NO MASK NO ENTRY NO JESUS NO HEAVEN
11TH OCTOBER, 2020
Hymn: 428
MATTHEW 22:11-12 (1-14)
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ, who triumphantly rose from the dead. By His sufferings and death, our sins are forgiven and by the power of the Holy Spirit grace has be restored unto us. By His resurrection and ascension; all believers are invited to a royal heavenly festival of thanks giving which will never end. O Lord in your mercy; grant this unto us all. Amen.
Amen
May statement; may sound controversial. Nevertheless, to speak generally, “I will say it is easier to conduct a Christian funeral than to officiate a Christian wedding”.
Really, Rev. Indeed this is debatable; what makes you think wedding officiating is difficult compared to funeral.
- The woman factor involved makes the difference! Women are women you know! Psychologically and ironically most women start planning their perfect weddings… the very moment they were born. It may amaze you but its true!
Wuow interesting revelation; the woman factor! Rev. with all this long period of planning… Where lies the difficulties then?
- In my ministry: I witnessed a wedding which started three hours late; simply because the bride was still sewing the dresses of her bridal team!
- I’ve also witnessed a father who, when asked, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” messing up his statement!”
- I heard a story of a best-man fainted: this best-man was revived and he fainted again, he was revived again, and fainted the third time.
- At a wedding the meals served; went bad and all who eat suffered food poisoning.
What a tragedy?
Mr. Kyei and my dear listeners…. The point is, weddings have the potential to have challenges… my own wedding had its own challenge too.
Rev…. on behalf of our cherished listeners; is there any biblical proof please.
6 days after Jesus was baptized performed a spectacular miracle at a wedding in Cana. At Cana something terrible went wrong with the wedding.
In spite of the long planning; the host family run out of wine… to save them from embarrassment; Jesus turned ordinary water into first-rated wine. Praise God for that generosity!
Hallelujah
Rev that brings to mind…what type of wine was it, was it alcoholic or non-alcoholic?
It was a good wine; that wine was much better than the cheap one which was earlier served ….… after all that is exactly what the MC said… read the full story in John Chapter 2 for your judgment.
Due to the complex nature of weddings: Jesus often used wedding illustrations to make strong point.
- A caution for people to be prepared for the unknown hour He would return in judgment: Jesus used a wedding celebration where some unprepared guests were locked out… parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)
- Also teaching humility (in Luke 14:8-11)., Jesus illustrated a man who, filled with self-importance, sat at an honored position at a wedding. This man was humiliated by asking him to vacate his seat so a more important guest.
Friends: all I am trying to establish is that; NO JESUS; NO HEAVEN!
Rev. I understand you: I must say in era of COVID-19; we have NO MASK NO ENTRY…juxtaposing that with Salvation: NO JESUS, NO HEAVEN!
On point! Coupled with that: Jesus again and again illustrated, “I’m the fellow whom the prophets spoke about; I’m the Messiah whose way was prepared by John the Baptizer. There the promised Kingdom is right here before your very eyes. I am the Kingdom.” “Repent and be forgiven, to be set free from the bondage of sin-Satan’s shackles, and be free from death’s inevitability.
Friends: “the time to believe in Jesus is now.”
Rev. Jesus John the Baptizer in the Prison sent his disciple to confirm from Jesus, if He is really the messiah who is to come?
Friends: Jesus fed over Five thousand people with the lunch of a nameless boy; in another instance He fed four thousand and over people.
Jesus silenced the storms; He also walked on water.
Jesus on regular bases healed people who were medically incurable.
By His command, and sometimes with His touch, lepers were made clean and sent home to reunite with their families.
Blind people were given back their sight; the deaf heard again; the lame walked; and mourners were reunited with their departed loved ones. The poor had the word of God preached to them…. All the above is possible because Jesus is God!
Hallelujah!
Amen!
Jesus faithfully kept God’s laws which sinful humanity constantly breaks; for three years Jesus refused the devil’s temptations… temptations which you and I are vulnerable and somehow compromise, because of our weakness in the flesh.
Rev. How significant was Jesus’ Ministry…?
Significantly: On one hand: There were many groups of people, even till today who denied and hated Jesus.
- Among them are those who came from His childhood town Nazareth. Jesus’ neighbors knew Him to be the carpenter’s son… they tried to throw Him off a cliff when He preached to them about God’s plan and His purpose.
- The pompous Pharisees disliked Him because He evidently set aside their self imposed laws; in effect Jesus instructed the people to keep to God’s Commandments and conform their lives to His will only.
- The Sadducees and the religious big shots who deny most Biblical beliefs hated Jesus the more; because He pointed to them, how much they had lost salvation, and on the day of the resurrection… there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Significantly: On the other hand; The 12 disciples usually misunderstood Him and, more often than not, they misinterpreted His will and deeds… they misunderstood His wishes and desires.
- Jesus had few women who diligently supported Him and His ministry.
- Jesus has the blessings of God the Father: because His work of salvation is satisfactory.
- Jesus knowing the heart and mind of all these category of people did His very best to get these sinful beings and all humanity to be admitted to the everlasting wedding feast which will take place in heaven…Hallelujah!
Rev. I can’t wait to witness such a Heavenly feast? I can imagine the better food and better drinks which will flow in abundance!
Blessed brother! Motivated by that love; Jesus one day told the people another wedding parable. Jesus’ story began with a king sending out an invitation.
Most of you listening, should you get President Akuffo Addo’s invitation to the Jubilee House: you would probably honor the invitation; even if you don’t belong to His party…!
Rev. I will surely honor such an invitation!
Very well, in Jesus’ story, it was contrary: The people, the king invited, did not honor the invitation… with no reason.
Not pleased with an empty explanation, the king’s representatives declared. “Everything is ready” “The meal is prepared. The King says; Come to the wedding.”
Rev. Was the 2nd invitation was fruitful!
Surprisingly, they didn’t respond to the king!
- In Jesus’ story, some of the citizens laughed at the king’s request;
- Others simply ignored the royal call;
- Others showed their disrespect by murdering the king’s messengers.
In the story, when the king heard what had happened and how his representatives had been so badly treated, He severely punished the ungrateful, unappreciative and unworthy rebels.
Rev: “How is Jesus’ story applicable to our lives?”
- One prophet after another had been sent from God to warn humanity;
- One prophet after another had encouraged us to be prepared for the Messiah’s arrival.
- One prophet after another had been disrespected and maltreated…
- Failure to pay attention; Jesus is warning God’s people to understand – that our rejection of His gracious invitation to salvation is unforgivable and inexcusable.
- Jesus want all humanity to realize that if we don’t want God in our lives, He will grant us our will and withdraw His invitation…but the truth stands.
- That on the Judgment Day, if we do not repent, we would be left on the outside … mind you; No Jesus No Heaven!! There will be whipping and gnashing of teeth when you are left out.
No Mask no Entry! No Jesus No Heaven!! There will be whipping and gnashing of teeth when you are left out.
Rev. What or who are the characters in the parable?
God is the King; the wedding banquet is heaven; the invitees are people like you and me.
Dear friends: Jesus’ parable about God’s wedding invitation didn’t end with a warning to the Jews. No! Jesus’ story continued…
The King sent His messengers – that is pastors, evangelists, preachers and missionaries – throughout the world to deliver gracious invitation, an invitation which says: “Repent of your sins, believe in the name of Jesus and trust Him as your Savior, live in the forgiveness which Jesus through His suffering, death, and resurrection won for you.” … Hallelujah!
Amen!
“With gracious generosity on His part, God is cordially inviting you today to come to faith in His Son Jesus to gain access into heaven.” … No Jesus, No Heaven!
Rev. some think they can go to heaven on their own.
Kindly read John 14:6
I am the way the truth and the life.. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
That sets it! Dear listeners… God’s invitation is being delivered to you by the Lutheran Media Ministry’s… through INTOUCH broadcast which has been running for 26 years and counting…
LMM-Ghana is doing all necessary to get you into heaven… on the command of Jesus in Matthew 28:18 ff and Mark 16:15ff.
Friends
This blessed invitation from a gracious God who is the King of kings…are extended to you…do not decline or ignore such an invitation to a perfect wedding feat which will take place in heaven. At this wedding feast, everything will be the best of things and in abundance… there will be continuous supply of our needs… in Heaven there is no COVID-19; there is no death… Praise God!
Amen to that!
Don’t misunderstand this… The Bible is clear:
If you are in doubt, listen carefully to Jesus as He finished His parable about the earthly wedding reception.
In His conclusion… the king supplied His guests with a free set of clothes… clothes suitable for the celebration.
Apparently one man stubbornly held a wrong and fatal opinion – in his thinking; he could be admitted to the feast, on his own term, and shortcomings, without repentance.
Friends; this man like many others was wrong. Please Admission to heaven is on God’s terms, not ours; it is not by our goodness that we enter heaven…No, it is by God’s grace
Thanks be to God, for such a gift in His Son Jesus!
In the New normal protocol: public places post reads “No Nose Mask, No Entry,” let me assure you; God’s heavenly banquet post says, “No Jesus, No Heavenly Celebration.”
That is why in Jesus’ story in Matt 22:11&12, the man who came as he was. Had had to banded, hands and feet and callously and unsympathetically casted out at the command of the King…
What a sad ending!
Indeed, for that man, and for many others who feel they can do without Jesus, and enter heaven on their own accord: are hereby cautioned that God’s perfect wedding would never be pleasant to them if they do not repent and succumb to Jesus, who by His blood closed the yawning gates of hell and open the gates of heaven to all believers: may His name be praised now and for evermore.….
BENEDICTION
The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and grant you His everlasting peace… in the name of the father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
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