Do you ever get one of those messages? Often an email or Facebook where you are invited to an event and the sender wants a response. Any more all you have to do is click on the appropriate response – Yes I’ll be there, Thinking about it, or Sorry can’t attend. You don’t have to host the party, decorate for it or pay for it, but you do have to respond to the invitation. If you say yes I’ll be there you need to show up. God has sent us an invitation to us to accept his grace, love, redemption and forgiveness. What is our response?
In Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus tells of such a story. The king invites folks to come to a banquet in honor of his son but most refuse. Then the king opens his invitation to all and several came. Jesus was talking about his reception from the Pharisees and religious people of his day. The father sent him and invited Israel to receive their Messiah, but most of them refused the invitation. God then opened his call to all to come and believe. Those who refused the call missed out on the very thing they said they were looking for. Others received what they could not imagine, what they had been told was out of their reach.
God is still calling people into a relationship with him through Jesus. God still wants to give us all the blessings in Christ (read Ephesians 1:3-14). But he is waiting for our response (Revelation 3:20). Many claim to be looking for God in their lives and to desire his love and peace. So if God wants to give it why aren’t they finding it? One answer is they aren’t really looking for it. They aren’t responding to the invitation and they are like the Pharisees in Jesus day – missing out on what is right in front of them.
So the question for each of us is, “Are you responding?”
Don
In Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus tells of such a story. The king invites folks to come to a banquet in honor of his son but most refuse. Then the king opens his invitation to all and several came. Jesus was talking about his reception from the Pharisees and religious people of his day. The father sent him and invited Israel to receive their Messiah, but most of them refused the invitation. God then opened his call to all to come and believe. Those who refused the call missed out on the very thing they said they were looking for. Others received what they could not imagine, what they had been told was out of their reach.
God is still calling people into a relationship with him through Jesus. God still wants to give us all the blessings in Christ (read Ephesians 1:3-14). But he is waiting for our response (Revelation 3:20). Many claim to be looking for God in their lives and to desire his love and peace. So if God wants to give it why aren’t they finding it? One answer is they aren’t really looking for it. They aren’t responding to the invitation and they are like the Pharisees in Jesus day – missing out on what is right in front of them.
So the question for each of us is, “Are you responding?”
Don
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