You are invited to the Party of Faith

Rev. Harriette Cross First United Methodist Church of Wilmington October 15, 2023 Matthew 22:1-14 You are invited to the party of faith 20th Sunday after Pentecost Year A Prelude Welcome Call to Worship L: You have been invited to a special feast. P: We need more details, for our schedules are very busy. L: This is celebration of commitment between God and God’s people. P: Maybe next time, we have other plans. What is God going to do if we don’t come? L: Your response is noted. There are many others who would be delighted to come, even on a last minute notice. God looks forward to greeting them and celebrating with them. P: Will we get a second chance? God forgive us for placing our schedules and other plans before coming to your celebration L: Patient and persistent God, we are grateful that even when we get sidetracked, you are with us. Be in our hearts and spirits today as we learn of your love through creation. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer Lord of diversity and union, we call upon you this day to open our hearts to your love, our ears to your words, our eyes to see the needs of those both near and far, and our spirits to do your will. Be with us and give us courage and inspiration for the future of your world, O Lord. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Song Lord Listen to your Children Praying TFWS 2193 Children’s Sermon Greet children, with plenty of fun “party props” such as hats, streamers, balloons, gift wrap, noisemakers, etc. Hello, children of God! Look at all of this fun stuff! I’m ready to go to a party…have you ever been invited to a party before? I love birthday parties, and I also enjoy Christmas parties, or welcome home parties or going away parties, or…well, any kind of celebration, really! What do you like about going to parties? (Allow for quick responses.) I like getting cake, or playing games, or having a good time with people…and you know what I really love? I love getting goody bags! Isn’t it fun to take home free treats after a party? Well, it just so happens I have a goody bag here. There are some great little items inside… (Remove several small toys or treats from the bag. Lastly, take out a cross) Well, this is interesting. I don’t usually see these in birthday party treat bags, do you? Hmm… Well, in our Gospel story today, there was a party of sorts going on. Jesus told a parable about a man who was having a big party for his son. The man throwing the party was the king, and his son was getting married and having a feast. The king sent out a whole bunch of invitations to people, but a lot of them said no. They refused his invitation and rejected going to the special feast, with silly excuses. Nobody wants to go to a party with no people, right? So instead, the king went out into the streets and invited anyone and everyone to his feast. All they had to do was put on a special piece of clothing to be presentable. A lot of people got to go to the party! But some people refused to wear the special clothing. Because of that, they couldn’t stay at the feast. What does this mean for us? The parable was an explanation of how God invites us to be part of His Heavenly family. God wants everyone to be at the “party” of Heaven. And we don’t have to do anything special to do that! All it takes is accepting the free gift of salvation. Our “wedding garment” is the blood of Jesus. As long as we recognize His sacrificial death and what it means for us, our lives can be changed and made new. That’s much better than a goody bag! Because of Jesus, we are all invited to share in God’s grace. Anyone can believe and receive new life. We can also share that news and invite other people to be part of God’s family. The Gospel is a powerful and wonderful gift for all! Why don’t we thank God for that right now? Let’s pray: Children’s Prayer Moment (Have kids repeat each line) Dear God, Thank you for inviting us into your family Help us to reach out and invite others Thank you for clothing us with Christ Thank you for your love We love you, God! In Jesus name, Amen! (Ministry to Children – Kristin Schmidt) A LITANY PRAYER FOR PEACE (adapted from the United Methodist Book of Worship, #520) Jesus, Prince of Peace, hear our prayers for all the peoples of the world. Deliver us from every evil that opposes your will for peace. From the curse of war and all that creates it, O Lord, deliver us. From willful ignorance and selfish isolation, O Lord, deliver us. From fear and distrust of those not like us, O Lord, deliver us. From false pride and self-justifications, O Lord, deliver us. From the lust for riches, power and status, O Lord, deliver us. From a poverty of compassion and lives of shallow love, O Lord, deliver us. From putting our trust in the weapons of war and from want of faith in the power of justice and good will. O Lord, deliver us From every thought, word, and deed which that the human family and separates us from the perfect realization of your love Forgive us and heal us, O Lord, that we may live daily in your image. Amen Passing of the Peace Scripture Matthew 22:1-14 Sermon You are invited to the party of faith My son’s first field trip was in kindergarten, they went to the Kenosha County zoo. At the time, my son was staying with my mother, I had just moved back into town. We were both in contact with his school, and when this field trip came up, I thought it was a perfect way to bond with him. The teacher asked for parent chaperones. I was so excited when the teacher sent home chaperone instructions, and it said that we needed to have a bagged lunch just like the kids. I had memories of going on field trips as a child and my mom would pack all of my favorite snacks in the bag, so that I would have fun things to eat all day. So, on the day before the trip, I had so much fun going to the store buying things for my lunch. I was young, so I had to be economincal as well. I remember buying Wonder bread, and mayonnaise and stuff to put on the sandwich, picking out the cookies, and they had a sale on pop. You did not get pop every day for lunch, but remember, on field trip days you would get one. And in order to keep it cold all day, your mom would wrap it in foil. I even had to buy the baggies and paper bags to put the lunch in. I was so excited, I went home and fixed my lunch and put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold. On the day of the trip. You had to put your name on the bag so that you could get it back for lunch. When lunch time time came, each chaperone got a group of kids that they had to eat with and there was a list of questions that we had to ask to help the kids process the trip. I remember I had a group of all boys, and as I am trying to connect with them and talk, I open my bag and realized that there was not one thing there that I was actually going to eat. I don’t eat white bread, don’t eat cold food, don’t eat store bought cookies, and I was not going to drink the 15cent generic pop that had no flavor. I closed the bag and told the boys that I would not be eating today – and I had to go hungry. The funny thing is, I realized – that I knew I wasn’t going to eat anyof that stuff when I went to the store and bought it. I knew I didn’t want it when I prepared it. And yet for some reason, I really believed in my head, that by putting all of that stuff in a brown paper bag and taking it to the zoo – that somehow things were going to change. I was going to eat – things that I know I don’t even like. I tell that story as an allegory – a story with a truth and a lesson about life. I think that is how a lot of us go to church. After it is over, we go home hungry and unfulfilled. We say – I didn’t really get anything out of church, church doesn’t move me, church is boring, church doesn’t mean anything to me. And we are convinced that it is all about the church, and not about the attiude that we bought with us when we walked in the door. We don’t think about what it is that we put in our brown paper bag to feed of when we came. If we bought preconceinved notions, expectations of people, disappointments, and frustrations with us – that is what we are going to experience while we are here. If we come with questions then we are going to leave with questions, if we dome dobtful, then we are going to leave doubtful, if we come suspicious, then we are going to leave suspicious. If we remember to pack joy, peace, and an open mind, and a willingness to meet God in a fresh new way – we don’t have to be surprised when we find it. In today’s lesson – that is what Jesus does – he tells us an allegory about real life – he tells us the story about the king’s son’s wedding. Everyone is invited – but no one want to come. This is the party of the the year, of a lifetime – where only the elite of the elite would come to be seen. And no one comes. At least in Luke’s version of the story – people give excuses why they cant come – they have family obligations, they have to work, they are sick. In Matthew’s version – they just don’t show up. Matthew gives us a glimpse of what life is like in his world. We all know that Jesus tends to be peaceful and tells us to stay away from violence. And yet Matthew takes the liberty to add his commentary to the story. This story takes place with very violent undertones – first, the people who give the invitation are killed by the people, and then the king goes out and kills them and destroys their city. This is a very important detail in light of current events. Matthew is telling this story in the midst of a revolution – so he wants us to understand the conditions. In spite of all of the violence going on – the wedding continues. Things are a little different, but the wedding still goes on. The guest list is different – not just the elite, but anybody and every body The story teaches us, or at this point reminds us that God extends an invitation to everyone to come into God’s presence. We can come as we are. And yet Matthew makes it very clear that the invitation is not just to come and show up. God Enjoys AND Enjoins Us- Matthew 22:1-14 by Leonard Sweet Director/actor Woody Allen is known for a lot of quotes. But maybe his most famous quote is this one. Anyone want to guess what it is? “Ninety percent of life is just showing up.” But Woody Allen is famously wrong. Ninety percent of life is what we do AFTER we show up. Why do we want to believe Allen’s computations so badly? We eagerly embrace Woody’s calculus because it takes us off the hook for all but ten percent of our lifetime of screw-ups, fall-flats, and melt-downs. It is easy to just “be there.” It is much harder to be there for the long haul, the hard times, the big tests, the final curtain. Just “showing up” at your wedding might get you married, but it doesn’t build a living, loving, fighting, mortgage paying, in-law juggling, overdrawn, children challenged, lifetime relationship. Just “showing up” at the birth of your child might make you a “parent,” but it does not make you a changing diapers, up-all-night, learning dinosaur names, cheering at rain-soaked side-lines, doing Algebra homework, enforcing curfews, saving for college, Mom or Dad. Just “showing up” at church every Sunday morning might make you a member-in-good-standing, but it does not automatically put feet on your faith. G. K. Chesterton used to say that “Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.” To be a Christian takes action; it takes a day-to-day commitment to follow Jesus wherever he leads… Put on Your Party Hat In her novel A Thousand Acres Jane Smiley shows readers a highly dysfunctional family which nevertheless attended churcheach Sunday. Yet this is how the novel's narrator sums up this religious practice: "We came to church to pay our respects, not to give thanks." When faith becomes a compartment of life instead of life's vibrant center, when you're just stopping off to put in your time or pay your respects, squeezing God in between everything else that you clearly value much more highly, then you reveal yourself as an ill-clad impostor. You haven't put on a festive wedding garment, you're still refusing to wear that funny party hat because you fail to realize that the kingdom of God is a high, holy, hilarious feast thrown by a king who has prepared the best of everything. Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations In Jesus’ allegory – there is more violence in the wedding. A guy shows up without party clothes and not only is he put out he is tied up and thrown into hell. Apparently hell is right outside of the doors of the party. In light of present event, I would wonder if it was obvious in the way that he was dressed that he was a spy or something. But I also know that in other stories, that the proper attire at a wedding was important. If you read through the new testament – you will see that proper attire is important to our faith. Maybe that is where the tradition of wearing your Sunday best comes from. But the clothes that the bible talks about is usually in our hearts. Clothing and Spiritual Change Clothing is a common New Testament metaphor for spiritual change. Paul wrote in Romans, "Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Rom 13:14). And in First Corinthians, "The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:53). In Colossians, we read, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12). Finally, in First Peter we are admonished, "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'" (1 Peter 5:5). Being clothed anew is a consistent New Testament expression for holiness and righteousness. The old clothes have to come off and new ones put on. This text confronts us with the paradox of God's free invitation to the banquet with no strings attached and God's requirement of "putting on" something appropriate to that calling. The theological point is that we are warned of the dire consequences of accepting the invitation and doing nothing except showing up. Mickey Anders, When Showing Up Isn't Enough I have a new respect for Matthew – I have always felt that the book of Matthew could be a little harsh in it’s lessons. But perhaps that was just the world that Matthew lived in, and he was just trying to give us a glimpse of the difficulties that he was facing. The last line of our scripture says – Many are invited, but few are chosen. That does not sound very hospitable – what does that mean? It means that God extends grace to all of us – but we have to be careful – because grace is not cheap. – nor is it to be taken for granted. If We Miss a Deadline A tough, old cowhand sauntered into a saloon and began drinking whiskey by the bottle. The more he drank, the more unruly he became, shooting holes in the ceiling and floor. Everybody was afraid to take on the old cowhand. Finally, a short, mild-mannered storekeeper walked up to the unruly cowhand and said, "I'll give you five minutes to get out of town." The old cowhand holstered his gun, pushed the whiskey bottle away, briskly walked out, got on his horse, and rode out of town. When he left, someone asked the storekeeper what he would have done if the unruly cowhand had refused to go. "I'd have extended the deadline," he said. Many Christians have that concept of God: if we miss a deadline, God will simply extend it. They do not take the judgment of God seriously. "I sin, God forgives," is their attitude. They wallow in what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls "cheap grace." Grace is not cheap. Grace can be understood only as it stands in relief of God's judgment. God examines us and finds us unfit, unprepared for the wedding feast. But by faith in Jesus Christ - Christ, who gave himself for the expiation of our sins - we are made recipients of God's unconditional acceptance of us as worthy, fully dressed. But that grace has been dearly purchased. Our sins are serious business. It is only because of God's great love for us that God forgives us of our sins and dresses us in new, more appropriate clothes. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, Sermons.com We are all invited to God’s party. It is not just about lunch in a brown paper bag – it is a feast, a feast of a lifetime. We will not be disappopinted. But when we show up, we have to be active participants – not just looking for love and peace, but finding it in our hearts. Rhoda Boggs, The Strawberry Lady, touring with a theater company in Leningrad several years ago, was quoted as giving this report of a visit to a Christian Church in that Russian City. This was while communisim still reigned over that nation. I’m tore to pieces. I’ve been going to church since I could walk, but I’ve never known Jesus like I knew him today. Oh child, he was there – he was out in the open. He was written on every face. He was singin with us, and you’ve never heard such singin. It was old people mostly, and old people can’t sing like that unless Jesus us helping them along. And then the pastor asked that we, the black members of the cast our sing a spiritual. And they listened so quiet, all those rows and rows of faces lookin at us like were were telling them that nobody’s alone, that Jesus is everywhere on this earth – which is a fact they know already, but it seems to me they were glad to hear about it. Anybody doubts the existence of our savior, he should have been there. Well it came time to go and you know what happened? They stood up. The whole congregation stood us and they took out white handerkercheifs and they waved them in the air and they sand God be with you till we meet again. The tears just pouring down their faces, theirs and ours. Oh child it really churned me up. May the Jesus we have in our heart, show up in our worship in our faces and in our lives. Amen. Song I want Jesus to Walk with me UMH 521 Prayers of the People (Just print the title, I will read) Gracious God, we thank you for all that you provide and the blessings we receive daily from you. We know that, at times, we feel hopeless amid so much uncertainty in our world, but we trust you, O God, to bring us peace. And to give us comfort when we are overwhelmed with anxiety. Please help us be calm in the chaos around us and give us the strength to overcome. Gracious God, we bring all our concerns, doubts, and insecurities with the confidence that you are walking with us and guiding us with your Holy Spirit. Mold us into the vessels you want us to be, full of hope and joy. Gracious God, we lift prayers for the homeless, the hungry, the lonely, the rejected, those left behind, and all suffering injustice in our community and the world. Hear their cries for healing, wholeness, and acceptance, O loving God. Gracious God, we ask that your Holy Spirit accompany and protect our brothers and sisters in communities dealing with violence and hatred. We pray for continued strength and courage for all being persecuted by society. Let us not be afraid to stand boldly to speak against all hate and violence. God, you call us beloved, even when we stand in the face of violence and fear. Please help us to continue to be agents for transformation and equity. Gracious God, help us live according to your word’s mandates that call us to love one another as you love us. Help to show mercy and offer compassion and forgiveness to all in our care. Help us acknowledge when we have not been good stewards or loving to our neighbor or the stranger. Gracious God, we pray that our hearts will be open to the change that needs to happen here on earth so your Sovereignty will be a reality and all your creation will sing your praises. Please help us to see each other as gifts from you. Let us enthusiastically embrace your love to share the good news with those who need to hear and receive your amazing grace. Amen. ( United Church of Christ, Worship Ways, Rev. Persida Rivera-Mendez) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment (use your own experience to share in this moment, or utilize this more generic statement) Many people participating in church life began learning about stewardship as children. Part of learning about money and sharing our money came from parents (and others), teaching about tithing, or about regularly setting aside “first fruits” to contribute to the weekly offering. Paul, writing to the believers in Phillipi, urged them to “keep on doing the things you have learned and received and heard and seen…” We might encourage the same for each one here, today. You may have learned as a child, or it may have been when you began your life in the church. When, and from whom, did you learn about sharing financially? Who urged you to keep on doing the things you learned? Paul reminds the early Christians when they keep on doing what they’ve learned, “the God of peace will be with you.” And I’ll second that! When I regularly do what I have learned about giving generously to the life of this congregation, I delight in my awareness of the God of peace giving me a sense of inner peace. Let me encourage you to try it! Here’s your opportunity, as we receive our morning gifts, tithes and offerings. Prayer of Thanksgiving Gift-giving God, thank you for the abundance you share with your beloved sons and daughters! We ask you now to receive what has been offered here – a portion of what you have first given us. Accept our gifts. Help us put them to their best use. And encourage us to grow in our capacity to be more like you, so each of us might regularly offer the best we have to help build up your Realm here and now. AMEN. (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Let us go from this place trusting that God is with us and for us in every place. May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of God, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit be with you and abide with you this day and forever- more. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, John Wurster) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Build a fire under us and within us, O Lord. Enable us to joyfully go into your world to serve your people and in doing so serve you also. Go in peace, dear friends. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations Sermon Opener - The King’s Reception (What Are you Wearing to the Wedding?) Perhaps you have heard of the family that moved into the neighborhood and the little country church decided to reach out to the family. When they arrived at the doorstep the members of the church were surprised to find that the family had 12 kids and were for the most part poor. They invited the family to services and said goodbye. Later that week the church responded to their need. They delivered a package to the family and said, "We want you to know that you and your entire family are welcome at our church anytime. We have bought you these gifts and we want you to feel comfortable and at ease in our congregation. We hope you can use these," and they left. The family opened the package to find 14 suits of clothing, beautiful clothes for every member of the family. Sunday came and the congregation waited for the family, and they waited. The family never showed. Wondering what could have possibly happened, after lunch the members of the church returned to the home and found the family just getting back, all dressed in their new clothes. ”We don’t mean to be nosey but we would like to know what happened. We had hoped to see you this morning in church,” the leader of the church inquired. The father spoke up. He said, “Well, we got up this morning intending to come. And we sure do appreciate your invitation. But after we showered, shaved, and dressed, why we looked so proper we went to the Episcopal Church.” That's a funny way of talking about a serious problem. Invitations are sent to many to come to church but so few people respond. It's frustrating. Many of you have reached out to neighbors or friends and asked them to come to church and you know all too well the disappointment, how few respond. Maybe that is why we find this morning’s parable so familiar… All Night Long . . . Some years ago, a friend of mine from church pulled me out into the parking lot to listen to a tape in her car. Darlene Malmo wanted me to hear her favorite Lionel Ritchie song. There was this song about life being like a party, “all night long.” She said, “I am going to party all night long with God.” That is what being a Christian is. Some Christian say that it is not right to have such a mood of happiness and joy. Especially when there is so much starvation. When there is so much hunger. When there is so much suffering in the world, it is not right to be happy. But that is not true. I think of the hymn, “This Is My Father’s World” and the great words to that hymn. “This is my father’s world, o let me ne’ver forget. That though the wrong be oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my father’s world, o let my heart by glad, for the Lord is king, let the heavens ring. God reigns, let the earth be glad.” Yes, in this world there is so much suffering and so much starvation, but it is also a banquet. Joy, in the middle of suffering, is at the core of being a Christian. Edward F. Markquart, Excuses to Avoid a Wedding Humor: No, I’m Just Seasick The writer Bill Henderson recalls meeting a man aboard a cruise ship who claimed to be an expert in guessing professions. "See that man over there," he said. "He is a physician." Bill checked and sure enough that was right. "How could you tell?" he asked the man. "Well," he said, "I saw the caring lines on his forehead and could tell he was a person of great compassion." Bill Henderson pointed to someone else and said, "What about him? What does he do?" "That's a lawyer," the expert said. Bill checked and sure enough, he was. The expert explained that the man had a scholarly look and was somewhat formal, indicating an attorney. Then Bill pointed to another man. The expert studied him and said, "That's a preacher." Bill approached the man and asked, "Are you a preacher?" "No," said the man. "I'm just seasick; that's the reason I look so sad." How strange that many Christians have a long-faced reputation. Jesus could not have been that way; if he had been, children would not have clung to him so readily. Bill Bouknight, Collected Sermons, Sermons.com Our Hope, Our Terror Several summers ago I spent three days on a barrier island where loggerhead turtles were laying their eggs. One night while the tide was out, I watched a huge female heave herself up on the beach to dig her nest and empty her eggs into it. Afraid of disturbing her, I left before she had finished. The next morning I returned to see if I could find the spot where her eggs lay hidden in the sand. What I found were her tracks leading in the wrong direction. Instead of heading back out to sea, she had wandered into the dunes, which were already as hot as asphalt in the morning sun. A little ways inland I found her: Exhausted, all but baked, her head and flippers caked with dried sand. After pouring water on her and covering her with sea oats, I fetched a park ranger who returned with a jeep to rescue her. He flipped her on her back, wrapped tire chains around her front legs, and hooked the chains to a trailer hitch on his jeep. Then I watched horrified as he took off, yanking her body forward so that her mouth filled with sand and her neck bent so far back I thought it would break. The ranger hauled her over the dunes and down onto the beach. At the ocean's edge, he unhooked her and turned her right side up. She lay motionless in the surf as the water lapped at her body, washing the sand from her eyes and making her skin shine again. A wave broke over her; she lifted her head slightly, moving her back legs. Other waves brought her further back to life until one of them made her light enough to find a foothold and push off, back into the ocean. Watching her swim slowly away and remembering her nightmare ride through the dunes, I reflected that it is sometimes hard to tell whether you are being killed or saved by the hands that turn your life upside down. Our hope, through all our own terrors, is that we are being saved. But this does not mean we lie down before the terrors. For as long as we have strength to fight, it is both our nature and our privilege to do so. Sometimes God's blessing does not come until daybreak, after a full night of emptying ourselves and wandering in the wrong direction. Our job is to struggle with the terrors, neither surrendering nor stealing away until they have yielded their blessings. Barbara Brown Taylor, The Other Side – Tales of Terror, Times of Wonder There was a doctor who received a call late at night to come to the hospital. Someone was near death and needed a physician's attention or death was certain. The hospital was 30 miles away in another town. The doctor dressed and took off in his car. At a stoplight a man jumped into his car, pulled a gun, and told the doctor to get out. "I need your car. Get out," was all he said. The doctor got out and had to find another way to get to the hospital. When he finally arrived the nurse met him and told him the woman just died. "You are too late, Doctor. But would you go and say a word to the husband. He is weeping uncontrollably in the family lounge." When the doctor entered the lounge he found the husband in a corner. To his great surprise he discovered that the husband was the very man who pulled the gun on him because he needed his car. Sometimes we push out of our lives the very thing that can help us. It might be the church, it might be the Bible, Christian friends, a nudge to make a clear commitment. It might be taking the step of accepting the invitation to the marriage feast. George S. Johnson, Critical Decisions in Following Jesus, CSS Publishing Company _______________________________ Everyone Is Invited The writer Drew Duke recalled from her childhood her second grade Valentine's Day party. Several days earlier a big decorated box had been placed at the front of the room by the teacher. It had a slit in the top. Each student had been invited to bring valentines addressed to friends and to drop them into the box. Then on Valentine's Day, one student was designated by the teacher as the postman to distribute the cards. Earlier that week Drew's mother had bought a package of 35 valentine cards. Drew asked her, "Why did you buy so many?" She replied, "So you can give one to each person in your class." "No ma'am," Drew said, "We don't do it that way. We only give cards to our special friends. I only need four cards. I don't even like some of the people in my class." Her mother said nothing else. Drew signed four cards and put the names on the front. Everybody was excited when the Valentine's Party began. The girl designated as postman began calling the names and handing out the cards. Some very popular children got bunches of cards. Drew heard her name called quite often and was having a wonderful time. But then she became aware that the little girl sitting in front of her had received no cards. Her head was drooping lower and lower. Then suddenly the postman called this little girl's name and delivered to her one valentine. Her face lit up like morning sunshine. She tore open that valentine, hurrying to see who had cared enough to send it. Drew looked over her shoulder and saw that it was signed "Your secret admirer." The little girl smiled and glanced around the room, wondering who it could be. "But", said Drew, "I knew who it was but I didn't tell. I recognized my mother's handwriting." Her mother had obtained a class roster and had sent a card to every child in the class. Drew learned from her mother what her mother learned from God: that God's love reaches even the unlovely, and everybody is invited to God's party! Bill Bouknight, Collected Sermons, Sermons.com Time for God’s Banquet Our first priority is God. If you are too busy to heed God's voice then you are too busy. If you are too busy to perform some service in His kingdom, then you are too busy. We must not forget that there will come a time when our relationship with Him will be the only priority that will matter. In the famous French story, The Little Prince, the dearest friend the main character makes on the fictitious planet to which he has been banished is a fox. When the fox must leave the little prince forever, he offers to tell him the most wonderful secret in the world if the prince meets certain conditions. When the little prince has met all the conditions, he asks to be told the greatest secret. The fox replies, "Only that which is invisible is essential." Think about that for a moment. It is true. "Only that which is invisible is essential." In A Journey with the Saints, Thomas S. Kepler has written: "The secret of the revolution in the lives of the saints lies in the fact that their lives are centered in God. They never seem hurried, they have a large leisure, they trouble little about their influence; they refer the smallest things to God. They live in God." That is the great secret to successful living the realization that when one reserves time to come to God's banquet, all of the rest of life will fall in place. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, Sermons.com _______________________________ What Do We Want to Tell the Children? The parable of the Wedding Banquet teaches us that we must be prepared and that character (both these symbolized by the proper clothes or lack thereof) is important in the Kingdom of God. But that does not mean that the party, the wedding banquet) is not meant to be a party. The kingdom of God is a great and exciting event. But what do we teach our children about this Kingdom? Do we teach them that the party will be bore. In a poetic parody of "serious" instructions to children, Ann Weems writes, "What do we want to tell the children? Jesus Christ says, comb your hair. And what do we tell the children? Jesus Christ says, sit on your chair. And what do we tell the children? Jesus Christ says, be polite. And what do we tell the children? Jesus Christ says, do everything right! Jesus says, please sit down Jesus says, do not frown. Jesus says, don’t cry if you’re hurt. Jesus says, don’t play in the dirt. Jesus says, don’t have any fun! And what do we want to tell the children? We want to tell them shhhhh!" From Ann Weems’ Reaching for Rainbows Thankful for God’s Gifts Jenny Lind always spent a few minutes alone in her dressing room before a concert. Her maid, who locked the door and stood guard, has told what happened in those last moments of preparation. Miss Lind would stand in the middle of the floor, her shoulders back, and her head up, draw a deep breath, strike a clear, vibrant note, and hold it as long as her breath lasted. When the overtones had all died away, she would look up and say: "Master, who has given me this undeserved gift, let me ring true tonight." When we realize what a gift this invitation to God's kingdom is to us, we too will try our best to ring true. We have been invited to a grand feast of worship today, and as we come, our lives ought to be changed. If we come prepared to worship, ready for prayer, conscious of our sins, then worship will be worship indeed. Jerry L. Schmalenberger, When Christians Quarrel, CSS Publishing Company, Inc.