Matthew 8:10-11
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven
We have all felt like an outsider at some point in our lives. Maybe you were always picked last in dodgeball. Or in high school you never got to sit at the cool table. You may even feel like you don't fit in at work. It's never a good feeling to be on the outside. But being on the inside, that's a different story. Feeling like you belong to an exclusive group gives you a sense of security. Sometimes that security makes you look down on other people.
The Jewish people of Jesus day had that problem. They believed they were the only people God wanted to bless. They held this belief for so long that they stopped inviting others into relationship with God. They even began to take their status for granted. Today Jesus reminds them that God invites everyone to His kingdom. What outsiders do you know that need an invitation into God's kingdom? Advent is a great time to invite someone to church. Let's take a little extra time this year to make sure we leave no one on the outside.
