WEBVTT
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Some churches hand out clipboards.
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Jesus hand out invitations.
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Some Christians think they're the bounters at God's wedding.
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And Jesus says most people are wrong.
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I'm Pastor Jason Mark, and this is the Bert Pastor of the Podcast.
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Maybe no one actually said anything to you.
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But you could tell from their stairs that everyone was measuring you.
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They're measuring your past, your parents, your mistakes, or whatever you had, or whether or not you had your life together.
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Well, if you've ever felt that way, I am so glad that you're listening to this episode.
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Welcome to the Dirt Pastor and Podcast.
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I'm Jason Barnett.
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The Dirt Path Pastor.
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Pastor Avengers and Bastron.
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Listen to this term and you're not actually gonna hear me on this one.
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It reminds us of a church sometimes forget.
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That's our job isn't to decide who belongs in God's kingdom.
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Our job is to carry the invitation and trust God to transform the people he welcomes.
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So whether you've been hurt by church, feel like you have to clean yourself up before coming to God, or simply want to better reflect the heart of Jesus.
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I think this message will encourage you and challenge you.
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Here's Nicole with Wedding Bouncers.
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That was awesome, George.
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If you have your Bibles, go ahead and turn with me to Matthew chapter 22.
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Um as we're turning there, I uh I have to laugh a little bit because Jason and I have shared numerous times about the fact that we like to cycle through shows.
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You know, we we love the familiar storylines, we they're predictable when our world just isn't.
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Um so it's one of those things that we we absolutely love doing, and and it is crazy how many sermon illustrations we get from those shows.
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And uh um, for example, Frasier.
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One of our shows is Fraser, and we love this show, it's it's stupid, it's it's you know, this guy is this amazing psychiatrist, and yet he's a moron when it comes to you know common sense.
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And one particular episode, Fraser and his brother Niles are taking Marty or Martin to out to dinner, and they have this plan to go to this high-end restaurant, but they call ahead to ask about their minimum dress code, and they find out that their reservation was never actually made.
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So instead they go to Martin's favorite restaurant, which is a place called the Timber Mill.
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And so Niles and Frazier, they're already dressed to the nines, they're in their suits and ties, and and Martin is in jeans and a flannel and tennis shoes, and they enter the timber mill, and the waitress stops them at the door and is like, sorry folks, you know, we have a dress code.
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And immediately Frazier and Miles are looking at each other and they're looking at their dad, and they're dressed nice and their dad's not, so they automatically assume it's their dad that that's breaking the dress code, and so they're like, you know, we're sorry, you know, his suit got dirty, and and before they can even finish their sentence, the waitresses come up with scissors and chop off their ties, and they yell out, Timber, and then their ties get tacked to the wall, and and Niles is absolutely appalled because his tie was a Hugo boss.
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Now, that's a designer tie in current currency, it would be a$200 tie, and they just chopped it off.
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So he's appalled, and then Martin's like, you know, cheer up, boys, you get a free dessert.
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Now that policy for the timber mill has always bothered me.
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Because not only did they have a dress code, but they damaged somebody's property.
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And the waitress wasn't making up the rules, that was just the way things were.
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But I just thought that was so bizarre because if your restaurant has a dress code, you can simply ask people to remove their ties.
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You don't destroy someone else's property, and let's face it, a piece of cheesecake isn't gonna pay for a$200 tie, it's not gonna replace it.
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And as long as that policy sounds, Jesus tells a story in Matthew 22 about another another dining arrangement and another dress code.
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And at first glance, this policy sounds very similar, it sounds a little outrageous, but as we'll see, the story really isn't about the dress code at all.
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In Matthew 22, beginning in verse 1, it says, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
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He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come.
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Again he sent other slaves, saying, Tell those who have been invited, look, the feast I have prepared for you is ready.
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My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready.
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Come to the wedding banquet.
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But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.
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And the rest seized the slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them.
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The king was furious and he sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire.
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And then he said to his slaves, The wedding is ready, but the ones who have been invited were not worthy.
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So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.
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And those slaves went out into the streets, gathered all they found, both good and bad.
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And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
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But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
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And he said to him, Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?
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But he had nothing to say.
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Then the man said to his attendants, tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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For many are called, but few are chosen.
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This is the word of God for the people of God.
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Thanks be to God.
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Now, let's first address the elephant in the room.
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You may look at this passage and think that king is so strict.
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I mean, he just invited people from the streets and expected them to be dressed to the nines for this wedding, right?
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I mean, he's saying invite everyone.
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And then he gets upset when there's somebody who's not dressed in wedding clothes.
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How can he expect someone pulled him from the streets to already be dressed for a royal wedding, right?
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Like that's that's how I felt when I read this story for the first time.
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And honestly, when I asked my pastor about it, he had no idea what to say.
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But then I was reading some commentaries about this passage, and I learned a little bit of the culture, and it's something that we as Americans, we as modern society, members of modern society, we do not understand.
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You see, in this day and age, it was customary for a royal family, if they were hosting a formal banquet or a wedding, to actually provide clothing for people who were unable to afford clothing for the event.
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And so, and so it wasn't so much that this man was not able to wear the clothes, it was that he had refused to wear the clothes.
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He had been given the opportunity, and so when the king came in and saw this man had gone through the preparation room without actually preparing for the wedding, he was kind of appalled.
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How insulting is that?
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So he got thrown out, and you know, maybe the man believed that he was good enough, he was dressed good enough.
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Maybe that was the case.
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But according to the king's standard, no.
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Because he's not dressed for a royal wedding.
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You know, maybe he thought the king's garments weren't good enough.
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Maybe they didn't suit him.
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That's the wrong color.
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I don't like that color, so I'm not gonna wear it.
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The king's response may seem strict, but it was not unjust.
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He wasn't punishing the man's poverty or the inability for this man to dress for the wedding.
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He was confronting the rejection of his provision.
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The guest wanted the privilege of attending the banquet without accepting the standard to attend.
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And that kind of changes the perception a little bit.
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Because again, when I look at the story and I think, why is the king being so strict?
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This man just came off the streets.
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If I don't know that the king was the one fixing fixing up the attire, I would think that the king was being a big mean bully.
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How dare you ask people to come to a wedding and expect them to dress the part and they can't afford it?
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Talk about privilege.
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But that was not the case.
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The king was extending generosity not only by inviting everyone and extending an open invitation to everyone the servants came across, but he was willing to equip them to be a part of his wedding feast.
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And let's face it, not everyone in here is married, but I know I was I am.
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And and I'll tell you, I was so annoyed when my biological brother showed up to my wedding in camo.
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I was dressed in this beautiful gown, and no, it wasn't a super formal wedding.
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I wasn't expecting black tie, but the guy showed up in camo cargo pants, a dirty camo jacket, and his hair and beard were completely uncovered.
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I was annoyed by that, and I was just like, thank god he's taking the pictures and he's not gonna be in that.
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It's unacceptable for someone to show up to a formal event in grungy clothes.
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I think we all can agree on that, right?
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I don't know, it's kind of safe to assume that if somebody did show up to our wedding in sweatpants, we might show up in the door.
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I don't know, unless they're family.
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But our focus today isn't actually on the dress code of the wedding.
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I just had to had to address that.
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Because that's what we tend to focus on when we look at this passage.
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We focus on the dress code.
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What's expected of the wedding guests?
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But our focus today instead is on the slaves, it's on the people that Jesus or that that the king sent out to bring people to the wedding celebration.
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You see, the king was excited to celebrate the wedding feast with those who profess a closeness with him and his son.
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These are people who had relationships with him.
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These are people who regularly said, Hey, I know the king.
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I'm I I'm like this with the king.
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And and instead, when when they got the invitation, they're like, I don't really want to go.
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I don't have time for that.
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Why went away to handle his farm?
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He had crops growing and he wanted to be in for the harvest and he didn't want to waste time at the wedding.
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Another went away to his business because you know he's a CEO of a mega corporation and he ain't got time for that.
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And others actually went out and were just like, you know what, you're hounding me.
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These slaves are annoying me, they're not worthy of my attention, so I'm just gonna kill them.
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So, you know, if they woke up and chose violence, the king was gonna respond in kind and burn down their burn their houses down.
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But again, that's not the point.
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The point is what happens after that.
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The king's looking at this empty wedding banquet, and he's like, we can't celebrate without people.
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How boring is a birthday party when nobody shows up?
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How devastating is it for a parent when you invite your kid's whole class to a birthday party and nobody comes.
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And this king has invited everyone to this wedding feast and nobody comes.
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He's looking at an empty banquet hall and saying, we gotta fill the seats.
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This is my boy's wedding.
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And so he tells his slaves, he's like, hey, go out and invite everyone.
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The good and the bad.
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If they come, I'll prepare or will prepare them for the wedding, and they can go into the banquet hall and enjoy the celebration.
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And so they go out and they invite everyone.
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Every street corner, every every person they saw, they invited them in.
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Like, hey, come to my master's wedding.
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Take part in this joyous celebration.
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They go out and invite everyone.
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It didn't matter if that person had a terrible reputation and they knew it, they invited them.
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It didn't matter if it was a cradle and they knew it.
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They invited them.
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Because the king commanded it.
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Go out and invite everyone.
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And that is where the focus lies because this the slaves went out gathering all.
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Both the good and the bad, the people who looked like they belonged in a wedding, and the people who didn't.
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They were told to invite everyone, the people loyal to the king, as well as the people critical of him.
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They were told to invite the wealthy and the impoverished, the honorable and the swindlers.
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There was no group.
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None that the king barred from an invitation.
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The slaves' instructions were direct.
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Don't assume worth, just invite.
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And they did just that.
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And when the guests made the decision to attend the wedding feast, the king provided them with whatever was necessary to make them presentable.
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The slaves were not told to invite people who looked the part.
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They were not told to tell people to go home and change.
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And then come to the wedding.
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And notice the king provided the clothes, not the slaves.
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The slaves were not responsible for making sure everybody was ready for the wedding feast.
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In other words, the king never appointed his servants to stand at the door and check wardrobes.
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Hence the reason why somebody got in.
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He needed wedding inviters.
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And that right there is what makes this parable so important.
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Because as we know, a parable is a story, right?
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It's not an actual situation.
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This didn't actually happen.
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It is a simple story that is trying to convey a message about God and his kingdom.
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So what message is Jesus trying to get his followers to understand what this story is?
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What message is Jesus trying?
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To get us two thousand years later to understand with this story.
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The message is simply this.
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We are not called to fix people.
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It's not my job.
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It's above my pay grade.
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We're not called to judge who needs fixing or how they need fixing.
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And we're not called to stand at the doors of the church and decide who's welcome in and who's not.
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We are called to carry the invitation into the highways and the streets and trust the king to prepare his guests.
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You see, far too often we as Christians tend to focus a little too much on who we believe is worthy.
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We talked about this in Sunday school.
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Where we like to look at somebody else's sin and say, that is so much worse than mine.
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I'm worthy, you're not.
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You have to clean yourself up first.
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You have to fix yourself before you will ever be welcome into the family of God.
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We're okay with inviting some people to church.
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We think, okay, they fixed this situation, so now they're ready to hear about Jesus.
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Now they're ready to accept the grace of God.
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For some reason, we look at people and decide that we need to help them get clean before we invite them into God's family.
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If I can just get them off drugs, then they will make a good addition to the church.
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But not until then.
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If I can just convince those two people who are living together but are not married to just get married, then it wouldn't be embarrassing for them to come to church.
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And if that person would stop using such vulgar language, then maybe it wouldn't be so uncomfortable for them to be in the church sanctuary.
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And we've stopped acting like servants and started acting like bouncers, ensuring that the riff raff don't come in.
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But that's not our job.
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That is not a wholly sanctioned position.
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Our job is not to determine which clothes need to be changed before somebody's acceptable.
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Our job is simply to invite everyone.
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Because while there is a dress code for holiness, there is no dress code for the preparation room.
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And that's what this is.
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This is the preparation room.
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There is no dress code, physical, mental, or spiritual, for people to be welcome in the doors of this church.
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Emily, I'm gonna pick on you because I love you.
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Emily is wearing pajama bottoms today.
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Guess what?
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That is totally fine.
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Lincoln's up there wearing this cowboy hat.
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Guess what?
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Totally fine.
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There is nothing wrong with people coming in to this church as they are.
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Amen.
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There is nothing wrong with people coming into this church in clothing that makes them feel comfortable because this is where God takes over.
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This is where God prepares the heart.
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And you know what?
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He doesn't he doesn't care what somebody's wearing.
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There is no dress code for someone to be invited.
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Physical, mental, spiritual, there is none.
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Everyone is welcome.
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And in the preparation room, the king changes their clothes.
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And he dresses them in what he deems fit, not what the slaves deem fit.
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There are no prerequisites to come into church and to be welcomed into the family of God.
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There are no steps someone must take before they can step up to the altar.
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And there is no actual dress code to enter the church family because God says to invite everyone.
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But here's the thing: we actually take on two roles in this parable.
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We're the slaves, yes.
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We are called to invite everyone.
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But we're also the people in the preparation room.
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We are also the ones who have been invited.
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We have entered into the preparation room to participate in the wedding feast.
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And the king is providing the clothing.
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He is changing us and preparing us according to his purpose.
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He is taking our flesh and transforming it.
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He is turning us into a reflection of him.
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And you know it's different for everyone.
00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:12.000
Because for some, he's removing the shoes that are so quick to rush into anger.
00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:17.920
For some, he's removing the sunglasses that are blocking the truth.
00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:28.000
For others, he's removing the shirt that blocks the heart and keeps people separated from one another.
00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:39.839
And he's removing the dirty gloves of hands that thought their actions were enough.
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:48.319
Little by little, he is taking our rags and giving us new garments.
00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:57.440
He's correcting habits and attitudes and situations that stand in the way of a right relationship with him.
00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:15.440
And as long as we let him, as long as we are willing to be transformed when he says something needs to be changed, we will be ready for that wedding feast.
00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:32.160
But the issue is some of us will respond saying, I'm okay the way I am.
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:37.920
We have entered the preparation room, but we don't want to change.
00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:47.039
Well, I like those shoes too much.
00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:53.279
They give me, they give me a justification to be angry when somebody offends me.
00:31:55.599 --> 00:32:01.599
Those glasses are important to me because they keep me from having to change my mind when I see the truth.
00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:12.799
We use phrases to keep from changing.
00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:18.160
Phrases like, I am entitled to my own opinion.
00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:22.960
Or I'm too set in my ways.
00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:31.359
You know the phrase, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:33.440
That's a lie.
00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:35.759
That's a lie.
00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:46.160
Because God, when he gets a hold of somebody's heart, can teach, can make that old, rotten, stubborn heart brand new.
00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:53.279
So, no, you're not too set in your ways.
00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:56.000
You just don't want to change.
00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:03.920
We use phrases like, I'm entitled to live however I want.
00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:09.039
And if you love me, you'll tolerate it.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:13.920
And if God loves me, he won't try to change me.
00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:24.000
And we refuse God's transforming grace.
00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:32.720
And so when we attempt to enter that wedding feast, we're going to be greeted at the door by our king.
00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:36.240
And he's going to ask, why aren't you ready?
00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:39.519
Why aren't you dressed for the wedding?
00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:51.440
Church, we cannot make that mistake.
00:33:55.200 --> 00:34:00.559
We cannot let our stubbornness, our pride, our vanity get in the way of being transformed.
00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:08.000
But church, we also need to understand that it is God that does the transformation.
00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.119
It ain't me.
00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:19.599
And if God is not telling somebody to change their clothes or that part of their outfit, then my opinion doesn't matter.
00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.960
I'm just a slave.
00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:32.400
When the king offers you new garments, you need to wear them.
00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:37.599
When he calls you to lay something aside, do it.
00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:49.599
And when he clothes you with his grace, his righteousness, and his holiness, receive them with gratitude.
00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:56.719
And ask his servants, never forget your assignment.
00:34:58.079 --> 00:35:01.679
Don't spend your life deciding who looks ready for the banquet.
00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:09.440
Spend your life carrying the invitation to everyone.
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:15.760
Your political rival.
00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:22.960
That annoying neighbor that keeps encroaching on your property.
00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:32.559
That annoying kid that sits across the classroom from you.
00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:30.480
They cut off the ties and then they hand them the slice of cheesecake.
00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:34.480
As if that somehow made up for it.
00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:43.039
You know, they took something from Fraser and Niles.
00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:46.000
But they didn't replace it.
00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:50.239
And that's how we are when we go around judging somebody's appearance.
00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:56.400
When we go around judging somebody's somebody's lifestyle, when we go around judging somebody's habits.
00:36:57.920 --> 00:37:01.199
We're pointing out that they are wrong.
00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:10.320
We're cutting off their ties, and then we're saying, and here's a slice of cheesecake of my acceptance.
00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:12.480
That's not enough.
00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:14.320
That's not replacement.
00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:27.039
The kingdom of God works differently.
00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:32.880
The king asks us to lay something down, but he never leaves us empty-handed.
00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:40.559
When he removes our pride, he replaces it with humility.
00:37:42.079 --> 00:37:46.960
When he takes away our bitterness, he replaces it with forgiveness.
00:37:52.239 --> 00:37:58.639
And when he strips away our self-righteousness, he replaces it with his righteousness.
00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:12.559
When he asks us to surrender our old garments, he doesn't leave us naked, he replaces them with something better.
00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:26.960
But there's another contrast between the timber mill and the kingdom of God.
00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:33.199
See the waitress stood at that at the door with a pair of scissors.
00:38:34.880 --> 00:38:39.039
And every person who entered, she decided if they fit.
00:38:43.280 --> 00:38:46.960
She decided if they looked like they belonged.
00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:52.880
And then she enforced the dress code.
00:38:54.800 --> 00:38:59.280
And she cut away everything she thought didn't belong.
00:39:03.679 --> 00:39:08.239
And too many Christians have become spiritual versions of that waitress.
00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:15.440
We've become our own little wedding bouncers.
00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:24.239
We stand at the king's door looking people up and down and deciding who belongs and what has to change before they're welcome.
00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:29.199
You need to quit that first.
00:39:30.159 --> 00:39:32.559
You need to clean up your life first.
00:39:34.639 --> 00:39:39.679
You need to look more like us and dress more like us, and then you're welcome first.
00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:47.840
But that was never our job as Christians.
00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:57.840
The king never handed us the wardrobe, and he never granted us the scissors.
00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:04.000
He handed us invitations and sent us out.
00:40:05.039 --> 00:40:06.480
That's our job.
00:40:06.719 --> 00:40:08.639
To go out with invitations.
00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:12.159
Our job is very simple.
00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:15.599
Invite everyone.
00:40:18.400 --> 00:40:24.000
Invite the good, but invite the bad.
00:40:27.039 --> 00:40:28.559
Invite the broken.
00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:35.119
Invite the religious, yes, but also invite the skeptic.
00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:38.960
Invite the addict.
00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:42.719
Invite the wealthy, invite the poor.
00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:46.000
Invite the cohabitating.
00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:59.119
Invite the lesbian, the transgender, the invite the prostitute.
00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:12.639
Invite everyone.
00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:19.440
And trust trust the king to dress his own guests.
00:41:22.559 --> 00:41:25.840
Because God has not called us to be bouncers.
00:41:28.719 --> 00:41:33.519
He has called us to carry the invitations with open arms into the world.
00:41:41.280 --> 00:41:44.960
And you know, I don't know where each of us is at today.
00:41:45.280 --> 00:41:49.840
I can make assumptions, but again, that's just me being a bouncer.
00:41:59.280 --> 00:42:03.679
Maybe maybe we are the bouncers.
00:42:03.760 --> 00:42:14.639
Maybe we're trying to bar the door and prevent people from coming in who don't look like us or sound like us or believe like us or or vote like us.
00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:26.639
But this is the preparation room.
00:42:27.760 --> 00:42:35.920
And maybe God is telling us to take off the bouncer clothes and put on clothes of this of a slave who's going to welcome people.
00:43:00.719 --> 00:43:06.880
We don't know how to surrender the clothes that have become so complex.
00:43:18.400 --> 00:43:20.880
So we we hold on to it.
00:43:22.159 --> 00:43:24.000
And we need to let that go.
00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:45.280
Or maybe we're not even weary because we invite them in and it's somebody drives a mouth and says, Do you know what the part here?
00:43:45.920 --> 00:43:47.440
So we're getting angry.
00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:11.920
Maybe we never replaced the invitations in our hands that are designed to cut people down.
00:45:20.000 --> 00:45:21.280
I invite you all.
00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:22.800
I invite everyone here.
00:45:22.960 --> 00:45:27.920
I invite myself to be the faithful slate.
00:45:34.960 --> 00:45:36.079
Pray with me.
00:45:43.039 --> 00:45:48.480
Maybe you are listening while driving to work, sitting on your porch, or walking through your neighborhood.
00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:52.960
Wherever you are, I want you to know that this moment can be holy.
00:45:53.840 --> 00:46:01.599
Maybe Nicole's message reminds you of a time when you felt like you had to earn God's love or prove yourself before you could belong.
00:46:02.239 --> 00:46:06.480
Maybe someone made you feel like you had to clean yourself up before you could come to Jesus.
00:46:07.599 --> 00:46:13.519
Or maybe you've caught yourself standing at the king's door with a pair of scissors instead of carrying his invitations.
00:46:14.880 --> 00:46:18.320
Whichever one of these ascribes you, hear this good news.
00:46:19.760 --> 00:46:22.320
The king is still inviting people to his banquet.
00:46:22.960 --> 00:46:30.480
His invitation is for the broken, for the skeptical, for the religious, for the addict, for the doubter, and the faithful and the wandering.
00:46:30.719 --> 00:46:34.719
His invitation is for everyone, including you.
00:46:35.920 --> 00:46:38.400
So don't wait until you have your life together.
00:46:39.199 --> 00:46:40.639
Come to Jesus today.
00:46:40.880 --> 00:46:43.440
Let him forgive what needs forgiving.
00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:45.840
Let him heal what needs healing.
00:46:46.079 --> 00:46:48.480
Let him change what needs changing.
00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:52.880
The King's invitation has never depended on your ability to prepare yourself.
00:46:53.119 --> 00:46:55.199
It has always depended on his grace.
00:46:55.599 --> 00:46:57.199
Now would you pray with me?
00:46:57.519 --> 00:47:03.440
Lord, thank you for inviting us into your family when we had nothing to offer but ourselves.
00:47:03.760 --> 00:47:11.840
Thank you for loving us before we ever deserved it, and for clothing us with the righteousness of Christ instead of expecting us to earn it.
00:47:12.400 --> 00:47:15.679
Forgive us for the times we've judged others before loving them.
00:47:16.239 --> 00:47:21.280
Forgive us for the times we've acted like gatekeepers instead of servants carrying your invitation.
00:47:22.159 --> 00:47:24.880
Give us eyes to see people the way you see them.
00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:29.599
Give us courage to invite people without prejudice, fear, or hesitation.
00:47:30.079 --> 00:47:35.679
And as we follow you, continue transforming us into the people you've created us to be.
00:47:36.159 --> 00:47:45.760
And may our churches become places where grace is experienced, truth is proclaimed, and every person is invited to discover the hope found in Jesus Christ.
00:47:46.000 --> 00:47:48.400
We ask this all in the name of Jesus.
00:47:48.719 --> 00:47:49.360
Amen.
00:47:49.840 --> 00:47:52.079
Well, today's message encouraged you.
00:47:52.400 --> 00:47:54.800
Would you consider sharing this episode with someone?
00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:59.519
You never know who needs to hear that God's invitation is still open to them.
00:47:59.840 --> 00:48:03.199
If you'd like someone to pray with you, I'd love to pray with you.
00:48:03.360 --> 00:48:12.559
You can reach out through the links in the show notes or contact us through the through the dirtpath um Facebook page or the RavNaz website.
00:48:12.880 --> 00:48:17.599
Um you can also email me at dirtpathpastor at gmail.com.
00:48:17.840 --> 00:48:21.599
That's dirtpath, all one word, all overcase at gmail.com.
00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:22.079
Email me.
00:48:22.159 --> 00:48:24.800
I'd love to chat with you.
00:48:25.840 --> 00:48:30.400
And if you'd like to support this ministry, um, I encourage you to do two things.
00:48:30.559 --> 00:48:34.800
Subscribe to Dirt Pastorman Podcast, so that way you never miss a new message.
00:48:35.119 --> 00:48:48.159
And also, you can support this ministry, but just know every time you you donate to this ministry, every dollar we receive from the podcast is given directly to the emergency relief ministry of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries.
00:48:48.400 --> 00:48:56.639
You see, when disaster strikes around the world, families living in poverty often have no insurance, no savings, and nowhere to turn.
00:48:56.880 --> 00:49:06.639
So your support helps Nazarene Compassionate Ministries provide food, clean water, shelter, and hope to people whose lives have been turned upside down by crisis.
00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:11.679
And together, we can help remind people that they have not been forgotten.
00:49:11.920 --> 00:49:16.880
Well, thank you for listening today, and remember, don't stand at the king's door with a pair of scissors.
00:49:17.119 --> 00:49:23.280
Carry his invitation with open hands and an open heart, trusting him to do what only he can do.
00:49:23.519 --> 00:49:27.679
Until next time, grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus.
00:49:29.920 --> 00:49:32.880
Thank you for listening to this episode of the Raven Passment Podcast.
00:49:33.039 --> 00:49:43.199
It's recorded live the Ravina Church Nasserie, located at 533.com.
00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:47.519
If you'd like to send me a message, just simply use the link in the show.
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.680
Some churches hand out clipboards.
00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.480
Jesus hand out invitations.
00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:10.560
Some Christians think they're the bounters at God's wedding.
00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:13.679
And Jesus says most people are wrong.
00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:17.519
I'm Pastor Jason Mark, and this is the Bert Pastor of the Podcast.
00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.719
Maybe no one actually said anything to you.
00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:34.159
But you could tell from their stairs that everyone was measuring you.
00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:41.040
They're measuring your past, your parents, your mistakes, or whatever you had, or whether or not you had your life together.
00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:45.280
Well, if you've ever felt that way, I am so glad that you're listening to this episode.
00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:47.120
Welcome to the Dirt Pastor and Podcast.
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:48.480
I'm Jason Barnett.
00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:50.480
The Dirt Path Pastor.
00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:52.159
Pastor Avengers and Bastron.
00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:57.359
Listen to this term and you're not actually gonna hear me on this one.
00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:11.120
It reminds us of a church sometimes forget.
00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:16.560
That's our job isn't to decide who belongs in God's kingdom.
00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:22.319
Our job is to carry the invitation and trust God to transform the people he welcomes.
00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:31.120
So whether you've been hurt by church, feel like you have to clean yourself up before coming to God, or simply want to better reflect the heart of Jesus.
00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:34.960
I think this message will encourage you and challenge you.
00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:37.759
Here's Nicole with Wedding Bouncers.
00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:48.479
That was awesome, George.
00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:56.159
If you have your Bibles, go ahead and turn with me to Matthew chapter 22.
00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:09.039
Um as we're turning there, I uh I have to laugh a little bit because Jason and I have shared numerous times about the fact that we like to cycle through shows.
00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:16.319
You know, we we love the familiar storylines, we they're predictable when our world just isn't.
00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:26.719
Um so it's one of those things that we we absolutely love doing, and and it is crazy how many sermon illustrations we get from those shows.
00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:32.639
And uh um, for example, Frasier.
00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:45.520
One of our shows is Fraser, and we love this show, it's it's stupid, it's it's you know, this guy is this amazing psychiatrist, and yet he's a moron when it comes to you know common sense.
00:03:46.240 --> 00:04:09.439
And one particular episode, Fraser and his brother Niles are taking Marty or Martin to out to dinner, and they have this plan to go to this high-end restaurant, but they call ahead to ask about their minimum dress code, and they find out that their reservation was never actually made.
00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:20.319
So instead they go to Martin's favorite restaurant, which is a place called the Timber Mill.
00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:45.600
And so Niles and Frazier, they're already dressed to the nines, they're in their suits and ties, and and Martin is in jeans and a flannel and tennis shoes, and they enter the timber mill, and the waitress stops them at the door and is like, sorry folks, you know, we have a dress code.
00:04:46.639 --> 00:05:30.079
And immediately Frazier and Miles are looking at each other and they're looking at their dad, and they're dressed nice and their dad's not, so they automatically assume it's their dad that that's breaking the dress code, and so they're like, you know, we're sorry, you know, his suit got dirty, and and before they can even finish their sentence, the waitresses come up with scissors and chop off their ties, and they yell out, Timber, and then their ties get tacked to the wall, and and Niles is absolutely appalled because his tie was a Hugo boss.
00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:41.439
Now, that's a designer tie in current currency, it would be a$200 tie, and they just chopped it off.
00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:49.439
So he's appalled, and then Martin's like, you know, cheer up, boys, you get a free dessert.
00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:05.519
Now that policy for the timber mill has always bothered me.
00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:14.879
Because not only did they have a dress code, but they damaged somebody's property.
00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:21.279
And the waitress wasn't making up the rules, that was just the way things were.
00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:32.319
But I just thought that was so bizarre because if your restaurant has a dress code, you can simply ask people to remove their ties.
00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:46.800
You don't destroy someone else's property, and let's face it, a piece of cheesecake isn't gonna pay for a$200 tie, it's not gonna replace it.
00:06:50.639 --> 00:07:04.480
And as long as that policy sounds, Jesus tells a story in Matthew 22 about another another dining arrangement and another dress code.
00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:16.319
And at first glance, this policy sounds very similar, it sounds a little outrageous, but as we'll see, the story really isn't about the dress code at all.
00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:29.839
In Matthew 22, beginning in verse 1, it says, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:36.160
He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come.
00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:43.759
Again he sent other slaves, saying, Tell those who have been invited, look, the feast I have prepared for you is ready.
00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:48.800
My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready.
00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:51.040
Come to the wedding banquet.
00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:58.800
But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.
00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:06.639
And the rest seized the slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them.
00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:16.160
The king was furious and he sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire.
00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:22.800
And then he said to his slaves, The wedding is ready, but the ones who have been invited were not worthy.
00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:28.000
So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.
00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:34.080
And those slaves went out into the streets, gathered all they found, both good and bad.
00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:37.279
And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:43.679
But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:48.240
And he said to him, Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?
00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:50.480
But he had nothing to say.
00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:58.960
Then the man said to his attendants, tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:02.240
For many are called, but few are chosen.
00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:05.039
This is the word of God for the people of God.
00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:06.720
Thanks be to God.
00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.840
Now, let's first address the elephant in the room.
00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:19.200
You may look at this passage and think that king is so strict.
00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:26.399
I mean, he just invited people from the streets and expected them to be dressed to the nines for this wedding, right?
00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:30.080
I mean, he's saying invite everyone.
00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:34.960
And then he gets upset when there's somebody who's not dressed in wedding clothes.
00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:40.960
How can he expect someone pulled him from the streets to already be dressed for a royal wedding, right?
00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:46.799
Like that's that's how I felt when I read this story for the first time.
00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:52.960
And honestly, when I asked my pastor about it, he had no idea what to say.
00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:13.360
But then I was reading some commentaries about this passage, and I learned a little bit of the culture, and it's something that we as Americans, we as modern society, members of modern society, we do not understand.
00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:35.840
You see, in this day and age, it was customary for a royal family, if they were hosting a formal banquet or a wedding, to actually provide clothing for people who were unable to afford clothing for the event.
00:10:50.879 --> 00:11:07.039
And so, and so it wasn't so much that this man was not able to wear the clothes, it was that he had refused to wear the clothes.
00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:19.120
He had been given the opportunity, and so when the king came in and saw this man had gone through the preparation room without actually preparing for the wedding, he was kind of appalled.
00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:21.039
How insulting is that?
00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:34.159
So he got thrown out, and you know, maybe the man believed that he was good enough, he was dressed good enough.
00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:37.360
Maybe that was the case.
00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:40.320
But according to the king's standard, no.
00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:44.320
Because he's not dressed for a royal wedding.
00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:52.720
You know, maybe he thought the king's garments weren't good enough.
00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:54.480
Maybe they didn't suit him.
00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:56.639
That's the wrong color.
00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:59.039
I don't like that color, so I'm not gonna wear it.
00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:06.960
The king's response may seem strict, but it was not unjust.
00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:15.360
He wasn't punishing the man's poverty or the inability for this man to dress for the wedding.
00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:20.639
He was confronting the rejection of his provision.
00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:29.679
The guest wanted the privilege of attending the banquet without accepting the standard to attend.
00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:37.840
And that kind of changes the perception a little bit.
00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:43.519
Because again, when I look at the story and I think, why is the king being so strict?
00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:45.440
This man just came off the streets.
00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:54.799
If I don't know that the king was the one fixing fixing up the attire, I would think that the king was being a big mean bully.
00:12:54.879 --> 00:13:00.639
How dare you ask people to come to a wedding and expect them to dress the part and they can't afford it?
00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:04.799
Talk about privilege.
00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:09.360
But that was not the case.
00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:26.639
The king was extending generosity not only by inviting everyone and extending an open invitation to everyone the servants came across, but he was willing to equip them to be a part of his wedding feast.
00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:39.840
And let's face it, not everyone in here is married, but I know I was I am.
00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:50.320
And and I'll tell you, I was so annoyed when my biological brother showed up to my wedding in camo.
00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:59.200
I was dressed in this beautiful gown, and no, it wasn't a super formal wedding.
00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:10.399
I wasn't expecting black tie, but the guy showed up in camo cargo pants, a dirty camo jacket, and his hair and beard were completely uncovered.
00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:16.320
I was annoyed by that, and I was just like, thank god he's taking the pictures and he's not gonna be in that.
00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:32.240
It's unacceptable for someone to show up to a formal event in grungy clothes.
00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:34.960
I think we all can agree on that, right?
00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:51.919
I don't know, it's kind of safe to assume that if somebody did show up to our wedding in sweatpants, we might show up in the door.
00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:57.519
I don't know, unless they're family.
00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.440
But our focus today isn't actually on the dress code of the wedding.
00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:09.200
I just had to had to address that.
00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.879
Because that's what we tend to focus on when we look at this passage.
00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:14.799
We focus on the dress code.
00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:17.519
What's expected of the wedding guests?
00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:31.440
But our focus today instead is on the slaves, it's on the people that Jesus or that that the king sent out to bring people to the wedding celebration.
00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:39.519
You see, the king was excited to celebrate the wedding feast with those who profess a closeness with him and his son.
00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:42.799
These are people who had relationships with him.
00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:46.799
These are people who regularly said, Hey, I know the king.
00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:49.440
I'm I I'm like this with the king.
00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:59.120
And and instead, when when they got the invitation, they're like, I don't really want to go.
00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.639
I don't have time for that.
00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:09.120
Why went away to handle his farm?
00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:15.039
He had crops growing and he wanted to be in for the harvest and he didn't want to waste time at the wedding.
00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:32.720
Another went away to his business because you know he's a CEO of a mega corporation and he ain't got time for that.
00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:40.480
And others actually went out and were just like, you know what, you're hounding me.
00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:45.039
These slaves are annoying me, they're not worthy of my attention, so I'm just gonna kill them.
00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:58.879
So, you know, if they woke up and chose violence, the king was gonna respond in kind and burn down their burn their houses down.
00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:01.679
But again, that's not the point.
00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:04.400
The point is what happens after that.
00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:13.200
The king's looking at this empty wedding banquet, and he's like, we can't celebrate without people.
00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:18.559
How boring is a birthday party when nobody shows up?
00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:27.759
How devastating is it for a parent when you invite your kid's whole class to a birthday party and nobody comes.
00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:37.519
And this king has invited everyone to this wedding feast and nobody comes.
00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:41.920
He's looking at an empty banquet hall and saying, we gotta fill the seats.
00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:45.599
This is my boy's wedding.
00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:53.119
And so he tells his slaves, he's like, hey, go out and invite everyone.
00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:57.119
The good and the bad.
00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:14.960
If they come, I'll prepare or will prepare them for the wedding, and they can go into the banquet hall and enjoy the celebration.
00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:19.279
And so they go out and they invite everyone.
00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:25.440
Every street corner, every every person they saw, they invited them in.
00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:29.039
Like, hey, come to my master's wedding.
00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:33.920
Take part in this joyous celebration.
00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.880
They go out and invite everyone.
00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:48.240
It didn't matter if that person had a terrible reputation and they knew it, they invited them.
00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:54.160
It didn't matter if it was a cradle and they knew it.
00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.839
They invited them.
00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:58.880
Because the king commanded it.
00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:01.839
Go out and invite everyone.
00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:11.759
And that is where the focus lies because this the slaves went out gathering all.
00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:21.359
Both the good and the bad, the people who looked like they belonged in a wedding, and the people who didn't.
00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:30.240
They were told to invite everyone, the people loyal to the king, as well as the people critical of him.
00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:40.400
They were told to invite the wealthy and the impoverished, the honorable and the swindlers.
00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:45.519
There was no group.
00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:54.400
None that the king barred from an invitation.
00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.279
The slaves' instructions were direct.
00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:05.839
Don't assume worth, just invite.
00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:11.119
And they did just that.
00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:21.119
And when the guests made the decision to attend the wedding feast, the king provided them with whatever was necessary to make them presentable.
00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:29.200
The slaves were not told to invite people who looked the part.
00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:35.279
They were not told to tell people to go home and change.
00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:39.519
And then come to the wedding.
00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:53.519
And notice the king provided the clothes, not the slaves.
00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:02.880
The slaves were not responsible for making sure everybody was ready for the wedding feast.
00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:11.519
In other words, the king never appointed his servants to stand at the door and check wardrobes.
00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:13.680
Hence the reason why somebody got in.
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:21.920
He needed wedding inviters.
00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:30.000
And that right there is what makes this parable so important.
00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.920
Because as we know, a parable is a story, right?
00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:37.440
It's not an actual situation.
00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:39.680
This didn't actually happen.
00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:46.799
It is a simple story that is trying to convey a message about God and his kingdom.
00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:57.680
So what message is Jesus trying to get his followers to understand what this story is?
00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.759
What message is Jesus trying?
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.960
To get us two thousand years later to understand with this story.
00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.799
The message is simply this.
00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:18.480
We are not called to fix people.
00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:21.920
It's not my job.
00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.839
It's above my pay grade.
00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:32.880
We're not called to judge who needs fixing or how they need fixing.
00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:43.200
And we're not called to stand at the doors of the church and decide who's welcome in and who's not.
00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:57.599
We are called to carry the invitation into the highways and the streets and trust the king to prepare his guests.
00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:08.319
You see, far too often we as Christians tend to focus a little too much on who we believe is worthy.
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:10.799
We talked about this in Sunday school.
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:17.200
Where we like to look at somebody else's sin and say, that is so much worse than mine.
00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:19.440
I'm worthy, you're not.
00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:27.279
You have to clean yourself up first.
00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:32.079
You have to fix yourself before you will ever be welcome into the family of God.
00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:45.920
We're okay with inviting some people to church.
00:23:55.119 --> 00:24:01.039
We think, okay, they fixed this situation, so now they're ready to hear about Jesus.
00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:06.960
Now they're ready to accept the grace of God.
00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:26.079
For some reason, we look at people and decide that we need to help them get clean before we invite them into God's family.
00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:36.240
If I can just get them off drugs, then they will make a good addition to the church.
00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:37.839
But not until then.
00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:54.480
If I can just convince those two people who are living together but are not married to just get married, then it wouldn't be embarrassing for them to come to church.
00:24:57.119 --> 00:25:06.319
And if that person would stop using such vulgar language, then maybe it wouldn't be so uncomfortable for them to be in the church sanctuary.
00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:40.720
And we've stopped acting like servants and started acting like bouncers, ensuring that the riff raff don't come in.
00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:47.440
But that's not our job.
00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:02.480
That is not a wholly sanctioned position.
00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:17.599
Our job is not to determine which clothes need to be changed before somebody's acceptable.
00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:22.559
Our job is simply to invite everyone.
00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:30.480
Because while there is a dress code for holiness, there is no dress code for the preparation room.
00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:32.319
And that's what this is.
00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:34.799
This is the preparation room.
00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:44.400
There is no dress code, physical, mental, or spiritual, for people to be welcome in the doors of this church.
00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:50.559
Emily, I'm gonna pick on you because I love you.
00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:55.599
Emily is wearing pajama bottoms today.
00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:58.799
Guess what?
00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:01.599
That is totally fine.
00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:05.519
Lincoln's up there wearing this cowboy hat.
00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:06.400
Guess what?
00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:08.079
Totally fine.
00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:14.240
There is nothing wrong with people coming in to this church as they are.
00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.160
Amen.
00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:34.960
There is nothing wrong with people coming into this church in clothing that makes them feel comfortable because this is where God takes over.
00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:39.200
This is where God prepares the heart.
00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:40.240
And you know what?
00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:43.839
He doesn't he doesn't care what somebody's wearing.
00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:58.799
There is no dress code for someone to be invited.
00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:06.160
Physical, mental, spiritual, there is none.
00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:10.880
Everyone is welcome.
00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:20.400
And in the preparation room, the king changes their clothes.
00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:28.160
And he dresses them in what he deems fit, not what the slaves deem fit.
00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:41.279
There are no prerequisites to come into church and to be welcomed into the family of God.
00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:46.480
There are no steps someone must take before they can step up to the altar.
00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:55.440
And there is no actual dress code to enter the church family because God says to invite everyone.
00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:08.559
But here's the thing: we actually take on two roles in this parable.
00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:14.240
We're the slaves, yes.
00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:16.880
We are called to invite everyone.
00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:20.960
But we're also the people in the preparation room.
00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:25.119
We are also the ones who have been invited.
00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:35.279
We have entered into the preparation room to participate in the wedding feast.
00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:38.319
And the king is providing the clothing.
00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:47.359
He is changing us and preparing us according to his purpose.
00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:52.160
He is taking our flesh and transforming it.
00:29:55.920 --> 00:30:00.160
He is turning us into a reflection of him.
00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:06.000
And you know it's different for everyone.
00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:12.000
Because for some, he's removing the shoes that are so quick to rush into anger.
00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:17.920
For some, he's removing the sunglasses that are blocking the truth.
00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:28.000
For others, he's removing the shirt that blocks the heart and keeps people separated from one another.
00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:39.839
And he's removing the dirty gloves of hands that thought their actions were enough.
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:48.319
Little by little, he is taking our rags and giving us new garments.
00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:57.440
He's correcting habits and attitudes and situations that stand in the way of a right relationship with him.
00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:15.440
And as long as we let him, as long as we are willing to be transformed when he says something needs to be changed, we will be ready for that wedding feast.
00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:32.160
But the issue is some of us will respond saying, I'm okay the way I am.
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:37.920
We have entered the preparation room, but we don't want to change.
00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:47.039
Well, I like those shoes too much.
00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:53.279
They give me, they give me a justification to be angry when somebody offends me.
00:31:55.599 --> 00:32:01.599
Those glasses are important to me because they keep me from having to change my mind when I see the truth.
00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:12.799
We use phrases to keep from changing.
00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:18.160
Phrases like, I am entitled to my own opinion.
00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:22.960
Or I'm too set in my ways.
00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:31.359
You know the phrase, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:33.440
That's a lie.
00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:35.759
That's a lie.
00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:46.160
Because God, when he gets a hold of somebody's heart, can teach, can make that old, rotten, stubborn heart brand new.
00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:53.279
So, no, you're not too set in your ways.
00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:56.000
You just don't want to change.
00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:03.920
We use phrases like, I'm entitled to live however I want.
00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:09.039
And if you love me, you'll tolerate it.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:13.920
And if God loves me, he won't try to change me.
00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:24.000
And we refuse God's transforming grace.
00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:32.720
And so when we attempt to enter that wedding feast, we're going to be greeted at the door by our king.
00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:36.240
And he's going to ask, why aren't you ready?
00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:39.519
Why aren't you dressed for the wedding?
00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:51.440
Church, we cannot make that mistake.
00:33:55.200 --> 00:34:00.559
We cannot let our stubbornness, our pride, our vanity get in the way of being transformed.
00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:08.000
But church, we also need to understand that it is God that does the transformation.
00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.119
It ain't me.
00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:19.599
And if God is not telling somebody to change their clothes or that part of their outfit, then my opinion doesn't matter.
00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.960
I'm just a slave.
00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:32.400
When the king offers you new garments, you need to wear them.
00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:37.599
When he calls you to lay something aside, do it.
00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:49.599
And when he clothes you with his grace, his righteousness, and his holiness, receive them with gratitude.
00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:56.719
And ask his servants, never forget your assignment.
00:34:58.079 --> 00:35:01.679
Don't spend your life deciding who looks ready for the banquet.
00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:09.440
Spend your life carrying the invitation to everyone.
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:15.760
Your political rival.
00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:22.960
That annoying neighbor that keeps encroaching on your property.
00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:32.559
That annoying kid that sits across the classroom from you.
00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:30.480
They cut off the ties and then they hand them the slice of cheesecake.
00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:34.480
As if that somehow made up for it.
00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:43.039
You know, they took something from Fraser and Niles.
00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:46.000
But they didn't replace it.
00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:50.239
And that's how we are when we go around judging somebody's appearance.
00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:56.400
When we go around judging somebody's somebody's lifestyle, when we go around judging somebody's habits.
00:36:57.920 --> 00:37:01.199
We're pointing out that they are wrong.
00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:10.320
We're cutting off their ties, and then we're saying, and here's a slice of cheesecake of my acceptance.
00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:12.480
That's not enough.
00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:14.320
That's not replacement.
00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:27.039
The kingdom of God works differently.
00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:32.880
The king asks us to lay something down, but he never leaves us empty-handed.
00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:40.559
When he removes our pride, he replaces it with humility.
00:37:42.079 --> 00:37:46.960
When he takes away our bitterness, he replaces it with forgiveness.
00:37:52.239 --> 00:37:58.639
And when he strips away our self-righteousness, he replaces it with his righteousness.
00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:12.559
When he asks us to surrender our old garments, he doesn't leave us naked, he replaces them with something better.
00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:26.960
But there's another contrast between the timber mill and the kingdom of God.
00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:33.199
See the waitress stood at that at the door with a pair of scissors.
00:38:34.880 --> 00:38:39.039
And every person who entered, she decided if they fit.
00:38:43.280 --> 00:38:46.960
She decided if they looked like they belonged.
00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:52.880
And then she enforced the dress code.
00:38:54.800 --> 00:38:59.280
And she cut away everything she thought didn't belong.
00:39:03.679 --> 00:39:08.239
And too many Christians have become spiritual versions of that waitress.
00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:15.440
We've become our own little wedding bouncers.
00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:24.239
We stand at the king's door looking people up and down and deciding who belongs and what has to change before they're welcome.
00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:29.199
You need to quit that first.
00:39:30.159 --> 00:39:32.559
You need to clean up your life first.
00:39:34.639 --> 00:39:39.679
You need to look more like us and dress more like us, and then you're welcome first.
00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:47.840
But that was never our job as Christians.
00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:57.840
The king never handed us the wardrobe, and he never granted us the scissors.
00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:04.000
He handed us invitations and sent us out.
00:40:05.039 --> 00:40:06.480
That's our job.
00:40:06.719 --> 00:40:08.639
To go out with invitations.
00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:12.159
Our job is very simple.
00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:15.599
Invite everyone.
00:40:18.400 --> 00:40:24.000
Invite the good, but invite the bad.
00:40:27.039 --> 00:40:28.559
Invite the broken.
00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:35.119
Invite the religious, yes, but also invite the skeptic.
00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:38.960
Invite the addict.
00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:42.719
Invite the wealthy, invite the poor.
00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:46.000
Invite the cohabitating.
00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:59.119
Invite the lesbian, the transgender, the invite the prostitute.
00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:12.639
Invite everyone.
00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:19.440
And trust trust the king to dress his own guests.
00:41:22.559 --> 00:41:25.840
Because God has not called us to be bouncers.
00:41:28.719 --> 00:41:33.519
He has called us to carry the invitations with open arms into the world.
00:41:41.280 --> 00:41:44.960
And you know, I don't know where each of us is at today.
00:41:45.280 --> 00:41:49.840
I can make assumptions, but again, that's just me being a bouncer.
00:41:59.280 --> 00:42:03.679
Maybe maybe we are the bouncers.
00:42:03.760 --> 00:42:14.639
Maybe we're trying to bar the door and prevent people from coming in who don't look like us or sound like us or believe like us or or vote like us.
00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:26.639
But this is the preparation room.
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And maybe God is telling us to take off the bouncer clothes and put on clothes of this of a slave who's going to welcome people.
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We don't know how to surrender the clothes that have become so complex.
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So we we hold on to it.
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And we need to let that go.
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Or maybe we're not even weary because we invite them in and it's somebody drives a mouth and says, Do you know what the part here?
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So we're getting angry.
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Maybe we never replaced the invitations in our hands that are designed to cut people down.
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I invite you all.
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I invite everyone here.
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I invite myself to be the faithful slate.
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Pray with me.
00:45:43.039 --> 00:45:48.480
Maybe you are listening while driving to work, sitting on your porch, or walking through your neighborhood.
00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:52.960
Wherever you are, I want you to know that this moment can be holy.
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Maybe Nicole's message reminds you of a time when you felt like you had to earn God's love or prove yourself before you could belong.
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Maybe someone made you feel like you had to clean yourself up before you could come to Jesus.
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Or maybe you've caught yourself standing at the king's door with a pair of scissors instead of carrying his invitations.
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Whichever one of these ascribes you, hear this good news.
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The king is still inviting people to his banquet.
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His invitation is for the broken, for the skeptical, for the religious, for the addict, for the doubter, and the faithful and the wandering.
00:46:30.719 --> 00:46:34.719
His invitation is for everyone, including you.
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So don't wait until you have your life together.
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Come to Jesus today.
00:46:40.880 --> 00:46:43.440
Let him forgive what needs forgiving.
00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:45.840
Let him heal what needs healing.
00:46:46.079 --> 00:46:48.480
Let him change what needs changing.
00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:52.880
The King's invitation has never depended on your ability to prepare yourself.
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It has always depended on his grace.
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Now would you pray with me?
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Lord, thank you for inviting us into your family when we had nothing to offer but ourselves.
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Thank you for loving us before we ever deserved it, and for clothing us with the righteousness of Christ instead of expecting us to earn it.
00:47:12.400 --> 00:47:15.679
Forgive us for the times we've judged others before loving them.
00:47:16.239 --> 00:47:21.280
Forgive us for the times we've acted like gatekeepers instead of servants carrying your invitation.
00:47:22.159 --> 00:47:24.880
Give us eyes to see people the way you see them.
00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:29.599
Give us courage to invite people without prejudice, fear, or hesitation.
00:47:30.079 --> 00:47:35.679
And as we follow you, continue transforming us into the people you've created us to be.
00:47:36.159 --> 00:47:45.760
And may our churches become places where grace is experienced, truth is proclaimed, and every person is invited to discover the hope found in Jesus Christ.
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We ask this all in the name of Jesus.
00:47:48.719 --> 00:47:49.360
Amen.
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Well, today's message encouraged you.
00:47:52.400 --> 00:47:54.800
Would you consider sharing this episode with someone?
00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:59.519
You never know who needs to hear that God's invitation is still open to them.
00:47:59.840 --> 00:48:03.199
If you'd like someone to pray with you, I'd love to pray with you.
00:48:03.360 --> 00:48:12.559
You can reach out through the links in the show notes or contact us through the through the dirtpath um Facebook page or the RavNaz website.
00:48:12.880 --> 00:48:17.599
Um you can also email me at dirtpathpastor at gmail.com.
00:48:17.840 --> 00:48:21.599
That's dirtpath, all one word, all overcase at gmail.com.
00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:22.079
Email me.
00:48:22.159 --> 00:48:24.800
I'd love to chat with you.
00:48:25.840 --> 00:48:30.400
And if you'd like to support this ministry, um, I encourage you to do two things.
00:48:30.559 --> 00:48:34.800
Subscribe to Dirt Pastorman Podcast, so that way you never miss a new message.
00:48:35.119 --> 00:48:48.159
And also, you can support this ministry, but just know every time you you donate to this ministry, every dollar we receive from the podcast is given directly to the emergency relief ministry of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries.
00:48:48.400 --> 00:48:56.639
You see, when disaster strikes around the world, families living in poverty often have no insurance, no savings, and nowhere to turn.
00:48:56.880 --> 00:49:06.639
So your support helps Nazarene Compassionate Ministries provide food, clean water, shelter, and hope to people whose lives have been turned upside down by crisis.
00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:11.679
And together, we can help remind people that they have not been forgotten.
00:49:11.920 --> 00:49:16.880
Well, thank you for listening today, and remember, don't stand at the king's door with a pair of scissors.
00:49:17.119 --> 00:49:23.280
Carry his invitation with open hands and an open heart, trusting him to do what only he can do.
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Until next time, grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus.
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Thank you for listening to this episode of the Raven Passment Podcast.
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It's recorded live the Ravina Church Nasserie, located at 533.com.
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If you'd like to send me a message, just simply use the link in the show.
