#325 RSVP Series# 1, Jesus Gets Awkward After Church

#325 RSVP Series# 1, Jesus Gets Awkward After Church
By: Pastor D. Karl Thomas

Having fun and enjoying parties is God’s idea.
Matthew 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,” 

Exodus 5:1 “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.”
Feast :– {khaw-gag‘}  to hold a festival, to reel, to be giddy, celebrate, dance, stagger 

1 Samuel 30:16  “And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, {KHAW-GAG} because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.” 

Luke 7:34-35 “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” 

Jesus placed celebration over religious tradition.
Religious practiced the discipleship of SEPARATION.
Jesus practiced the discipleship of ASSOCIATION.
Jesus built redemptive relationships. He went to where the people were. Approached everyone!! 

Deuteronomy 14:22-27 Take 10% of your ending and get supplies so we can have a seven day party … Travel if you have to!!!
“You shall tithe all the yield … and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.”  

Isaiah 26:6-9  This is a picture of the Church … God’s redeemed community is a celebration!!!
“And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees.
And He will destroy on this mountain The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.
And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” 

Proverbs 23:29-35   This is what happens when the purpose is abused.
“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: ‘They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?’” 

Buzzfeed has listed some common awkward social situations, and they’ve even given each situation an awkward score:
The person wearing the same clothes as you at a party — 45% awkward
The person who traps you for a chat that you don’t want to have — 66% awkward.
Attempting a handshake, hug, or kiss, and having the other person choose something different — 86% awkward Saying goodbye and then leaving in the same direction — 53% awkward
Having to introduce someone when you can’t remember their name — 97% awkward

Jesus Gets Awkward After Church Luke 14:1-24
1. Attends Knowing He Is Hated
2. Heals On The Sabbath
3. Rebukes The Best Seat Takers
4. Rebukes The Host Over Guests
5. Don’t Miss Out On My Party! 

Luke 14:1-24
14 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.

1. Attends Knowing He Is Hated
And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey[b] or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

2. Heals On The Sabbath
So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

3. Rebukes The Best Seat Takers
Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

4. Rebukes The Host Over Guests
Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread[c] in the kingdom of God!”
16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’”

5. Don’t Miss Out On My Party! — Not sure you guys are going to make it!!! 

Three Closing Observations:
1. Don’t make excuses about your availability.
2. Let’s make sure everyone is welcome to enjoy the scandalous grace of God.
3. You’re on the guest list. Yes You! No matter what you’ve done.

325 RSVP Series# 1, Jesus Gets Awkward After Church, PowerPoint Slides

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