An
invitation
1.Imagine going to
your mailbox one day this week.
2.We open up the
box and find some junk mail, a bill, and then a beautiful ivory
envelope.
3.Immediately we
suspect we have received an invitation to something.
4.We take the mail
inside and we first open what looks like an invitation.
5.We quickly
realize it is a wedding invitation.
6.It is, however,
a wedding invitation unlike any we have ever seen.
7.The wording is
something like this:
8.
“Mr.
and Mrs. Bill Smith request the pleasure of all you simple minded people next
month at 7:15 p.m.
9.Imagine
receiving an invitation where you were described as being ignorant, foolish,
weak.
10.
A few might
laugh, but many would be outraged if they received this type of
thing.
DO WE REALIZE
THAT THE BIBLE EXTENDS AN INVITATION TO PEOPLE THAT IS JUST LIKE I
DESCRIBED?
a)It does, and the
text is found in the verses just read – Prov. 9:4-5.
b)
Much of the
information in the book of Proverbs deals with wisdom.
c)In
Prov. 9 wisdom is pictured as a person calling out to people to come and learn
from her.
d)
In verses4-5
wisdom is portrayed as issuing an invitation to specific
people.
e)It calls to the
“simple minded” and to those “lacking good judgment.”
2)
This verse is a
shocking passage when we stop to consider what it means.
3)
There is more
than shock in this verse; there is also a great deal of truth.
4)
It is in Prov. 9
that we learn something about wisdom, God, and heaven’s
invitations.
5)
God
extends an invitation to the world to come, but many deem God’s offers as
unacceptable.
6)
For various
reasons people look at what God offers and they say “no thank
you.”
7)
Prov. 9 implies
that to benefit from God’s wisdom, a person must be
humble.
8)
The high and
mighty (the elite) are going to have a difficult time with God’s
invitations.
9)
Others may also
have great difficulty because God’s invitations have
terms—conditions.
a)We may be
invited to something, but we turn it down because we do not like the
day.
b)
We may decline
an invitation because we do not care for the time.
c)We may say “no”
to an invitation because we do not like the activity.
d)
We may tell
someone “no” because we do not approve of who will be
present.
10)
God
invites people, but many find heaven’s invitation to be objectionable for one
reason or another.
11)
Numerous
objections are given to God’s invitations.
12)
We find people
who gripe and complain about the way God has worded His
invitation.
13)
God says to the
world, “You do not know what is best.
You need to come to me.”
14)
God says we are
“all like sheep that have gone astray” (Isa. 53:6).
15)
We have hearts
that deceive us (Jer. 17:9).
16)
We are all
guilty of sin (Rom. 3:23).
17)
It is not in man
that walks to direct his own way (Jer. 10:23).
18)
Thus, God says
“Accept my invitation and do as I say because I know
best.”
a)Many look at
God’s invitation and reason they do not have to accept heaven’s
terms.
b)
Scores of people
think they know what is best and will chart their own
course.
c)In the world few
would be brazen enough to tell someone to change their
invitation.
d)
This is
precisely what many do in the spiritual realm.
19)
When people will
not accept God’s invitation there is evidence of a heart
problem.
20)
Until a person’s
heart is right, they will not accept and obey God’s
invitations.
21)
In Prov. 9 we
see the right kind of spirit.
22)
Individuals must
realize they need God, and they need to come to Him on His
terms.
23)
Jesus preached
this message in the Sermon on the Mount.
24)
“Blessed are the
poor in spirit” for “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.
5:3).
25)
In
Mt. 24:46 Jesus said “blessed is the servant who is doing the master’s will when
his master returns.”
26)
People are
invited to become a servant of God.
27)
If we
are a true servant, we will accept that invitation and follow God’s instructions
to the letter.
28)
God’s invitation
requires a humble heart that readily accepts His word.
29)
This morning we
want to consider some of God’s invitations and man’s responses to
them.
a)God invites all
people to repent (Acts 17:30).
b)
God says people
cannot continue in sin if they want salvation.
c)Acts 3:19 says,
“repent and turn again.”
d)
Col. 3:7 says
the Colossians had once “walked in a certain way.”
e)Paul said they
had “lived in” certain sins.
f)
Before
becoming Christians these brethren were involved with idolatry, greed, sexual
sin, bad speech.
30)
God says to the
world, “I want you to come, but there are some things you must
forsake.”
31)
As
Paul said in Rom. 6:1, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” No – God forbid.
32)
Some are willing
to humble themselves and forsake sin.
a)In spite of this
good first step, they stumble in others ways at God’s
invitation.
b)
Some turn away
from God’s invitation because heaven’s invitation is too
exclusive.
c)Acts 4:12 says
that in no other name in which a person can be saved.
d)
Jesus made this
same type of claim in Jn. 14:6 – Jesus said He the only way to
God.
e)Our world does
not like to hear there is only “one way.”
f)
We like choices;
we have been taught to believe there are always
alternatives.
g)
God says, “If
you accept my invitation, it must be as I have said, and through the
Son.”
h)
Jesus is the
author of salvation to “those who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9).
i)
If we
do not accept God’s invitation and follow it, there is only one other
choice:
destruction.
j)
Jesus said in
the most forceful way that there are only two roads.
k)
There is a road
to God and eternal life, and that road is “narrow.” Few find it.
l)
Everyone else is
on a “wide road” – a way that has plenty of room. Most are on this
path.
m) Believing in an
exclusive faith (New Testament Christianity) turns people
off.
33)
Someone may say,
“I can accept the invitation to repent and only believe in
Jesus.”
34)
When they learn
a little more about God’s invitation, they begin to
stumble.
a)Acts 20:28 says
the blood of Christ purchased just one church.
b)
Luke’s
record says elders were to “feed the church of the Lord which He purchased w/His
blood.”
c)The apostles did
not say Christ bought churches with His blood.
d)
Neither did any
of them every say Christ would save “churches.”
e)Jesus will save
one church—the one He bought with His blood.
f)
Eph. 5:25 says
Jesus loved “the church” (singular—just one).
g)
Then in verse 26
we find another point: Jesus will
“sanctify it” (not them).
h)
There are
churches built by men and one church built by Christ.
i)
Today men
certainly invite people to their religious groups.
j)
Those
invitations are to churches Jesus did not build.
k)
We want to be
part of the one body built by Christ because that is heaven’s
invitation.
35)
When we talk
about “one body” people get nervous or, perhaps, angry.
36)
We are told that
we sound like a cult. We are called
judgmental and intolerant.
37)
If
people are upset, it is because of what was taught by the Lord and His inspired
apostles.
38)
We are not
inventing this information; we are taking it straight from the
scriptures.
39)
God invites us
to a very narrow way, and this invitation causes some to say
“no.”
a)In Jn. 6:60 we
have an interesting statement by the disciples:
b)
“This is a hard saying; who can hear
it?”
c)These words are
an appropriate description for God’s offer to the world.
d)
God’s invitation
will not be the easiest invitation for some to accept.
e)It challenges
people, it upsets people, but it is the right choice for every single
person.
f)
When people
understand heaven’s invitation, many will simply say “no” to
it.
g)
In some cases
people reject it because of the world.
40)
God’s invitation
has been spurned more times than we can count because of
materialism.
41)
The Bible refers
to this sin as “covetousness.”
42)
An excellent
example of someone choosing cash over Christ is found in Mt.
19:16-23.
a)A person came to
Jesus and wanted to know what he had to do to receive “eternal
life.”
b)
This man
realized God offered an invitation to him; he wanted to take advantage of
it.
c)Since the Old
Testament was in force Jesus said “keep the commandments.”
d)
Even under the
Old Testament system God’s invitation had some rules.
e)The young man
wanted to know what commandments he should keep (verse
18).
f)
Jesus listed
some of the laws and the man said he had done all these
things.
43)
Then Jesus said,
“go, sell what you have and follow men.”
44)
Here was a man
who made it clear he wanted to know and have fellowship with
God.
45)
He wanted to act
on God’s invitation. He wanted to
respond to God’s offer of salvation.
46)
When he found
out what that invitation involved, he said “no.”
47)
The man “went
away sorrowful.”
a)Usually this
story concentrates on what the man failed to do.
b)
This is a great
point to make, but there is also another observation.
c)In some respects
this man was an honest man.
d)
He allowed
himself to recognize that he was not going to accept heaven’s
invitation.
e)He did not try
to deceive himself; he knew full well the choice he was
making.
48)
Throughout
history there have been people who looked at God’s invitations and said
“no.”
49)
How sad. What is more important or worth more
than accepting an invitation from God?
50)
People reject
God’s invitation in various ways.
Some reject it with hostility.
51)
Others are very
polite.
52)
Jesus knew all
about divine invitations being given and people rejecting
them.
53)
One time He
actually used this theme to tell a little story.
54)
The account is
found in Lk. 14:16-21 – READ
55)
No matter how a
person declines to do the things of God in God’s way, the result is the
same.
56)
If a person will
not accept and follow the invitation of God, he or she will be
lost.
57)
A thousand
excuses can be given for rejecting God and His way of doing
things.
58)
Maybe to the
person making the excuses sounds like he has good excuses.
59)
The Bible says
Jesus is the author of salvation to them that obey Him.
60)
Jesus will not
save those who can make great excuses.
61)
He will not save
those who simply praise Him.
62)
H will accept
those who accept and bind themselves to the terms of heaven’s
invitation.
63)
In Lk. 6:46 our
future judge said – quote.
64)
It is not enough
to say that we are interested in heaven’s invitation.
65)
We must accept
it, and that acceptance includes obedience.
66)
Some
here may have allowed someone or something to prevent them from accepting
heaven’s invitation.
67)
If that is true
for you, how long will you let heaven’s invitation go unanswered in your
life?
68)
Will you wait
until it is too late? This morning
God invites you to come to Him.