Untitled Sermon (3)

excuse

Summary: God offers us a great banquet that sometimes we doubted for being too good to be true, but we can prove to ourselves that our Lord’s offer is far more than what we thought if we only surrender to him and accept His calling.

Many of us have been blinded by unnecessary things that life itself offers. Prestigious car, jewelry, and a feast of delicious food are just some of what we believe are the best things to receive and attain in our lives. And because of these unnecessary things that we tend to value, we have ignored our Lord’s greatest offer. He’s calling us to be in His home, to be under His protection and salvation. He offers more than what our money can buy. God offers us a great banquet that sometimes we doubted for being too good to be true, but we can prove to ourselves that our Lord’s offer is far more than what we thought if we only surrender to him and accept His calling.

King James Version Chapter 14

15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 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. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

In Luke 14:15-24, it said that the Lord invited people to come to his home and join him for a banquet. But those who are invited refused to come for their selfish reasons. But the Lord is eager to fill his home that he ordered his servant to call upon those who are poor and crippled and said to his servant that not one of those who refused his offer will get a taste of his banquet.

While in Isaiah 55:1-2,

55 1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,

And he that hath no money;Come ye, buy, and eat; Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2  Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good,And let your soul delight itself in fatness.

.the lord call upon those who are thirsty and has no money to buy and eat without cost. The Lord said listen to Him and we will delight in richest fare.

These are the three lessons we have learned about our Lord’s call to us:

1. The Lord wants his home to be filled with his people.

Luke 14:23-24 “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. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”

As the Lord calls upon us to join him in his home, He wants everyone to come. He wants His home to be filled with people He invited and called upon. So if you feel like the Lord is calling you, come and you will experience the great banquet He promised to those who don't ignore him.

2. Everyone’s invited.

Luke 14:21 “ 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

As we have said everyone’s invited to the party, and that is why God wants everyone to come to his humble abode and join him for a feast. He doesn’t want anyone to be left out, because, in His home, anyone can come, anyone can be saved if they only answered Lord’s call.

3. Each one of us has an important role.

Luke 14:22 “ 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

If you notice, the servant is the one who was inviting people but not only that, he was also the one who noticed that there were still empty chairs and brought to Lord’s attention. Like the Lord’s servant, each of us holds an important role in order to attain Lord’s will for us. We have an important duty for our neighbors, and like the lord’s servant, we can be the one to invite them to our Lord’s home. Because if we truly love our creator, we will do everything just to fill his home with his people.

In one similar story told by Jesus in Matthew 22:12 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

the story is quite similar but both ends in different way. In Matthew, those who are not dressed appropriately will be thrown into darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

One may ask, why the Lord is so eager to invite the people and then kick them out to hell just because they were not dressed appropriately.

What the Lord mean in being dressed appropriately is you have clothe yourself with his presence and you have accepted him inside you.

When we visit our Lord, are we really visiting him because of him or we visit his home because of other matter?

Like in Colossians 3:12, it said12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, obowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Are we dressed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience like what the bible said? Or are we dressed with other motives?

When we go to church to meet our creator, there are 4 points we need to consider in order to be really dressed for his party.

1. Right Motives

Every time we go to church, we all say that we pray and talk to God. But are we really talking to him because we want to? Or we talk to him because we have unnecessary wants in life to pray for? It is not wrong to pray for something, but we must always remember that we go to church for one motive only and that is to talk to Him and ask for his salvation and guidance every day.

2. Right Thinking

When we go to church, ask yourself, “am I going to this church because of God or because this is the most comfortable church in our town?” Sometimes, we say that we love our Lord but every time we are about to meet with Him, we have wrong thoughts inside of us that tends to make us underdressed for his party. So the next time you go to church, put in your mind and heart that you are there because of Him only

3. Right Love

In order for us to be fully dressed for the Lord’s party, we need to fully accept His presence inside us. If we truly love our Lord, we will surrender everything to him and let him reign in our lives. Because if we truly accepted the love of God, we tend to love everyone around us.

4. Right Spirit

We all have been through rough roads. Those were the times we have doubted if God truly loves us. But, despite all this uncertainty in our lives, we must retain the Holy Spirit in us and not let the spirit of anger, fear, and grief take over. Because in God’s party, you are fully dressed if you clothe yourself with the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 36:26 26 A new heart also will I give you, and fa new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.