20190720 | Chosen | Pastor John Lomacang (tvsdac)

very short Scripture but a very profound one Matthew 22 verse 14 if you have your Bibles you can turn there but it's so short by the time you find it I might have already read it it's hardly difficult to mince the words that the scripture contains so I'd like with one voice for you to join me and in reading this scripture it's on the screen let's weave is together Matthew 22:14 and the Bible reads for many are called but few are chosen Father in heaven take this message and then take this servant and may your will be done to the honor and glory of your name reach into the hearts of your people and speak to them in a way that I never could and may what you ordained be accomplished this day in Christ's holy and precious name I pray amen it's a short but ridiculous story but I'm going to use it I heard it a long time ago and I asked myself the question what was wrong with that guy I don't know where it took place but in the midst of a torrential rain that did not decide to cease the rains turned into puddles and then eventually the rivers that surrounded that town over and their banks turning the town into a small flood of concern but the rains chose not to slow down and they continued as the waters began to rise eventually the waters overran the boundaries of homes and water began to seep into the front rooms but the rains chose not to cease the waters began to rise and residents that were smart got in their vehicles and left town as quickly as they could because they foresaw what was coming and they decided I am NOT going to have wait around to see this develop any further but there's one lone man waited it out and he decided when it got too hard to drive he climbed on his roof and somebody came by in a 4x4 nice souped-up high off the ground 4x4 that could still traverse the waters and they said to him come with us the waters are still rising and he said I'm waiting for God to send me he'll wait and the waters continued rising and then someone came by when it was too hard for vehicles to go through the streets someone came by in a small very modest fishing boat twelve feet long single outboard motor and said Harry come with us and Harry said I'm waiting for the Lord to send help the rains continued they intensified this the clouds got darker they began to come down and buckets and when a ride for the vehicles were no longer possible and the boats the waters became treacherous the last attempt made was a helicopter came by and saw Harry hanging on to his roof as best he could and they yelled from the helicopter Harry take the rope and come on up and he said I'm waiting for God to send me help and the helicopter left and nobody heard of Harry ever since and I asked myself the question again what was wrong with that guy he was waiting for God to send him help and on three separate occasions God tried to send him help called him called him called him but Harry chose not to respond and when the waters eventually subsided the evidence was clear Harry became a victim the floods he ignored the call over and over and over again many are called but few are chosen one of the shortest verses in the New Testament yet the implications are eternal when you read the words and you begin to study the story behind it it creates a powerful contrast and I want to take my time on this this morning it creates a powerful contrast between ministry and salvation we often get the two mixed up ministry on one side salvation on the other and when you study the Bible in its broader sense you discover that there is always a two-stage impact that the gospel reveals throughout the Bible a what kind of stage that I say two stages one stage reveals the invitation the other stage reveals the implication in other words what the gospel accomplished for us is not the same as what the gospel can accomplish in us and the difference is if you ignore the invitation the gospel is still accomplished a lot for us but until you accept the invitation the gospel has not accomplished anything in us even for the Lost they are benefited by the gospel the the rain and the Sun falls and shines on the just and on the unjust and as we read on our way to Russia because we had a couple of times there when the plane did a few things and then we reminded ourselves I remember we got on that plane and Nizhny Novgorod on our way to Moscow Francine was on the plane and and Amanda and and and and Jason and it it took off and it did like a swish thing and and we look back and Francine made the and I said that was simply awake and my mother and my wife said my husband has an explanation for everything it was awake a larger plane took off before us and and it creates a turbulent spin and when we took off after it our plane ran through its wake and plane we were in you know what I'm saying Eric it rolled on the wake the wind was spinning as it were if you could see it it looked like a ray a wave and our wings hit each side of that wake at a different time and the plane dipped and came back I said it's okay we're still on our way up a two-stage implication flying on the wind but shaken on the way up the gospel always has a two-stage impact on one stage uncovers the reception of the gospel the other stage uncovers and reveals the rejection of the gospel the gospel has the ability to change the way we think but the impact the real impact of the gospel is not just to change the way we think but to change the way we live many are called but few are chosen and whenever I preach the gospel and if you've been a teacher or preacher ever had the opportunity of talking to someone you once you sometimes ask yourself the question when the invitation is extended what's wrong with that guy God is sending him a car and a boat and a helicopter and he still say I'm waiting for God to send me help one day there will be no more invitation what's wrong with that guy and when you think about the person that's extending the call you've got to come to the conclusion that no one that has ever walked this planet has made a greater impact on humanity than Jesus yet the Bible says in Isaiah 53 and verse 3 he is despised and rejected by men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were I was amazed myself when I read this verse I asked myself the question who would want to hide their face from someone who has come to save his or her life and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we did not esteem him you know the reality is one day there will be no more invitations one day everything that the Bible has forecasted and prognosticated in and predicted will come is going to come and we can see the harbingers of a world coming to its end all around us yet in God's mercy he's still holding it back because there are still people today I was reminded in Russia there are still people today that need to hear the gospel we recently had a visit with brother Richard and Zita at her home and I was amazed to see that she just recently translated prophets and Kings into the Lithuanian language and I said to myself had they not had that before and I was amazed that even still today the gospel that we take for granted in America there are some people that are just getting it in their own language but one day the invitation will cease when I look back on Christianity as the journey identifies itself I really wait I reiterate one more time being called and being chosen are not the same thing being called and being chosen are not the same thing our skills our gifts our abilities and our talents are the instruments that Jesus will use when he calls us but none of those abilities will get us chosen when we read the verses that precede Matthew chapter 22 verse 14 and if you have your Bibles this morning with you turn to Matthew chapter 22 we are going to look briefly at the three invitations how many invitations that I say the three invitations and discover the story behind the verses why would the Bible say many are called but few are chosen I look back and I was talking about this with my wife Angie I was saying I have three CDs and she keeps saying John this time you need to put out another CD it's been 10 years actually now 11 2008 was my last CD then I had this injury and it's now 2019 11 years ago was when I released my last CD it was entitled the call how reminiscent the call between 2008 and now looking back at that project it began to speak to me as to where I was and I came up to with the conclusion that it's unmistakable and unequivocal that God called me to the Ministry unmistakable and unequivocal but remember the text many are called but few are chosen and during that time the Lord gave me an opportunity to do what I had been maybe avoiding you know one of the things that happens to those of us who are busy we we tend to look more at what we what we have to do and less that what we are we look so much at our work that we're doing for other people and we sometimes fail to examine the work that Christ wants to do in us and between 2008 and the present the Lord said okay yes you are called but will you be chosen and it caught it pulled my coattail and if you ever get to the place in your walk with Christ will you think that well I'm I'm a shoo-in because I'm a I know the Bible I understand the doctrines I could teach them back and forth I'm a pastor I've been a in leadership when you get to the place where you think that you're in remember the text that him that think if he stand take heed lest he fall and I've seen the battles that have come my way some of my own making and during that time between that last CD and now the Lord has recalibrated my understanding to say John yeah you have a lot of gifts you got a lot of talents and sometimes we leave so much on what we are able to do that God is really not able to do anything in us because we think that we're doing everything for him when in fact he really wants to save us by doing something in us so skill and ability and talent and gifts are not the foundation on which we are going to be fitted for eternity those are simply gifts that God can use that's why Matthew 7 verse 21 to 23 the Lord had will say that many will say Lord haven't we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and done many wonderful works in your name and then he will profess to them or then I will profess unto them I never knew you depart from me and I'll be honest with you I don't want to hear those words as my good pastor who's now resting in Jesus pastor Brooks set it on as only he can say he says it is terrible to live in hell go through hell and end up in hell doesn't make any sense that's the proper use for the word by the way it doesn't make any sense it doesn't make any sense to live the Christian experience and be lost in the very end and the Apostle Paul and throughout the scriptures you had seen those little those tiny little blinking red lights pop up every now and then demas has forsaken me having loved this present world ephraim is joined unto his idol to leave him alone the seventy turned and walked with him no more those little tiny red lights pop up in the Bible every now and then and then Peter even asked Lord said are you gonna leave me too and I love the answer Peter said Lord where am I gonna go if we leave the Lord where are we gonna go it doesn't make sense even to work on the Ark to be a part of the staff that hammers and saws and builds and construction and put all the pitch together it doesn't make sense to work on the Ark and when the flood comes to end up on the outs side and in the book patriarchs and prophets Ellen White says there were those that worked on the ark up until the year the flood came and they walked away from the flood Venice Church now she didn't call the flood Venice Church I'm just saying that's the term I'm using to to equivalent been and now it's one thing to work for God but salvation is not based on the work we do for him but the work we allow him to do in us Matthew 22 the intervals of history and it's strange to me that the reasons that Jesus was refused are too numerous to even cite but let's begin in Matthew chapter 22 verse 1 verse 1 and jesus answered and spoke to them again by what parables and said the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged what a marriage for his son and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding and they were not willing to come you know every now and then people send out invitations and you would get that little card RSVP I know it means respond but I still don't know what RSVP stands for and neither do you it mean what does it mean Shelly okay that's why I don't know what it means it's in French I defer to my French brothers and sisters here my French sisters in Christ refrán see response evil play yeah that's why I thought it meant respond as soon as possible but I thought they had the acronyms in the wrong but that doesn't make any sense respond as soon as possible why is okay I just sent it back they just just put on their sin aback well let us know what your intentions are but me English people respond Cebu play I mean really but the point of the matter is you get that little card and the invitation is important but if that car doesn't go back they know you ain't coming right said there's only a guy from Brooklyn couldn't consider if that car doesn't go back we're not setting a place for you because you told us by not responding you're not going to be there and when I walk through this these these two verses well these three verses it was amazing to me how these verses unfolded the spotlight of these verses were not on the King not on the Sun but they were on the outcome they were not willing to come not willing to come but I want you to notice the high honor placed on those that were unwilling to come go with me to Deuteronomy chapter 7 verse 7 and we ran out we are now going to take a journey through the life of the Hebrews the Israelites the Jewish people a people that God gave benefits far greater than most people will ever have benefits par none and to this very day when you follow the principles outlined in the first five books of the Bible of the Pentateuch you find there in the Torah all these principles of gardening and business in economy and commerce God gave them some tremendous principles and still to this very day when you go to New York City some of the most successful people in the business industry are Jewish people when my favorite stores bnh photo right there in New York owned by the Jews great tremendous businessmen so dedicated to their to their beliefs that when the Sabbath comes they even shut down their business website they see no purchases between these hours and these hours this store will resume again after sunset and when they have their special holidays Yom Kippur and all the other things that they observe they shut the website down and sometimes you can't buy anything from B&H for four days because they shut the website down they are very very religious but the problem is and I'll stated here and restated in the sermon the problem is God shows them he did what now I didn't say he called them I said he chose them a call is when you have an option to respond or not respond they didn't have the option God had a plan that was from tremendous he had a phenomenal plan he he didn't call them he chose them outright from the very beginning like the post office you may get a job at the post office but when you started working there that's not when the post office began it was already there God had a plan so everyone born into the Hebrew family when they were born into that family when they were born into that culture God already had a plan he chose them for a specific function listen to what it says in Deuteronomy 7 verse 7 and the Lord makes it clear notice the word will find there the Lord did not set his love on you nor what choose you because you were more numerous or more in number than any other people for you were the least of all people when I read that that gives me encouragement God doesn't chooses because we're all bad he chooses us because He loves us and he set his love on us Amen Sumati he chooses us secondly because he has a purpose for us and he wants to accomplish that purpose in us so the first invitation was not a call because it was not an individual extension God orchestrated the rise of the Jewish people he chose Israel for a purpose that if followed rosemary they would have turned the world say the rest no right side up because they were already upside down that's what sin does it turned you upside down if the Jews had followed the plan of God they would have turned the world right-side up when I was reading this in Christ object lessons and there's another part of the sermon that's coming later on but when I when I read this in Christ object lessons the servant of the Lord said some of the greatest universities and colleges would have been established some of the greatest industry for the proclamation and the teaching of the gospel to the entire world God intended for the Jews to establish that but they would not let's look at the rest of it when God sent Moses to Pharaoh and this is powerful God revealed his identity to Moses he wanted to be very clear as to who was sending Moses to free the Hebrews from Egypt look at Exodus chapter six and verse three it's amazing it's amazing how this unfolds xers chapter six and verse three and this is in the midst of the attempt to extricate the Israelites from Egypt God wanted to get them out because they had been in bondage by now for 430 years but Moses is wondering how is Pharaoh going to know who I am and look at verse 3 of Exodus 6 the Lord said I appeared to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and by the way out of Jacob came twelve sons therefore Israel was birth when Jacob wrestled with God and he prevailed the Lord said you'll no longer be called Jacob but Israel Israel is not a nation Israel is the title of an overcomer so when you read the phrase or the word Israel in Revelation it's not the Israelites as much as it is those who have a spiritual identity that's why Paul says in Hebrews in Romans 6 9 or Romans 9 6 I get those mixed up sometimes he says they that are of Israel are not all Israel meaning you could be a you could be a member but not a Christian don't get the two mixed up but when I when I read this this was amazing to me because he says notice what he says I appeared to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty but get this but my name Lord by my name Lord I was not known to them this is verse 3 of Exodus 6 by my name Lord I was not known to them and Ryan you know when you find a scripture like that you got to say wait a min this is a this is a lock to a deep room so I said by his name they were not known he was not known to them and I discovered in my research that the name that they did not know which was the holiest name to the Hebrews when they spoke of God was the name Jehovah now we say Jehovah but there was no Jay in the Hebrew alphabet still is no Jay it was yahuveh to the Hebrews the name Jehovah was the proper name for God but after being in bondage for 400 years walking like an Egyptian talking like an Egyptian living like an Egyptian eating like an Egyptian dressing like an Egyptian the name of God was lost among the Hebrews they did not know my name although I was known by Abraham I was known by Isaac I was known by Jacob but they haven't known my name that's why Pharaoh when Moses came to Pharaoh listen to what Pharoah said in Exodus chapter 5 and verse 2 listen to this it all makes sense to me now because the Hebrews didn't know it so while they're in bondage living like Egyptians talking like Egyptians eating like Egyptians living dressing like Egyptians they weren't even talking about God so Pharaoh made a statement that was qualified get this by the fact that the people that surrounded him who were God's designated people forgot their God so they weren't even talking about him so Pharaoh wouldn't even hear God's name among them that's why he said what he did in Exodus 5 and verse 2 and Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go listen to this I do not know the Lord he would have known the Lord because the Israelites outnumbered the Egyptians if they were living the life that God had called them to live Pharaoh would have known the Lord but what happens when in bondage as you forget all the things of freedom you don't talk about God at work you don't talk about Jesus when you go to the mall you don't talk about Jesus when you're sitting in the Family Circle because you're in bondage and his name is not a delight for you that's why when we are saved the Bible says in Revelation his name shall be on our forehead whosoever call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved this the name of the Lord is a strong tower but they didn't know the name of the Lord but get this it was God's plan to first restore the name of God that Israel was freed it was first to restore the name of God that Israel was to be freed in order to become Jehovah servants they had to know his name who do you work for Ryan I am a Hebrew well who do you work for remember the story of Jonah they asked him the question who do you work for oh well I'm a Hebrew well who do you work for that's a key that's why and this is life eternal that you may know that you may know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he said you see the entire book of John is based on knowing and believing you got to know him to believe him if you don't know him you can't believe him and you cannot be a witness to somebody you don't know and that's why he says I never knew you his name powerful now fast forward from deliverance of Egypt to the crucifixion of Christ every miracle now think about it every miracle performed after he led them out of Israel every miracle performed every battle wand every enemy defeated every need provided Jehovah was revealing himself over and over and over and over again to Israel so that they could get to the place of dedicating themselves to him so that said plainly he could finish his work that's what the 70 week prophecy was all about and Daniel to get them to end their transgression and sin and bring in reconciliation to righteousness silver anoint the most holy he gave them 490 years because he saw over and over and over and over again every time he tried to get them right to dedicate themselves to him it was a flop so he said how can I give you one more shot you got 490 years which brings me to the question how many years do you need but before the plan of salvation was to be completed God upped the ante because the Jewish leaders religious leaders Pharisees scribes sen s they all knew God but the plan of salvation does not just include God Galatians 4:4 listen to what the Bible says but when the fullness of time had come but when the fullness of time had come God sent forth who his son born of a woman born under the law so by the time Jesus came they had decade after decade century after century millennia millennia they had all that time no body possessed the knowledge that they possess no body had the Oracles that they had nobody had the Oracles that they had I can't preacher my watch is talking to me no body had what they had nobody possessed what they possessed they had no excuse oh I wish you could grab what I'm saying today my brethren do we need another book as seventy-five minutes do we need in a book huh and I wanna I want to pull your coattail we are not going to be judged only by what we know we're gonna be judged by what we could have known it's called the sin of omission you could have known it it was on your nightstand but you picked up the remote instead you could have known it but you chose not to the same pattern that was a prevalent among Israel it's prevalent among the people of God today he said I've given you the five books about everything he did in the New Testament even the parable of the rich man and Lazarus he said you got five brothers the five books of Moses you got five brothers and then he said even if one rose from the dead you wouldn't believe it and Jesus rose and what do they do they didn't believe it and I asked myself the question how many things that God does God have to do for us in order for us to get it to say I'm just I just want to use you but that last piece in the puzzle the Jewish leaders had no excuse they knew God but get this remember the King set up a marriage for his son in the marriage simply meant the union between God and his chosen people were not complete without the son in the middle you getting it Jesus connected humanity to divinity and Jesus connected divinity to humanity Jesus was between the two if you wanted to be connected to God that's why Jesus said I don't run ahead of myself but there was no connection outside of Christ no man cometh unto the Father except by me so all this rejection of Jesus the Lord said okay now I gotta my plan still has to go forward so I'm sending my son for God so loved the world that He gave is what only begotten Son stay with me now cuz y'all gonna wake up as soon as I'm done and if you try to fall asleep on me now I'm gonna send my deacons to wake you up because I know how the devil works I'm being serious he'll sleep he'll put you to sleep and wake you up when the message is done so just like the sleeping Israelites you miss it again that's why the Apostle says knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of our sleep we can't be sleeping as a people if if the if the majority of the Christian world had the knowledge that God has entrusted to us without an excuse so God sent a son and when Jesus rode into Jerusalem the very name of God that the Israelites chose to ignore listen to it look at the little Harvard look at the little checkmarks Matthew 21 verse 9 you'll see over and over and over again there is no salvation outside of the name there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved the name when I get to the kingdom of heaven I can only be saved as I approach in the name of the Lord look at Matthew 21 verse 9 look at it look at it when Jesus rode into Jerusalem noticed the proclamation notice the proclamation then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out saying Hosanna to the son of David listen to what they said blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest why the name of the Lord because there's no you can't come in anybody else's name and have access to the kingdom blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord they knew that this was Jehovah coming in the name of the representative that's why when Jesus sent the disciples forces go therefore and baptize in the name of the Father and other son of the Holy Spirit it's not separate names but there's an authority behind the name of God that no one else has at the name of Jesus every knee will bow at the name of Jesus demons tremble come on as a man there's a name above all names when that name click you understand that's why Jesus said he came to his own John 1 verse 11 and his own did not receive him they didn't like it he came to his own and his own did not receive him why John 5:43 I'm just going to recite them John 5:43 I have come he said I have turned there you got to see it I have come I try to resist but you got to see it I have come in my father's name and you do not receive me if another comes in his own name him you will receive if a banker came you opened the door if a lawyer came you open the door if a salesperson came you open the door but Jesus comes in you slam the door shut in his face and you know what it's still happening today behold I stand at the door and knock it's still happening today in our individual lives I'm talking to you as a person who understood that this was happening in my own life I was singing preaching teaching traveling come to Jesus and I was in my own life forgetting the power of the name that's why I'm speaking the way I am this morning I have come in my father's name that's why Jesus says in John 14:1 let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me because you're not getting there without me but in Matthew 22 verse 3 that's why in the first call when the Jewish leaders were invited to accept Jesus and they rejected him verse 3 ends by saying they were not willing to come what a sad commentary but that was only the first invitation let's look at the second invitation Matthew 22 verse 4 to 6 now the first invitation let me put this in context the first invitation was from the call of Israel what did I say from the call of Israel Oh all the way to the crucifixion of Christ that was a long time so what span does the second call extend over you'll get it look at verse four because you got to remember now when he sent when he sent those who were invited did they come did they come were they willing to come they were not willing to come those who were invited we're not willing to come now watch this so now when he when they were not willing to come what replacements and I don't like to ask questions but this is a teaching moment what replacements did Jesus have in place of the Jewish leaders that rejected him what replacements did he get the twelve disciples so they are now his servants fishermen the outcasts of society the dregs of the community the people that cuss and lie and steal and cheat the folk that look like what you in the church the tax collectors the junk heap of Thompson Ville God's using you I saw you fishing in West Frankfort Lake where'd you get your degree from Jesus amens embody ignorant and unlearn but taping but Jesus all my brothers and sisters caution don't ever think your education is the connection between you and Jesus that's the mistake that the Jewish leaders had education is a blessing but if you have education without Christ you are dangerous so he has disciples now that's what the servants is that's who the servants are in this verse verse four again he sent out other servants cuz those he couldn't you do anything with him and he says tell those who were invited now reason why even though they didn't come why did he say tell those who are invited because Ryan you know they still had three and a half years left right that's we prophecy wasn't done yet they had three and a half years left before the Lord said I'm done before he said I'm done so he told the disciples when you preach girl go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel on the day of Pentecost he says begin at Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria then to the uttermost parts of the earth go to those hard-headed folk I've been working on for thousands of years and try to get their attention because they got three and a half years left do you realize that every one of us are on probation every time God has given every one of us a probationary time and when you ignore the voice of God and your probationary time comes he said I'm not even gonna call you anymore I'm moving on you remember William Foy what was the other guy's name Hazen Foss they were the two before Ellen White and when all the white revealed her first vision I think it was Hazen Foss heard the vision that God had given to him first he tried to repeat it but it had gone from him Uzziah in the year that King Uzziah died the Bible says Isaiah says that on Isaiah chapter 6 in the year that King Uzziah died Isaiah said I saw the Lord sitting on his throne high and lifted up you know why it was in the year that King Uzziah died because the vision that God was going to give to you is ayah he forfeited it by his disobedience and he gave that vision to Isaiah instead you see you think that God plays with us no he says I'll I'll appeal to you as long as you're still listening but the moment you shut me down I'm gone and one of the greatest deceptions we'd have was we say he'll never leave us nor forsake us that's if when our hearts are willing but when you read the Old Testament says if you forsake me I will forsake you if you ignore my law I will ignore your children and when calamity comes I'll just stand back and laugh that's the gospel we don't preach and it gives people complacency because they think I'll he'll never leave me nor forsake me and we live in sin as though it's a game he'll never leave me and never forsake me he will shut you down when you ignore the voice of God he said I will laugh when your calamity comes and then when you want the word because you ignored the word he said you will search from sword sure from east to west and you won't find it there's a famine in the land coming and for those of you that think I'm just piping up and standing on my box don't ignore the voice of God because you miss Bible study as though it's always gonna be you miss study of the word as although it's gonna always be but listen to the Israelites babe didn't want to come they had every excuse so he said I'm a try again tell those who are invited the mercy of God he said see I have prepared my dinner my oxen and fatted cattle or killed all things already and he says while he's wiping his eyes come to the wedding he's telling that to the Jewish leaders you got three and a half years left but what did they do I know what he feels like Moses was there Noah was there Elijah was there John the Baptist was there when you are servant of God you know what it's like but they made light of it and went their ways one to his own farm another to his business and what else did they do and the rest sees the servants treated them spitefully and killed them Peter was thrown in prison Stephen was stoned when Paul was converted from Saul he went through persecution after persecution after persecution he went to Antioch he was rejected Barnabas was with him they said good sermon but when the whole town came together he was rejected he was rejected in acts 13 verse 46 thank you I appreciate the guys putting this up on the screen acts 1346 look at the ultimate rejection because even after Stephen was stoned you know what God still reach out to the Jews he rejected them as a nation but he still reach out to them as the people listen to this Acts 1346 then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said it was necessary what's the word it was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken to you when first the first call but since you rejected and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting lies I ain't wasting time with you anymore behold we turn to the Gentiles and when you read the rest of the story the Bible says and when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorify the word of the Lord and as many as believe ordained to eternal life the Gentiles says we could come to we've been trying this for a long time we were desiring the crumbs that sell from the rich man's table but they just sat around and ate their own bread they've read their own Bibles they read their own spirit of prophecy they wouldn't share with us they won't even knock on our doors they wouldn't even come to my community and tell me that salvation is even possible so the Lord said we don't need them any more I got some disciples come directly to me Amen somebody so that Gentiles got excited see the book of Acts is the is the anger of the Jews and the glory of the Gentiles and God was in the mix so don't think that God won't pass you by when you choose that's why all these issues of prejudice and raised separation it's happening in our church today it was a part of the New Testament church that's why the Lord gave Peter the vision of Cornelius he said I got to get you to Cornelius but he's not a Jew like you are so he gave him a vision of all these unclean foods and the Jews filled with prejudice and raised separation said don't ever go to a Gentiles house but the Lord showed Peter in Acts chapter 10 it was not about eating food follow me carefully I'm speaking like a New York it was not about eating food but you guys have a problem by calling people that are not your own race unclean and that same sin is what's in the Christian world today I'm telling you like it is it's a shame that Christians are so divided it's a sin in this world Christian either they did an article the editor of Christianity today did an article recently how sad the Christian Rowlett become the cesspool of the earth those where God's mercy must be extended read the Old Testament when the foreigner and the stranger comes treat them as you would treat yourself and nowadays lord have mercy nowadays the Christian well has become a cesspool of Satan's playground for political rhetoric and I don't care who's in the White House whoever did it I'll talk about it but we must never be the pawn of the devil and be so unmerciful that people that don't look like us and don't speak like us and don't sound like us are outcasts remember Matthew 25 I was a stranger and you took me in I was naked and you clothed me I was sick and you gave you you came to me I was hungry you fed me Oh give us you're tied in you're poor but not any longer I rather be disliked than misunderstood the gospel an arrogant people the Jews arrogant was the word they washed their hands and deep basins but don't let a Jew don't let a non Jew coming you should read it they would sing at their tables when they ate the bread this is why Jesus called himself the bread of life when they ate the bread they said blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God read it that's what the Jews saying when they gather around a dinner table but Jesus comes and calls himself the bread of life and they rejects him that's why he called himself the bread of life because they rejoiced that they could share their bread with each other but Jesus showed how destitute they were they wouldn't share their bread with the but people that were different from them we got to stop thinking that people that are different from us are unworthy of the gospel we are in southern Illinois where the where the pot is rich Souls all around us what happened to the nation of Israel lord have mercy may it not happen to us Matthew 22 verse 7 but when the King heard about it but when the King heard about the way they treated his son and his servants when the King heard about it he was furious and sent out his armies destroyed those murderers and burnt up their city I will never leave you nor forsake you no you left me your house is left to you desolate how many more earthquakes do we need to know that Jesus is soon to come how much more sylph do we need to hear on the news to know that Jesus is soon to come how busy should we get in light of the knowledge we have been given how serious should we be and these probationary hours that's why I Danny doesn't mind going out there preaching in the hot in the hot Sun because somebody may hear the gospel and come out that's why sure you didn't mind going out last night that's why I didn't mind going out Thursday night comfort is not the premise on which salvation is accomplished sometimes you got to get uncomfortable for somebody else to find comfort in Christ he burned up their cities and in the probation for the Jews as a nation ended in 70 AD that city came down but my brothers and sisters as I close today we are living in the final invitation the final invitation they wouldn't come he tried again they wouldn't come they hated his servants kill them threw them in prison and God said your city is your city remember when Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives he looked down he says how often I would have loved to gather you as a hen gathereth chicks but you would not come and Revelation chapter 3 verse 20 to 24 behold I stand at the door that's true Laodicea us rich and increase with the goods and have need of nothing spending times on our digital devices while folk and I know around I'm knocking on the door I did this to Israel please this is my last shot there's no eighth church the next church is the church triumphant not the church militant this is the church militant the war is intensifying the devil has told his arsenal ow he hates those who keep the commandments of God but you know what he doesn't have to worry about them because they're not even concerned about the hour in which they live so why would I have to worry about a people who not even worried about anybody else but themselves that's what the Jews were there was a they were absorbed in their own desires and the final limitation was from the destruction of Jerusalem to the close of probation verse 8 to 10 look at this then he said to his servants this is spanning the New Testament church this is spanning the dark ages this is fan of the Waldensians Martin Luther Jerome aha swingley Calvin this is spanning the the gospel explosion to Europe this is spanning the Reformers is spanning Martin Luther this is spanning the birth of the church he said to his servants the wedding is ready but those who were invited were not worthy therefore let's ramp this up go into the highways and as many as you fine invite to the wedding you know what I loved about that verse no matter how many come Tim I got I was thinking about there's room at the cross for you though millions have come there's still room for one go into the highways and as many as you find and bite to the wedding but this is the part that I wish it could be said of us so Thoreau sold those servants went out they went out you know why they went out because the precursor to going in is to going out they went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found both what bad and good you know what I like about that because we don't know the difference between bad and good only God does amen don't ever try to say to somebody they're too bad to come to church no they not too bad to come to church go you're here they're not too bad you're here I'm here they not too bad look at yourself and the wedding hall was filled with gas because no one was excluded whether they came from the north the South the east or the west whether they dress like a god that fell out of a magazine or a person that just left a farm nobody was excluded everyone was invited but that wasn't the last portion verse verse 11 and this is in the not too far distant future but when the king came in to see the gas he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment so we said to him friend how did you come in here without a wedding garment and he was speechless [Music] well let me think for a moment he didn't even do that he was speechless you know why he was speechless because he thought he could slide in under the investigating eye of the Lord he thought he could keep his dirt secret and be saved anyhow he thought he could live however he wanted do whatever he wanted say whatever he wanted go wherever he wanted to he could live in his dark closet in the front of his computer with the with the phone under the sheet he could make phone calls to whomever he want live how everyone drink whatever he want dress out he thought somehow that God didn't have eyes and the reason why he couldn't say a word is he the inspection came at a time oh lord have mercy when it was too late to make any changes he could have said you know give me a few minutes I'll be right back I'm gonna go get this garment you remember that you remember that remember the parable of the ten virgins you go get your own oil they want to get their oil came back who is it sorry doors shut brothers and sisters we are living in a probationary hour if ever there was a time that we must be examining ourselves it is now this man paid no attention to his condition he became comfortable in his life when I started getting comfortable in my life becoming comfortable with singing and preaching and teaching and not comfortable living right thank you Jesus he pulled my coattail cuz I he said I did too much for you to for you to be lost I can't lose you I saved you from unwed parents I preserved you in the streets of New York at gunpoint I protected you you almost got run over on the highway in Long Island it wasn't the car that miss you I moved you out of the way you don't have any qualifications to be on television but I gave it to you you ain't the best singer but I'm betting the world hear you sing what's wrong with you I got a robe with your name on it I'm building a mansion for you what's wrong with you do you love the world more than me what's wrong with you I'm talking to you the way I am this morning because God told me that I discovered it's not about being on 3abn it's not to be about being known I don't I don't care what people say about me I don't know if people calling my name I just want him to call my name he overlooked the flaws in his character he may have even thought that somehow his works was a substitute for his righteousness he failed to prepare for what he failed to prepare for what he knew was coming but the Lord would not have asked him about the wedding garment if the man did not know that a wedding garment was necessary for the occasion I was a singer preacher teacher songwriter that became comfortable with Christianity without being comfortable with the way that I should be committed but God pull my coattail now I became uncomfortable with what I saw and who I was becoming and I made a decision my wife and I made a decision together forever eternity in view get on your knees get your life right I'm coming as a thief in the night watch your garment watch your garment unless you walk naked and they see your shame watch your garment watch your garment I have so much more to say but I'm gonna wind it up by saying this this is the last invitation we're living in the hour of the last invitation so my invitation this morning is not to become a seventh-day Adventist Christian although that will be include later on my invitation is first do you want to be right in the sight of the Lord I'm gonna invite the praise team to come up and as they come I'm gonna tell you a story I'm gonna leave the four points for my next sermon because there is a part two to this I always wondered has Tim plays softly for me I always wondered how actors were chosen for the role that we now admire them so much for then I found out something very interesting that being called and being chosen we're not the same you remember you remember the movie Forrest Gump Tom Hanks was not the first one called it was John Travolta he said can I see the script I read that I read the article they said John Travolta read the script and said I don't want to be known as a discombobulated dork Sodom what the part so they call Bill Murray Nix Bill Murray said not me then they called Chevy Chase and Chevy Chase said no that's not how I'm going down in history now Tom Hanks is one of the most loved because he didn't mind saying life is like a bowl that box of chocolates you never know what's in there how did Tom Hanks become Forrest Gump he committed himself to the director named Robert zenith's he had no idea what it meant to be Forrest Gump but Tom Hanks tell the story that he was so close to the director during the time of the production that they were almost inseparable they spent to doubt the working hours they were together restaurant saving together going over the script no no Tom not that way to do it this way do it this way do it this way so by the time the movie broke we look back on that discombobulated ridiculous guy named Forrest Gump and we say Tom and you did it again no Tom didn't do it Robert semak's did it he directed he made him into what Tom Hanks never thought he could be you see my brothers and sisters it ain't me that's gonna make me into Christ's servant he's the vine we are the branches without me you can't do anything but if you abide in me and I in you you will bear much fruit today my brothers and sisters I'm calling you not to justify but to get ready for what's coming if you can't see it you're either death blind oh I want to respect you I'll stop right there but you gotta see what's coming more than nineteen hundred years ago there was a man born contrary to the laws of life this man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity he did not travel extensively only once did he cross the boundaries of the country in which he lived and that was during his exile as a childhood he possessed neither wealth nor influence his relatives were inconspicuous and had neither training nor formal education in infancy he startled a king in childhood he puzzled the doctors and manhood he ruled the course of nature walked upon the waters as pavement and hush the angry sea with a whisper He healed the multitudes without medicine and never charged for his services he never wrote a book and yet all the libraries in the world could not hold the books that have ever been written of him John said there are also many other things that Jesus did which if they were written one by one I suppose and not even the world itself can contain the books that would be written he never wrote a song and yet he has furnished the theme for more songs and all songwriters combined he never found at a college but all the schools put together cannot boast of having as many students as he has he never marshaled an army nor drafted a soldier no fired a gun and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have under his orders made rebels stand back and surrender without a single shot he never practiced psychiatry yet he healed more broken hearts than all the doctors by far and near every week multitudes on this globe congregate together to worship his holy name the names of the past proud state statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone the names of the past scientists philosophers and theologians have come and gone but the name of this man is multiplied more and more though time has spread nineteen hundred years between the people of his generation and the markers of his crucifixion he still lives his enemies could not destroy him the grave could not hold him the Son of God the past could not erase him the risen Lord the president could not deny him and the returning King the future cannot prevent him and he stands today upon the highest pinnacle of the heavenly glory feared by Devil's worshipped by angels adored by saints and proclaimed by God if you were to meet this man how can you refuse him today I'm calling you because one day you will meet him but if you refuse the call you will not be chosen and you cannot be faithful I'm extending a call today is there someone that wants to say I want my life to be completely different I want to be ready just come on down just come on down I'm gonna ask my deacons to go on the four-year and get those pieces of paper that are by the just get those cards that are on the desk I want my life to be different there's nothing on this earth I want I haven't found it and I don't know I will ever find it but I found Christ that's all I want I found Jesus that's all I need he's all I need and he wants to live out his life within us when I read this story a few nights ago I woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning I couldn't sleep and by the way this is not even the sermon that the Lord gave me when I woke up I shared with my wife and I shared it with some others Jill and and I said the Lord revealed to me the plan that he has for us for this church for this community for southern Illinois and he laid it out so clearly that it made me tremble during the night I couldn't go to sleep and I thought because I just got back from Russia my clock is off no but I slept the night before I couldn't find a comfortable position I kept turning around he said wake up and I thought but I need some rest and I realized he was not asking me to wake up physically he was asking me to wake up spiritually and when my wife got up at 6:09 she said you're up I said honey I'm up no I'm awake she said I know you're awake no I'm awake said God woke me up and so if I seem to be preaching with passion today it's because God wants to wake you up he doesn't want us to be content to be Christians like the Jews were content to be Israel he wants us to be those he could choose because revelation says when he comes back those who are with him are the called the chosen and the faithful so my deacons have some cards in the back and I'd like you to bring that forward come on Jason come on Kenny okay it's if there's somebody in this group that's standing here I'm looking at some of you I see the faces that I'm familiar with I see faces that I'm not familiar with there's a car that my deacons have and I'm gonna ask you to raise your hand if it is your desire to make your decision to follow Jesus all the way my first appeal was to rededicate your life to Christ to live it the way that he can accomplish it in you and there's no limit to your age he doesn't want you to wait to a certain age he says today is the day of salvation now is the acceptable time whoever you are whatever your age God's calling you now now but if there's somebody here today I won't help my Bible worker if there's somebody here to be my person ministries late if there's somebody here today that wants to say but I want to go all the way with Christ I want my life to be new I want a new walk with Christ I don't want you to even worry about what that means because God has a plan for your life I see somebody coming forward God has a plan for your life if that's your desire raise your hand now this this invitation is for those who have not become a part of the family of God that is they're not a part of the remnant Church of God and they want to give their lives to Jesus they want to prepare to be in that army they want to be in that army they want to be that servant that the Lord can send out to get somebody else they want to be in that army that the devil cannot defeat that the gates of hell are backing up on they want to be in that army that one day will stand on the ashes of the ruined army of the enemies of God they want to be in that army where their lives are brand new is there someone else here today that will raise their hand and say I want to give my life to Christ I want to be I want to study I want to prepare for baptism I want to be in God's church he has the card please make sure that you can fill it out with him anyone else anyone else you see I've discovered something God gave me a call this week you were thinking to given be years ago I wouldn't come I was I was gifted but he had to slap me he had to let me see who I am before I could really see who he is so I am NOT standing on a higher platform than you are but if there's somebody here today that wants to say by God's grace my life is going to be in his hands my father my father our father we want you to live out your life within us we are so gifted and talented that we sometimes trip of our own selves thinking that our gifts and abilities and talents can somehow qualify us for something that we don't even know but today Lord Jesus you've called us but you want to go beyond the call you want to be able to choose us to seal us to fill us to revive us to give us a fervent dedication to call us out of the crowd to give us the power to transform the lives that see you burning within us so precious father I praise you for those that you call this morning I praise you for those that you are choosing today in this church at 3abn father to say we're gifted there's an understatement but we don't want to be gifted alone we want to be saved I pray for everyone in leadership everyone that follows and influences the highest office to the humblest office may we all serve you diligently knowing that one day we will meet that man we will meet Christ Jesus and we want to meet him in peace so father today as we sing this verse live out your life within us may we end this service with the dedication may this be our declaration not just a closing song may this be our declaration what's wrong and maybe go from here not on feeling what on the promise that you who else you who have called us is faithful and he'll do it in Jesus name we pray amen and amen I want us to sing a stands of this live out my life [Music] did you get that his glory to displace rock not ours about talents on our gifts his glory to display as we are dismissed take this charge with you examine yourself where are you are you content but those things that will rob you of eternal salvation have you overlooked your own false [Music] are you sleeping Lord Jesus wake us up and so may you go today in the faith and promise of the Lord may you go trusting him that if you put yourself on his examining table he will clean you up and get you ready for the kingdom

Channel: Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church

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Length: 75min 38sec (4538 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 20 2019