Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021628A
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00:00 (PIANO MUSIC)
00:03 >>FRIENDS, WOULD YOU WIN SOULS IF YOU COULD? WELL, YOU CAN. 00:07 PLEASE PLAN NOW TO JOIN ME IN DOING SOME EVANGELISM THIS 00:10 WINTER. IT'S EASIER THAN YOU THINK. 00:13 PROPHECY ENCOUNTER WILL BE A MAJOR NEW 10-PART EVANGELISTIC 00:16 PROGRAM THAT'LL BE BROADCAST BY SATELLITE AND STREAMING ON THE 00:20 INTERNET TO HOMES OR CHURCHES NEAR YOU - HOPEFULLY YOUR HOME 00:24 OR CHURCH. FROM FEBRUARY 17 THROUGH 25, 00:28 I'LL BE PREACHING AN ALL-NEW OLD-FASHIONED EVANGELISM PROGRAM 00:31 FROM SANFORD, FLORIDA AND WE'LL BE USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY 00:34 AND FRESH ILLUSTRATIONS, SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS OPEN YOUR 00:38 CHURCHES - YOUR HOMES - INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BE FRIENDLY, 00:42 PRAY, AND LET THE POWER OF THE WORD DO THE WORK. 00:46 THE PROGRAMS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON 3ABN, AFTV, FACEBOOK, ROKU, 00:51 AND MORE. YOU'LL BE SURPRISED. 00:53 THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE REALLY 00:56 WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AND THEY'RE LOOKING 00:58 FOR ANSWERS. JESUS SAID, 'THE HARVEST IS 01:01 TRULY GREAT, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW. 01:03 SO PRAY, THEREFORE, THE LORD OF THE HARVEST WILL SEND LABORERS 01:06 OUT INTO HIS HARVEST.' YOU CAN BE ONE OF THEM. 01:09 SO I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN US AND BE PRAYING FOR THE 01:13 UPCOMING PROPHECY ENCOUNTER MEETINGS. 01:15 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK OUT WWW.PROPHECYENCOUNTER.COM 01:21 AND WHO KNOWS? YOU MIGHT BE REVIVED IN THE PROCESS. (MUSIC) 01:41 >>FRIENDS, ARE YOU AFRAID OF HEIGHTS? 01:43 IF SO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AWAY RIGHT NOW. 01:45 ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ATTRACTIONS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO 01:48 BAY AREA IS THE ICONIC GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. 01:52 WHILE THIS WORLD-FAMOUS BRIDGE WAS NAMED AS ONE OF THE SEVEN 01:55 WONDERS OF THE MODERN WORLD, FEW PEOPLE KNOW THE STORY OF THE 01:58 BRAVE MEN WHO WERE INVOLVED IN ITS CONSTRUCTION AND - ALSO 02:01 KNOWN AS THE HALFWAY TO HELL CLUB . 02:05 DESIGNED BY A GROUP OF VISIONARY ENGINEERS, AT 4200 FEET END TO 02:09 END, THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE WAS, AT ONE TIME, THE LONGEST 02:12 SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN THE WORLD. DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION, FROM 02:16 1933 TO 1937, THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE HAD ONE OF THE BEST 02:20 SAFETY CONSTRUCTION RECORDS OF ANY PROJECT DURING THAT TIME. 02:24 KEEP IN MIND, THEY WOULD FACTOR IN AND CALCULATE THAT ONE MAN 02:27 WOULD DIE FOR EVERY MILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS SPENT, SO WITH 02:30 A BUDGET OF 35 MILLION DOLLARS, THEY KNEW THAT LOSS OF LIFE 02:34 WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS WHY THE CHIEF ENGINEER, 02:37 JOSEPH P. STRAUSS, WAS ABSOLUTELY ADAMANT ABOUT USING 02:40 THE MOST RIGOROUS SAFETY PRECAUTIONS THAT HAD EVER BEEN 02:43 USED IN BRIDGE BUILDING. HE HAD A LOCAL MANUFACTURER OF 02:47 SAFETY EQUIPMENT DESIGN SPECIAL HEADGEAR THAT HE INSISTED 02:50 BE WORN ON EVERY JOB. THIS BECAME THE PROTOTYPE FOR THE 02:53 MODERN HARD HAT, WORN FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. BUT THE SAFETY 02:56 PRECAUTIONS WENT EVEN FARTHER. STRAUSS PROVIDED A SPECIAL HAND 03:00 AND FACE CREAM TO PROTECT THEIR SKIN FROM THE COLD, BITING WIND, 03:04 AND GLARE-FREE GOGGLES TO PROTECT THEIR EYES. 03:07 IN ADDITION, THEY ALSO ATE A SPECIAL DIET TO HELP WARD OFF 03:10 DIZZINESS WHEN THEY WERE WORKING AT THOSE EPIC HEIGHTS. 03:13 BUT THE MOST CONSPICUOUS SAFETY PRECAUTION WAS A GIGANTIC NET 03:17 THAT WAS SUSPENDED FROM END TO END UNDER THE ENTIRE 03:20 CONSTRUCTION AREA OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. 03:23 IN FACT, DURING CONSTRUCTION, THIS NET SAVED THE LIVES OF 19 03:28 MEN, WHO LATER BECAME KNOWN AS THE HALFWAY TO HELL CLUB . 03:33 NOW, YOU NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, THESE WERE SOME OF THE MOST 03:35 DANGEROUS CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS YOU CAN IMAGINE. 03:38 THE WIND WAS CONSTANTLY BLOWING. THEY WERE WALKING AROUND ON IRON 03:42 THAT SOMETIMES HAD ICE FROM THE FREEZING FOG. 03:46 IN PLACES, THEY WERE OVER 700 FEET ABOVE THE ICY WATERS. 03:50 YET THE MEN, COMING FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, WERE WILLING TO 03:53 TAKE THESE RISKS BECAUSE IT WAS DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND 03:56 THEY WOULD GET PAID UP TO ELEVEN DOLLARS A DAY, WHICH WAS A 04:00 FORTUNE BACK THEN. ONE OF THE OTHER BENEFITS OF THE 04:03 NET WAS THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE MEN WERE MUCH MORE COURAGEOUS - 04:07 EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE WALKING HIGH ON THOSE SLIPPERY SURFACES, 04:10 BECAUSE THEY KNEW THERE WAS A MECHANISM TO PROTECT 04:12 THEM IF THEY SHOULD FALL. THIS GAVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE 04:15 AND THE COURAGE TO PRESS ON AND GET THE BRIDGE BUILT 04:18 IN RECORD TIME. YOU KNOW, FRIENDS, AS 04:20 CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE A GREAT WORK TO DO. 04:22 THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE GET TO PARTICIPATE WITH JESUS IN 04:26 BUILDING A BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS HEAVEN AND EARTH AND THERE ARE 04:29 DANGERS ALONG THE WAY. THE DEVIL WOULD LIKE TO PARALYZE 04:32 US WITH FEAR THAT WE MIGHT FALL OR MAKE A MISTAKE, BUT WE KNOW 04:36 THAT JESUS PROVIDED A SAFETY NET FOR US AND WE DON'T 04:39 HAVE TO BE AFRAID. WE CAN PRESS ON WITH CONFIDENCE 04:42 BECAUSE IT PROMISES, IN THE BOOK OF JUDE, VERSE 24, 'HE IS ABLE 04:45 TO KEEP US FROM FALLING.' BUT SOMETIMES WE MAKE MISTAKES. 04:49 STILL, DON'T BE DISCOURAGED, FRIENDS, IF YOU READ IN 1 JOHN 04:52 CHAPTER 2, VERSE 1, THE BIBLE SAYS, 'IF WE FALL...IF WE SIN WE 04:57 HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST.' SO LET'S 05:00 PRESS ON TOGETHER AND BUILD THAT BRIDGE WITH CHRIST. 05:03 (MUSIC) 05:26 >>OUR MESSAGE TODAY IS TITLED, SNUBBING THE GREAT INVITATION. 05:33 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SNUBBED BEFORE? 05:36 MAYBE YOU'VE GONE OUT TO EAT AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS PICTURE WHERE 05:41 EITHER A YOUNG MAN OR A YOUNG WOMAN, THEY'VE GONE TO A NICE 05:43 RESTAURANT AND THEY'RE SITTING THERE AT A TABLE BY THEMSELVES 05:46 AND ONE OF THEM IS LIKE ON THE PHONE TEXTING OR CHECKING THEIR 05:51 MAIL OR THEIR FACEBOOK DIGITAL GOSSIP AND THE OTHER ONE KIND OF 05:59 FEELS, 'UH, HELLO...' AND NOBODY APPRECIATES BEING IGNORED OR 06:05 DISDAINED OR INSULTED. AND THE BIBLE TELLS THE STORY 06:11 - JESUS SHARES A PARABLE THAT HELPS TO ILLUSTRATE THAT THIS 06:15 IS, TO SOME EXTENT, WHAT THE HUMAN RACE HAS DONE TO GOD IS 06:20 WE'VE SAID, 'WE'RE REALLY TOO BUSY FOR YOU.' IT'S BASED UPON 06:25 A PARABLE ABOUT A GREAT WEDDING FEAST THAT TAKES PLACE, BUT I 06:30 THOUGHT I MIGHT GIVE YOU AN AMAZING FACT: AS FAR AS I'VE 06:33 SEEN, THE MOST EXPENSIVE WEDDING INVITATION THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN 06:37 OUT WAS GIVEN OUT BY A FORMER NFL WIDE RECEIVER, KEYSHAWN 06:41 JOHNSON, AND HIS FIANCE JENNIFER CONRAD. 06:45 WHEN THEY DECIDED TO INVITE EVERYBODY TO THEIR WEDDING 06:47 FEAST, INSTEAD OF GETTING THE TYPICAL BEAUTIFUL CARD IN THE 06:50 MAIL, THEY SENT ALL OF THE PEOPLE A FREE IPAD - $400.00 06:55 IPAD - $400.00 PER INVITATION. THE IPAD WAS PRELOADED WITH 07:00 THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE WEDDING AND, CONVENIENTLY, HOW 07:03 THEY COULD REGISTER TO BUY THEM THEIR WEDDING GIFTS. 07:06 (LAUGHTER) NOW, IF SOMEONE WENT SO FAR AS TO GIVE YOU A NEW IPAD 07:11 AS A WEDDING INVITATION, WOULD YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT OBLIGATED 07:14 TO GO TO THE WEDDING OR SEND BACK THE IPAD? 07:20 THAT'S A PRETTY EXPENSIVE - I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THEY SENT 07:22 OUT, I TRIED TO FIND OUT BUT, I THINK HUNDREDS OF IPADS FOR A 07:26 WEDDING. EXPENSIVE INVITATION. 07:30 I HOPE EVERYONE HERE KNOWS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A VERY COSTLY 07:34 INVITATION TO A GREAT FEAST. THE PARABLE I'D LIKE TO TAKE 07:39 APART WITH YOU, TODAY, IS FOUND IN LUKE. 07:42 NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IT A COUPLE OF PLACES, BUT FIRST I'D 07:44 LIKE YOU TO GO WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF LUKE 14 - THE GOSPEL OF 07:48 LUKE, CHAPTER 14, AND WE'LL BE STARTING WITH VERSE 16. 07:52 NOW THIS WHOLE PARABLE IS GIVEN WHILE JESUS IS AT A WEDDING 07:57 FEAST. AND HE MAKES SOME COMMENTS ABOUT 08:00 HOW HE OBSERVED THAT THEY WERE SEEKING OUT THE CHIEF SEATS AND 08:03 THEN HE TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE A FEAST FOR YOUR RICH FRIENDS 08:06 AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO RECIPROCATE AND HAVE A FEAST 08:09 FOR YOU, AND SO, THE WHOLE CHAPTER IS REALLY 08:12 TALKING ABOUT FEASTS. BUT AT SOME POINT THERE'S A 08:14 LONG, AWKWARD SILENCE BECAUSE JESUS IS GIVING THEM ALL THE 08:17 STRAIGHT TRUTH AND SOME OF THEM ARE A LITTLE CONVICTED. 08:21 AND ONE OF THEM SAYS, IN A PIOUS TONE, 'BLESSED IS HE THAT WILL 08:26 EAT BREAD AND DRINK IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.' AND JESUS THEN 08:29 GOES ON TO ILLUSTRATE A PARABLE. HE SAYS, 'REALLY, YOU PLAN ON 08:33 BEING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD?' LUKE 14:16. 08:37 "THEN HE SAID TO HIM, 'A CERTAIN MAN GAVE A GREAT SUPPER AND 08:43 INVITED MANY,'" - DON'T MISS THE PHRASE 'GREAT SUPPER' - IF A MAN 08:48 CAN AFFORD A GREAT SUPPER AND INVITE MANY, IT'S A GREAT MAN. 08:51 SO, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT MAN, HAVING A GREAT SUPPER, INVITING 08:54 MANY - A GREAT NUMBER - "'AND SENT HIS SERVANT AT SUPPER TIME 08:59 TO SAY TO THOSE WHO WERE INVITED, 'COME, FOR ALL THINGS 09:02 ARE NOW READY.' BUT THEY ALL WITH ONE ACCORD BEGAN TO MAKE 09:06 EXCUSES.'" - NOW, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, IN BIBLE TIMES, I 09:10 GUESS IT'S NOT THAT UNCOMMON TODAY THAT, WHEN - YOU KNOW, 09:14 THEY DIDN'T HAVE TELEPHONES BACK THEN AND WHEN YOU WERE GOING TO 09:17 HAVE A GREAT FEAST, FIRST YOU WOULD RSVP - IF YOU'RE GOING TO 09:21 HAVE A GREAT SUPPER, YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY ARE THERE BECAUSE 09:23 YOU - THEY DIDN'T HAVE REFRIGERATION - AND YOU'RE GOING 09:26 TO BE - THEY'D SLAUGHTER ANIMALS AND THEY'D PREPARE THIS GREAT 09:29 PROVISION AND THEY'D COOK FOOD ON THE COALS, AND SO THE 09:33 SERVANTS WENT AROUND, THEY SAID, 'THERE'S A FEAST - A GREAT FEAST 09:36 - A GREAT WEDDING FEAST - YOU'RE INVITED - YOU'RE GOING TO COME?' 09:39 'I'M GOING TO COME.' 'OKAY, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S 09:41 READY.' AND, YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE THEM AN APPROXIMATE TIME - THEY 09:45 DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT TIME AS MUCH AS WE DO NOW. 09:49 I KNOW ONE STORY IN THE BIBLE, WHEN KING SAUL WAS GOING TO 09:51 DELIVER A CITY HE SAID, 'ABOUT TOMORROW WHEN THE SUN STARTS TO 09:55 WAX WARM.' HE DIDN'T SAY, 'TEN O'CLOCK'. 09:58 THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT VAGUE ABOUT THEIR TIMES. 10:00 I KNOW WHEN WE WERE IN FIJI EARLIER THIS YEAR, THEY'VE GOT 10:04 SOMETHING THERE CALLED 'FIJI TIME' WHERE EVERYBODY SORT OF 10:08 SHOWS UP - THEY'VE GOT 'HAWAII TIME' TOO, HUH? 10:12 (LAUGHTER) AND IN MEXICO THEY CALL IT 'MAÑANA TIME' SO - BUT 10:20 IN BIBLE TIMES THEY SAID, 'OH, THERE'LL BE A FEAST IN ABOUT A 10:22 WEEK. ARE YOU GOING TO COME?' 'I'LL COME.' HE SAID, 'OKAY, 10:24 WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN EVERYTHING IS READY.' YOU KNOW, 10:27 THEY HAD TO GO COLLECT THE ANIMALS AND DO ALL THIS COOKING 10:29 AND - VERY LABOR INTENSIVE TO PREPARE. 10:32 AND SO THIS KING IS INVITING MANY - WHOLE COMMUNITY IS BEING 10:34 INVITED. AND FINALLY, EVERYTHING'S READY. 10:38 ALL THE SERVANTS ARE IN PLACE. HE SAYS, 'OKAY, NOW GO - SEND 10:41 OUT - TELL ALL THE PEOPLE TO COME NOW.' BUT THEY ALL - ALL 10:46 WITH ONE ACCORD BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSES. "THE FIRST SAID TO HIM, 10:54 'I HAVE BOUGHT A PIECE OF GROUND AND I MUST GO AND SEE IT. 10:56 I ASK YOU TO HAVE ME EXCUSED.' AND ANOTHER SAID, 'I HAVE BOUGHT 11:01 FIVE YOKE OF OXEN, AND I AM GOING TO TEST THEM. 11:04 I ASK YOU TO HAVE ME EXCUSED.' STILL ANOTHER SAID, 'I HAVE 11:08 MARRIED A WIFE, AND THEREFORE I CANNOT COME.' SO THAT SERVANT 11:12 CAME AND REPORTED THESE THINGS TO HIS MASTER. 11:15 THEN THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE, BEING ANGRY, SAID TO HIS 11:19 SERVANT, 'GO OUT QUICKLY INTO THE STREETS AND LANES OF THE 11:22 CITY, AND BRING IN HERE THE POOR AND THE MAIMED AND THE LAME AND 11:27 THE BLIND.'" AND THE SERVANTS DID THIS AND THEY CAME BACK AND 11:30 REPORTED, "'MASTER, IT IS DONE AS YOU COMMANDED, AND STILL 11:33 THERE IS ROOM.' THEN THE MASTER SAID TO THE SERVANT, 'GO OUT 11:37 INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES, AND COMPEL THEM TO COME IN, THAT 11:43 MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED. FOR I SAY TO YOU THAT NONE OF 11:47 THOSE MEN WHO WERE INVITED SHALL TASTE MY SUPPER.'" THE ONES WHO 11:51 SPURN THE INVITATION, THEY DRAW NEAR WITH THEIR MOUTHS BUT THEIR 11:55 HEARTS ARE ACTUALLY FAR AWAY. THEY DO NOT EAT THE SUPPER. 11:59 NOW, BEFORE WE DELVE INTO THE PARTICULARS OF THIS PARABLE, I 12:04 WANT YOU TO NOTICE THAT I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU IT'S A WEDDING 12:06 FEAST. YOU NOTICE LUKE NEVER SAYS A WEDDING FEAST. 12:09 BUT TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO MATTHEW 22, JESUS IS SHARING THE 12:13 SAME PARABLE IN A DIFFERENT TOWN. 12:15 LET ME JUST STOP THERE AND EXPLAIN SOMETHING. 12:17 IF YOU SOMETIMES NOTICE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PARABLE IN 12:22 MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, OR JOHN, OR THE WAY CERTAIN THINGS - THESE 12:25 STORIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS JESUS TOLD - THAT'S BECAUSE JESUS WENT 12:29 FROM TOWN TO TOWN - I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT JESUS DID NOT HAVE 12:33 ENTIRELY NEW MATERIAL FROM TOWN TO TOWN. 12:36 HE WOULD OFTEN REPEAT HIS PARABLES, THAT'S WHY THE 12:38 DISCIPLES REPEATED THEM. BUT, AS HE'D LOOK AT THE PEOPLE 12:42 OF THE VILLAGE OR THE TOWN, HE'D EMPHASIZE DIFFERENT PARTS OF 12:45 IT BASED ON WHAT HE FELT THEIR NEEDS WERE. 12:48 AND SO, WHEN YOU READ LUKE'S ACCOUNT, THAT'S BECAUSE MAYBE IT 12:52 WAS HEARD ONE WAY IN ONE TOWN AND MATTHEW'S WAS HEARD ANOTHER 12:56 WAY IN ANOTHER TOWN. NOW, I RELATE TO THAT BECAUSE I 12:58 HAVE PREACHED CERTAIN SERMONS HUNDREDS OF TIMES 13:01 AS I TRAVEL AROUND. I SAY, 'HEY, THIS NEW CHURCH, 13:04 THEY HAVEN'T HEARD THIS ARRAY OF SERMONS AND SO I'M GOING TO 13:07 PREACH THEM.' BUT THEY'RE A LITTLE DIFFERENT EVERY TIME, 13:09 ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE PREACHING EXTEMPORANEOUSLY. 13:13 AND SO, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE DIFFERENCE 13:15 BETWEEN MATTHEW AND MARK. IT DOESN'T MEAN THE BIBLE'S 13:18 INCONSISTENT, IT MEANS HE PREACHED IT IN ONE VILLAGE ONE 13:20 WAY AND HE SHARED A LITTLE DIFFERENT ASPECT IN ANOTHER. 13:23 GO TO MATTHEW CHAPTER 22 - "AND JESUS ANSWERED" - VERSE 1 - "AND 13:27 SPOKE TO THEM AGAIN BY PARABLES AND SAID: 'THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN 13:31 IS LIKE A CERTAIN KING" - THAT'S THAT GREAT MAN - "WHO ARRANGED A 13:34 MARRIAGE FOR HIS SON," - THIS IS THE FEAST - "AND SENT OUT HIS 13:38 SERVANTS TO CALL THOSE WHO WERE INVITED" - THEY ACCEPTED THE 13:41 [INVITATION] - "TO THE WEDDING; AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO 13:45 COME. AGAIN, HE SENT OUT OTHER 13:47 SERVANTS, SAYING, 'TELL THOSE WHO ARE INVITED, 'SEE, I HAVE 13:50 PREPARED MY DINNER; MY OXEN AND FATTED CATTLE ARE KILLED, AND 13:53 ALL THINGS ARE READY.'" - THESE THINGS ARE PERISHABLE, YOU'VE 13:55 GOT TO COME NOW - "'COME TO THE WEDDING.'" - "BUT THEY MADE 13:59 LIGHT OF IT AND WENT THEIR WAYS, ONE TO HIS OWN FARM, 14:03 ANOTHER TO HIS BUSINESS. AND THE REST SEIZED HIS 14:06 SERVANTS, TREATED THEM SPITEFULLY, AND KILLED THEM. 14:10 BUT WHEN THE KING HEARD ABOUT IT, HE WAS FURIOUS. 14:14 AND HE SENT OUT HIS ARMIES, AND DESTROYED THOSE MURDERERS, AND 14:18 BURNED UP THEIR CITY. THEN HE SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, 14:22 'THE WEDDING IS READY, BUT THOSE WHO WERE INVITED 14:24 ARE NOT WORTHY. THEREFORE GO INTO THE HIGHWAYS, 14:27 AND AS MANY AS YOU FIND, INVITE TO THE WEDDING.' SO THESE 14:31 SERVANTS WENT OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND GATHERED TOGETHER 14:33 ALL WHOM THEY FOUND, BOTH BAD AND GOOD. 14:35 AND THE WEDDING HALL WAS FILLED WITH GUESTS. 14:39 BUT WHEN THE KING CAME IN TO SEE THE GUESTS, HE SAW A MAN THERE 14:42 WHO DID NOT HAVE ON A WEDDING GARMENT. 14:44 SO HE SAID TO HIM, 'FRIEND, HOW DID YOU COME IN HERE WITHOUT A 14:47 WEDDING GARMENT?'" - BECAUSE HE WOULD PROVIDE THE 14:48 GARMENTS FOR ALL WHO CAME - "AND HE WAS SPEECHLESS. 14:52 THEN THE KING SAID TO THE SERVANTS, 'BIND HIM HAND AND 14:54 FOOT, TAKE HIM AWAY, AND CAST HIM INTO OUTER DARKNESS; 14:58 THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.' 15:00 FOR MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN." 15:03 OKAY, YOU SEE THE PARALLELS BETWEEN THE TWO PARABLES. 15:06 JESUS EXPANDS A LITTLE MORE AND TALKS ABOUT THE WEDDING GARMENT 15:09 IN THE ONE THAT HE RELATED IN THE GOSPEL, OR IS RELATED IN THE 15:13 GOSPEL OF MATTHEW. SO, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT - ALL 15:17 THESE PEOPLE - HOW MANY ARE INVITED? 15:19 MANY - MANY ARE CALLED - MANY ARE INVITED - WHAT KIND OF 15:22 FEAST? GREAT FEAST. PEOPLE ORIGINALLY SAID, 'DO 15:26 YOU WANT TO BE AT THE WEDDING FEAST?' 15:28 AND THEY SAID, 'YES, PUT MY NAME DOWN. 15:30 OF COURSE.' BUT THEY EITHER DIDN'T MEAN IT OR THEY CHANGED 15:34 THEIR MIND BECAUSE, FINALLY WHEN THE MESSAGE COMES, 'IT'S NOW 15:37 READY', THEY ALL BEGIN TO MAKE EXCUSES WITH ONE ACCORD. 15:42 I HEARD ABOUT THIS LITTLE BOY NAMED TOMMY, HE GETS TO SCHOOL 15:46 LATE ONE DAY - TEACHER SAYS, 'YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A NOTE 15:49 WRITTEN - AN EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE - BY YOUR PARENTS.' 15:53 THE NEXT DAY HIS MOTHER GAVE HIM A NOTE AND THE NOTE READ, 15:57 'YOU'LL REMEMBER YESTERDAY, WE HAD 16 INCHES OF SNOW, TOMMY'S 16:03 LEGS ARE ONLY 15 INCHES.' THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD EXCUSE, BUT SOME 16:08 OF THE EXCUSES THAT ARE GIVEN IN THE STORY ARE NOT VERY GOOD 16:12 EXCUSES. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THEM. 16:14 I WANT YOU TO NOTICE - YOU KNOW WHAT A NOUN IS? WHAT'S A NOUN? 16:16 (INAUDIBLE) A PERSON, PLACE, OR THING. 16:19 I WANT YOU TO NOTICE - THINK NOUN - THE EXCUSES ARE PEOPLE, 16:26 PLACES, AND THINGS THAT KEEP THEM FROM GOING TO THE WEDDING 16:29 FEAST. WHO IS THE ONE GETTING MARRIED? IT'S THE WEDDING SUPPER 16:35 OF THE LAMB. WHO IS THE KING? 16:37 GOD - HAS INVITED ALL - HE'S MADE THIS PROVISION: GOD SO 16:40 LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS SON THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THIS FEAST. 16:44 NOW, THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THE FEAST. 16:46 YOU'VE GOT THE ULTIMATE WEDDING FEAST WHERE WE SIT DOWN IN THE 16:49 KINGDOM WITH ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB AND JESUS. 16:53 BUT THEN THERE'S, OF COURSE, THE WEDDING FEAST - JESUS HAD A 16:55 SUPPER WITH HIS DISCIPLES - IT'S THE GOSPEL. 16:59 JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. HIS BLOOD IS THE WINE. 17:04 HE IS THE LIVING WATER. SO ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE TALKING 17:08 ABOUT, IN THE BIBLE, THAT NOURISH US, THAT FEED OUR SOULS, 17:12 IT REPRESENTS THE GOSPEL. AND PEOPLE SAY, 'OH YEAH, SIGN ME 17:14 UP. I WANT THAT FEAST.' BUT WHEN IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO 17:18 PARTICIPATING, THEY'RE NOT THAT INTERESTED. 17:22 TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE EXCUSES THAT ARE GIVEN - I WANT 17:25 YOU TO NOTICE THAT THEY'RE KEPT AWAY FROM THE FEAST BY PLACES, 17:29 BY POSSESSIONS AND BY PERSONS. FIRST, IN LUKE 14:18, 'I'VE 17:37 BOUGHT A PIECE OF GROUND THAT I NEED TO SEE' - I CAN'T COME 17:41 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I BOUGHT THIS LAND.' HOW MANY BUY 17:44 LAND SIGHT UNSEEN? HADN'T HE ALREADY SEEN IT? 17:48 HE'S SAYING, 'THERE'S SOMEWHERE ELSE I'D RATHER BE. 17:51 THAT'S WHAT HE'S REALLY SAYING IN THIS STORY. 17:54 WHAT KIND OF FOOL BUYS A PIECE OF LAND SIGHT UNSEEN? 17:57 WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE LAND? 17:59 IS IT'S VALUE GOING TO CHANGE IF HE DOESN'T GO LOOK AT IT? 18:02 IS THE LAND GOING ANYWHERE? I MEAN, THAT REALLY IS A PRETTY 18:07 FEEBLE EXCUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AND YET HE SAYS, 'OH, 18:11 I'VE GOT THIS PIECE OF LAND - THERE'S SOMEWHERE 18:13 ELSE I NEED TO BE. NOW'S NOT A GOOD TIME. 18:16 PLEASE EXCUSE ME, I CAN'T COME.' REALLY, DIDN'T YOU KNOW THERE 18:21 WAS GOING TO BE A WEDDING AND WEREN'T YOU INVITED? 18:24 'I'VE SPENT A GREAT DEAL TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO COME.' 18:27 HE DOESN'T CARE. YOU KNOW, IN BIBLE TIMES, WHEN A 18:33 KING INVITED YOU TO THE WEDDING OF ROYALTY THAT WAS A GREAT 18:40 HONOR. AND WHEN YOU ACCEPT THE INVITATION AND THEN YOU SNUB THE 18:44 KING, SOMETIMES THERE ARE - THERE ARE ACCOUNTS IN HISTORY 18:48 WHERE THAT WAS GROUNDS FOR A DECLARATION OF WAR - WHEN YOU 18:54 WOULD SHOW THAT KIND OF AN INSULT. 18:56 I MEAN, I THINK WE ALL EVEN KNOW IN OUR CULTURE, IF YOU ACCEPT AN 18:59 [INVITATION] AND PEOPLE HAVE THEN PAID AT THE HOTEL FOR A 19:04 MEAL THAT'S OFTEN VERY EXPENSIVE AND A SEAT FOR YOU AND, 19:07 SOMETIMES, YOUR FAMILY TO BE THERE, AND THEN YOU JUST KIND OF 19:10 BLOW IT OFF AND YOU DON'T COME, AND THEY SAY, 'WE REALLY MISSED 19:14 YOU AT THE WEDDING.' 'OH WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS PIECE OF 19:17 LAND I WANTED TO LOOK AT.' WHAT MESSAGE DOES THAT TELEGRAPH? 19:22 'YOU'RE JUST NOT REALLY VERY IMPORTANT AND I DON'T APPRECIATE 19:26 THE SACRIFICE YOU MADE FOR ME TO BE THERE.' THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE 19:29 SAYING. NOW, BEFORE I GO ANY FARTHER, 19:33 WHO ARE THE ONES WHO ARE INITIALLY INVITED THAT 19:37 START MAKING EXCUSES? WHO DOES THAT REPRESENT? 19:40 TWO THINGS: FIRST OF ALL, IT'S THE JEWISH NATION. 19:43 THEY SAID, 'WE ARE ABRAHAM'S SEED. 19:45 BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO EAT BREAD AND DRINK IN THE 19:48 KINGDOM OF GOD WITH ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB' - THIS IS WHAT 19:51 INITIATED THE WHOLE PARABLE - AND THEY SAID, 'YES, WE ARE 19:56 WAITING FOR THE MESSIAH. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 19:58 KINGDOM.' AND WHEN THE MESSIAH CAME DID THEY REALLY WANT HIM? 20:02 NO, AS A NATION THEY SPURNED THE GREAT INVITATION. 20:08 BUT IT GOES BEYOND THAT - THIS IS NOT JUST WRITTEN FOR JEWS 20:11 BACK THEN, ARE THESE EXCUSES STILL GIVEN BY CHRISTIANS TODAY? 20:16 ARE THERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAY, 'SIGN ME UP, I WANT TO BE A 20:18 CHRISTIAN. I'M GOING TO GO TO CHURCH.' 20:19 BUT WHEN IT COMES TO REALLY COMING TO JESUS, THEY'VE GOT 20:24 OTHER THINGS THEY WANT TO DO. THINGS KEEP THEM AWAY FROM 20:28 MAKING A COMPLETE SURRENDER. THERE'S SOMEWHERE 20:31 ELSE THEY WANT TO BE. THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE 20:33 THEY WANT TO BE WITH. THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT 20:37 THEY WANT THAT KEEPS THEM AWAY. THE SECOND ONE SAYS - VERSE 19 - 20:44 "I BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN AND I'M GOING TO TEST THEM. 20:48 I ASK YOU HAVE ME EXCUSED." NOW, IT TOOK A LOT OF WEALTH TO BUY A 20:52 YOKE OF OXEN. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT 20:54 THEY USED FOR FARMING BACK THEN. A PAIR OF OXEN WAS A PRETTY 20:57 EXPENSIVE FARM IMPLEMENT. IT WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF HAVING, 21:00 YOU KNOW, A GREAT BIG JOHN DEERE TRACTOR TO FARM YOUR LAND. 21:04 THIS MAN SAYS, 'LOOK, I'M A VERY BUSY BUSINESSMAN. 21:07 I'VE GOT LANDS AND I'VE GOT FIELDS AND I'VE GOT ALL THESE 21:10 OXEN AND I'VE JUST BOUGHT FIVE MORE AND I'VE GOT TO GO TEST 21:13 THEM.' AGAIN, WAS HE NOT THERE WHEN THEY WERE BOUGHT? 21:20 HE'S JUST TRYING OUT HIS NEW TRACTORS. 21:23 HE'S BASICALLY SAYING, 'I'VE GOT OTHER STUFF THAT KEEPS ME FROM 21:27 GOING.' IT'S INTERESTING THAT JESUS CHOSE OXEN. 21:32 THESE PEOPLE WOULDN'T GO BECAUSE THEIR OXEN WERE MORE IMPORTANT. 21:35 WELL, YOU READ IN MATTHEW, IT SAYS THE KING SACRIFICED OXEN 21:38 TOO SO THAT THEY COULD BE THERE. THIS MAN'S KEEPING HIS OXEN 21:42 ALIVE. THE KING LOST HIS OXEN - THERE 21:44 WAS A DEATH OF OXEN - SO THAT THEY COULD GO TO THE FEAST. 21:48 DO YOU REMEMBER? WE JUST READ THAT IN MATTHEW. 21:50 THE OXEN'S SLAIN - COME NOW. THEY USED TO WAIT TILL THE LAST 21:54 MINUTE TO KILL THE FATTED CALF. YOU KNOW THE STORY 21:57 OF THE PRODIGAL SON? YOU KNOW THE STORY WHEN THESE 22:00 VISITORS CAME TO ABRAHAM? ONE OF THEM WAS THE LORD AND 22:02 HE WENT AND HE SLEW THE FATTED CALF? 22:04 THAT WAS WHAT YOU SAVED FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS. 22:06 IN AMERICA IT'S THE FATTED TURKEY, BACK THEN IT WAS THE 22:10 FATTED CALF. AND THEY'RE INVITED - THIS 22:14 IS AN IMPORTANT DINNER. IT'S A GREAT FEAST. 22:16 IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A STATE EVENT - 22:18 IT'S A GALA. IT'S NOT LUNCH AT TACO 22:21 BELL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND HE SAYS, 'NO, I'VE GOT THESE 22:24 OXEN I'D LIKE TO CHECK OUT.' WELL, HE CAN'T WAIT A DAY? 22:28 IT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE WHEN ELIJAH CALLS ELIJAH - NO, WHEN 22:35 ELIJAH CALLS ELISHA TO PROPHETIC MINISTRY, HE FINDS ELISHA - 22:41 ELIJAH IS COMING BACK FROM MOUNT SINAI WHERE GOD HAD SAID, 'LOOK, 22:43 I WANT YOU TO ANOINT ELISHA THE PROPHET TO BE PROPHET IN YOUR 22:47 PLACE.' AND ELIJAH SEES HIM - AFTER THIS THREE AND A HALF 22:51 YEARS OF FAMINE, THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF RAIN AND ALL THE FRESH 22:54 GRASSES SPROUTED AND THE SOIL IS FINALLY SOFT, SO THEY'VE GOT TO 22:57 PLOW IT UP AND PLANT - IT'S RIGHT AFTER THIS FAMINE. 23:00 AND SO, ELISHA IS OUT IN THE FIELD AND EVERYBODY'S WORKING 23:03 LIKE CRAZY AND HE IS WITH HIS FAMILY - SERVANTS OUT WORKING - 23:07 AND THERE ARE TWELVE YOKE OF OXEN - THAT'S 24 OXEN, RIGHT? 23:13 AND ELISHA IS WITH THE TWELFTH - AND ELIJAH WALKS UP TO ELISHA 23:17 AND HE THROWS HIS COAT - HIS MANTLE - ON HIS SHOULDERS. 23:20 AND HE UNDERSTOOD THIS MEANT 'YOU ARE BEING CALLED TO BE 23:23 SERVANT IN MY PLACE.' AND WHAT DOES ELISHA SAY? 23:27 HE SAYS, 'YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON, I CAN'T DO IT. 23:30 I'VE GOT OTHER PLACES I NEED TO BE, OTHER PEOPLE, OTHER THINGS.' 23:33 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ELISHA SAYS, 'LET ME KISS MY MOTHER AND 23:37 FATHER GOODBYE.' HE KISSES THEM GOODBYE AND THEN HE GOES AND HE 23:41 TAKES THE OXEN THAT HE HAD BEEN PLOWING WITH - HE TAKES THE 23:43 PLOW, USES THE WOOD FROM IT, MAKES A FIRE. 23:47 HE SACRIFICES THE OXEN. HE GIVES IT TO THE PEOPLE - 23:50 BASICALLY SAYING, 'I AM NOT TURNING BACK. 23:53 I HAVE DESTROYED THE PLOW AND I'VE DESTROYED THE YOKE I WAS 23:55 PLOWING WITH.' AND THAT'S WHAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE 23:58 SAID, 'IF ANY MAN PUTS HIS HAND TO THE PLOW AND LOOKS BACK, HE'S 24:02 NOT WORTHY OF THE KINGDOM. SO IN THE MINDS OF THE HEARERS 24:05 IS THE STORY OF ELISHA, WHO WALKED AWAY FROM HIS OXEN SO 24:10 THAT HE COULD FOLLOW ELIJAH - KIND OF LIKE PETER, JAMES, AND 24:15 JOHN WALKED AWAY FROM THEIR FISHING NETS AND MATTHEW WALKED 24:17 AWAY FROM HIS TAX BOOTH AND SOME OF THE APOSTLES PROBABLY WALKED 24:21 AWAY FROM THEIR FLOCKS AND THEIR HERDS SO THEY 24:23 COULD FOLLOW JESUS. >>AMEN. 24:25 >>AND THESE PEOPLE ARE SAYING, 'I'VE GOT THESE OXEN I NEED TO 24:28 TEST.' THE THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT AND THEY'RE NOT GOING 24:34 TO TASTE OF THE FEAST. THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE - 'I'D 24:40 RATHER DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH SOMETHING ELSE.' AND THEN LUKE 24:47 14:20, "STILL ANOTHER SAID, 'I HAVE MARRIED A WIFE, AND 24:52 THEREFORE I CANNOT COME.'" NOW, OF ALL THE EXCUSES, YOU CAN 24:56 SORT OF IMAGINE THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN. 24:59 YOU COULD PICTURE A SCENARIO WHERE YOU'VE GOT THIS NEW WIFE 25:03 AND SHE SAYS, 'YOUR OLD GIRLFRIEND'S GOING TO BE AT THAT 25:06 WEDDING. YOU'RE NOT GOING' (LAUGHTER) 'TO 25:08 THAT WEDDING.' AND THERE WAS A PROVISION, IN THE LAW - YOU CAN 25:12 READ IN DEUTERONOMY 24, "WHEN A MAN" - VERSE 5 - DEUTERONOMY 25:15 24:5, "WHEN A MAN HAS TAKEN A NEW WIFE, HE SHALL NOT GO OUT 25:19 TO WAR OR BE CHARGED WITH ANY BUSINESS; HE SHALL BE FREE 25:23 AT HOME ONE YEAR, AND BRING HAPPINESS TO HIS WIFE 25:25 WHOM HE HAS TAKEN." NOW THAT'S IN THE EVENT OF WAR. 25:28 THIS IS A WEDDING FEAST. THAT LAW DID NOT COVER THAT. 25:31 MATTER OF FACT, HOW MANY OF YOU AGREE THAT THE KING, SINCE HE'S 25:34 INVITED MANY AND IT'S A GREAT FEAST, IF THIS MAN SHOWED UP AND 25:37 SAID, 'YOU KNOW, I REALIZE I ACCEPTED THE INVITATION BUT NOW 25:39 I'VE GOT A WIFE, CAN I - CAN SHE COME?' HE'D SAY, 'SURE'? 25:43 ALL THROUGH THE STORY THAT WE READ, THE PROBLEM IS NEVER THAT 25:47 THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE AT THE FEAST. DON'T MISS THAT. 25:50 THE PROBLEM IS THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE AT THE FEAST. 25:54 THE KING WANTS TO INVITE MANY. JESUS HAS MADE A PROVISION FOR 26:00 MANY. >>AMEN. 26:01 >>THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST - ALL THE WORLD - THE SINS OF ALL THE 26:05 WORLD COULD BE COVERED BY HIS SACRIFICE. 26:07 AND SO THERE'S NEVER A SHORTAGE OF SEATS AT THE FEAST. 26:13 I ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE, FROM TIME TO TIME, WHEN WE DO THE 26:15 PRESENTATION ON HEAVEN AND I GIVE THEM THE DIMENSIONS OF THE 26:18 NEW JERUSALEM, THEY THINK, 'YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S JUST NOT 26:22 GOING TO BE ENOUGH ROOM IN THE CITY FOR ME.' THEY LITERALLY ARE 26:25 CONCERNED THAT PHYSICALLY THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH 26:27 ROOM FOR THEM IN THE CITY - THAT IT'LL BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOUSING 26:31 IN HONG KONG AND THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH SPACE. 26:34 ANY OF YOU EVER BEEN IN AN APARTMENT IN HONG KONG? 26:37 HOTEL IN HONG KONG? MAN, YOU'VE JUST GOT TO BACK 26:41 IN WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR. IT'S JUST REALLY SMALL. 26:45 AND SOMEONE FIGURED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE BILLIONS OF 26:47 PEOPLE IN THE NEW JERUSALEM, THERE JUST WON'T BE ROOM' KAREN 26:50 AND I ONCE GOT A ROOM IN HONG KONG FOR SHE AND I AND THE TWO 26:53 BOYS - >>JAPAN. 26:55 >>JAPAN. (LAUGHTER) 26:59 OH YEAH, I DIDN'T MEAN THAT ABOUT HONG KONG, 27:00 I MEANT JAPAN. (LAUGHTER) JAPAN'S WORSE. 27:05 THAT WAS REALLY SMALL AND WE WERE, QUITE LITERALLY, ON TOP OF 27:10 EACH OTHER. BUT I HAD A ROOM - THE SMALLEST 27:12 ROOM I HAD WAS IN HONG KONG. I COULD PUT MY ARMS OUT 27:14 AND TOUCH BOTH WALLS. ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS. 27:18 SO PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ROOM ENOUGH, YOU 27:20 KNOW? IT'S NOT GOING TO BE OVER CROWDED. 27:24 THAT'S - DO YOU REALIZE THAT THE - THE CITY DIMENSIONS ARE AS BIG 27:29 AS THE STATE OF OREGON? IT'S LIKE 375 27:32 MILES ON EACH SIDE. YOU START THINKING ABOUT, IF YOU 27:35 THEN PUT PEOPLE IN A CITY AND YOU START GOING UP - HERE'S AN 27:39 AMAZING FACT: THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ABOVE THE 20TH 27:43 FLOOR IN NEW YORK CITY THAN LIVE IN THE WHOLE STATE OF MONTANA. 27:47 (LAUGHTER) SO THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE CITY. 27:53 YOU'LL NEVER FIND THAT'S A PROBLEM. 27:54 SO THIS GUY SAYS, 'I WANT TO BRING MY WIFE.' THE KING WOULD 27:57 SAY, 'FINE'. BUT NO, HE SAYS, 'I CAN'T GO 27:59 BECAUSE I GOT MARRIED AND SHE PUT HER FOOT DOWN - PUT HER 28:02 SANDAL DOWN - AND SHE SAID, 'WE'RE NOT GOING. 28:04 I'VE GOT OTHER PLANS.' DOES THAT SOUND A LITTLE BIT LIKE AN 28:09 EXCUSE THAT ADAM MADE? 'LORD, I WOULD HAVE OBEYED YOU' 28:13 - GENESIS 3:12 - 'BUT THE WOMAN YOU GAVE ME, SHE TOLD ME TO EAT 28:19 FROM THAT FORBIDDEN TREE AND I ATE. LORD, IT'S YOUR FAULT.' 28:24 SO THEY'RE BLAMING OTHER PLACES, THEY'RE BLAMING OTHER THINGS, 28:28 THEY'RE BLAMING OTHER PEOPLE - THE EXCUSES FOR NOT 28:31 COMING TO THE FEAST. WHAT DOES JESUS SAY? 28:35 SHOULD ANYBODY KEEP US FROM THE FEAST? 28:37 LUKE 14 - IN THE SAME CHAPTER - CHRIST SAYS, 'IF ANYONE COMES TO 28:41 ME AND HE DOESN'T HATE HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER AND HIS 28:44 WIFE AND HIS CHILDREN AND HIS BROTHERS AND HIS SISTER - YES 28:47 HIS OWN LIFE - HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE.' IN MATTHEW HE PUTS IT 28:52 THIS WAY: 'HE THAT LOVES FATHER OR MOTHER MORE THAN ME IS NOT 28:54 WORTHY OF ME. AND HE WHO LOVES HIS SON OR 28:56 DAUGHTER MORE THAN ME' - SO WHEN IT SAYS 'HATE' IT DOESN'T MEAN 28:59 YOU HATE THEM, IT MEANS IF - YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE THEM 29:01 LESS THAN YOU LOVE ME. YOU'VE GOT TO BE WILLING TO TURN 29:06 FROM THEM IN ORDER TO FOLLOW ME. AND THIS MAN SAYS, 'I CAN'T COME 29:12 BECAUSE I'VE MARRIED A WIFE. HE'S PUTTING SOMEBODY AHEAD. 29:16 YOU KNOW, YOU THINK IN THE BIBLE ABOUT URIAH - URIAH THE HITTITE 29:22 - YOU REMEMBER THE STORY? HE CAME BACK FROM THE BATTLE - 29:26 DAVID HAD BEEN SLEEPING WITH HIS WIFE AND SHE DISCOVERED SHE WAS 29:32 PREGNANT AND DAVID THOUGHT, 'WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE OBVIOUS 29:36 THAT SOMETHING WENT - WAS GOING ON, BECAUSE URIAH'S BEEN OUT 29:39 OF TOWN FIGHTING A BATTLE. AND SO, DAVID SUMMONS URIAH, 29:46 OFFERS HIM A FEAST, PRETENDS HE WANTS A REPORT ON THE WAR AND HE 29:48 SAYS, 'LOOK, YOU LIVE NEXT DOOR. I KNOW RIGHT WHERE 29:51 YOUR HOUSE IS. THAT'S HOW I SAW YOUR WIFE 29:54 BATHING.' AND HE SAID, 'YOU GO ON HOME.' HE SAID, 'HERE, I'M 29:58 GOING TO CATER A NICE MEAL. YOU GO RELAX. 29:59 ENJOY YOURSELF.' AND HE'S FIGURING THAT WHEN URIAH FINDS 30:02 OUT THAT BATHSHEBA'S PREGNANT, THAT NOBODY WILL SUSPECT BECAUSE 30:06 HE DID COME HOME ON AN R&R LEAVE, EVEN THOUGH THAT FIRST 30:10 ONE DID COME EARLY. YOU STILL WITH ME? 30:16 BUT IT DOESN'T WORK. URIAH DOESN'T GO. 30:19 AND DAVID CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT AND HE TRIES TO GET HIM DRUNK 30:23 THE NEXT DAY AND SAYS, 'HERE, YOU KNOW, JUST RELAX.' AND HE 30:26 DOESN'T GO. HE SLEEPS WITH THE SERVANTS. 30:28 THEN FINALLY, DAVID'S JUST AMAZED, HE SAYS - AND THIS GUY'S 30:31 MARRIED TO BATHSHEBA - THIS IS - THIS WAS A VERY PRETTY WOMAN. 30:37 AND DAVID IS WONDERING, 'URIAH, ARE YOU WELL? 30:41 WHAT'S GOING ON? YOU CAME FROM THE BATTLE; YOU 30:44 DIDN'T GO HOME.' AND URIAH SAYS, 'THE ARK OF GOD AND THE ARMY OF 30:49 GOD ARE OUT IN THE OPEN FIELDS FIGHTING THE ENEMIES OF GOD. 30:52 HOW CAN I GO BACK TO MY MEN AND SAY I WENT HOME AND I ATE AND 30:55 DRANK AND SLEPT WITH MY WIFE?' HE SAYS, 'I'M NOT GOING TO 30:57 RELAX UNTIL THE WAR IS WON. NOW, YOU'VE GOT TO ADMIRE 31:02 SOMETHING ABOUT THAT GUY. I KNOW, I ALWAYS GET LOOKS LIKE 31:05 LASERS FROM THE LADIES WHEN I SAY THIS, BUT I THINK 31:09 URIAH DID THE RIGHT THING. I THINK THAT HE DID SOMETHING 31:13 UNUSUALLY HEROIC WITH SELF-CONTROL. 31:17 HE PUT THE INTEREST OF GOD ABOVE HIS OWN INTERESTS. 31:23 AND SINCE URIAH WAS ONE OF DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN - HE HAD MEN 31:26 UNDER HIS AUTHORITY AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO DEMORALIZE THEM 31:29 AND HE SAID, 'LOOK, I - MY HEART IS WITH YOU IN THE BATTLE - IT'S 31:32 IN THE FIELD.' AND SO THIS MAN SAID, 'I AM GOING TO PUT THE 31:36 WEDDING FEAST AHEAD OF EVEN MY OWN WIFE.' DAVID COULDN'T FIGURE 31:41 THAT OUT. THAT TAKES UNUSUAL DEDICATION. 31:48 SO WHEN YOU'VE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO THE FEAST, JESUS 31:52 SAYS, 'SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND 31:56 ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED.' BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE BLAME 31:58 OTHER PEOPLE FOR NOT GOING TO THE FEAST. 32:00 'IT'S MY WIFE'S FAULT. AND IF IT'S NOT MY WIFE' - DO 32:03 YOU REMEMBER KING SAUL, HIS EXCUSE? 32:07 SAUL - SAMUEL THE PROPHET SAID TO SAUL, 'GO DESTROY THE 32:09 AMALEKITES AND DESTROY ALL OF THEIR CATTLE AND THEIR ANIMALS. 32:12 DO NOT SPARE ANYTHING. THEY HAVE BEEN YOUR ENEMIES FOR YEARS. 32:15 THEY ARE TO BE ANNIHILATED.' AND SAUL COMES BACK FROM THE BATTLE 32:19 AND HE'S GOT THIS PARADE WITH SHEEP AND OXEN AND GOATS AND ALL 32:21 THESE CRITTERS, AND SAMUEL SAYS, 'WHAT? 32:25 WHAT'S WITH THIS? GOD TOLD YOU TO DESTROY EVERYTHING!' 32:27 'OH, WE DID, WE DESTROYED THE WORST OF THEM.' 'SO WHAT'S THE 32:30 SOUND OF LOWING I HEAR?' HE SAYS, 'WELL, THE PEOPLE - YOU 32:33 KNOW, THE PEOPLE - THE PEOPLE - PEOPLE COMPLAINED AND THEY MADE 32:38 ME TAKE THE BEST OF THE ANIMALS, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO OFFER 32:40 THEM AS SACRIFICE.' THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL AN EXCUSE AND YOU BLAME 32:44 EVERYBODY ELSE - EXCUSES - LAME EXCUSES. 32:49 I WAS TEMPTED TO CALL THE MESSAGE LAME EXCUSES . 32:52 (LAUGHTER) THEY REALLY HAD NO INTEREST IN THE KING'S FOOD, OR 32:57 THE KING. THAT WAS THE TRUTH. 33:00 THE REASON THEY CAME UP WITH ALL THE EXCUSES? 33:02 THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FEAST WITH THE KING. 33:07 DO WE SOMETIMES MAKE EXCUSES? WHAT'S AN EXCUSE? 33:10 AN EXCUSE IS AN ATTEMPT TO RELEASE OR FREE YOU FROM AN 33:13 OBLIGATION OR DUTY BY MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES; AN EXCUSE IS AN 33:19 APOLOGY USED TO GAIN AN EXEMPTION FOR SERVICE; IT'S TO 33:25 SEEK TO REMOVE THE BLAME FROM, OR TO SERVE AS A JUSTIFICATION 33:30 FOR A REASON TO PUT FORWARD OR JUSTIFY AN OFFENSE.' AN EXCUSE 33:35 IS USUALLY SOME REASON TO FIND A WAY OUT OF AN OBLIGATION; A 33:40 RESPONSIBILITY; A DUTY. SOMEONE SAID, 'AN EXCUSE IS THE 33:44 SKIN OF A REASON STUFFED WITH A LIE.' (LAUGHTER) 33:49 D.L. MOODY SAID, 'EXCUSES ARE THE CRADLE THAT SATAN USES TO 33:53 ROCK MEN TO SLEEP.' WHEN GOD SAYS, 'TURN FROM THE PLACES, 34:01 TURN FROM THE POSSESSIONS, AND TURN FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE 34:04 KEEPING YOU FROM THE FEAST', DO YOU MAKE EXCUSES? 34:07 'I WOULD, BUT NOT NOW.' DO YOU REALIZE THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF 34:10 THEIR EXCUSES WERE BASED ON 'THIS IS JUST NOT A CONVENIENT 34:14 TIME'? 'I WOULD HAVE COME TO THAT FEAST IF IT HAD BEEN, YOU 34:18 KNOW, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE OXEN. BUT RIGHT NOW I'VE GOT TO CHECK 34:21 THE OXEN.' 'I WOULD HAVE COME, BUT I'VE GOT THAT PIECE OF LAND 34:25 AND RIGHT NOW I'VE GOT SOMETHING ELSE I'VE GOT TO DO. 34:27 TIMING'S NOT GOOD.' 'I WOULD HAVE COME IF IT WAS BEFORE I 34:30 MARRIED MY WIFE OR AFTER OUR ONE-YEAR HONEYMOON, BUT RIGHT 34:33 NOW IS NOT A GOOD TIME.' AND I THINK IF WE'RE ALL HONEST, WE'D 34:36 ADMIT THAT, IN VARYING FORMS, WE OFTEN SAY, 'NOW IS NOT A GOOD 34:43 TIME TO MAKE A COMPLETE SURRENDER OR WE'RE TELLING 34:46 OURSELVES, 'I KNOW I'VE GOT TO GET REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT BEING 34:51 COMMITTED TO THE LORD AND BEING A GENUINE CHRISTIAN AND COMING 34:54 TO THE FEAST...ONE OF THESE DAYS.' DO YOU REALIZE 'ONE OF 34:58 THESE DAYS' IS AN EXCUSE? WHATEVER THE EXCUSE IS, YOU JUST 35:01 SAY, 'I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT NOW.' OR 'I'M AFRAID TO DO IT NOW.' OR 35:05 'I'VE GOT TOO MUCH STRESS RIGHT NOW.' OR 'IT'LL BE HARDER NOW.' 35:08 BUT WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING. WE'RE SAYING, 'I WANT TO BE A 35:11 CHRISTIAN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO ALL THE WAY. 35:14 I'LL ACCEPT THE [INVITATION], BUT WHEN YOU ASK ME TO REALLY 35:17 LEAVE BEHIND AND COME TO FEAST WITH YOU, UH, NO.' AND WE DON'T 35:25 DO IT. AND WE MISS OUT ON ETERNAL LIFE. 35:31 SOMEONE ELSE WROTE, 'EXCUSES ARE THE NAILS USED TO BUILD A HOUSE 35:35 OF FAILURE.' JUST NOT IN SPIRITUAL THINGS - 'AN EXCUSE IS 35:41 A THIN SLICE OF FALSEHOOD STRETCHED TIGHTLY OVER A 35:44 BOLD-FACED LIE.' THAT'S SIMILAR TO THAT OTHER ONE. 35:48 A PERSON WHO REALLY WANTS TO GET SOMETHING DONE FINDS A WAY, THE 35:51 OTHER WILL FIND AN EXCUSE. ROMANS - PAUL SAYS - ROMANS 35:55 1:20, "FOR SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD HIS INVISIBLE 35:59 ATTRIBUTES ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS 36:02 THAT ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD, SO THAT 36:07 THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE." YOU REMEMBER WHEN HE CAME INTO 36:12 THE WEDDING FEAST AND HE SAID, 'HOW COME YOU DON'T HAVE 36:14 THE WEDDING GARMENT ON? AND SUDDENLY HE HAD NO EXCUSE. 36:20 HE HAD NO ANSWER - WHY? BECAUSE CHRIST HAS PURCHASED A 36:23 GARMENT OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR EVERYBODY. 36:28 THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID, 'WHOSOEVER WILL' - EVERYBODY 36:31 CAN. NOW, YOU NOTICE, HE WANTS 36:33 EVERYBODY TO BE THERE. THE LORD DOESN'T WANT 36:36 ANYONE TO BE LOST. ALL ARE INVITED. 36:40 NOW, IN THIS STORY, KEEP IN MIND, IT'S NOT SAYING THAT THE 36:46 KING MADE A GREAT FEAST AND THREE PEOPLE DIDN'T SHOW. 36:51 THOSE THREE PEOPLE REPRESENT ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY 36:55 THAT SAID, 'WE WANT TO GO' THAT DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GO. 36:58 THAT FIRST GROUP THERE SORT OF REPRESENTS THE JEWISH NATION. 37:01 OF COURSE, MANY OF THE JEWS WERE SAVED - THE WHOLE EARLY CHURCH 37:04 WAS JEWISH - AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE NEXT PART OF WHAT 37:07 HAPPENS. WHEN THE KING FINDS OUT THOSE 37:09 PEOPLE SAID THEY WERE GOING TO COME AND THEY DIDN'T COME, 37:12 WHAT'S HIS RESPONSE? WELL, HE SAID, 'BRING IN THE 37:18 LAME AND THE BLIND.' THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE, BEING ANGRY, 37:23 SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, 'GO OUT QUICKLY' - WHY QUICKLY? 37:26 BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S READY. THERE'S A TIME CONSTRAINT. 37:28 WHEN JESUS CALLED LAZARUS HE SAID, 'COME DOWN QUICKLY.' WHEN 37:33 THE LORD CALLS US TO COME TO HIM, DOES HE EVER SAY, 37:36 'WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT'? NO, COME NOW, TODAY. 37:41 GO OUT QUICKLY INTO THE STREETS AND THE LANES, GO. 37:45 WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION? 37:47 >>GO. >>GO AND TELL ALL PEOPLE. 37:50 YOU NOTICE WHAT HE SAID TO THE FIRST GROUP? 37:52 'COME NOW, FOR ALL THINGS ARE READY.' GO TELL ALL THESE POOR 37:57 AND THESE LAME AND THE BLIND, COME INTO THE STREETS AND THE 38:02 LANES OF THE CITY. TELL THE POOR AND THE MAIMED AND 38:06 THE LAME AND THE BLIND - AND THEY DID. NOW, WHEN IT SAYS 'GO 38:13 INTO THE STREETS AND THE LANES, TELL THEM ALL TO COME IN', THIS 38:17 IS FIRST TALKING NOW WHEN IT SAYS 'THE LAME AND THE BLIND'. 38:21 THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE JEWS WHO THE PHARISEES AND THE 38:24 SCRIBES DID NOT FEEL WERE WORTHY. 38:26 THE POOR IN SPIRIT, THE SHEPHERDS, THE TAX COLLECTORS, 38:30 THE FISHERMEN - THEY WERE JEWS, BUT THEY WERE CRIPPLED JEWS. 38:34 THESE WERE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WERE THE 38:36 RIFF-RAFF - THEY WERE THE MOTLEY CREW - THEY WERE THE UNWORTHY. 38:43 YOU REMEMBER WHAT PETER SAID? 'DEPART FROM ME, LORD. 38:45 I AM A SINFUL MAN.' HE WAS - AND YOU REMEMBER WHEN 38:48 HE WAS TEMPTED TO DENY CHRIST, IT DIDN'T TAKE PETER LONG AT ALL 38:51 TO REMEMBER HIS OLD VOCABULARY. HE COULD SWEAR AND 38:53 CURSE VERY QUICKLY. AND SO, WHEN JESUS LEFT THE 38:59 SEMINARY AT JERUSALEM, THEY SAID, 'OH, WE'RE GOING TO THE 39:02 FEAST.' BUT THEY REALLY WEREN'T INTERESTED. 39:05 WHO WAS IT THAT WENT TO HEAR JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACH? 39:08 IT WAS A LOT OF THE POOR. AND SO, JESUS THEN FOUND AN 39:13 AUDIENCE UP AROUND GALILEE. IT WAS THE FISHERMEN. 39:16 IT WAS THE COMMON WORKING FOLK THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADER SAYS, 39:22 'THESE - THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE SINNERS. 39:26 THEY DON'T KNOW THE LAW. THEY SHOULDN'T - THEY DON'T KNOW 39:28 ANY BETTER - THEY'RE CRIPPLED.' WHO DID JESUS SAY IS WORTHY? 39:32 BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO 39:37 ARE GOING TO HEAR IT. AND SO, THEY GO AND THEY GATHER 39:38 AS MANY AS THEY CAN, BUT THERE'S STILL ROOM. 39:41 AND HE SAYS, 'WHAT NOW?' AND THE MASTER SAID TO HIM, 39:45 "GO INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES." 39:47 NOW, SOME OF YOU, IN YOUR BIBLES, IT'LL SAY 'INTO THE 39:49 STREETS AND THE LANES'. HEDGES IS ACTUALLY A WORD THAT 39:53 IT MEANT 'FENCES' AND PROBABLY THE BEST TRANSLATION THAT WOULD 39:56 BE, 'GO INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND THE YARDS. 39:59 ENTER INTO THE PRIVATE YARDS OF PEOPLE, KNOCK ON THEIR DOORS. 40:03 DON'T JUST GO UP AND DOWN AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN 40:05 THE PUBLIC PLACES THAT ARE ON THE STREETS, GO INTO THEIR YARDS 40:08 AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SAY, 'COME TO THE FEAST.'' AND SO, 40:12 IT'S REALLY A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR DOOR-TO-DOOR WORK AND BIBLE WORK 40:14 AND PERSONAL EVANGELISM AND HOME BIBLE STUDIES. 40:17 GO TELL PEOPLE WHERE THEY LIVE. GO INTO THEIR HEDGES 40:20 - THEIR YARDS. PEOPLE USED TO HAVE A HEDGE IN 40:22 THEIR YARD TO KEEP THEIR ANIMALS IN. 40:25 THEY DIDN'T ALL LIVE IN LITTLE MATCHBOX HOUSES AS THEY DO IN 40:29 THE TYPICAL AMERICAN SUBURBS. THIS IS TALKING ABOUT, NOW, 40:33 GOING BEYOND OUT IN - AMONG THE GENTILES. 40:36 SO THE MESSAGE - FIRST IT WENT TO THE JEWS - THE RELIGIOUS 40:40 LEADERS - THE ONES WHO WERE CONSIDERED SOCIALLY RESPECTABLE. 40:44 THEY WERE AT THE SYNAGOGUE EVERY WEEK SAYING, 'LORD, I THANK YOU 40:46 THAT I'M NOT LIKE OTHER MEN.' BUT WHEN THEY DIDN'T COME, THEN 40:51 THE MESSAGE GOES OUT TO THE PUBLICANS, THE ONES WHO SMITE ON 40:54 THEIR BREASTS AND SAY, 'LORD, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER.' AND 40:59 HE SAID, 'CONTINUE TO GO AND TO BRING THEM IN.' SO THE MESSAGE, 41:03 AFTER IT WENT TO THE - THE POOR - THE GOSPEL FIRST - JESUS WAS 41:10 BORN IN BETHLEHEM, HE WAS BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM, BUT THE 41:14 GOSPEL THEN WAS PREACHED AMONG THE POOR. 41:17 AND THEN HE TOLD THE DISCIPLES, 'GO FIRST TO THE LOST SHEEP OF 41:20 THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.' AND 'WHOSOEVER WILL' BUT THEN THE 41:25 GOSPEL WENT OUT TO THE WORLD AFTER THE STONING OF STEPHEN, 41:28 WHEN PROBATION WAS CLOSED, AS FOR THE NATION, AND THEN 41:34 ANYBODY - JEW OR GENTILE - COULD BE SAVED. 41:36 THE GOSPEL WENT OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 41:38 EVERYWHERE. NOW, SOME PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH 41:41 THIS PART OF THE PARABLE. AND YOU'LL NOTICE, IN MATTHEW, 41:44 AND IN LUKE, IT SAYS, 'THE KING WAS ANGRY.' IS IT POPULAR TODAY 41:51 TO TALK ABOUT THE ANGER OF GOD? WE ONLY TALK ABOUT 41:55 THE LOVE OF GOD. WE ONLY TALK ABOUT THE 41:58 COMPASSION OF GOD AND WE ONLY TALK ABOUT THE MERCY OF GOD. 42:01 WELL, YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR MARKER AND MARK OUT A LOT OF 42:05 YOUR BIBLE, UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO ALSO SAY THE BIBLE DOES TALK 42:09 ABOUT THE ANGER OF GOD. LET ME GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO 42:11 THINK ABOUT: GOD ONLY HAS TWO FACES - NOT THAT HE'S TWO-FACED 42:18 - HE'S GOT THE LOVE, THE MERCY, THE ACCEPTANCE FOR THE REDEEMED; 42:26 WRATH FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CLUNG TO THEIR SINS. 42:32 GOD IS MERCIFUL AND LONG-SUFFERING. 42:34 BUT, IN THE BIBLE, YOU'LL FIND THERE'S NO SWITZERLAND. 42:38 THERE'S NO NEUTRAL TERRITORY. YOU KNOW, DURING WORLD WAR I 42:41 AND WORLD WAR II, SWITZERLAND MAINTAINED SOME 42:43 KIND OF NEUTRALITY. THERE'S NO NEUTRAL TERRITORY. 42:46 JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU'RE NOT WITH ME YOU'RE' - 42:48 WHAT? >>AGAINST ME. 42:49 >>'YOU'RE AGAINST ME.' AND HE SAID, 'YOU'RE EITHER CHILDREN OF 42:52 GOD OR YOU'RE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL. 42:54 HE DIDN'T HAVE - THE LORD DIDN'T HAVE, SORT OF, THIS AMBIVALENT 42:56 GROUP. I MEAN, DO YOU FIND ANYWHERE IN 42:58 THE BIBLE WHERE HE SAID, 'OH, YEAH, THEY'RE NOT WITH ME AND 43:00 THEY'RE NOT AGAINST ME, THEY'RE JUST - UH.' GOD ISN'T LIKE THAT. 43:05 GOD SAID WE'RE EITHER COMING TO HIM OR WE'RE GOING AWAY FROM 43:07 HIM. HOW MANY ROADS ARE THERE? THERE'S THE NARROW ROAD THAT 43:11 LEADS TO LIFE; THERE'S THE BROAD ROAD THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION. 43:14 YOU FIND THAT THIRD ROAD - I DON'T SEE IT IN THE BIBLE. 43:18 AND SO, THOSE THAT REFUSE THE LOVE AND COMPASSION OF THE 43:22 INVITATION AND, ESPECIALLY - YOU KNOW WHAT'S REALLY SAD? 43:25 IS BY THEIR NOT COMING, OTHERS AREN'T GOING. 43:27 THAT MAN COULD HAVE BROUGHT HIS WIFE. 43:31 AND HE SACRIFICED SO MUCH TO MAKE THE DINNER AVAILABLE. 43:34 HOW MUCH DID GOD GIVE TO MAKE THE DINNER AVAILABLE? 43:37 HE SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS SON. 43:39 HE GAVE EVERYTHING - AND TO REFUSE THAT - AND THE BIBLE SAYS 43:44 YEAH, HE'S ANGRY. "THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE BEING 43:47 ANGRY" - LUKE 14:21 - MATTHEW 22:7 - "BUT WHEN THE KING HEARD 43:52 ABOUT IT, HE WAS FURIOUS." YOU FIND THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY 43:57 GET MAD AT HIM BEING FURIOUS - "AND HE SENT OUT HIS ARMIES, 44:01 DESTROYED THOSE MURDERERS," - YOU REMEMBER IN MATTHEW'S 44:05 PARABLE, NOT ONLY DID THEY SPURN THE INVITATION, THEY KILLED SOME 44:10 OF THE MESSENGERS IN THE PROCESS. IT'S THE HIGHEST FORM 44:13 OF INSULT. JOHN 3 - WHEN YOU SAY JOHN 3, WHAT - 44:19 WHAT VERSE DO YOU THINK OF NEXT? 44:21 >>SIXTEEN. >>JOHN 3:16? 44:23 NOW, I WANT YOU TO READ JOHN 3:36, "HE WHO BELIEVES IN THE 44:27 SON HAS EVERLASTING LIFE;" - WE LIKE THAT PART? 44:30 I LIKE THAT PART - "AND HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE THE SON SHALL 44:35 NOT SEE LIFE, BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES ON HIM." 44:40 OKAY, SO WAS THIS PASTOR DOUG SAYING IT, OR WAS IT JESUS? 44:44 YOU'VE GOT TWO CHOICES: LOVE AND MERCY OF GOD - YOU DO NOT 44:49 BELIEVE JESUS SAID 'THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES ON HIM' - WHY? 44:53 BECAUSE THE WRATH OF GOD IS GOING TO BE REVEALED FROM HEAVEN 44:55 AGAINST SIN, AND IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED FROM YOUR SINS THEN THE 44:59 WRATH OF GOD COMES AGAINST US. AND IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO 45:04 FALL INTO THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD. REVELATION 6:16 AND 17, 45:10 "FALL ON US AND HIDE US FROM THE FACE OF HIM WHO SITS ON THE 45:14 THRONE AND FROM THE WRATH OF THE LAMB!" - LAMB - IT ALMOST SOUNDS 45:19 LIKE IT'S A PARADOX. IT'S A CONTRADICTION OF TERMS. 45:22 ANY OF YOU EVER BEEN KILLED BY A LAMB? 45:25 I MEAN, LAMB IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MEEKEST MOST HARMLESS 45:28 CREATURES - NOW, A RAM, YOU BETTER NOT TURN YOUR BACK, BUT 45:33 SOMETHING ABOUT A LAMB, IT'S JUST AN INNOCENT YOUNG LITTLE 45:35 LAMB. THE WRATH OF THE LAMB. 45:38 SEE, THIS IS NOT PART OF GOD'S NATURAL DESIRE, BUT IF WE ARE 45:43 REJECTING THE INVITATION, THEN WE'RE INSULTING - IT'S THE 45:47 HIGHEST INSULT - IT'S A WASTE OF HIS SACRIFICE. 45:51 NOW, WHEN JESUS ASKS US TO SACRIFICE SOMEWHERE ELSE, 45:57 SOMETHING ELSE, AND SOMEONE ELSE FOR HIM, DID HE DO LESS? 46:03 HOW MANY TEMPTATIONS ARE THERE? ONLY THREE TEMPTATIONS - 46:07 EVERYTHING SORT OF FALLS INTO LUST OF THE FLESH, LUST OF 46:10 THE EYES, AND PRIDE OF LIFE. JESUS, IN THE WILDERNESS, HE WAS 46:13 TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL IN THOSE THREE PRINCIPLE AREAS. 46:17 IN THE PARABLE THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT KEEP THEM FROM THE 46:19 FEAST: SOMEONE ELSE, SOMEWHERE ELSE, SOMETHING ELSE. 46:25 DID JESUS SET AN EXAMPLE FOR US? >>AMEN. 46:29 >>YEAH, JESUS GAVE UP HIS SOMEWHERE, SOMETHING, AND 46:32 SOMEONE FOR US. DID HE GIVE UP HIS SOMEWHERE? 46:37 CHRIST SAID, IN MATTHEW 8:20, "FOXES HAVE HOLES AND BIRDS OF 46:41 THE AIR HAVE NESTS, BUT THE SON OF MAN HAS NOWHERE TO LAY HIS 46:44 HEAD." JESUS, HE STAYED IN PETER'S 46:47 HOUSE, HE STAYED IN MARTHA'S HOUSE AND MATTHEW'S 46:51 HOUSE FOR FEASTS. HE HAD NOWHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD. 46:54 HE GAVE UP SOMEWHERE HERE ON THIS EARTH. 46:56 IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, THE BIBLE SAYS YOU ARE A PILGRIM AND YOU 46:59 ARE LOOKING FOR A BETTER INHERITANCE. 47:01 THIS IS NOT MY HOME. >>AMEN. 47:04 >>WE'RE JUST PASSING THROUGH. THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID. 47:06 JESUS SAID HE DOES HAVE A PLACE - 'IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY 47:10 MANSIONS AND I GO TO PREPARE WHAT? 47:13 A PLACE FOR YOU THERE.' BUT OUR PLACE IS NOT HERE SO DON'T LET 47:17 ANOTHER PLACE - I'VE GOT A PIECE OF LAND I'VE GOT TO GO LOOK AT. 47:21 HAVE ME EXCUSED.' SOMETHING ELSE. 47:26 WHAT DID JESUS HAVE? TELL ME ABOUT HIS POSSESSIONS. 47:32 2 CORINTHIANS 8:9, "FOR YOU KNOW THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS 47:36 CHRIST, THAT THOUGH HE WAS RICH, YET FOR YOUR SAKES HE BECAME 47:39 POOR, THAT YOU THROUGH HIS POVERTY MIGHT BECOME RICH." 47:43 WHEN JESUS WANTED TO MAKE AN ILLUSTRATION HE HAD TO BORROW A 47:46 COIN. 'DOES ANYONE HAVE A COIN? 47:48 I WANT TO TEACH' - HE COULDN'T PICK IN HIS OWN POCKET 47:50 AND GET HIS OWN COIN. AND THERE AT THE CROSS 47:52 THEY TOOK AWAY HIS ROBE. THAT WAS HIS ONLY EARTHLY 47:55 POSSESSION WAS THE CLOTHES HE WORE ON HIS BACK. 47:59 HE DIDN'T HAVE SOMEWHERE ELSE, HE DIDN'T HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, 48:02 AND HE DIDN'T HAVE SOMEONE ELSE. MATTHEW 12:48, JESUS ANSWERED 48:08 AND SAID TO THE ONE WHO TOLD HIM - JESUS GOT A MESSAGE: 'YOUR 48:11 MOTHER AND YOUR BROTHERS WANT TO SEE YOU.' HE WAS PREACHING. 48:15 JESUS SAID, 'NO, THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVEN MY OWN 48:17 MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS.' CHRIST SAID, 'WHO IS MY MOTHER AND WHO 48:22 ARE MY BROTHERS? AND HE STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND 48:24 TOWARD THE DISCIPLES AND SAID, 'HERE ARE MY MOTHERS AND MY 48:27 BROTHERS. WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN, HE IS MY 48:32 MOTHER AND MY BROTHER AND MY SISTER.' AND EVEN HIS OWN FRIEND 48:36 PETER, WHEN PETER TRIED TO TURN JESUS OFF THE MISSION OF THE 48:40 FEAST, JESUS TURNED TO PETER AND SAID, 'GET BEHIND ME, SATAN.' 48:44 THIS IS HIS FAVORITE APOSTLE - WELL, HIM OR JOHN. 48:48 'GET BEHIND ME, SATAN.' NOBODY WOULD COME BETWEEN JESUS AND 48:54 GOD'S WILL. THE BIBLE SAYS HE CAME UNTO HIS 48:57 OWN - JOHN 1:11 - 'AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT.' THEY WERE 49:00 NOT READY FOR THE MESSIAH. YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR US TO 49:06 COMPREHEND WHAT'S REALLY BEING SAID IN THIS PARABLE. 49:11 THE CLOSEST THING I CAN THINK OF IS IT'S LIKE - IT'S LIKE 49:15 SOMEBODY - YOU KNOW, I HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE WHO MEET THROUGH 49:18 ONLINE SOMEHOW, AND A GUY IN AMERICA FINDS A GIRLFRIEND THAT 49:30 SPEAKS ENGLISH IN RUSSIA AND THEY BEGIN TO TALK AND THEY FALL 49:36 IN LOVE ONLINE AND THEY E-MAIL A PHOTOGRAPH OF EACH OTHER AND 49:42 THEY TALK AND THEY THINK, 'OH, SHE'S SO ELOQUENT. 49:44 SHE'S SO LOVING. SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL. 49:46 AND WHO CAN FIND WORDS? IT MELTS MY HEART WHEN I SEE THE 49:49 WAY SHE COMMUNICATES AND HEAR ABOUT WHAT SHE DOES AND I THINK 49:53 I'D LIKE TO MARRY HER.' SO HE PROPOSES ONLINE AND SHE ACCEPTS. 50:01 AND HE SAYS, 'WHEN CAN YOU COME TO AMERICA?' 50:05 AND SHE SAYS, 'WELL, I CAN'T COME. 50:06 YOU'VE GOT TO COME HERE.' AND HE SAID, 'WELL, I'LL LOSE MY JOB 50:10 AND I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR 15 YEARS AND I'LL LOSE MY HOME 50:14 AND HE SAID, 'I CAN'T' - SHE SAYS, 'WELL, IF YOU LOVE ME - 50:19 BUT I CAN'T LEAVE MY FAMILY. I COULD NEVER LEAVE MY HOME 50:22 TOWN.' AND HE LOVES HER SO MUCH HE QUITS HIS JOB AND HE SELLS 50:27 HIS HOUSE, FLIES TO RUSSIA AND SHE DOESN'T SHOW UP TO 50:31 MEET HIM AT THE AIRPORT. HE GETS A TAXI AND GOES TO HER 50:34 HOUSE AND FINDS OUT - 'ARE YOU - I THOUGHT YOU WERE KIDDING. 50:37 YOU REALLY CAME? I'VE ACTUALLY GOT A PRETTY BUSY LIFE HERE. 50:40 I DON'T WANT TO GET MARRIED. 50:41 I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST ROMANCE ONLINE. 50:43 YOU'RE NOT - YOU WEREN'T SERIOUS, WERE YOU?' 50:47 NOW THIS GUY HAS JUST SACRIFICED EVERYTHING BECAUSE SHE ACCEPTED 50:50 THE INVITATION. AND TO BE SPURNED LIKE THAT - 50:56 HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF LOVE THAT TURNS TO HATE? 51:01 WELL, THIS IS WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO JESUS. 51:05 GOD SO LOVES THE WORLD, HE GIVES HIS SON. 51:08 I MEAN, HE SACRIFICES MORE THAN HIS HOUSE AND HIS JOB, HE COMES 51:12 FROM THE OTHER END OF THE UNIVERSE TO THIS DARK PLANET. 51:16 YOU'LL NEVER KNOW HOW DARK IT IS UNTIL YOU SEE THE OTHER WORLD. 51:19 AND HE DOES IT TO SAVE US AND THEN HIS PEOPLE - HIS CHURCH 51:22 SAYS, 'WE LOVE YOU, LORD. WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW YOU.' BUT 51:26 WHEN IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO SURRENDERING EVERYTHING TO 51:29 FOLLOW JESUS, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. IT'S ALL IN NAME ONLY. 51:34 WE DRAW NEAR WITH OUR MOUTHS, BUT OUR HEARTS ARE FAR AWAY. 51:39 AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH. 51:41 MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON - MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER PLACE 51:46 SOMEWHERE ELSE YOU WANT TO BE - SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S KEEPING 51:50 YOU FROM MAKING A COMPLETE SURRENDER AND SAYING, 'I WANT TO 51:54 BE IN THAT WEDDING FEAST. (MUSIC) 52:00 >>FRIENDS, WOULD YOU WIN SOULS IF YOU COULD? WELL, YOU CAN. 52:04 PLEASE PLAN NOW TO JOIN ME IN DOING SOME EVANGELISM THIS 52:08 WINTER. IT'S EASIER THAN YOU THINK. 52:10 PROPHECY ENCOUNTER WILL BE A MAJOR NEW 10-PART EVANGELISTIC 52:14 PROGRAM THAT'LL BE BROADCAST BY SATELLITE AND STREAMING ON THE 52:18 INTERNET TO HOMES OR CHURCHES NEAR YOU - HOPEFULLY YOUR HOME 52:21 OR CHURCH. FROM FEBRUARY 17 THROUGH 25, 52:25 I'LL BE PREACHING AN ALL-NEW OLD-FASHIONED EVANGELISM PROGRAM 52:29 FROM SANFORD, FLORIDA AND WE'LL BE USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY 52:32 AND FRESH ILLUSTRATIONS, SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS OPEN YOUR 52:35 CHURCHES - YOUR HOMES - INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BE FRIENDLY, 52:39 PRAY, AND LET THE POWER OF THE WORD DO THE WORK. 52:43 THE PROGRAMS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON 3ABN, AFTV, FACEBOOK, ROKU, 52:48 AND MORE. YOU'LL BE SURPRISED. 52:50 THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE REALLY 52:52 WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AND THEY'RE LOOKING 52:55 FOR ANSWERS. JESUS SAID, 'THE HARVEST IS 52:58 TRULY GREAT, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW. 53:00 SO PRAY, THEREFORE, THE LORD OF THE HARVEST WILL SEND LABORERS 53:03 OUT INTO HIS HARVEST.' YOU CAN BE ONE OF THEM. 53:07 SO I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN US AND BE PRAYING FOR THE 53:10 UPCOMING PROPHECY ENCOUNTER MEETINGS. 53:13 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK OUT WWW.PROPHECYENCOUNTER.COM 53:18 AND WHO KNOWS? YOU MIGHT BE REVIVED IN THE PROCESS. 53:21 (MUSIC) 53:35 >>YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION BEFORE, 'IF YOU 53:37 DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER IN TEXAS, JUST WAIT; IT'LL CHANGE.' AND 53:41 YOU'VE ALSO HEARD, 'EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS - THE 53:44 RANCHES, THE BELT BUCKLES, THE COWBOY HATS...' BUT THE MOST 53:48 FAMOUS SLOGAN ABOUT TEXAS IS 'REMEMBER THE ALAMO!' 53:56 THE VIOLENT BATTLES AND BRAVERY OF ICONIC HEROES, HAVE BEEN THE 53:59 STUFF OF LEGENDS, THROUGHOUT WHICH ENTIRE CULTURES OFTEN DRAW 54:02 THEIR IDENTITY AND PRIDE, EVEN LONG AFTER CENTURIES HAVE 54:06 PASSED. AND IN TEXAS, THE STORY OF THE ALAMO HAS BEEN A RALLYING 54:09 CRY OF TEXAS INDEPENDENCE FOR 200 YEARS. 54:13 ONE REASON THAT TEXANS LOVE TO BRAG THAT EVERYTHING IS BIGGER 54:16 IN TEXAS IS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE TEXAS IS THE LARGEST OF THE 54:19 LOWER 48 U.S. STATES. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS 54:23 MASSIVE STATE GOT ITS BEGINNING IN A VERY SMALL CHRISTIAN 54:27 MISSION DURING THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO. 54:30 EVERY YEAR THIS FAMOUS MISSION MUSEUM RECEIVES OVER TWO AND A 54:33 HALF MILLION VISITORS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE PLANET, THAT ARE 54:36 EAGER TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THIS LEGENDARY SITE. 54:40 THE ALAMO PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE TEXAS REVOLUTION. 54:44 IN DECEMBER 1835, TEXANS AND TEJANO VOLUNTEERS BATTLED 54:48 MEXICAN TROOPS QUARTERED IN THE CITY, FORCING GENERAL MARTIN 54:51 PERFECTO DE COS TO SURRENDER. THE VICTORIOUS VOLUNTEERS 54:55 THEN OCCUPIED THE ALAMO AND STRENGTHENED ITS DEFENSES. 54:59 FAMOUS AMERICANS LIKE DAVY CROCKETT, JIM BOWIE, AND COLONEL 55:02 WILLIAM TRAVIS MADE THIS LOCATION - THIS ANCIENT MISSION 55:06 - THE BEACHHEAD - THE LAST STAND IN AN EPIC BATTLE TO WIN 55:10 INDEPENDENCE OF TEXAS FROM MEXICO. 55:13 ON FEBRUARY 23, 1836, THE ARRIVAL OF GENERAL ANTONIO LOPEZ 55:18 SANTA ANA NEARLY CAUGHT THEM BY SURPRISE. 55:21 UNDAUNTED, THE TEXANS AND TEJANOS PREPARED TO DEFEND THE 55:24 ALAMO. FOR THIS SMALL RAG-TAG GROUP OF 55:27 REBELS, THE YOUNGEST OF WHOM WAS ABOUT SIXTEEN AND THE OLDEST 55:30 SEVENTY-FIVE, WAS AGAINST THE WELL-TRAINED AND ORGANIZED 55:33 MEXICAN ARMY OF SIX THOUSAND-PLUS SOLDIERS. 55:36 IT WAS A FIERCE AND LOPSIDED BATTLE, YET THE SMALL FORCE OF 55:39 REBELS WAS ABLE TO REPEL THE TROOPS FOR THIRTEEN DAYS. 55:45 LEGEND HOLDS THAT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL HELP 55:47 FADING, COLONEL TRAVIS DREW A LINE IN THE GROUND WITH A SWORD 55:51 AND ASKED ANY MAN WILLING TO STAY AND FIGHT TO STEP OVER THE 55:55 LINE. ALL EXCEPT ONE CROSSED OVER. 55:58 THE FINAL ASSAULT CAME BEFORE DAYBREAK. 56:01 ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 6, 1836, THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF THE SIEGE, 56:06 CANON AND SMALL ARMS FIRE FROM INSIDE THE ALAMO BEAT BACK 56:09 SEVERAL MEXICAN ATTACKS. REGROUPING, SANTA ANA'S SOLDIERS 56:14 SCALED THE WALLS AND RUSHED INTO THE COMPOUND. 56:17 THE DESPERATE STRUGGLE CONTINUED UNTIL THE DEFENDERS WERE 56:19 OVERWHELMED. BY SUNRISE, THE BATTLE HAD ENDED 56:23 AND THE GARRISON WAS SLAIN. YOU KNOW, HISTORIANS MAY DEBATE 56:26 SOME OF THE DETAILS REGARDING THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO, BUT 56:30 NONE OF THEM QUESTION THE INCREDIBLE SACRIFICE THAT WAS 56:32 MADE AND THE COURAGE THAT WAS DISPLAYED DURING THAT 56:34 INTENSE CONFLICT. THEY MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE 56:38 - GIVING THEIR LIVES - AND THIS IS WHY THE STORY OF THE ALAMO IS 56:41 SO INSPIRING AND SO ENCOURAGING, YOU KNOW, 56:44 AND THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE IS SO INSPIRING, FRIENDS, BECAUSE 56:47 SOMEONE WAS WILLING TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND GIVE HIS 56:49 LIFE SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE FREEDOM AND ETERNAL LIFE. 56:53 DON'T YOU THINK YOU COULD TRUST YOUR LIFE TO A FRIEND LIKE THAT, 56:56 THAT WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING? THE STORY OF THE GOSPEL IS A 56:59 STORY OF COURAGE AND HOPE. IT'S THE STORY OF GOD WHO WILL 57:02 NEVER LEAVE YOU WITHOUT DEFENSE AND SUPPORT. 57:05 JESUS IS THE GOOD NEWS AND THE GOSPEL IS A STORY WORTH 57:08 REMEMBERING. (MUSIC) 57:26 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 57:29 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 57:33 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 57:36 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST-DAY EVENTS OF 57:39 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 57:43 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 57:47 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 57:50 WORD. GO DEEPER. VISIT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 57:58 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES, VISIT 58:00 AFBOOKSTORE.COM . 58:03 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-01-25