Brown's Daily Word 4-26-12

This is the day the Lord has made. He blessed us with a beautiful evening of fellowship and Bible study yesterday. Alice and I walked over 2 miles in the late evening yesterday. It was a star studded night. While gazing at the stars I was reminded of the vastness of our Lords creation. I was reminded of His immmense genorosity. I was reminded of His Wisdom and power. He is so transcendent and in Christ our Lord He is imminent. He is the Lord of beauty. He is the Lord of Joy and ecstasy. Blessed be His Name. Jesus our Lord blessed all simple gifts. He shared meals and banquets with many common people. Even after His Resurrection He blessed meals with His presence.

In Mathew 22, Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as being like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. The story is more than a story; it is a parable. The characters of the story represent real people. In this case, the king represents God the Father, and the son represents Jesus. The servants represent the prophets who called the people to God throughout history. The banquet represents the marriage feast of the Lamb at the end of the age, which was spoken of in the book of Revelation: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear....’ Then the angel said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”’” (Revelation 19:6-9).
The truth that the parable is relating to us is that God is going to throw a huge party at the end of the age. In fact, the preparations have already begun and drinks and hors d’oeuvres are being served. It is going to be a party in honor of his Son and all those who love and belong to him. So, the first thing we notice about this parable is that God’s invitation is a summons to joy. God’s call is an invitation to a party! There will be feasting, dancing and great joy. There will be nothing lacking at this party. The food and drink will never run out. There will be friends and loved ones there, and best of all the King and his Son will be present.

Jesus’ hearers were probably shocked at this story, because those who were invited did not want to come. In the parable, people found excuses. They had other things to do. More than that, they did not want to be invited to the king’s party and became angry at those who were inviting them. Jesus’ audience could not imagine people failing to accept the invitation to a king’s banquet. The story bordered on the absurd, because no one would turn down such an invitation. The parable points to the staggering sin of indifference. Some of the people ignored the invitation. They had other things on their minds. They wanted to get caught up on their work or some trivia pursuit, and the invitation was interfering with their plans. What Jesus was doing in this parable was attacking the appalling apathy that looks at God’s gracious invitation to life and joy, and merely sighs with indifference. The call of God, in contrast to people's misconceptions, is always an invitation to ecstasy and life. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). He also said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

How is it then that the world looks at God’s invitation to a party like it is an invitation to a funeral? This is a King’s feast, a once-in-a-lifetime experience! How can God’s good news be thought of as bad news? Worse yet, how is it that it is treated as no news at all. The response of indifference is sickening. C.S. Lewis wrote the provocative Screwtape Letters, a satire in which the devil briefs his nephew, Wormwood, on the subtleties and techniques of temptation. The goal, he counsels Wormwood, is not wickedness, but indifference. Satan cautions his nephew to keep his client comfortable at all costs. If he should become concerned about anything of importance, he is to encourage him to think about his dinner plans instead. Then the devil gives him this chilling piece of information: “I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with the people who do not care.”
The feast is prepared. The invitation is extended, the banquet table is set, and God’s arms are open wide. The only question that remains is whether or not we will accept the invitation. More than that, the question is whether we will remain dressed in the filthy rags of our own "righteousness" or accept the King’s garment of salvation, the robe of his righteousness.

In Christ,

Brown

http://youtu.be/UilrmC1M1s4

Friday April 27, 2012

Television Outreach

Time Warner Cable Channel 4

Time 7:00 PM

Saturday Evening Worship Service:

Location: First United Methodist Church

53 McKinley Avenue

Endicott, NY

Sponsored by: Union Center United Methodist Church

Time: 6:00 PM gathering for Coffee Fellowship

6:30 PM Worship Service

Date: Saturday, April 28, 2012

Speaker: Jason Garen from Davis College

Special Music by the Praise Band of the Cross Point Church, Binghamton.