Silence: Find a quiet place, remove potential distractions, clear your mind of other thoughts, and ask God to speak to you as you read and contemplate this passage:
Reflective Reading: Read Matthew 22:8-10 thoughtfully:
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Meditation: Reflect on this parable that Jesus tells, regarding the king’s wedding, particularly his expanded invitation list. What is God speaking to you through this exchange? Who is invited?
Oration: From your reading and prayer, verbalize or write in the space below your response to what God is speaking to you from this passage:
Contemplation: Over the next day, contemplate these passages and what God is saying to you. Think on these topics:
- It is natural for us to associate with others who are similar to us. What does this passage have to say about our invitation to church (or to Christ) being restricted in such a manner?
- Have you ever not invited someone to our church because you felt that they wouldn’t ‘fit in’?
- Jesus’ words are widely inclusive (anyone you find). How inclusive are we as a church?
- What actions or attitudes might this passage be directing you to begin?
- Reflect back on, or reread the week 5 devotions. What has God spoken to you, regarding telling others about Christ or inviting them to worship and study here at First Baptist?
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