August 25, 2013 Sermon #608 The Invitation Introduction: Movie producers want packed theaters, professional sports teams want the stadiums packed. Concert promoters want a sold-out show. Restaurants want a waiting line. Hotels want to be filled to capacity. Colleges want every classroom seat filled. Airlines want to fill every flight. And The Lord wants to fill every seat in the church! “Well pastor, the reason you want people in the church is to get their money.” Why do you think the movies, sports teams, concert promoters, restaurants, hotels and colleges want people? To make the owners rich! Jesus wants you in church to make you rich! His motivation is to bless you. He wants us to walk on streets of gold, enter gates of pearl, and be seated at a banquet table. Luke 14:12-35(NKJV) – 12Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 15Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” 25Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26”If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 34”Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” I. The Call Luke 14:15(NKJV) – 15Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” A. The man who spoke thought he would be invited because he was of the seed of Abraham. B. The difference between the call and the invitation Matthew 20:15-16(NKJV) – 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” 1. Whenever someone was going to give a great supper they would send word and the guests would make an agreement to come (RSVP). 2. After it was known how many would come everything was prepared. John 14:1-4(NKJV) – 1”Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 3. Who has accepted the “call”? • Heard the gospel and believed • Repented • Confessed • Baptized 4. All things are ready. • Salvation is ready • Love is ready • Joy is ready • Peace is ready • Forgiveness is ready • Deliverance is ready • Power is ready • Prosperity is ready • Healing is ready • Righteousness is ready • Hope is ready • Mercy is ready • Grace is ready • Long-suffering is ready • The Father is ready – Jesus is ready – the Holy Spirit is ready • Are you ready? II. The Invitation 2 Peter 1:10-11(NKJV) – 10Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Matthew 24:36-44(NKJV) – 36”But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. III. The Consent Luke 14:17-18(NKJV) – 17and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ A. All would come if… When the Cathedral gave the production, Worthy is the Lamb, people were waiting in line; some were turned away. There was: • no price to be paid; no contracts to sign; no commands to obey; no orders to follow; no sacrifices to surrender; no gifts required; no commitment to keep; no burden to bear; no suffering to share; no hardships to handle; no effort to exert; no pills to swallow; no limitations to learn; no scriptures to study; no worship; no prayers; no cooperation; no battle to fight; no covenant to keep; and no standards to uphold. B. There is no legitimate excuse! Luke 14:17-21(NKJV) – 17and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21So that servant came and reported these things to his master. ILL: Can you picture a Christian saying, “Lord I cannot participate in the rapture of the church. I have too many things to attend to here on Earth.” C. The Cathedral of His Glory is my Father’s house! 1. To those who have left I say: Your excuse is just as lame! “Pastor Willis said something that offended me. They take up too much money in that church. The music was too loud. The music was so soft I could not hear it. I’m embarrassed by the move of the Holy Spirit. The pastor knows my sin and he might speak about it! They let everybody in that church!” 2. To those who have never attended I say: Don’t believe everything you hear! We have a seat reserved just for you! D. The Father will have honor for himself! Luke 4:16-22(NKJV) – 16So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” E. Go! Luke 14:22-24(NKJV) – 22And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” 1. Get out of your comfort zone! ILL: The pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas told of a poorly dressed cowboy who wanted to walk the isle and accept Jesus. A deacon told him it would be better for him to go to another church; First Baptist was for the rich. The pastor saw the man several weeks later and went to apologize. “Don’t worry about it pastor,” the man replied, “I talked to Jesus about it and He said He had been trying to join First Baptist for over 30 years and they would not have Him either!” 2. I was pastor of a “church” for seven years where African-Americans were forbidden to worship. 3. I had the experience of being led out of one of the best hotels in London because I was not dressed “properly.” (Dr. David Shipley and my wife were with me) Conclusion: Go! Tell the drug dealer, the convict, the molested teenager, the abused wife, the aged person, the gambler, the exotic dancer, the divorcee, the unwed parent, the addict, the abandoned child, the backslider, the denominational follower, the unemployed, the broken, bruised, and burdened, the week, wayward and wanton, the damaged, depressed and dogged out, the sick, suffering, and sinner, the anguished, afflicted, and anxious, the tempted, tried, and tortured, the lost, lame, and least, the outcast, over-looked, and overtaken, the poor, persecuted, and perverted.- Tell them, there is still room in my Father’s House!
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 18:17:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015