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GRADUATION 2001
JUST ANOTHER PENTECOST DAY
EASTER 2003
ANGELS AMONG US
 ANGELS AMONG US
CHRISTMAS EVE SERMON 2001
CHRISTMAS EVE SERMON 2001
DEAR FRED AND MARY
DEAR FRED AND MARY
INVITED TO THE WEDDING
INVITED TO THE WEDDING
MARCH 17, 2002
THROUGH DEATH TO LIFE
MOUNTAINTOPS AND VALLEYS
MOUNTAINTOPS AND VALLEYS
SATAN SPEAKS
SATAN SPEAKS
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| INVITED TO THE WEDDING |
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| OCTOBER 13, 2002 SERMON |
GO TO THE STREET CORNERS, AND INVITE TO BANQUET ANYONE YOU FIND. SO THOSE SERVANTS WENT OUT INTO THE STREETS AND GATHERED ALL THE PEOPLE THEY COULD FIND, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. AND THE WEDDING HALL WAS FILLED WITH GUESTS.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO NICOLE CONTOS WAS SCHEDULED TO BE MARRIED IN A MANHATTAN CHURCH. SHE SHOWED UP BUT THE GROOM DIDN’T. HE TOOK OFF FOR TAHITI WHERE THEY HAD PLANNED TO HONEYMOON. SO THERE SHE WAS WITH A $100,000 RECEPTION AND NO WEDDING. WHAT DID SHE DO? SHE DID THE ONLY THING SHE COULD DO. SHE SAID, THE FOOD IS READY, THE DRINK IS READY. WE’RE GONNA HAVE A PARTY. AND SHE DID. SHE WENT TO THE LOCAL SHELTERS AND BROUGHT 250 “GUESTS” TO THE WEDDING FEAST!
THAT’S WHAT THE KING DOES HERE IN THIS PARABLE. HE SAYS, THE FOOD IS READY. THE DRINK IS READY. WE’RE GONNA HAVE A PARTY. AND HE DID. HE INVITED EVERYBODY. ANYBODY WHO WANTED TO COME WAS WELCOME TO ENJOY THE FEAST. WHEN THE “RESPECTABLE” FOLKS REFUSED, HE INVITED THE SEEDY AND DESPISED. THE BANQUET HALL WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE.
THE KING IN THIS PARABLE OBVIOUSLY IS GOD, AND THE INVITED GUESTS WERE HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE JEWS, WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN CALLED BY HIM. THE SERVANTS GOD SENT TO THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN WERE JOHN THE BAPTIST, JESUS HIMSELF, AND THE NEW TESTAMENT APOSTLES AND PROPHETS. BUT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS REJECTED AND BEHEADED, JESUS WAS REJECTED AND CRUCIFIED, AND THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS WERE REJECTED AND PERSECUTED, MANY BEING PUT TO DEATH.
WHEN THE JEWS REJECTED THE KINGDOM, THE INVITATION WAS THEN EXTENDED TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO WANTED TO COME. IN ACTS 13:46, PAUL AND BARNABAS SAID TO THE JEWS OF ANTIOCH, “IT WAS NECESSARY THAT THE WORD OF GOD SHOULD BE SPOKEN TO YOU FIRST; BUT SINCE YOU REJECT IT, AND JUDGE YOURSELVES UNWORTHY OF EVERLASTING LIFE, BEHOLD, WE TURN TO THE GENTILES.” AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID.
NOTICE THAT BY THE END OF THE PARABLE, THERE IS NO ONE WHO IS NOT INVITED TO THE SON’S WEDDING FEAST. AND THAT’S ONE OF THE POINTS OF THE PARABLE. WHEN GOD THROWS A PARTY, IT’S THE BIGGEST BASH IN TOWN, AND THERE ISN’T A SINGLE PERSON WHO IS LEFT OFF THE INVITATION LIST. WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS AND WAS MADE SIN FOR US, NO ONE WAS LEFT OUT. THE ONLY THING THAT LEAVES US OUT OF THE FEAST IS OUR OWN INDIFFERENCE TO THAT DEATH, OUR OWN STUBBORN REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THE INVITATION, AND THEN IT’S ENTIRELY OUR OWN FAULT. GOD’S DESIRE IS TO FILL HIS BANQUET HALL WITH GUESTS. GOD WANTS TO THROW A PARTY, AND HE’S INVITED THE WORLD.
SO, IT’S EASY TO UNDERSTAND THE PARABLE TO THIS POINT, BUT THEN THERE IS THIS “INCIDENT”…THE GUEST WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT.
BUT WHEN THE KING CAME IN TO SEE THE GUESTS, HE NOTICED A MAN WHO WAS NOT WEARING WEDDING CLOTHES. ’FRIEND, HE ASKED, HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE WITHOUT WEDDING CLOTHES?’ THE MAN WAS SPEECHLESS. THEN THE KING TOLD THE ATTENDANTS, ’TIE HIM HAND AND FOOT, AND THROW HIM INTO THE DARKNESS; WHERE THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.’ FOR MANY ARE INVITED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN.
THE KING CAME IN TO SEE HOW THE BANQUET WAS GOING, AND HE SPOTTED SOMEONE WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT AND HE WAS FURIOUS.
AT FIRST, YOU MIGHT WONDER HOW ANY OF THOSE WHO ACCEPTED THE KING’S INVITATION COULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO COME PROPERLY ATTIRED. THEY HAD BEEN ROUNDED UP FROM EVERY PART OF THE LAND, AND MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN TAKEN OFF THE STREETS. EVEN IF THEY HAD TIME TO DRESS PROPERLY, THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY CLOTHES APPROPRIATE FOR SUCH AN OCCASION AS THE WEDDING OF THE KING’S SON.
REMEMBER, IN THAT DAY AND TIME THE KING SUPPLIED THE WEDDING GARMENT HIMSELF. ALL THE GUESTS HAD TO DO WAS JUST PUT IT ON. BUT HERE WAS A MAN WHO DIDN’T EVEN MAKE THE SMALL EFFORT INVOLVED IN PUTTING ON THE PROPER CLOTHING
IT’S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT ACCEPTING AN INVITATION MEANS ACCEPTING THE TERMS OF THE INVITATION. IF YOU GO TO EAT AT A RESTAURANT WHICH HAS A SIGN OUT FRONT THAT SAYS, COAT AND TIE REQUIRED, DON’T GO WEARING YOUR JEANS AND T-SHIRT AND EXPECT TO GET A GOOD RECEPTION AT THE DOOR. ACCEPTING AN INVITATION MEANS ACCEPTING THE TERMS OF THE INVITATION.
AT FIRST GLANCE, IT SEEMS A SMALL THING, BUT IT’S NOT. THIS GUY WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT THOUGHT HE COULD COME TO THE KING’S FEAST ON HIS OWN TERMS, THINKING HIS OWN CLOTHES WERE GOOD ENOUGH. FORGET ABOUT WHAT THE KING WANTED OR HAD PROVIDED FOR THE OCCASION.
AND, SO OFTEN, ISN’T THAT THE CASE WITH PEOPLE AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD? A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO BE A PART OF THE FEAST, BUT THEY DON’T WANT TO SUBMIT OURSELVES TO GOD’S TERMS.
WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR US TODAY?
SINCE WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THIS STORY SORT OF MAKES YOU WANT TO SMILE AND SHAKE THE HAND OF THE PEOPLE SEATED AROUND YOU THIS MORNING AND SAY CONGRATULATIONS! BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE BELIEVE IN JESUS. WE’RE IN! EXCEPT…
…EXCEPT FOR THIS PART ABOUT THE ONE WHO JUST SHOWED UP. I MEAN, I COULD FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS STORY EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN’T REALLY HAVE MUCH OF A HAPPY ENDING…. EXCEPT…
…EXCEPT FOR THIS NAGGING FEELING INSIDE THAT SAYS THIS STORY HAS A MESSAGE THAT IS SOMEHOW DEEPER THAN JUST THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS AND THOSE WHO DON’T.
SOMETHING IS JUST MISSING…MISSING…THAT’S EXACTLY THE POINT…WHEN PEOPLE REJECT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, SOMETHING IS MISSING. MAYBE THIS WILL HELP…
I READ RECENTLY ABOUT A FAMILY THAT WAS WORKING THROUGH SOME PROBLEMS. THE DAD, IT SEEMS, WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A WORKAHOLIC AND BECAUSE OF THIS, THE FAMILY HAD DONE QUITE WELL. BUT HE WORKED LONG HOURS, AND SOMETIMES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. HE HAD INVESTED MOST OF HIMSELF IN CLIMBING THE CORPORATE LADDER AND MAKING MONEY, AND HE’D DONE WELL AT THAT. HE WAS NOW ONE OF THE TOP EXECUTIVES IN HIS ORGANIZATION, BUT HIS MARRIAGE HAD BEEN IN TROUBLE FOR YEARS. HIS WIFE HAD PUT UP WITH A LOT, AND TRIED TO HOLD THE FAMILY TOGETHER. SHE HAD ACTUALLY DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF IT, AND THEIR TWO KIDS WERE TURNING OUT PRETTY GOOD. BUT THERE HAD BEEN SOME ACTING OUT AND SOME INCIDENTS WITH THEIR SON AT SCHOOL. AND SO THE MOM STARTED GOING TO A FAMILY THERAPIST, TO HELP HERSELF DEAL WITH SOME OF THE PAIN IN HER OWN LIFE, AND TO HELP HER CHILDREN DEAL WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES SHE SENSED THEY WERE DEALING WITH. BUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THE CONVERSATIONS SEEMED TO COME BACK AROUND TO DAD, SO AFTER WEEKS OF ASKING, AND PLEADING, THE FATHER FINALLY SHOWED UP FOR ONE OF THE SESSIONS.
IT WAS DURING THE THIRD SESSION WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY THAT THE DAUGHTER, WHO WAS NOW IN COLLEGE, DECIDED TO CONFRONT HER DAD ABOUT SOME THINGS WHICH HAD CAUSED HER A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN WHEN SHE WAS GROWING UP. SHE’D BEEN TRYING TO GET HER COURAGE UP FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, AND FINALLY THE TIME HAD COME. SHE TURNED TO HER FATHER, AND SAID, COULDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU LOVE ME. AND DAD WAS BEGINNING TO SAY, I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING…AS SHE CUT HIM OFF…COULDN’T YOU HAVE COME TO AT LEAST ONE OF MY SOFTBALL GAMES WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? AND WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND GOT A PART IN THE SCHOOL PLAY, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I WANTED YOU TO COME AND SEE THE PERFORMANCE? EVEN THOUGH YOU TOLD ME YOU COULDN’T, THAT YOU HAD TO WORK, I STILL KEPT LOOKING FOR YOU THAT NIGHT, I STILL HOPED YOU MIGHT BE THERE. AND THEN WHEN YOU WEREN’T THERE TO SEE ME ON SENIOR PROM NIGHT, I GUESS THAT WAS IT. I GUESS THAT’S WHEN I STOPPED COUNTING ON YOU TO BE THERE.
THE FATHER LISTENED, AND LOOKED AS IF HE WAS GETTING ANGRIER AND ANGRIER AS THESE CHARGES WERE LEVELED AT HIM. FINALLY HE SAID, OKAY, I MESSED UP, ALL RIGHT?! YOU SAY IT HURT YOU, I BELIEVE YOU. I’M SORRY. I’M SORRY I HURT YOU, OKAY? FORGIVE ME, ALL RIGHT? I APOLOGIZE.
AND THE DAUGHTER SAID, I’VE ALREADY FORGIVEN YOU, DADDY. I HAD TO DO THAT TO GET ON WITH MY LIFE. AND I’VE LEARNED TO DEAL WITH THE PAIN AND DISAPPOINTMENT. THAT’S NOT THE WORST PART. THE WORST PART IS WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU. YOU MISSED OUT ON GETTING TO KNOW ME, AND YOU MISSED OUT ON ENJOYING ME. THE SADDEST PART IS YOU -- YOU MISSED OUT ON ME.
I CAN’T HELP BUT FEEL THAT GOD IS TRYING TO SPEAK TO US TODAY…HE IS SAYING THE SAME THING. THE BIGGEST REGRET IS THAT SO MANY HAVE MISSED OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH HIM, TO GET TO KNOW HIM. THE BAD NEWS IS, THOSE YEARS CAN NEVER BE RECOVERED. THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE INVITATION STILL STANDS.
GOD HAS PREPARED A SPIRITUAL FEAST FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO JOIN WITH HIM. HE WANTS YOU TO PARTAKE OF THAT JOY WITH HIM. BUT NO ONE WILL ENJOY THE "FEAST" OF THE KINGDOM WHO REFUSES TO TAKE THE KINGDOM SERIOUSLY.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU COME TO THE FEAST DEPENDS ON YOU. IF YOU TAKE THE KINGDOM OF GOD LIGHTLY, YOU WILL NEVER ENTER. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME EXCUSE YOU CAN COME UP WITH. BUT IF YOU GIVE THE KING’S INVITATION THE PRIORITY IT DESERVES…WILLING TO BELIEVE IT AND OBEY IT, THEN YOU WILL ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF THAT KINGDOM THROUGHOUT ETERNITY.
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