Message: Green Party
I.
Introduction
a.
Bring
back those kicked out, give them something green to wear
II.
Body
a.
The
Green Party
a.
I have
been announcing for this party for a month now.
I have told you it was coming, I told you to come, I told you to wear
green, I told you to invite people, and I told you to tell those who you
brought to wear green.
b.
Some
didn’t show up…though they knew it was a party tonight
c.
Some
didn’t wear green…though they knew they were supposed to
d.
Some
didn’t invite anyone…though they knew it was a party tonight and they were
asked to
e.
Some
didn’t tell those you invited to wear green….though they knew they were
supposed to for the party
b.
Everyone
had a chance to wear green (announcements, internet, friends, etc…)
c.
You have
been saved, becoming Christ bearers. You
have been sanctified, setting apart more and more areas of your life to become
more like the one you carry with you.
And you have been sent to our world to carry Christ to those who are
lost, hurting, and hopeless.
a.
Some of
you give up and stop pursuing God (stop wearing green)…though you know that
eternity rests on your faith in Christ, you are willing to abandon that faith
because of various things (a sin you want to pursue, distractions, etc…)
b.
Some you
know you need to share Christ with people but you don’t…even though it is their
eternity that rests in your hands.
Sometimes this is because of fear, sometimes laziness. But as Christ bearers it is our job to tell
others.
i.
Matthew
22:1-10 – ““Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom
of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been
invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said,
‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and
fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ But they paid no attention and went off—one
to his field, another to his business.
The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers
and burned their city. Then he said to
his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not
deserve to come. Go to the street
corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So they servants went out into the streets
and gathered all the people they could find both good and bad, and the wedding
hall was filled with guests.””
c.
Some of
you share Christ but never get to the point of asking them to make a decision.
i.
Illus:
Me in High School being afraid to talk to Ian.
I did everything but ask him to make a decision. Finally in desperation I gave him a Bible,
but that was my way of hoping God would do my job for me.
ii.
It is
like we are saying, this is a good option, but not the only way. It is like we want people to turn to Christ
but never ask them to actually do it…thus they never do.
iii.
There is
a saying that goes, “Preach the gospel, if necessary use words.” The sentiment is nice, act like a Christian
as a way to witness to others about God.
But if we never actually say anything about it, no one will ever come to
believe.
iv.
Illus:
Saddest Comic of all time
a.
Don’t be
that person, don’t let your friends and family slowly and silently go to hell.
III.
Conclusion
a.
Before we end I think I would remiss if I didn’t
finish the parable and give some of you a chance to come to the party.
b.
Read Matthew 22:11-14 – “But when the king came in to see the guests,
he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here
without wedding clothes?’ The man was
speechless. Then the king told the
attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are invited, but few are chosen.””
c.
There is a God that wants a relationship with
you (relationship with him now and for eternity in heaven. (there is a party
and he wants you there!)
d.
But because of your sins, the wrong doing you
have done, you are far from God and can’t have that relationship (you don’t
have green clothes, so you can’t go to the party)
e.
Jesus died so that you could ask him for
forgiveness for those sins. He took your
place. (willing to destroy your gross
non-green clothes, and replace them with brand new green clothes so you can go
to the party)
f.
You now have a choice to go to the party or
not. You have been invited by God
himself, though The Bible, Christian media, and Christians. No matter what you have done, no matter who
you are. But you have to make a choice
and not excuses (oh I can do it later, etc…)
g.
Jesus is the only way to this party. A lot of people and religions try to make the
claim that there are many ways to heaven, but there is only one way and that is
through forgiveness provided by Jesus.
(you can’t just show up and expect God to let you in if you are refusing
to put on the green clothing he is willing to provide)
h.
Miners
a.
Video: Miner being freed
b.
2009 miners in Chile were trapped in a cave
in, They waited 69 days for rescue, but
due to the depth (they were 2000ft underground) it made it nearly impossible to
get to them.
c.
They waited, lonely and in the dark, the
darkness was all they had, and it would be their grave, unless someone sought
them out and rescued them.
d.
People didn’t abandon them, though it was going
to be hard, it would take money, creativeness, energy, and money. They drilled through making a single exit
point.
e.
The miners could have tried to do it themselves
out, but they would have never made it, they were too deep. They needed rescue.
f.
They could have stayed in that place, but it was
without hope and a future.
g.
To leave meant danger (even their eyes were in
danger of being damaged) and change in the way they lived.
h.
To leave they would be stuck in what was a very
tight fit (28 inches), for a long time (30 min). Way smaller than where they were, but nothing
compared to what would great them when they got out.
i.
To leave meant freedom and life in the real
world.
j.
They were met with rejoicing form family,
friends, people throughout their nation, and the world.
k.
Are you tired of being stuck in ta pit, there is
rescue, but it is only one way through Jesus forgiving your sins and you making
him your God.
l.
I want to invite you to take that step tonight,
join us at the party!
m.
If this is you, we are going to bow our heads
and pray, just repeat these words after me (even if it is in your heart)) and
in a second we will give you an opportunity to share this choice.
n.
Pray
