The Wedding Feast

1. The Wedding Feast The “How and Why” of the Kingdom of God

2. The Sower and the Seed The Sower is…. The Triune God The Seed is… the Word of God Men are --- the hand of God ---the agent that God utilizes to spread the Seed

3. Why Should We Sow the Word? Because the Kingdom of God is the Greatest Thing in All Reality… Nothing that can be Shared is a Greater Blessing to Others than Sharing the Word of God

4. Is there anything Greater than Sharing the Word to the Benefit of Others? YES --- There IS Something EVEN BETTER! Sharing the Word of God Simply Because What You Share is the Declaration of God’s Glory! No Greater Topic can be Spoken Of!

5. Parable of the Wedding Feast: Matthew 22 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast…

6. The Servants Sent… Areus --- those who are God’s Instruments in sowing the Seed of the Word We are moved by the Holy Spirit to share the Word --- How? The Holy Spirit plants within us, by grace, the desire to Sow… and we Sow

7. What can we Expect when we Sow? Matthew 22:3-6 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

8. What can we Expect when we Sow? To have negative response --- and yet we need to expect to be to be sent again and again

9. As We Sow…. Do we go only to those whose hearts we perceive to be ready? Should we chose who to share with based on who we think will respond well? Matthew 22:1-3 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast…

10. As We Sow, Are We… responsible for the RESPONSE of those with whom we Sow? Are we accountable for the results of evangelism and discipleship as we sow? What are we responsible for? To SOW

11. The “How” of the Kingdom… God Invites All --- We Deliver the Invitation God uses human Servants to Sow the Word onto All men of each Heart Type --- As Servants we are Responsible (in the power of God) to Sow but not to determine who to Sow the Word to or… for the response of those upon Whom we Sow

12. The “Why” of the Kingdom Why are we Inviting People to this Feast? Matthew 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son…

13. Why are we Inviting People to this Feast? The Feast --- that is, the Kingdom --- Exists to Honor Jesus --- it is God the Father honoring God the Son by Giving onto God the Son a People --- You and I --- the Wedding Feast is a Gift of Love from the Father to the Son and we are the Gift the Father Gives to the Son

14. The Father’s Gift to the Son John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

15. The Father’s Gift to the Son John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

16. The Son and the Gift.. Together John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am And Where is the Son? Matthew 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son

17. Piecing It Together… The Father Gives the Son a Feast --- The Kingdom of Heaven --- A Feast in the Son’s Honor… as an Expression of the Father’s Love for the Son

18. Piecing It Together… The Father gives to the Son a Gift --- namely the People Chosen to attend the Feast who are themselves the Gift --- Those who are the Gift Celebrate the Honor of the Son and Revel in the Father’s Love for the Son

19. Our Role…. We, who are Chosen to Attend the Feast --- those who are already at the Feast --- are Sent in God’s Power to Invite Others to Join in the Celebration the Father has Designed for the Son

20. Parable of the Wedding Feast: Matthew 22 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast…

21. There is So Much… More to the Parable of the Wedding Feast… we will address this Further next week…

22. To Remember for Today… You are a Gift From the Father to the Son… You are a Possession Given to the Son as the Father Expresses His Love for the Son… All this is a FEAST… A Feast which is the Kingdom of God

23. To Remember for Today… This Feast Has Already Begun… It is Ongoing… It will get Better as the Feast Continues… You are Already There… With the Directive of Inviting Others to Join the Feast!