1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:16,660 Luke chapter 14, verse 21, part B, if we can call it that. 2 00:00:16,660 --> 00:00:19,680 In this chapter, Jesus is telling a story. 3 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,880 He's telling a parable about a banquet. 4 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,880 And in the story, God is the one who has established the banquet. 5 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,560 It is God who is inviting people to come into the banquet. 6 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,360 In the story, the first group of people that are invited to the banquet don't want to come. 7 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,600 They find a lot of excuses as to why they're not going to come to this banquet. 8 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:44,880 They're representative of the Jewish people we see in scripture, many of which rejected 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:45,880 Jesus Christ. 10 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,040 They rejected the invitation. 11 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:51,160 But Jesus didn't come just to save the Jewish people. 12 00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,240 Jesus came to save all people. 13 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:59,840 Now when the master who had sent out the slaves to come into the banquet finds out that the 14 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:04,760 first guest invited weren't going to come, he becomes angry. 15 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:11,000 And then we see here in Luke chapter 14, verse 21, about halfway through the verse, it says, 16 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:17,320 go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring in here the poor, maimed, 17 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:19,320 blind, and lame. 18 00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:24,160 Master, the slave said, what you have ordered has been done. 19 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,160 And there's still room. 20 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:27,160 Let's pray. 21 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:32,280 Father God, we come to you this morning and we thank you that we have the freedom to come 22 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:33,280 into your house. 23 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:34,280 We thank you for your word. 24 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:35,280 We thank you for your love. 25 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:36,280 We thank you for your grace. 26 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:42,560 And most of all, dear Lord, we thank you for your son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life 27 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:47,360 on the cross so that our sins may be forgiven, dear Lord. 28 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:52,080 I pray, God, that you would hide me behind the cross today, that you'd take away my pride 29 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:53,720 and my fear, dear Lord. 30 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,840 I pray that you'd forgive any sin that's in my life, dear Lord, that you would speak through 31 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,640 me this morning, that it would be your Holy Spirit who brings about the words that we 32 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:03,640 need to hear. 33 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:05,640 And I pray that you prepare our hearts. 34 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:12,400 God, I know that our minds are full of distractions and just the normal everyday stresses and 35 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:13,400 the worries of life. 36 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:19,240 And then on top of that, the stresses of Christmas and the holiday season and all the stuff that 37 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:20,680 goes on with that, dear Lord. 38 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:25,760 I know there's a lot on our mind today, but I pray that in these few minutes that your 39 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,800 Holy Spirit would just speak to each one of us, that you free us from those distractions. 40 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,760 I pray that you lead and guide every word that comes out of my mouth today, all for 41 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:35,760 your glory, for your kingdom. 42 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,760 And I ask these things in Jesus' name. 43 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:40,760 Amen. 44 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:41,760 Amen. 45 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,680 Most of you have probably noticed at this point this beautiful Christmas tree. 46 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:52,480 I put this tree up yesterday and you can tell me how good it looks after church. 47 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,600 But this tree, you probably noticed that it doesn't really look that good. 48 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,040 And that's because it's about as old as I am. 49 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:03,760 This tree has been put up at this church at some point, just about every year since I 50 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:04,760 was a child. 51 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:09,240 And so I put this beautiful tree up for you yesterday. 52 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,480 And you'll notice a lot of ornaments on the tree. 53 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:19,040 I was thinking a few weeks ago, as Michelle was putting up our tree, what all these different 54 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:20,040 ornaments mean. 55 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,680 Now, you have trees at your house, most of you, if not all of you, and you've got a lot 56 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:24,960 of ornaments on those trees. 57 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,000 And those ornaments probably mean something to you. 58 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:29,800 They probably have a story. 59 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,280 And so it is for Michelle and I. 60 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:36,860 When we first got married, which has been 10 years ago now, it doesn't seem like that, 61 00:03:36,860 --> 00:03:40,440 we pretty much had a tree that was full of ornaments like this. 62 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,680 Very simple, nothing spectacular, a lot of green and red and silver balls. 63 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,880 And that's what our tree consisted of. 64 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,280 Was a lot of beautiful balls, but they didn't really have a story. 65 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,700 They were just balls that filled up the tree. 66 00:03:54,700 --> 00:03:59,240 But as we began to go along in our years, every time we would go somewhere, and we started 67 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:04,740 this almost instantly from the time we got married, we would get a Christmas ornament 68 00:04:04,740 --> 00:04:07,080 when we would visit to a different place. 69 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,260 And this is the most recent Christmas ornament we got. 70 00:04:10,260 --> 00:04:16,020 This is a little Dominican girl that we got from when we went to the Dominican Republic 71 00:04:16,020 --> 00:04:17,480 back in September. 72 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:22,600 And so we look at this and it'll remind us of this trip and when we had that good time. 73 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,680 And there's a memory for all of these Christmas ornaments. 74 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,720 There's a story for all of these Christmas ornaments. 75 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,860 One of the first Christmas ornaments that we ever got, Michelle got me this one right 76 00:04:32,860 --> 00:04:35,440 after we first got married. 77 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:40,520 This Christmas ornament's a snowman with a Philadelphia Eagles helmet on running a football. 78 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,200 That's my favorite football team. 79 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:46,760 And on the years when they're doing bad, it goes on the back of the tree. 80 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:48,320 But they're doing pretty good this year. 81 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:54,560 So we'll set this snowman on the front of the tree for this year. 82 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,960 And all of these ornaments have some meaning to me. 83 00:04:57,960 --> 00:04:59,720 They have some story to me. 84 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,520 Some of them are from the last 10 years and some of them are from much further in the 85 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:04,520 past. 86 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,280 Take for instance, this Christmas ornament. 87 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:08,280 This is a sand dollar. 88 00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:13,200 Now there's nothing particularly fancy about a sand dollar, but it brings back a memory 89 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:14,200 to me. 90 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:19,060 I remember when I was a child of probably around 10 years old, we went to a family reunion 91 00:05:19,060 --> 00:05:22,160 in Carabelle, Florida at my Aunt Pete's house. 92 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,360 And I remember you could walk probably 150 feet out into the ocean and the water wasn't 93 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:27,360 this deep. 94 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:31,440 But as you walked into the ocean, you'd see all of these sand dollars, which is where 95 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:32,440 this one come from. 96 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,800 We collected probably 100 of those things on that trip. 97 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:41,360 And when we got back home some months later, it was Christmas time and my grandma Irene 98 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:46,320 had taken all of those sand dollars and had hand painted poinsettias on every one and 99 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,040 given them to everybody in the family. 100 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:55,320 We have other ornaments on this tree that remind me of people that I knew, not just 101 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,560 in my family, but other people who were dear to me. 102 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,600 Take this little popsicle stick cross for instance with 23 pennies glued on. 103 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:07,560 Doesn't really look like much and it's not really that fancy, but this was given to us 104 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,920 by Miss Margaret Laird a couple of years ago. 105 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,680 Miss Margaret was always crafty and always doing things like this. 106 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,800 And she was a beautiful lady, a very special lady. 107 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:23,560 And this cross will forevermore remind me of who Miss Margaret was. 108 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,560 Take this beautiful red bird for instance, this sparkly and shiny. 109 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:32,640 This came off of a flower arrangement that was at my mother-in-law's funeral. 110 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:36,540 And every time I see a red bird I can't help but think about her. 111 00:06:36,540 --> 00:06:38,600 She had red birds all over. 112 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,480 And even though this ornament will certainly remind me of my mother-in-law, there's no 113 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:46,960 fear of me forgetting about her because as long as Michelle is alive, Joanne Roten will 114 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,360 live forever because she's just like her. 115 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:55,680 And as the years go by we have more and more red birds and more and more sparklies and 116 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,600 shinies in our house. 117 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,340 You look over here, you see this neat little Snoopy ornament. 118 00:07:02,340 --> 00:07:06,880 We got it back in 2019, one of our trips to the Shoebox Processing Center. 119 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,560 We went into this room where all of the Snoopy characters were carved out of ice. 120 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,880 It was cold as could be. 121 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,720 Snoopy growing up, for me and my sister, we loved Snoopy, still do. 122 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:22,640 So not only does it remind me of vacations past, it reminds me of a childhood in which 123 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:28,080 we would watch Charlie Brown cartoons and even still to this day when it comes Thanksgiving 124 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:33,400 and Christmas, as I'm sure many of you do, we watch Snoopy. 125 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:38,680 Now as Michelle was putting these ornaments and many more on our tree a few weeks ago 126 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:43,400 at Thanksgiving, I was watching her put them on there and I thought to myself, I said, 127 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,560 you know, these ornaments really don't mean anything to anybody else. 128 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,800 Now you come in today and you saw the tree and you might have commented, oh, it's a pretty 129 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:51,800 tree. 130 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,920 But these ornaments don't mean anything to you. 131 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,080 They have really no value to you. 132 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,120 There's no story in them to you. 133 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:05,120 Here's this little reindeer or whatever it is from a trip to a place that you've never 134 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:06,120 heard of. 135 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,040 We wanted to buy an ornament there and there was not even a store in the place, but a Dollar 136 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:11,080 General. 137 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:12,760 We wanted something, we found this. 138 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:14,240 This is our ornament. 139 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:19,480 It's cheap, it's worthless, it's not worth a whole lot to anybody else, but it's worth 140 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:20,480 something to me. 141 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:22,520 It's worth something to us. 142 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:28,560 And I thought as Michelle began to place our ornaments on our tree, I began to notice that 143 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,640 we don't have many of the playing balls anymore. 144 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:37,240 That now our tree is full of almost entirely of ornaments that have some story, that are 145 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,040 of some value to us. 146 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:43,760 And as she placed them on the tree, I thought, you know what? 147 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:49,280 These ornaments being placed on this tree is not so different than the kingdom of God. 148 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:53,720 It's the kingdom that's built up of people that all have a story. 149 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,360 There's some story for everybody in here. 150 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:57,640 Your life is a story. 151 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:02,720 The way you've lived and the things you've done, they mean something to God. 152 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,280 There are some value to God. 153 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:10,640 That God looks at every single one of us and there is something that God sees in you. 154 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,120 There's something that God knows about you. 155 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:18,680 And even if everybody in the world doesn't see any value in you, there is a God who loves 156 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:21,520 you and you are precious in his sight. 157 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:27,360 In Isaiah chapter 43 verse 4, God tells his people there that you are precious, you are 158 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,580 honored, and you are loved. 159 00:09:30,580 --> 00:09:35,760 And God goes on to tell his people, I'm paraphrasing here, that I'm going to do whatever it takes 160 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:39,280 to take care of my people. 161 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,580 And so God did that. 162 00:09:41,580 --> 00:09:47,640 God sent Jesus Christ, his only son, to dial the cross so that we could be forgiven. 163 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:49,480 And for what purpose? 164 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:53,880 Because you are valued in the sight of God. 165 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:59,120 And the kingdom of God is made up of just the type of people that we read in Luke chapter 166 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,320 14 this morning. 167 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,320 There's an invitation that God has given through his word. 168 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,760 There's an invitation that God has given through Jesus Christ. 169 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,640 And we praise God that Jesus Christ has come. 170 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,600 Jesus Christ came to be the light of the world. 171 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,920 Jesus Christ came to establish the kingdom of God. 172 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,920 And it is Jesus who established the kingdom of God. 173 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,880 And it is Jesus who has become the light of the world. 174 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,480 It is Jesus who has established the kingdom. 175 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:31,940 And like this Christmas tree that was one day barren, it has been added to year after 176 00:10:31,940 --> 00:10:36,160 year with all of these things that are of value. 177 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:41,040 And so it is for the kingdom of God that's been established by Jesus Christ to come and 178 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:42,480 be the light of the world. 179 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:49,040 Jesus built the kingdom of God, but Jesus wants to fill the kingdom of God with you 180 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,040 and I. 181 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,880 And so the invitation is open today. 182 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:58,240 The invitation that came in Luke chapter 14 when God said, go and get the worst of the 183 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:03,320 worst, the ones that everyone else has turned away, the ones that no one else sees value 184 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,360 in, the one that no one else loves. 185 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:11,960 God says, I want them to come into my kingdom. 186 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:16,240 What a beautiful invitation that that is for us in the word of God. 187 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:19,800 God says, I want you to go out into the highways, in the byways. 188 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:24,560 I want you to tell everybody to come because the servants went out and they did what God 189 00:11:24,560 --> 00:11:28,520 said and they came back to the master in that parable. 190 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:35,400 And they said, master, we've invited all these to come and there is still room. 191 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:40,160 And I want to tell you today that all these hundreds of years later after that parable 192 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:46,480 was given by Jesus, that there is still room in the kingdom of God, that there is still 193 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:48,960 room in the kingdom of God. 194 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:53,360 No matter how broken you may be, there's still room in the kingdom of God. 195 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,680 There are some ornaments on our Christmas tree and probably on your Christmas tree. 196 00:11:56,680 --> 00:12:00,640 Through the years, they've gotten dropped, they've gotten banged up, they've gotten broken, 197 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:02,280 but they've been glued back together. 198 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,680 They've been restored and they're right there on the tree. 199 00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:06,720 And so it is in the kingdom of God. 200 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:13,880 There are some of us in here today that our lives are broken, broken because of our sin, 201 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:15,720 broken because of our choices. 202 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:22,360 But there's good news for us today that God heals those who are broken, that the kingdom 203 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,000 of God is made up of those that are broken. 204 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,820 The kingdom of God is made up of people who have a story. 205 00:12:28,820 --> 00:12:31,760 The kingdom of God is made up of people that God knows. 206 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:33,400 I know that one. 207 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,120 I know that one. 208 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:40,960 That was the one who was about to end it all, who was ready to give up. 209 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:44,760 And they heard about me at the last moment and they gave their life to me and they became 210 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:46,560 part of my kingdom. 211 00:12:46,560 --> 00:12:48,240 I know that one. 212 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,960 That was the one who was abandoned by their family, abandoned by everyone around them. 213 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:56,920 And there was somebody that took them in and showed them the love of Jesus Christ and they 214 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,520 became part of my kingdom. 215 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:01,600 I know that one. 216 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,040 That was the one who lived for the world. 217 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:08,000 Didn't care anything about scripture, didn't care anything about Jesus, only desired to 218 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,000 live for themselves. 219 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,920 And one day when their life came crashing down, they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ 220 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,680 and they came to me. 221 00:13:17,680 --> 00:13:21,800 God's got a story to tell for every single one of us who have entered into the kingdom 222 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,000 of God. 223 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,800 And we are precious in God's sight. 224 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:33,760 Like ornaments on a Christmas tree, there are some that are sparkly and shiny and there 225 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,360 are others that are plain and simple. 226 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:40,680 It doesn't matter whether it costs a lot or whether it costs a little. 227 00:13:40,680 --> 00:13:44,840 All these ornaments that we see on this tree are valued by me. 228 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:49,600 This cross with these 23 pennies, you might say, well, that's worth 23 cents, but I'll 229 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,960 tell you, there is no value that can be placed on it. 230 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,760 So it is for those of us in the kingdom of God. 231 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:04,960 No matter how fancy we may be or how simple we may be, we are valued by God. 232 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:10,280 We are valued so much by God that he sent Jesus Christ to die on a cross so that we 233 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:11,280 could be forgiven. 234 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:16,440 If you're part of the kingdom of God, praise the Lord today. 235 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:21,280 Praise the Lord that we can be part of God's kingdom, that we can know that we have a God 236 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:22,400 who loves us. 237 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:28,320 But if you're not part of the kingdom of God today, I'll repeat the invitation of Luke 238 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:30,360 chapter 14. 239 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,240 There's still room. 240 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,560 There's still room. 241 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,160 And what did God say in the parable? 242 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,080 God said, invite more to come in. 243 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:41,400 Invite all to come in. 244 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:42,400 There's still room. 245 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,080 There's a lot of empty spots on this tree. 246 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:48,600 There's a lot of more ornaments that can go on this tree and there's no limit to the 247 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,760 spots that are in the kingdom of God. 248 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:56,200 The kingdom of God is available for us today through Jesus Christ that our sins would be 249 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:00,840 forgiven if we would just repent this morning. 250 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:05,760 Maybe you come into this room today and you don't feel like you're worth very much. 251 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:07,480 Maybe the world has told you that. 252 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,640 Maybe the world has led you to believe that. 253 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,720 Maybe the devil has placed that lie on your mind and you don't feel as though you are 254 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:14,720 of much value. 255 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:19,200 Well, I can assure you, no matter what the devil has told you and no matter what the 256 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:25,120 world has told you, you are of great value in the eyes of God. 257 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,200 You're precious in his sight this morning. 258 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,000 So I pray that you would seek God today. 259 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,320 Pray that you would seek the kingdom of God today. 260 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:38,040 I pray that you would know that you are precious and you are loved by God. 261 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:44,200 And I pray today that you would know that there is room in the kingdom of God. 262 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:50,200 That our Savior came, the Savior who came for which there was no room for him, has died 263 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:55,120 on the cross in that room for you and I. 264 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,360 The invitation stands. 265 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,200 Would you enter into the kingdom of God today? 266 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:06,080 Sadly, in the parable, there were some who received the invitation and rejected the invitation. 267 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,440 They decided that living their life was more important than living in the kingdom of God. 268 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,320 I pray today that we would not make that mistake. 269 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:19,720 I pray today that we would hear the words of scripture, that we would know that unto 270 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:26,000 us a child is born, that unto us a Savior has come into this world in Jesus Christ and 271 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,520 he gave his life on the cross so that you could be forgiven. 272 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:35,160 Jesus came to be the light of the world and to establish his kingdom and I pray today 273 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:36,560 that you would enter into that kingdom. 274 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:37,560 Let's pray. 275 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,000 Father God, we come to you. 276 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:40,280 We thank you for your good work. 277 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,800 I pray that you would help us to see you in everything, dear Lord. 278 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:48,160 We know that Christmas trees ain't got nothing to do with scripture and we're not implying 279 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:53,320 that they do, dear Lord, but even in simple things like this, dear Lord, the things of 280 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:59,360 this world that we enjoy, even the beauties of this world, God, we can see you all around 281 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:00,360 us if we look. 282 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:07,520 So, I pray, dear Lord, that you would be with any in this room this morning that do not 283 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:08,520 know you. 284 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:11,200 God, maybe there are some that do not know Jesus Christ. 285 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:15,120 Maybe there are some today that they feel pretty right and they feel pretty worthless 286 00:17:15,120 --> 00:17:18,800 and they've given in to that lie, dear Lord. 287 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:24,080 I pray today that they would know that they are valued by you, that you love them, dear 288 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:27,080 Lord, that you are precious to them. 289 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:31,520 God, I pray that you'd be with those today that are part of your kingdom. 290 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:36,640 I pray that we would continue to seek you and live by you, dear Lord, and trust in you. 291 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:41,320 God, I pray that you'd be with those that are here today that are not part of your kingdom, 292 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:46,040 that maybe today they would know that there is still room, dear Lord. 293 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,440 God, the invitation is there. 294 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:52,400 The invitation of scripture that we see in Luke 14, the invitation that we see throughout 295 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:57,280 your word, the invitation that we see of Jesus Christ, that we would just come to you, dear 296 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:58,280 Lord. 297 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:02,280 And Jesus says, come to me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest, dear 298 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:03,280 Lord. 299 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:09,720 That if there are some today that are burdened with their sin, they would find rest and peace 300 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:10,720 in Jesus Christ. 301 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:17,160 God, I pray that you would help us all to be part of your kingdom today. 302 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,520 God, I pray that if there are any that don't know you, that your Holy Spirit would work 303 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:22,520 on their heart right now. 304 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,720 That they would come, that they would accept the invitation of scripture, that they would 305 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:31,040 accept Jesus Christ and who he is and what he has done, that they would repent of their 306 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:32,040 sins. 307 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:36,920 God, there is room today in your kingdom. 308 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,440 So I pray that they would enter into it. 309 00:18:39,440 --> 00:19:02,680 I ask these things in Jesus' name, Amen.