The Deeply Formed Leader: The Seven Invitations of Jesus...
One of the beautiful things about following Jesus is that He doesn’t just command - He invites. The whole story of the gospel is God moving toward us, drawing us and inviting us into a life in the kingdom of God.
Across the Gospels, Jesus offers a series of invitations that meet us at every stage of life - faith - pain - longing - and growth. They’re not linear steps or spiritual achievements, but relational invitations to experience life with Him.
Here are seven invitations Jesus offers every one of us:
1. Come and See
Before Jesus asks us to do anything, He invites us to look. To pay attention. To examine Him for ourselves. This is the invitation for the curious, the skeptical, the searching. It’s Jesus saying: “You don’t have to have it figured out. Just come and see.”
2. Come and Follow
At some point, curiosity turns into commitment. This is the invitation to orient your life around Jesus — to trust Him enough to let Him lead. Following means movement. It means letting go. It means allowing Jesus to shape the direction of your life.
3. Come and Rest
In a culture addicted to hurry, success, noise, and performance, Jesus offers a different way: “Come to me… and I will give you rest.” This is not passive escape; it’s the deep soul-rest that comes from being held, known, and loved.
4. Come and Learn
Jesus doesn’t just save us—He forms us. He invites us to learn His rhythms, His heart, His kingdom. To let Him teach us how to live, how to forgive, how to love our enemies, how to walk with God. This is apprenticeship, not academics. Formation, not information.
5. Come and Live
Jesus says, “I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Not the life we manufacture. Not the life the world promises. The life that flows from Him— a life marked by joy, meaning, purpose, and wholeness.
6. Come and Die
This is the invitation we resist most. Jesus calls us to die to our old selves— to our pride, our ego, our idols, our need for control. It’s not morbid; it’s liberating. There is no resurrection without a crucifixion. All new life begins with surrender.
7. Come and Live Forever
The final invitation is the promise that all of this— every act of trust, every step of faith, every moment of surrender— is leading us toward eternal life with Him. A world made new. A future without death, sin, sorrow, or separation. This is the hope that steadies us in a world of uncertainty.
What invitation do you need today? Which invitation do you sense the Spirit inviting you into?
Are you curious? Come and see.
Are you weary? Come and rest.
Are you searching for direction? Come and follow.
Are you overwhelmed? Come and learn.
Are you hungry for something more? Come and live.
Are you holding on too tightly? Come and die.
Are you losing hope? Come and live forever.
I’ve been reading a book on the life and legacy of Phoebe Palmer, an often overlooked figure of the 19th century who became a leading teacher, evangelist, and advocate of Christian holiness. She challenged the religious norms of her by time by opening leadership spaces for women, emphasizing the assurance of a heart wholly consecrated to God, and linking spiritual renewal to social activism among the poor and marginalized. Her impact helped shape the Holiness movement and influenced the mission efforts and revivalism of later generations.