Prepared - Inviting

I. Introduction

A. Series - Are we prepared for the arrival of Christ? We have talked about watching and being dressed, burning with faith.

If we are ready for the second coming, we are ready for anything.

B. Luke 12:35-40 - Today we will talk about Inviting!

C. “Thief” - Not the first description of Christ we think of. The enemy comes to steal not Jesus! Jesus will come and steal time and to some it will be like a thief.

D. Quote from CS Lewis - Mere Christianity. “When the author walks on the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else—something that never entered your head to conceive—comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left. For this time it will be God without disguise, something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late to choose your side..Now today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.”

II. The Great Invitation - Matthew 22:1-10

A. The Preparations - Matthew 22:1-4

Jesus is making preparations as well for His second coming. God is preparing a feast to celebrate the sacrifice and services by both parities to be wed.

I don’t believe service gets you to heaven but it determines so much once you get there.

It was customary for the banquet hosts to send out multiple invitations but not infinite ones. How many invitations have you received?

It should be enough that God has invited everyone to the banquet but He is willing to go into some details. We will go into some of those details next week.

God has not refused to sacrifice his best for us. Will we do the same in return? It’s part of accepting the invitation.

B. The Refusal - Matthew 22:5-7

The refusal range from indifference to hostility, from scorning to persecuting, from apathy to aggression.

The apathetic refusal - paid no attention based on irrelevance. Is this invitation relevant in your everyday life?

Refusal based on provision - prioritizing security now

The rural response of the farm to take care of our immediate family only.

Refusal based on wealth - prioritizing treasures now

The urban response of created comfort in the fallen world instead of the restored one.

The aggressive refusal - seize and kill based on threat.

People don’t kill most of the time unless they feel threatened. What is it about the invitation that is threatening enough to kill? Love is threatening.

C. The Invitation - Matthew 22:8-10

The Master send the servants out to where the roads met. To the major intersections out in the country where all types of people travel, not just the religiously acceptable ones.

It’s a call out of our cities of comfort to people who make us feel uncomfortable. To people we used to avoid but now we carry a personalized invitation for.

Worthy and unworthy takes on new meaning . All those who receive the invitation are the chosen and worthy regardless of where and to whom they were born.

Who is the “one” on your heart to invite? An invitation to leave their old life behind for what is prepared for them.

The call is to fill up the banquet hall with all of human society: good and bad, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, the wealthy and the poor.

In your chair is an invitation to the wedding banquet. Ask Holy Spirit who this is for? Right their name on the envelope. This is a tangible reminder of the invitation you carry in your heart for them. Pray for your “one.”

III. Conclusion

A. I come to you this morning as a humble servant fulfilling my masters request to invited you to the wedding feast.

B. Revelation 22:20 (NIV) - “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”