REACH OUT
Shifting from Inward to Outward-Focused Living
By Chris Sarno
How the Gospel Calls Us to Go Beyond Ourselves
Let’s be honest—life can get pretty self-focused without us even realizing it. Our schedules, careers, families, and responsibilities can quietly become the center of our world. But Jesus constantly challenges that mindset. He invites us to lift our eyes, widen our focus, and step into the bigger story He’s writing.
“Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
—John 4:35 (KJV)
The Gospel was never meant to stop with us. It’s meant to move through us. Jesus calls us to shift from inward to outward-focused living—and that starts with remembering the power and urgency of the invitation we’ve received.
Part 1: The Invitation Is Ready – God Wants a Full House
In Luke 14, Jesus tells a parable about a great banquet. The table is set, the food is ready, and the host wants every seat filled. That’s a picture of God’s heart—He wants His Kingdom full.
“Come, for all things are now ready.”
—Luke 14:17 (KJV)
The Gospel isn’t exclusive. It’s not reserved for a certain type of person or background. The invitation is for everyone willing to say yes. But here’s the deal: just being invited doesn’t mean you’re in. You have to respond.
Part 2: Excuses That Keep People Out
The first group invited to the banquet had one thing in common: excuses. One had just bought property. Another had work obligations. Another blamed his social life.
Sound familiar?
“I’m just busy with work right now.”
“I’ve got a lot going on with the family.”
“Once life settles down, I’ll get serious about God.”
Excuses are dangerous because they feel reasonable—but they keep us from what matters most. Jesus doesn’t shame us for having a full life, but He won’t compete with our distractions either. The opportunity is real—but it won’t last forever.
Part 3: The Urgency of the Invitation
When the original invitees said no, the host didn’t cancel the banquet. He widened the guest list.
“Go out quickly… bring in the poor, the maimed, the blind.”
—Luke 14:21 (KJV)
There’s urgency in this story. The servant was told to go now—to the streets, the margins, the overlooked places. Why? Because the time is short and eternity is real.
Jesus isn’t calling us to be passive. He’s calling us to pursue the lost. That means stepping outside our church walls, crossing social boundaries, and loving people where they are. Not waiting for them to come in—going out to them.
Part 4: Compassion Compels Us to Invite Others
In Matthew 9, Jesus saw the crowds and was moved with compassion. They looked helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
“The harvest is huge and ripe! But there are not enough harvesters…”
—Matthew 9:37 (TPT)
This is why we go. Not because we’re perfect. Not because we have it all together. We go because our hearts have been changed, and now we want the same for others.
We can’t afford to let comfort, fear, or assumptions stop us. Some of the people we’re called to reach may not look, live, or vote like us—but they matter to God, and that’s reason enough.
Every believer is a messenger. Your job isn’t to force people to respond—it’s to lovingly invite them. Compel them to come. Show them the heart of Jesus in how you serve, speak, and live.
Let’s Shift the Focus
The Gospel is too good to keep to ourselves. The invitation is too urgent to ignore. And the world is too broken for us to stay inward.
Let’s shift.
Let’s be people who live on mission.
Let’s be a church that lifts our eyes and sees the harvest.
Let’s fill God’s house—not with religion, but with people who’ve encountered real love, real grace, and real transformation.