Author: TechCommittee

“The Party of The Year” — Matthew 22: 1-14


 

Oct. 12, 2014                                                              Text:  Matthew 22:1-14

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

Mealtimes are often filled with emotions.  Peter knows.  Sunday dinners with his mother, Ada, his father, Fred, and three siblings were always lively, relates Peter.  “On one occasion all of us except mother were in a silly mood, and we began requesting, in rhyme, items at the table.  ‘Please pass the meat, Pete.’  ‘May I have a potatah, Ada?’  ‘How about the salt, Walt.’  This went on for a while but then mom got fed up.  She stood up:  ‘Stop this nonsense right now.  I’d like to enjoy my dinner with some good conversation not this silly chatter.’  Then she sat down, still in a huff, turned to my father, and snapped, ‘Pass the bread, Fred.’”

You are cordially invited to . . .

“THE PARTY OF THE YEAR”

It was on Tuesday of Holy Week when Jesus spoke this, the third of his triad of parables about entrance into the Kingdom.  The king is planning his son’s royal wedding.  When the invitations went out, those invited came up with excuses based on possessions or purchases.

In our busy, consumer-oriented society it is easy to disdain invitations.  When we get invited to a party or dinner we may ask ourselves:  “Do I really need to go?  Will there be a problem if I don’t go?  Will I know people there?”  Those in the parable answered in all the wrong ways.

When we apply this parable to God’s inviting us to eternal fellowship with him, if we decline, there will be a problem.  In our times, ethics are perceived as individual and relative.  Many Americans do not accept God’s eternal values as absolute.  Yet they are.  The Lord’s patience eventually wears thin.  As a people we cannot continually turn our back on God and expect his blessing.  “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (v. 14)

Many are called, you know?  Jesus graphically portrays God as reaching out to people with his inviting grace.  God cared enough to search us out and bring us into His Kingdom with celebration and a feast.  We need to value those times we have in worship.  Our divine services are true foretastes of the eternal banquet.

All who choose to ignore our accountability to God cheapen God’s grace.  In fact grace is costly – it cost the life of God’s Son.  Dietrich Bonheoffer wrote:  “Grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.  It is costly because it cost a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.”  To be invited by God to feast at his table of divine grace is the ultimate honor for all human beings.

Welcome the invitation.  Don’t be put off because it is free.  This is not some late-night infomercial.  This comes freely to you because of Jesus covering the cost of your invitation.  Christ has risen and ascended to heaven to host the banquet of all banquets.  God values inviting anyone, even us.  That divine attitude can shape in us the same desire to invite all.

When you got up this morning, perhaps you hesitated for a moment whether you would come to worship or not.  It might be nice to sleep in, or veg out or pursue some other worldly endeavor.  But a small voice suggested you accept the invitation.  That was the Holy Spirit delivering Christ’s invitation to you.

 

Even in our more casual day and age, we know there are certain clothes required for certain situations.  When God the Father invites us to the wedding feast at which his Son will be the Bridegroom, he supplies us with the right thing to wear, the righteousness of Jesus given at our Baptism.  Clothed in Christ’s righteousness, we are ready for the Party of the Year.

Amen.

October 5, 2014 Bulletin Announcements

Next Sunday  October 12th will be our 2nd Sunday Offering for Reverend Michael Kearney and Seminarian Christopher Suggitt.

Portals of Prayer  The October – December Portals of Prayer are available on the bookrack located in the narthex.  Large print also available.  Pick up your free copy today.

Thank you  The church has received a “Thank you” note from Seminarian Chris Suggitt thanking the congregation for your continued support.  The letter is posted on the bulletin board outside of the church office.

Fellowship Hosts  The sign-up for help with coffee/doughnuts is posted on the wall by the north stairwell.  We need an individual/family to sign up each week to pick up the donuts and make the coffee.  If no one is signed up by Friday of each week, the order will be cancelled.  We thank everybody who continues to help with this part of our church fellowship.

LWML Lutheran World Relief  The LWML ladies will be working on Health Kits again this year.  We would like to solicit your help in purchasing items for the Health Kits which will be sent to Lutheran World Relief.  The stores will soon have these items marked down for the college students that will be returning.  This is a wonderful opportunity to get great specials.  A list of items needed is on the table in the narthex.  If  you have questions, please feel free to call Joann Hart.  Thank you.

The Lutheran Hour  Today’s the Day for God’s Grace for All is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from Revelations 7:9-12.  The ruins of ancient Pompeii show how life can change in an instant.  (Footsteps of St. Paul; Part 4)  The speaker will be Reverend Gregory Seltz.  Hear this Sunday’s message on the Lutheran Hour on WGN (720 AM) at 6am; WJWR (104.7 FM) and WJWR (90.3 FM) both on Sunday at 3pm.  Also, if you can receive Lincoln, IL radio station WLLM (1370 AM) the program is broadcast two times on Sunday at 7am and 7pm.  Tune in!  You can listen to the Lutheran Hour on your personal computer at RealAudio, www.lhm.org

Celebrating October 2014

Birthdays

Thomas Anderson           10/1

E.F. Bud Barnett              10/2

Stacia Dowell                  10/10

Fern Noth                                10/10

Barry Hamlin                   10/11

Jessica Isaac                  10/11

Payton Biddle                  10/12

John Hardy                      10/12

Travis Henson                 10/15

Maria Kirchner                 10/15

Jacquelyn Semelka         10/17

Shane Miller                    10/21

Sierra Parker                   10/22

Audrey Gronert                10/23

Chloe Hitch                      10/23

Teresa Casselman          10/24

Abby Biddle                     10/25

Cheryl Reichert               10/28

Baptismal Birthdays

Eli McNeely                     10/2

William McNeely             10/2

Chad Lueck                     10/3

Brian Dirks                       10/4

Cortney Brewer               10/9

William Huber                  10/9

Andrea Reichert              10/9

Ryne Brewer                    10/13

Jessie Brown                   10/13

Michalene Hull                10/20

Cleo Korte                       10/20

Steve Davis                     10/27

Pastor’s Notes, October 2014

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Young children like to pretend they are adults.  How many of you women – when you were young – used to dress up in your mother’s clothes or put on her makeup?  How many of you men would sit in the car and pretend you were driving?  I use to stand in the pulpit and pretend that I was preaching.  When we are young, we want to grow up so that we can do grown-up things. 

We are proud of our kids when they mature and learn to do new things.  We say things like, “Cammie can now ride her bike.”  “Donavan is really learning to treat people with respect.”  Parents know what their kids need to grow and mature. 

How about in the church?   

At Good Shepherd we have in our bulletin announcements every week this:  “We believe children belong in worship.”  And they do, you know?  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.”  Isn’t it such a blessing to watch our kids mature in their faith?  They learn by our example to participate in the liturgy, to sing the hymns, to pray the Lord’s Prayer.  They see older siblings serve as acolytes or ushers and then they move into that role.  We nurture our children in the worship life of the church. 

I have always given my wife Toni a lot of credit for this with Karson and Holden.  She was the one in the pew with them.  I was leading worship.  I am proud of all of their accomplishments but to see them worship their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the greatest gift the Lord can give a parent.  I look forward to them being the spiritual leaders of their own household. 

Many times over the years it has been the children of the parish that point out something amiss in the liturgy or something not positioned right in the sanctuary.  They even like to point out when the Pastor speaks an incorrect word!  To me, that is a blessing because they are paying attention. 

We are all part of the church together – what a blessing!  May the Lord lead us to help one another to grow in our Christian faith. 

In Christ, 

Pastor