Getting Evangelism Right Part 1

One reason for us to Jesus longer.

Remember, Jesus told a parable about a man hosting a banquet when the invited guests burned off.

He found anyone he could sit at his table.

God seeks the lost just this man saw people to feed today and inspiring lesson on reaching people for God's church in Chicago this morning to win with Dr. Sir dear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. This lesson reminds me of how to deal Moody did not go to sleep at night unless he had spoken to at least one lost person about the gospel. Dave, I have to tell you that the more I know about deal. Moody the more I realize that his life cannot be explained apart from the grace and the intervention of God's burden for souls was so evident as you already implied in your comment and it's something that you and I ought to have as well. I always say that we hear it running to win are also committed to the gospel getting it to as many people as possible and of course we use technology to do that, you know were coming to the end of our fiscal year and we want to thank the many of you who support this ministry right now we're in the midst of a matching challenge and every gift that you give will be doubled. Here's what you can do. Go to RTW offer.com RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 now as we listen to this message.

Let us ask God to give us a burden for people just like deal.

Moody had a burden that Jesus describes in this parable is a how y'all doing today are you holding up okay everybody glad you're here walking in the spirit you know Jesus was such a controversial teacher, the more familiar we are with the Gospels, the more we sometimes don't realize it, but really he stirred up people with his teaching the Bible says, and sometimes his confrontations, his confrontations were very direct, almost unexpectedly so I'm sure they were always loving but they were very plain and sometimes very hurtful to the people who heard them. For example, in Luke chapter 14 then there's the passage to which you may turn the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

It opens by saying that Jesus was invited to the home of the Pharisee and they watched him the house of a ruler of the Pharisees.

They were watching him carefully because they wanted to trap him. They wanted to catch him. They wanted to discredit him and they were trying to find out reasons why they could do in the next versus the Bible says that there was a man there who had dropsy he had in illness and Jesus said shall I heal him on the Sabbath day and they were quiet and so Jesus heals him. And then Jesus says seven. You know, don't you think that on the Sabbath. We ought to do good.

You see, they criticized him and other texts like that, they criticized him for doing work on the Sabbath to heal somebody was to work on the Sabbath Jesus was pointing out that know if you work on the Sabbath to earn a living. That's one thing but if you help somebody on the Sabbath. That's what the Sabbath was for it wasn't simply as a holy day. It was a holy day. But one way to exercise your holiness is to help and if that wasn't enough. Here he is at the feast in the Scripture says that he was observing people he was observing how they chose places of honor.

This is verse seven of chapter 14 we can almost visualize it that the doors open and everybody rushes to the best seats. Everyone wants to be next to the host to be added as a writer at his left and so they're kind of pushing over one another, itching and elbowing each other to get to the best place we've seen that happen heavenly when you have a banquet and you open the doors and all of us have been in a position where we want to rush to the front to get the best seats and Jesus is seeing this and so right here in their face. He predicts that many says to them when you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will compensate you get your place to this person, then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.

But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, friend, move up higher than you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, he who humbles himself will be exalted.

He's talking to the very people who were frantically scrambling to get the best place and what an amazing statement that those who are humble are going to be exalted. I remember sitting in a meeting, years ago where someone quoted Jeremiah chapter 45 verse five Sica style great things for thyself, seek them, not in right there. I prayed to the Lord that I would never elbow my way in the kingdom of heaven. If God desires to give someone a place of prominence. Let God to attend. Don't be there manipulating and initiating it on your own now. Jesus isn't finished, he continues and he's speaking now directly to the man who invited him. He says when you give a dinner or banquet do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give it feast invite the poor, the crippled blamed the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot pay you back and you will be repaid at the resurrection of the Jost and then Jesus is not saying we should never have those kinds of friends over who might repay us, but don't make that your emphasis invite those who can never pay you back. In other words go out of your comfort zone and find the lame and the blind and the crippled, I wish I could say that we've done this more often but I remember many many years ago a Thanksgiving dinner that Rebecca and I had in our home and basically was all people who could never possibly repay us and what a sense of delight and freedom and joy to be able to give to people, even though you know that there's no way they could ever give it back.

Jesus said use those people and give them an opportunity to be with you and by the way, you will be rewarded at the resurrection of the Jost years ago I preached a sermon on what Jesus will be looking for the judgment seat of Christ. There at least 10 different items that are mentioned in the Bible and this is one of them had you shown a hospitality to people who can never pay you back people who are marginalized who need your love and your grace and your mercy, who least expect to receive it. Now I have to visualize the scene. Jesus has spoken to all the people he spoke into the person who invited him to the feast and you can imagine after this total silence total silence. Alister Greg says it's something like after you been at a feast in your gorging yourself and you have three different desserts and then someone says what you know that if we have cut back on what we were eating today if we had eaten only half of this, it would have been able to supply food for a family starving in Ethiopia week after that, just silence.

Somebody has to break the silence. Somebody needs to say something. I can visualize that this fee sitting off in a corner.

My imagination tells me that it's an old man who was speaking a pious old man who has kept all the rules and gone to synagogue regularly and so somebody needs to say something so he does. It says in verse 15 when one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, after clearing his throat. Blessed is everyone who will be bread in the kingdom of God. You can almost imagine the way he said it. Everybody will have somebody said something to break the silence.

Jesus said picks up on this and now we get to the parable.

This is a series on parables in here goes Jesus says them. A man once gave a great banquet and invited many and at the time of the banquet he sent his servants to say to those who had been invited come for everything now is ready.

Jesus is saying that the kingdom of heaven is like a banquet. By the way, when you come across kingdom of heaven. What it means in Scripture is the fact that in the Old Testament God predicted the kingdom he predicted a time of peace and was to be a golden age that we believe is still going to happen that Jesus is going to still rule from Jerusalem over this earth and in the knowledge of the Lord will be over the earth. As waters cover the sea. It's going to be time, joy, a time of refreshment at time of eating and feasting. It is going to be very very blessed time. So the old man was right. Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom. But Jesus said that a certain man had a feast and this feast for them was prepared and he invited people to it. Now we have to look at the text of Scripture very carefully. The Bible does not have one loose word. You'll notice that he sends servants and it says they went to those who had been invited and they said, now all things are ready see in those days you didn't have cell phones and emails to the way in which you invited people as you sent out servants and these servants mentioned that there would be a feast on a certain day, but no time was given because there were so many different contingencies that could change the time and so the time of the feast was uncertain, but it was kind of like a save the date relationship and apparently everyone was invited says yes I'll come course in context, it's a reference to the Old Testament prophets they came in they were the first ones who told Israel.

There is a great feast coming Messiah is coming and everybody said were happy for that day and when Mike Hsieh comes will accept him. But now, what can we say about this feast.

First of all, it was very lavish. The Bible says that it was a great feast visualize a large room and you cannot even see to the end of it and along the way there. These beautiful tables with white linen cloths and condo lobby and that this is a feast of the God Road and so it's a very lavish feast. It's also a free feast.

You don't have to bring anything, you know, sometimes we have potluck dinners and somebody says all bring this edition you bring that one and will them altogether. Not this one. You don't have to bring anything because the table has been spread. It's been laid. Everything that you need is here just come, but it's also an urgent invitation because the text says, for all things are now ready if you're going to come do it soon because them the opportunity will not be endless.

It will come to an end.

And so the text says come now because all things are ready for the feast now because this is a banquet thrown by God as Jesus was illustrating what would you and I expect we expect everybody to rush to it and say absolutely were going to be there if there was ever a time when you'd expect people to be elbowing their way into the banquet room. It would be this time. Surprisingly, that's not what happens. You'll notice that the Scripture goes on. Jesus tells the story.

Verse 16 but they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him I have bought have feel that I must go and see it please have me excused, and another set I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them.

Please have me excused, and another set I married a wife and therefore I cannot come. So the servant came and reported these things to his master and the master of the house became angry look at their excuses and they were excuses, they were not reasons I mean are you kidding me that somebody is going to buy a field before he even sees it. It's unthinkable. Jesus is talking to shrewd people who would do that.

Are you telling me that somebody would buy a yoke of oxen, five yoke of oxen impacted not even see them and so he says I bought them and now I have to go look at them. Reminds me of one of our politicians who says we have to pass the legislation to see what's in it. I mean, are you really are you really telling me that you're going to lay down good money and then after that, find out what you bought. I don't think so. When I was looking at this, my father, many, many, many years ago bought a horse from a very close friend and that friend vouched for this horse my dad bought it in the horse was absolutely worthless. He would not take a harness he would not pull anything and eventually we got rid of the horse and by the way, the man who did that died not too long ago.

It is not interesting that came back to my mind and that he was a good man, but we often wondered you are our friend, why did you sell us a horse that you knew was no good.

Clearly, this person is not going to do that course he knew what these oxen were like and another man says that I just newly married and in the Old Testament.

If you are newly married, you were supposed to stay home.

A year and minister to your wife and get to know each other.

Great idea by the way you want to go to war.

That is an actual physical war.

I think it was the Gen. MacArthur, who is to say to his troops and gentlemen don't even think about marriage until you have mastered the art of warfare by 10. You're not supposed to go to war but she could've brought his own wife. There's been room for her at the banquet what's going on here in the text. Fact is they don't want to go they think to themselves that they're not as hungry as they may perceive themselves to be. They are eating junk food there going through the rituals. They're praying the right prayers there attending synagogue, they have long robes and they can sit there and they can pontificate and their very content with themselves.

Thank you very much no idea what it was that they were missing.

Why is it that people don't come to saving faith in Jesus Christ today. It's excuses you know they could've said we don't want to come to your party, but they didn't say that.

So they made excuses excuses excuses like a girl.

I read about a boy phoned her and said you know, I'd like to take you out on Friday night and she said no she said I'm going to have a conflict on Friday night and it is soon as I hang up the phone. She said I'm going to arrange it so I hope he hope he got the message uses. One reason is because of fear.

People fear their friends and they think if I come to saving faith in Christ. What are my friends going to say. Or maybe it's fear, even a dog door fear that they have to give up some sins.

I mean they come and they have all these rationalizations and goddesses. Here is a feast that you can participate in now. What happens is the master becomes angry. We don't usually think of God as being angry, but when you read the Old Testament, you discover that God was frequently angry with unbelief and the great insult that this was that people would not accept the invitation to his banquet and so the man did is the master of the house said to his servants go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame and the servant said sir what you have commanded has been done and still there is room in the master said to the servant go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled for I tell you, none of those men who were in financial taste of my banquet. What powerful sobering will my friend, Jesus often spoke very sobering words and we need to hear what he has to say and we hear it running to win want to be faithful to make sure that we can aid the message of Jesus to as many people as possible. I'm holding in my hands a very encouraging letter.

This person says as I was trying to think of something to say from my heart. All that I could say was healing your messages abroad. Healing two compartments of my life where I don't go when I heard that there was a father God, who loved me regardless of my background.

It's a promise. I grabbed my friend. You are a part of testimonies just like this running to win does not belong to a church. It does not belong to an organization or a person.

It is the ministry of God's people together.

Would you consider helping us. We are in the midst of a matching gift challenge and by the way were coming to the end of our fiscal year. Your help would be deeply appreciated. Some of our friends have said that they are willing to match dollar for dollar. The gifts given during this period of time up to $90,000. Here's what you do go to RT W offer.com. Let me give you that info again.

RT W offer. Of course, is all one word RT W offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 become a part of the running to win family RT W offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 time once again for you to ask Pastor lutes or a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

When life gets tough. It's common to doubt the assurances we read in the Bible that God cares for us. Sherry has gone through quite a lot and wants to get your reaction Pastor.

She writes this past year I've lost my job had to quit my education and lost a dear friend and aunt to death. Both were strong Christians, and always claimed their healing since they died. I've struggled with God's promises promises like by his stripes we are healed and he will give you the desires of your heart. I find myself with no peace, no purpose and no companionship. Life is so disappointing full of broken promises and no hope.

What do I do now that I doubt God's promises, Sherry. First of all as a pastor, I want to extend my heart to you. I sympathize with your situation and I do hope that it becomes better and I'm sure that someday the sun will shine, but now to your question, I think it's a great mistake to think that the Bible teaches that we can have healing whenever we wanted and we can insist on our healing. I know that there are certain TV preachers who preach that but that is actually a distortion of God's word so let me be clear, I believe that when Jesus died on the cross he died for his body soul and spirit. Redemption is complete but we don't inherit all of these blessings we don't inherit them until after we die when we get our new bodies of the Bible says that Jesus came to destroy death. Well, you and I know that all Christians die so there are promises that God makes that really have to do with eternity and not in this life, and when it says by his stripes we are healed. In context, it has to do also with the inner healing with the healing of our emotions. The healing of our souls that the best way for me to put it. It does not mean that we can claim instant physical healing. Whenever we are sick with reference to the promise. We both struggled with it when you referred to the verse that says he gives you the desires of your heart. That's difficult but I do believe that as we submit to God. Over a period of time. Our desires are so in tune with him that we are willing to accept whatever it is that God gives us so Sherry, the bottom line is go back to the promises that are for us claim them. Go to Romans chapter 8.

Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ, tribulation, distress, etc. you can read it there for yourself.

There are so many of God's promises. I'm thinking of Hebrews chapter 13. Have no fear I will never leave the and forsake the cleave to those promises and you can be assured that God is going to help you. He's going to give you grace for the days ahead. Again heart goes out to you and I know that healing will be in your future. Thank Sherry and thank you Dr. lutes or if you'd like to hear your question answered. You can just go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor lutes or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us run into when 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 running to win is all about helping you find God's roadmap for your race of life in the story of this great banquet. The host invited the those who could never repay him. That's because the invited guests made excuses as to why they could not attend. Next time I'm running to win. How this terrible side effect. How we share the gospel with others. Thanks for listening.

This is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the teacher