You are Invited!

Seek the Lord while he may be found! Wow ! What a warning! Seek the Lord while he can be found. Is this an indication that there will be a time that he could not be found? Absolutely.

Jesus himself said: I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” (Jn 7:33–34)

Its interesting that the Lords lays out an invitation that should not be ignored or denied. He says: Come, everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and he who has no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price. (2016). (Is 55:1). We are all invited With the invitation to the banquet for everyone: God welcomes, God Invites, God Includes all Humanity The Unfaithful, The Unclean, The Underserving

• Jesus said, “Come t me all who labor and are heavy laden, I give rest”

While teaching on the sermon on the mount Jesus said: 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Mt 5:6).

Where we can be very selective on who we invite. God cast an enormous net with his invitation. A John 3:16 net. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Its interesting that this week we saw lines all over the city and suburbs because Dr. Willie Wilson was giving away a million dollars worth of gas. I appreciate his generous heart. Many of the people who lined up to receive 50 in gas for free were truly grateful. Most people like FREE. That word normally motivates people to make unusual sacrifices. Like getting up 2 in the morning to be the first in line. Or ride around the block 10 times because you cant line up until a certain time. We hear FREE and we will cost ourselves something just to receive something for free.

Yet FREE is not always Free.

Yet in this text FREE is really free. The offer on the table is come and drink and come and eat without money.

In sales the goal of the marketer is to reach a price point that will motivate the purchaser to buy. This is why we have sales and price reduction. I afraid today we have a price point of free and seems hard to convince people to come.

What we fail to understand its not just wine and milk. Its what wine and milk represents.

Wine the fruit of the vine that jesus says represents it saving blood. Also wine represents life and good. joy. Remember when Jesus was at the wedding and they ran out of wine?

The milk represents nourishment. Milk contains all the nutrients we need to be nourished.

Why do you waste your money ?

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food. (Is 55:2).

Can you hear God?

Incline your ear, and come to me;

hear, that your soul may live;

and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.

4  Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and commander for the peoples.

5  Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,

and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,

because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,

for he has glorified you. (Is 55:3–5).

Seek the Lord Now

“Seek the LORD while he may be found;

call upon him while he is near;

7  let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Is 55:6–7).

As Amos said in Chp 5:4

For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel:

“Seek me and live;

As bad we treat the Lord the Lord still wants to have a loving relationship with us. For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Is 55:8–9).

We have responsibility not only to seek the Lord but to share his word. Share it with confidence knowing his word shall accomplish what it intended to do.

10  “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11  so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Is 55:10–11).

I was a community meeting on Wednesday and their was a group sharing on what we need to stop the violence in our City. I listened to some good ideas. Some of the same stuff more programs for youth, more resources for community, more jobs for the unemployed with increased wages, more police presence.

So after a while of listening I said what I said right here in this pulpit. Chicago has a SIN problem. Until we deal with the SIN of forgetting God we will be in a perpetual degradation. So we have to share God’s word.

As smart as we think we are we must look to God for the answer. He said return to HIM He will have compassion. Return to Him he will forgive us!

As the Hebrew writer reminds us he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him!

I love how Isaiah ends this chapter.

12  “For you shall go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

shall break forth into singing,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13  Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;

instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;

and it shall make a name for the LORD,

an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Is 55:12–13). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.