Love From Your Pastor

Hello again FBC Friends!

When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'” (Luke 14:15-24 ESV)
The passage above, from our reading in the One Year Bible today, is powerful and intriguing.  Jesus is primarily warning the Pharisees and other Jewish religious leaders with this parable, but of course it had tremendous relevance for His disciples, and I believe for us today as well.  I especially think it’s pertinent in light of our desire to invite people to come hear about Jesus, the resurrected Lord, at our Easter services in 9 days.  I did a little reading about this parable today and wanted to share some with you:
 
“Luke 14:15-24 is a graphic description of opportunity lost and of God’s grace shown.  The Jewish leadership, though invited and in line for God’s blessings, opted out of the invitation.  Jesus made an offer, and they refused.  They will not be at the table with many others who are poor, needy, or racially distinct.  The parable makes clear that such exclusion is not God’s desire.  Absence at the table will be because the invitation was rejected and the invitees refused to attend.  The opportunity  The opportunity to attend was given in advance and then made again – but the offer was still refused.  The allusion is to the leadership who refused to respond to Jesus’ invitation.” (Darrell Bock)
Another writer said this: “The two essential points in His teaching are that no man can enter the Kingdom without the invitation of God, and that no man can remain outside it but by his own deliberate choice.  Man cannot save himself; but he can damn himself.  And it is this latter fact that makes the preaching of Jesus so urgent.”
One last paragraph from Bock: “In rejecting Jesus, the leaders reject God’s greatest gift: the opportunity to sit at the table of eternal fellowship with God.  They also missed the chance to share in the blessings He gives.  But the kingdom’s bounty is not lost because of their rejection, for many others will be invited and will attend.  The opportunity for rich blessing and fellowship from God’s hand remains available to others.  In fact, many who attend will be among those who were least expected to attend.  God makes Himself available – even to those whom many reject.  Often it is the rejected who respond favorably to God.  Disciples should seek such people.  In warning the Pharisees, Jesus also instructs His own.  God’s people must be sought and found in surprising places.”
As we invite people to join us at FBC, we can easily get discouraged when they refuse.  But don’t give up!  Keep praying and keep inviting!  Some will reject it, but others (sometimes unexpected people) will respond.  They will come.  They will hear.  They will believe.  So pray, pray, pray!  Invite, invite, invite!
I invited a friend yesterday, reminding him that he had two services to choose from on Sunday morning.  I got the typical “maybe, we’ll see” response.  I will keep praying for him and his family.  I hope for another opportunity to invite again.
This Sunday:  We are near the end of our series on “Jesus’ Final Week,” and other than Easter Sunday’s message on the Resurrection, this Sunday’s message is the most crucial.  Please don’t miss it – make every effort to be here.  Obviously, the topic is the CRUCIFIXION.  We will focus especially on Matthew 27:32-66.  I’d encourage you to read all of Matthew 27 as preparation for the message.  Try to read it with fresh eyes, meaning, don’t just gloss over it because you’ve heard it all before.  Ask the Lord to speak to you in a new way this weekend.  We will consider the mysterious triumph of the kingdom of heaven through the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross.  If you are praying for and inviting someone to Easter, maybe they would consider coming this Sunday with you too!
April 14-17, 4 Days of Prayer:  Monday through Wednesday we will be praying from 5-9am & 5-9pm, and on Thursday from 5-9am.  Please, please, please, plan now to come!  Make a goal!  Write it down!  Make a commitment to yourself and to the Lord that you will be here for part of this very important time of praying together as a church family.  We will pray for 45 minute segments, with 15 minute breaks each hour, so you can easily come, sign in, pray with us, and then you can sign out, and go your way.  Last Sunday I saw many hands go up when I asked if you thought God wants to work powerfully in many people’s lives this Easter!  And many more hands went up when I asked if you believed that for that to happen we need to pray!  So if your hand went up, I expect to see you here during the prayer time next week!  And if your hand didn’t go up, I still expect to see you here!  Stretch yourself.
April 20, Easter Sunday (Resurrection Day!) – Two services, 9:00am and 11:00am.  We will have lots of guests (because you are praying and inviting)!  So please consider parking a little farther away if you can do that physically, and leave the closer spots for guests.  Consider sitting closer to the front, because guests will probably prefer to sit further back.  Scoot into the middles of the rows so that the ushers can help late-comers easily get into seats on the aisle.  Show genuine Christian kindness and hospitality to people you don’t recognize.  Smile.  Shake a hand.  Welcome everyone who comes in.  In other words, be yourselves!
Compelling people to come in, that His house may be filled…
Love From Your Pastor,
Michael