December 13-14, 1997

Mike Slaughter

I. The Party Is On
Luke 14:15
15: When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he said to him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

Christmas is about a party. Not just any party - a cosmic party! Let’s go to a chapter in the gospel of Luke that is all about a party. Luke, chapter 14. Jesus is at a party at the house of a Pharisee. How do you say it - a religious person with their nose in the air. One of the people at the party makes this statement in verse 15: "When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Now notice that he says "the feast." For centuries the Jewish people anticipated the coming of the Messiah, and one of the pictures they had of the Messiah when he broke into history was that there would be a party. They called it the Messianic Feast. At the moment that God would send the Messiah there would be a cosmic party - the Messianic Feast. Now Jesus uses this picture of a party to describe the kingdom of God. Isn’t that a great picture? Through this whole chapter Jesus is using the image of a party. In the next chapter, He tells the story of the prodigal son. When the prodigal son, (the lost son) comes back to the father, what does the father do? He throws a party. When the older brother comes close to the house, we read he hears music and dancing. Isn’t that a great image for the kingdom of God? Party, music and dancing. Now how many of us, before we really got involved in a personal way with God, pictured God as boring? Do you know what I mean? Can you recognize this picture?
This is my family at church when I grew up: bored. But, Jesus brings the gospel. Do you know what the gospel means? It means good news. And part of that good news is that Jesus uses an image of a party to describe the kingdom of God. Jesus has come to announce the party of God. When my assistant, Debra Welder, left industry to come and work at the church, her associates couldn’t understand why. They would ask her, "What do you do at a church all week long?" When she first started working here, they would come and visit. They would have a quizzical look like, what are you doing working for a church? What do you find to do all week? I loved how Debra responded because this was the only way they could understand what she did. She said, "Every week we plan a party for about 3,000 people."

You Are Invited
Luke 14:16-17
16: But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many;
17: and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.'

Let’s go to the next verses, Luke 14:16 and 17. Jesus replied to this man who is talking about the Messianic party, the Messianic Feast. This is the story Jesus tells the man. A certain man who symbolizes God was preparing a great banquet (that’s the Messianic Banquet) and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant, who is Jesus the Messiah, to tell those who had been invited to come because everything is ready now. He is referring to his own ministry. You see Jesus came and He said, "the kingdom of God is now! The party is on and you all are invited to the party."

II. Don't Miss The Party
Luke 14:18-20
18: But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.'
19: And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.'
20: And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

Now here is the critical point, the party is on and the time is right, "Don’t miss the party! A lot of us are here in church but we don’t get it. We are not happy; we’re not free from some of our own old baggage. We’re in church, but we are not at the party. Why? Now look at verse 18. Too many of us keep making excuses to God. One of those that was invited to the banquet said, "Hey wait a minute. I just bought a field and I’m on my way to go out and look at it, please excuse me." Whoa, God is offering you and me what we are desperately seeking, but we confuse our priorities. We put the priority of business over the priority of God.
Now look at the next excuse. We keep making excuses because we’ve got our priorities upside down. We’re in church, but we’re missing the party. So another person says, "Well, I just bought five yolk of oxen and I’m on my way to try them out. Please consider me excused." Oh wow, enthusiasm for a new novelty. I just got a new boat and I’ve worked hard all week. I’ve been working six days a week and I’ve got to go out and try it out. Or, I just got a new gun and it’s opening day of deer season. We get enthused with new novelties and new experiences in our lives and we skip the celebration of Christ.
The next excuse is in verse 20. Another one says, "I just got married, I can’t come." How may times do we place human relationships above our heavenly relationship? So, we’re frantically searching for purpose, security and love and we forget that we will never find it anywhere except at the table of God. Music and dancing - a party! Isn’t that a great picture!
We’ve been talking a couple of months now about dancing with God. Do you know what the key is to dancing with God? Here is the key to dancing with God: learning to let go and trust. Quit making excuses. Quit putting off until later what we know that we need to do now. Let go and let God. Let go and trust God. The party is on, don’t miss the party.

III. Bring Other People
Now, here is the next critical point: Bring other people with you! See verse 21. So the man giving the banquet, representing God, says go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in people. Anytime you have a party the question arises, who are you going to bring? Who do you invite? Check this guest list out. It is not the country club list. This is what I call the different people group.

Luke 14:21
21: So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.'

Who are we supposed to bring to the party? Bring the poor, bring the crippled, bring the blind, and bring the lame. Is that who you want to bring to your home? Some of these people smell. If we are going to be followers of Jesus, we’ve got to go beyond the boundaries of our normal group of friends. You see, as followers of Jesus we’ve got to move outside of our comfort zones. Do you know a relationship with God is not a comfortable experience? Some people say, ‘well, you know I come to church to receive comfort.’ No! Don’t go there. Don’t go there because Jesus brings comfort to the afflicted. Hear me all who are - "comfortable." He afflicts the comfortable. Do you hear what I am trying to say? I am not saved to come in here and sit in a chair. God saves me so that I can get involved in God’s purpose. You see, God saves me so that I can become the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. A lot of people are in church, but they are missing the party.

Luke 4:18-19
18: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19: to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

The fourth chapter of Luke describes Jesus after his baptism spending forty days fasting and praying. And this is what He says is His purpose; "the Spirit of the Lord is on me..." Why does the Spirit of the Lord come on us? Listen to this. "Because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor." Do you know that if the Spirit of God is on you that in some way you are going to be involved with poor and hurting people? The Spirit of the Lord is on me to proclaim freedom to the captives, to speak recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s party. God doesn’t save me so that I can put my behind in a chair. He saves me so that I can go out into the world and be part of the solution - not the problem.
The year EPCOT opened I was down in Orlando in a meeting. I stepped off the plane and everywhere there were signs - EPCOT, EPCOT, see EPCOT. I went out to the street and on the back of taxicabs and on the sides of buses were these signs telling me to see EPCOT. I said, "Wow, Disney is making a big deal of this." I was staying at the Days Inn and there on the dresser in my room was this little cardboard pyramid advertising EPCOT. So I picked up the card because I never realized what EPCOT stood for. There in small letters it said, EPCOT: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. I thought, experimental prototype community of tomorrow? That’s a lie, Disney. Disney is not the experimental prototype community of tomorrow. The church is the experimental prototype community of tomorrow. The church is where you bring all of these people - this inclusive community of people who wouldn’t be invited to any other kind of party. People who aren’t like me, who don’t think like me and who are different from me and all of us together. Someone said to me when we moved into this church, "Why is this building so nice?" Hey this is meant to be the country club for the poor. Where else can the poor come where someone is waiting with hors d’oeuvres and will call them Mr. or Ms.? You have been brought into the feast, to the table of the King. You become the hands and feet of Jesus.

Love Others
Luke 14:23
23: And 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.

How do we bring other people in? You know a lot of us think Christmas is about Jesus, but you know what Jesus’ focus was? Jesus’ focus was on bringing other people into the party. Everyone! Jesus’ focus was always on other people. How do we get them in? Look at verse 23. I love what it says here. Do you see it? Are you following with me in that book? That’s a good book. In verse 23 it says, "Go out to the streets and the country lanes and the word will compel them to come in." Do you know what that means? We love people in. That’s how we get people to come into the church. We don’t say, you’ve got to get your act together, you’re a sinner. We love people. You know a lot of churches say we’re a friendly, loving church. Baloney! You mean you love the people who are here, who are like you, who believe like you, who think like you, but you are oblivious to those who are on the outside. Love is not a feeling. Love is an action. It is acting out the mind and the purpose of God towards people - making sure everyone has a seat at God’s table. Everybody comes in to God’s party. We think Christmas is about Jesus. Jesus’ focus was to bring everybody to the party.

Mike Interviews Amy Leibold
I want you to meet someone, someone who is part of our church. This is Amy Leibold.

Mike: Amy, where were you six years ago?
Amy:Six years ago I was homeless with my three kids.
Mike: Where were you living?
Amy: I was living out of a garage at a friend’s house.
Mike: How long had you been homeless?
Amy: About six months.
Mike: What happened then? Somehow you got tied into Ginghamsburg, what happened?
Amy: A family connected with Ginghamsburg heard about me. I’m not quite sure how they heard about me, but they did. I think through a family member. They were generous enough to donate about $1,000 for me to move into my first place.
Mike: So you got out of the garage and you moved into a house or an apartment?
Amy: I moved into a little apartment. That was my first place.
Mike: Now you had never graduated from high school, right?
Amy: No,I didn’t.
Mike: What grade had you finished?
Amy: I completed the eleventh grade.
Mike: And then something happened. After someone from Ginghamsburg got you an apartment, what was the next step?
Amy: Basically I just kind of went about my business. A family member took me to Ginghamsburg and introduced me to the church and to the people.
Mike: Okay, why did you stay?
Amy: Because of the people. I came as I was and they accepted me. There were no conditions.
Mike: So you were allowed to come in with your addictions?
Amy: Right.
Mike: Did you have some addictions?
Amy: Yes, I did. I was a drinker, I smoked cigarettes and went to bars.
Mike: Okay did you get rid of your addictions right away?
Amy: No, I didn’t.
Mike: You didn’t?
Amy: No.
Mike: And we didn’t slap your hand?
Amy: No.
Mike: So did you start getting involved in different ministries?
Amy: Yes, I did. I worked with the singles group a little bit, which was really cool, even though I was still doing my thing.
Mike: Someone told me that you also worked the cameras for a little bit?
Amy: Yes, I did the cameras and I even sang in the choir once.
Mike: Once?
Amy: Once!
Mike: So did you finally then accept Christ? Tell me what happened.
Amy: Well, believe it or not, when I was a teenager I was sitting in jail and someone came up to me and asked me if I wanted to be saved. And I said, "Sure! Save me out of this jail or what?" So I accepted Christ, but I never understood why I did. It wasn’t until about three or four years ago that I actually got to know Christ.
Mike: And then you got into the membership class?
Amy: Right.
Mike: Did you still have some of your addictions?
Amy: I was still smoking cigarettes, but I had stopped drinking alcohol.
Mike: You know people can know the Lord and smoke cigarettes. You can go to heaven and smoke cigarettes - you’re just going to smell like hell on the way. Now tell me, at age thirty-five you finished high school. Someone worked with you and you got your...
Amy: Right, I was half way through at Edison College and I realized that I needed to get my high school diploma so I went and got my G.E.D. In fact, I scored one of the highest scores in history.
Mike: Okay, and now you have you’re....
Amy: G.E.D. and my Associate degree in Applied Science, Human Services field.
Mike: Okay, where is your job now?
Amy: I work here at Ginghamsburg in the Harvest Field Ministry Operation as the Outreach Coordinator.
Mike: Okay, what is Harvest Field Ministry?
Amy: Well, what we do is help people get connected with clothing, food and sometimes shelter. Cars, furniture and money at times, but basically we focus on just reaching the poor.
Mike: So, six years ago you were homeless, didn’t have a high school diploma and now you have a college degree in Human Services and you’re working in Human Services as a social worker through the church. Whoa! Not just coming to church, but she participates in the feast! She got an education; she found esteem because she was created to be the daughter of God. You see this is what Christmas is about. Well, let’s celebrate what God has done.
Amy. Isn’t that tremendous?

IV. Fill The House
We think Christmas is about Jesus, but Jesus’ focus is to bring everybody to the party. Fill the house. I love it. The servant comes back to the master, who represents God and says, "We’ve done everything you told us to do and there is still room." Hey, I want to talk to people in this section. Look around, is there any room? There is open space? Is there open space in this section? Balcony, is there open space? Yes, okay. Well here is what the master says in verse 23, "Go out to the roads and country lanes so that my house will be full." We’ve spent a lot of time going around Tipp City and we’ve gone around Troy. Country lanes mean that we’ve got to get out to Potsdam. Anyone here from Potsdam? We’ve got to get out to Laura, anyone here from Laura? Well we’ve got to go farther than that. Is their anyone else farther than Laura? What’s the farthest away we’ve come tonight? Saint Paris. I don’t even know where that is, but we’ve got to go farther. What are some other places? From Michigan. We’ve got to go farther than that. Florida. We’ve got to go farther than that.

Isaiah 54:2
2: Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; hold not back, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.

Well, here’s what you say to me - what happens when it becomes crowded and uncomfortable? Do you know what the Bible says? I want to show you this verse in Isaiah 54:2. Here’s what you do when it becomes crowded and uncomfortable - "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back. Lengthen your cord and strengthen your stakes for you will spread out to the right and to the left." You’ve got to make more room. You’ve always got to make more room. I just showed you a picture of the 20 million-dollar project we have on board. Why? Christmas is about the party being on and everybody in.
You’ve got to love people. We make the promise that if you come, we will love you. That doesn’t mean a feeling. That means we will guide you through your G.E.D. and college education or whatever it takes to get you to be full participants of the party. That is what makes Christmas work. When you know that you’re doing more than eating food, breathing air, going to work, buying your boats and going hunting. But rather, when you know that you’re being a part of the solution in the world and not a part of the problem. Fill the house! Fill the house! We think that Christmas is about Jesus, but Jesus’ focus is to bring everybody into the party. Will you quit being focused on yourself and get up and go out there and give yourself for other people in the name of Jesus?

Here are some action steps:
1) If you’re going to have a party, here is what you have to do. It takes time and it takes money doesn’t it? If you’re going to throw a party, it takes time and money. Hey did you hear Kim say what we already need this month for the party? That doesn’t mean for January’s party, that means for ministry that we have already done this year: $449,000.
2) If you’re going to have a party, you have to extend the invitation. In a normal week 26% of Americans go to church. During Christmas, 70% of Americans will to go to church. Extend the invitation. Exceed your comfort zone. Pick up some tickets tonight to give to your friends and bring them with you. If you come here and you don’t have a guest and the room is filled, please let the guests have the good chairs. If it gets too full, come down here and sit on the floor. Love people. This isn’t about you! This about those who are not yet here.
3) Touch people at their point of need. Do you know why people came out to Jesus? Not because He was teaching truth because they weren’t seeking truth. They came out to Jesus because He touched them at their point of need and then they found the truth. I want to tell you a big point of need right now in the Dayton area: food. The Dayton food bank is 20% lower than it normally is this time of year and the demands are great. We have made a commitment to feed a hundred and fifty families with a week to two weeks of groceries at this Christmas time. Next week, bring here to the church one non-perishable food item for everyone in your family. I didn’t say one for everyone in your family who’s here. We want to have 8,000 items of food in this room at the end of next weekend to help meet the need at Christmas. Folks, that’s what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Hey, Jesus has come, the party is on and you’re invited. Bring someone with you.

Copyright © Ginghamsburg Church. All rights reserved.