Quickly!

When it comes to entering into God’s wonderful presence we have looked at many things that are connected with His Presence, such as Worship and sacrifice.

However, there is in the Holy Scriptures an act of obedience which according to the scriptures Guarantees God’s Presence manifest.

The Greek word God uses is “adu” and it means “Of a certainty”. - Like Guarantee.

What is this act, that when when done in obedience - Literally guarantees that God’s Presence is manifested in your life?

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I will tell you this: Of all the kingdom related acts you do

- prayer, attendance, bible reading, worship, giving, serving -

I am willing to bet that it is the one act of obedience that you have done the least of by a huge mile; in fact it may even be the one act of obedience that you have never even done.

And given how powerful the presence of God is, and how much Satan wants to ruin you, that this is the lest “done” act is of no surprise to me at all.

Pretty much more than anything, this is the act that Satan LEAST wants you to be obedient in.

And given how its the act of obedience most Christians are least obedient in - his evil tactic of fear is working.

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So: What is it?

Matthew 28:19–20 NLT

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Sharing the Gospel and inviting people to Jesus.

(And no: Facebook does NOT count.)

When we are actively sharing our faith “Be sure of this: I am with you always”.

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God has revealed Himself to us not as a wish granting genie but as a loving Father who seeks to reconcile to Himself His children.

In Genesis God is revealed as the life-giving Spirit whose breath causes a pile of dust to become a living human being.

In the Psalms God is pictured as a good and great shepherd who ministers to his sheep.

In the New Testament we find God described as the compassionate Father who loves and wants to relate to his children. -

In Jesus’ parable of the marriage feast, he describes the Father God in terms of his being a generous and gracious host who has prepared a great banquet for those who will respond to his invitation.

In this Parable God even reveals to us an adjective of His call.

When God (who is the banquet master) send our his servants (who are us) to invite people to the banquet, He reveals something about these invites:

Luke 14:21–23 KJV 1900

21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Our Lord and Master has commanded us to go and invite people to the banquet, not in any old way, but by the masters own words “Go QUICKLY!”.

The years are slipping away, and time is running out for many of us and also for many around us.

What we would do for our God and for our neighbors and friends needs to be done quickly.

We need to go out quickly because God’s banquet is ready.

Did you ever arrive home to hear your mother or your wife say, “Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes” or “Dinner will be ready when the rolls are done”?

The banquet that God has prepared is always ready for those who are willing to respond to him by faith and faithfulness.

God is ready to do business with you today.

Either to Judge you or to Save you!

Matthew 3:12 KJV 1900

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

The Savior lives as the conqueror of death in order that he might become your savior, friend, and teacher today.

The Holy Spirit is present to do God’s work in your heart and life today.

The angels in heaven are ready to rejoice over decisions that are made by those who need to become believers in and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to go out quickly because of the swift passing of opportunity.

Time does not stand still. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not arrived. Today is all we have. We must seize our opportunities quickly.

Opportunity does not wait for us to extend this invitation on behalf of God.

1. The night will come when no one can work (John 9: 4).

John 9:4 KJV 1900

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

2. The night will come when no one can respond.

Luke 13:25 KJV 1900

25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

No invitation is extended for a response to be made tomorrow - IE: NO RSVP!!!!!!

The prophet said, “Come now” (Isa. 1: 18)

The apostle said, “Behold now is the acceptable time.”

“Now is the day of Salvation”

(2 cor 6)

“This day if you hear His voice” (Heb 3)

We need to go out quickly because of the helplessness of outsiders.

Many church members don’t seem to recognize the spiritual helplessness and hopelessness of those who do not know God.

They exist in the grip of spiritual death.

Ephesians 2:1 KJV 1900

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

They are in the grip of the enemy of God and the enemy of their own souls.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 KJV 1900

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The God of this world, that old serpent, the Devil, has placed spiritual blindfolds on their minds lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine in so that they could be saved.

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They will remain in this sad condition if they are never invited and persuaded to respond to God’s gracious invitation to the banquet that has been prepared.

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What did the banquet master command his servants to do?

Luke 14:23 KJV 1900

23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Compel them!

What did the Apostle Paul do?

He Persuaded them!

Acts 19:8 KJV 1900

8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Acts 28:23 KJV 1900

23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

We live in a world of unsaved people who are helpless and hopeless apart from the witness and the testimony and the help of those who already know God through faith in Jesus Christ.

This means that it is urgent that we be about our Father’s business.

We need to go out quickly because of the compassion of the Father God.

Our great God is not a cold-hearted creator who is unmoved by the needs of this world.

2 Peter 3:9 KJV 1900

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God so loved us that he gave his Son Jesus Christ. We need to recognize what all that involves.

God so loved us that he saved us in order that he might use us to save others. We are not free to loaf or shirk or procrastinate.

We must recognize the urgency involved in our being what our Lord would have us to be.

We need to go out quickly and do what God wants us to do. We need to go out quickly because of the needs of those around us.

Conclusion:

Today let us go out quickly and say to those around us that a feast has been prepared. God offers the blessing of acceptance.

God offers the blessing of forgiveness that is full and free. God offers the blessing of spiritual renewal and restoration.

God offers peace and joy and hope and help and heaven. Everyone is invited to come to the banquet.