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Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Our Idea of evangelism is too narrow.
But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.
Lay Down your Life
Lay Down your Life
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
It is so natural to only live in our comfort zone. That is what this banquet host has done. He invited his friends, and family.
Jesus is Serious about this.
Jesus is Serious about this.
At this banquet that was prepared. the host spared no expense. It was a grand affair indeed. Yet in spite of all of his work, he had people rejecting his invitation. People not appreciating the invitation. People not grasping the sacrifice of this banquet.
I just bought land land and must take care of it.
I just bought some animals and I want to try them out.
I just got married so I cannot come.
3 excuses. None of them were life threatening, all of them could have been postponed. Generally legitamate, and in todays world we make excuses like this all the time.
But here is the scary bit.
The owner of the house becomes angry and he throws open the doors and invites everyone.
Go to there Alleys, and in to the streets:
Get the lame and the poor.
Bring them in.
For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”
Do not let anyone who rejected my invite enter.
My friends, Jesus means business. WE often carelessly play with these divine grace. “Oh He understands we say” God Understands, I need family time on Sundays” He understands, why this sin is OK for me.
He understand church. He understands we are selfish.
You see, It is scary and a stern warning when we step back and look at these scriptures. What He is doing is He is beginning to lay out the cost of discipleship. When you follow Jesus. Your life is not your own anymore. Your schedules, your times, plans, desires all take a backseat to the will of the living God. That is scary to us. But the reality is is that Jesus know best. His will is the best will.
Throw open the doors and gather everyone
Throw open the doors and gather everyone
So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.
If the Invited guests are uninterested, then throw open the doors. Lets bring everyone else in. Go get the people that nobody wants. Go get the least of them. I want them.
Then comes the heart of God. He tells us. Stop trying to will those that you like, go and get everyone that is forgotten:
Bring the broken into the banquet.And you will be blessed.
you see, Imagine jesus sitting here at this table with the host, who probably mentions, so and so couldn’t make for this or that reason.
Jesus says:
Hey if you really want to be blessed. Next time, invite people who cannot thank you. repay you, honor you. Invite them, because they are mine. Then you will be blessed!
But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Closing:
Is God calling on you to open the doors of your life?
Here is the reality if you are never challenged, you are never growing. If you are growing, you are dying.
WE should no matter who we are be asking God are you calling on me to open my life to this person? or that person?