Bishop Jerry is traveling to
visit the Anglican Orthodox Churches in Serbia and Macedonia. Right now, he is in Belgrade and
meeting with AOC ministers there. Today’s sermon starts off with the
collect, and like always, it will give you a lot to consider in your heart.
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| Belgrade – confluence of Sava and Danube Rivers last night |
Sermon Notes - From Belgrade, Serbia - 2 November 2014, Anno Domini
Twentieth
Sunday after Trinity
The
Collect.
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O
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ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we
beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in
body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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A
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nd Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which
made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his
servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again,
he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I
have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are
ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of
it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And
the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But
when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and
destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then
saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were
not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as
many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went
out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both
bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And
when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a
wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest
thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then
said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and
cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For
many are called, but few are chosen.
(Matthew
22)
The heart
of a Little Boy
(I have written out for the benefit of those
who may only read these notes):
A little boy
was diagnosed with a severe heart deformity which demanded surgery, or the boy
would surely die. The surgery itself also presented a dangerous threat to the
little boy’s life. The very professional cardiologist explained, in gruesome
detail and with a measure of cold detachment, the serious nature of the
surgery. The little boy seemed unmoved by the discussion, so the doctor said
(with apparent irritation), “Don’t you know that I might find a condition that
could kill you?” The little boy responded happily, “I know what you will find,
and it makes me happy to know it.” The doctor was dumbfounded at the apparent
indifference of the boy, but scheduled the surgery anyway.
Upon entering
the chest cavity and seeing the little heart, the doctor was dismayed. The boy’s
heart would require his greatest skill to repair. He worked professional and
meticulously to undo a deadly condition that had afflicted the boy since birth.
His professional pride, and not any sense of compassion, motivated the hands
and mind of the cardiologist.
Against all
odds, the surgery was a great success and the boy was restored with a normal
heart at last.
As the doctor
later explained to the boy the serious nature of the surgery and the damage he
had found in the boy’s heart, the little boy smiled. The doctor, greatly
puzzled, asked, “Do you mock my skills as a surgeon. Do you not believe what I
have told you I found in your heart?”
The little
boy replied, “You have not told me the most important thing you found in my
heart which makes all the rest better – Jesus!” The cardiologist was shocked
and humbled by this courageous little boy’s answer. As a result, he finally did
find Jesus in his own heart.
The sermon
text today is of a great man who was planning a grand wedding feast for His
Son. He had gone to great expense and time-consuming preparation to insure that
every detail was perfect.
Let’s examine
the nature, first of all, of the nature of this invitation:
· It is extended to everyone, wide and far.
· It will be rejected by the heartless and
indifference
· Rejection provokes the justifiable ANGER of
GOD! – Each of us exists either under His kind favor or His great anger. Under
God's anger, or under God's love, we must be, whether we will or not. We cannot
flee from His presence. We cannot go from His Spirit. If we are loving, and so
rise up to heaven, God is there—in love. If we are cruel and wrathful, and so
go down to hell, God is there also—in wrath. With the clean He will be clean;
with the froward man He will be froward. On us, and us alone, it depends whether
we shall live under God's anger or live under God's love.
·
The great
King had composed a list of friends and subjects whom he had befriended with
many kindnesses in the past. He was sure that they would be honored to come to
the feast.
But these
ungrateful acquaintances would not come.
The King was
grieved that these people, whom he had helped so many ways, would not even
honor His own Son. 4 Again, he sent forth
other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my
dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto
the marriage.
He was a King
and unaccustomed to begging, but, for His Son’s sake, he besought the people to
please come and honor His Son.
How did these
vile people respond to the King’s pleadings?
5 But they made light of
it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated
them spitefully, and slew them.
The Great
Sovereign of all power was angered:
7 But when the king heard
thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those
murderers, and burned up their city.
In the year
70 AD (about 35 years after the crucifixion of Christ), the Roman commander,
Titus, erected battlements against the walls of Jerusalem. After a prolonged
siege in which the inhabitants of Jerusalem actually ate their own babies, the
walls fell and Titus butchered every male, and took the females captive as
slaves to the rough Roman guards.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is
ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy
All who
reject the invitation of Christ are unworthy of His Grace and Love.
God the
Father is seeking a bride for His only Begotten Son. He sent prophets and
priest to invite ancient Israel to come unto Him. But what was done to these
righteous from Abel to Zaccharias?
34 Wherefore,
behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them
ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues,
and persecute them from city to city: 35 That
upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood
of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew
between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 24:34-35)
When the
servants (prophets) were murdered by the King’s subjects (old Israel),
the King sends forth his messengers to find others. None were to be
ignored. Every persons, regardless of race, wealth, worth, or character were to
be invited (the new Israel). All who will, COME.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as
ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
The Apostles
went forth to all nations following the death, burial, and resurrection of
Christ, inviting all to come.
10 So those servants went
out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both
bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests
Many are
found by the servants (evangelists) and are called, but simply being called to
the throne of God is not enough: one must be chosen as well. God calls great
numbers – in fact, all who will hear His voice, He calls. But hearing the voice
of God requires, also, that we respond in obedience.
We may
receive an invitation in the mail to visit with the President of the United
States, but this will never happen unless we respond to the invitation.
We must come
to Christ, not slothenly or sloppily dressed, but in our finest and most
respectful apparel. And our demeanor must reflect that respect and reverence in
His Presence as well.
11 And when the king came in
to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
We should
never be careless in our service to Christ. We must be animated by the strong
love we have for our precious souls. We must be fervent and mindful of every
detail (Commandment).
We dare not
come before Christ, under any circumstance, as His enemy. He considers all who
come His Friends unless they prove unworthy through dress (lifestyle) or
manners (behavior and appearance).
The King
rebukes the man who came unprepared to show respect for the King or His Son:
12 And he saith unto him,
Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was
speechless
This man had
not received willingly the white robe of righteousness (salvation) which the
father offers as a covering for our nakedness (sins).
On that day
when we go before the White Throne of Judgment, if we have been desperate
sinners, we will be as speechless in our defense as the woman taken in
adultery. So was this man.
Our decisions
made here on terra firma will decide our destinies in eternity – either heaven
or hell.
13 Then said the king to the
servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer
darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but
few are chosen
