something on.”
• We come to Jesus as we are, but we never come alone; our own rescue makes us living invitations.

Key Truths

• Feeling uninvited is a universal human hurt; the gospel meets us there.
• Jesus welcomes those religion, culture, or self-condemnation push away.
• Extravagant worship often flows from receiving extravagant forgiveness.
• Judgment highlights sin; grace breaks its power.
• Every believer carries the responsibility to “compel” others to God’s banquet—no one is beyond the reach of Christ’s invitation.

Response

• Receive Jesus’ open invitation with honest repentance and faith.
• Identify one person who feels unworthy or excluded and extend a genuine, personal invitation to community or conversation about Christ.
• Trade judgmental reflexes for compassionate hospitality—meet needs before making points.
• Offer your most valuable “perfume”—whatever represents your future or security—as worship to Jesus.
• Join or start a LifeGroup to experience and extend gospel family.

Closing

Craig closes by leading the church to pray for people who do not yet know Christ, then invites anyone feeling unworthy or distant to accept Jesus’ offer today. Hands rise across campuses and online as he assures them, “You are still invited; there’s still room.”

“Come to Jesus—come now, come quickly—and don’t come alone.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, forgive all of my sins.
Change my heart. Accept me now.
Jesus, make me new. Fill me with Your Spirit
so I can know You, walk with You, serve You,
and compel others to know You.
My life is not my own; I give it all to You.
Thank You for new life—now You have mine.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Resources

• life.church/next – tools for your next spiritual step
• Life.Church YouTube channel – full message library
• Free Life.Church App – sermons, Bible plans, and more