Isaiah 49: 1-7 The Invitational Church: Shifting from ‘God is for me’ to ‘God is for all’

Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. ² He made my mouth like a sharpened sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. ³ He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

⁵ And now the Lord says, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength—
⁶ he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob
    and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” ⁷ This is what the Lord says—the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
    to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down,
because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

Beginning with God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah, through generations of child-bearing and story-telling, in both human misery and God’s ability to transform lives, we became chosen people. Growing up, I never liked that word much, ‘CHOSEN,’ because it somehow meant there might be people who weren’t.

At least that’s what the world has taught us. Like some people get invited to the birthday party, but not everyone. Or like that feeling when you walk into a room and people fake-smile at you, because you’re not a part of that conversation. Like when you get picked last for the kickball team, every time. Like when you’re forced to fit yourself into a political two-party system. You’re this or you’re that. You’re in or you’re out! Here’s the question I’ve long wrestled with: Does being chosen have to be exclusive?

It’s not just the world telling us that being chosen is exclusive. I grew up in a church very proud of the idea that we were chosen at the expense of others, but it was always hard for me to stomach. Thankfully, a whole new Christian landscape opened for me in college when I first discovered Henri Nouwen’s work; he, among other theologians, helped me re-envision what it means to be among God’s chosen. He begins by saying ‘Don’t listen to the lies the world tells,’

“To be chosen as the Beloved of God is something radically different. Instead of excluding others, it includes others. Instead of rejecting others as less valuable, it accepts others in their own uniqueness. It is not a competitive, but a compassionate choice. […] You must hold onto the truth that you are the chosen. That truth is the bedrock on which you can build a life as the Beloved.” The world around you and voices inside you will tell you all the reasons you don’t deserve love- and God says none of that’s true. You deserve the highest of all- divine love.

Being chosen is appropriate on New Member Sunday, because in many ways, church membership is a bit mystifying in an era that places less value on a certificate of membership. Why publicly profess a choice to join this faith community? And does choosing this church mean being exclusive of other places of belonging? The short answer is, of course not. Jesus Christ calls us to remember him in community, yes, to embody his love together, yes, but Jesus never asked us to be exclusive. In fact it’s quite the opposite. Even before Jesus’ arrival on earth, we get a glimpse of how profoundly inclusive God’s love truly is.

Isaiah speaks God’s message of broader acceptance within people of God, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the survivors of Israel: I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” God says quite clearly that being chosen DOES NOT mean being exclusive. Rather it means bearing a light that is invitational in nature. God has been calling us, God’s people, since the beginning of time to bear light in every generation. We have been chosen as ambassadors of a new way of living that is inherently inclusive, despite how we’ve diluted that truth with a history of religious formulas, even religious oppression.

You new members joining today, let me be clear that your involvement in our faith community is not part of an exclusive religious formula. It’s freedom we celebrate today, you are free to be your best selves as part of Christ’s body. Nouwen says one key to getting in touch with our chosenness is to keep looking for people and places where your truth is spoken and where you are reminded of your deepest identity as a child of the living God.

That’s who we are- a faith body that grounds itself and one another in the knowledge that ALL are welcome at Christ’s table, because ALL have been chosen as God’s beloved. That’s the invitational church that Isaiah calls for among the Israelites, as a light to the nations. And if we want to be an invitational church, that’s our work too. I know it can be hard to articulate a sincere and free invitation for someone to join this faith community, maybe especially people we’ve known a long time. But when we find the courage to do it, it must just surprise us who needed that invitation most. The invitational church is quick to create pathways for the good news of what Christ has already accomplished for all to reach the ears of those who most deserve it: people who haven’t yet had the joy of knowing they too are chosen.

We are not a cult, you are free to come and you are free to leave, and membership is on your terms. What we all might work harder at doing, is finding the courage to let our chosenness inspire others to see their chosenness too. I’d like to practice alongside you today. “Hey friend, I just wanted to let you know I have an awesome church home, and if you’re ever interested in checking it out with me some Sunday- or Messy Church Wednesday- or any one of our special events, I’d love to have you join me!” That’s it! That’s the invitation we are all capable of and called to- as Christ’s light in this world.

God is for me, yes, AND God is for you- because God created us all, chosen and loved.