Jesus comes to you; He invites you. These two factors are found throughout the parables of Jesus. The Parable of the Wedding Feast depicts the Kingdom of Heaven as an invitation to a great occasion (Matthew 22:1-14). As you read the story, you become aware of the persistent encouragement of this invitation. The King has great plans in which he desires your participation. The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard tells us of a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard (Matthew 20:1). Even the Parable of the Sower is the story of one who comes and plants the seed into the soil of our lives. We are to respond to the movement of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9).
Even in the earlier encounter of the disciples with Jesus, He took the initiative. When John the Baptist testified to them concerning Jesus, they began to follow Him; Jesus took the initiative and drew them into His fellowship (John 1:37-38). Jesus took the lead when he called Matthew, the tax collector (Matthew 9:9). It was an invitation. Listen to the words of Jesus, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain,” (John 15:16). Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” (Ephesians 1:4). Jesus comes to you; Jesus invites you. I am a Jesus pusher!!!