2019 Theme Introduction
Scripture Romans 12:1
SING: “Come with me to the banquet eating table”
“COME” the first word - large and in charge.
b: to move or journey to a vicinity with a specified purpose - Come see us. Come and see what's going on.
(approach, move toward, draw closer, get near // distant, far away, leave, go away, be gone)
THE DISCIPLES
Matt 4:19-20
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
THE BURDENED
Matt 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
PETER
Matt 14:28-29
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said.
THE LITTLE CHILDREN
Matt 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
THOSE INVITED DON’T COME
Luke 14:16-17
Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'…….Luke 14:23-24 Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"
ZACCHAEUS WAS THRILLED TO COME
Luke 19:5-6
When Jesus reached the sycamore tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly……Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
THE THIRSTY
John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
LAZARUS
John 11:41-44
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
COME NEAR TO GOD
James 4:7-8
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.
COME TO HEAVEN & WORSHIP
Revelation 4:1-11
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
NO EXCUSE - NOW WE SAY COME!
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!"
FOR THOSE WHO CAME - JESUS WILL COME!
Revelation 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
WEDDING FEAST IN MATTHEW
Matthew 22:11-14
But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.
NO EXCUSE SUNDAY
We are skillful at the art of making excuses, aren't we? "I don't know how." "I didn't understand." "I couldn't find the right tools." "I threw out my back bowling." "I have a Doctor's appointment." "The hazmat crew is here and won't let me out of the house." "I have a relative coming and I need to pick them up at the airport." And, my all-time favorite: "When I got up this morning I accidentally took two Ex-Lax with my Prozac. I can't get off the john, but I feel good about it."
Ben Franklin wrote, "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else."
To combat this we have decreed January 27th as NO EXCUSE SUNDAY: To make it possible for everyone to attend church that Sunday:
Cots will be available for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."
There will be a few chairs with arms for those who feel that our chairs are too uncomfortable. Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from too much screen time Saturday night.
Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.
Scorecards will be available for those who wish to keep track of the hypocrite’s present.
Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can't go to church because Sunday is family day.
For those who golf or go fishing on Sunday we will have a putting green and fishing poles.
Microwaveable dinners will be available for those who can’t come to church because they have to be home making Sunday dinner.
We will have "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those that feel the church is always asking for money.
We will have plants for those who like to seek God in nature.
Medical personnel will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on that day.
The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them.
We will provide hearing aids for those who can't hear the preacher and cotton balls for those who say the music’s too loud!
Finally, for the person who tells you, “If I came to your church, the place would surely burn down, we will have the Oregon fire department here - for real”
Hope to see you there!
Early Scripture:
Psalm 86:5-10
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
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