FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

JULY 8, 2007

IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS ‑‑ IF NOT LET US QUIETEN OUR MINDS AND OUR HEARTS THAT WE CAN COME IN TO WORSHIP.

WILL YOU JOIN ME IN THE RESPONSIVE SONG?

LET US STAND AND SING HYMN NUMBER 6.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

IF ALL THE CHILDREN WILL COME FORWARD FOR WIGGLETIME.

GOOD MORNING.

I HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A WONDERFUL SUMMER.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD WE ALWAYS WENT TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE, MY RELATIVES ALWAYS ASKED ONE QUESTION AND YOU WILL BE ASKED THIS QUESTION A HUNDRED TIMES.

AND THAT QUESTION IS ‑‑ WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

WHAT DID YOU TELL HIM?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO BE?

>>I WANT TO BE A FIREFIGHTER.

 >> I WILL DRIVE A TRAIN.

 >> I WANT TO WORK AT THE ZOO.

YOU MIGHT CHANGE YOUR MIND BEFORE YOU GROW UP.

THE QUESTION BEHIND THIS, WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS YOU WHAT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP, THEY REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE WHEN YOU GROW UP.

MAYBE YOU WANT TO BE LIKE A SPORTS STAR, LIKE MICHAEL JORDAN OR BECKHAM THE SOCCER PLAYER,

OR A BASEBALL PLAYER.

WELL, YOU KNOW YEARS AGO SOMEBODY GAVE THIS SHIRT TO EMILY AND IT SAYS WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD ALL WANT TO BE WHEN WE GROW UP.

WE CAN BE A FIREFIGHTER, OR WORK AP THE ZOO OR BE A GREAT SOCCER PLAYER, BUT AS LONG AS WE HAVE JESUS TO BE A PART OF THAT.

THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE SHOULD GROW IN CHRIST AND THAT SIMPLY MEANS TO BE LIKE JESUS IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. 

MAYBE YOU WANT TO BE LIKE THE POLICEMAN THAT LIVES NEXT DOOR.

HE CATCHES THE  BAD GUYS AND DOES EVERYTHING GOOD, OR BE LIKE A FIREFIGHTER

MAYBE YOU WANT TO BE A SCHOOLTEACHER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE YOU HAVE TO BE LIKE JESUS SO WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING TO PICK SOMEBODY WITH A ROLE MODEL LIKE JESUS.

AND YOU ALL CAN BE A ROLE MODEL LIKE JESUS TOO.

PEOPLE WANT TO BE LIKE JILLY BECAUSE SHE IS NICE.

MAKE THEY WANT TO BE LIKE LUKE BECAUSE LUKE IS ALWAYS SMILING.

SO WHEN YOU GO BACK TO SCHOOL THIS FALL BE LIKE JESUS IN ALL YOU DO.

I AM SORRY TO SAY I RAN OUT OF SUCKERS.

>>THEY ARE IN DISBELIEF.

WHAT KIND OF JOINT IS THIS?

NO SUCKERS.

ARE THERE ANY JOYS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS MORNING?

 >> WELL MY JOY THIS MORNING IS MY SISTER AND HER HUSBAND FROM CANADA AND MY NIECE AND HUSBAND FROM OKLAHOMA ARE VISITING FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

 >> OTHER JOYS?

 >> GLAD TO SEE ERIC BACK WITH US.

>>I HAVE A JOY, I WORKED AT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY YESTERDAY WITH SOME MEMBERS FROM OUR CHURCH IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH OUR CHURCH AND RIVERMONT PRESBYTERIAN WORK TOGETHER AND IT WAS A GREAT GROUP, A LOT OF FUN AND MY ARM IS KILLING ME.

WE ALMOST BUILT A PORCH.

WE WILL PUT THE DIRECTIONS TO WHERE WE ARE WORKING NEXT MONTH IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE.

YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN US ‑‑  THE FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAY WE ALWAYS WORK AT THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN.

AND THAT IS A REWARDING EXPERIENCE.

I WANT YOU TO INVITE YOU TO THOSE THINGS.

IT IS FRIDAY, NOT SUNDAY FOR THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN.

THE FIRST AND THIRD FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH.

OTHER JOYS?

OR CONCERNS?

 >> FRANCIS COLE IS IN HEALTHSOUTH IN 225 AND SHE CAN HAVE COMPANY.

[INAUDIBLE]

 >> WE HAVE A SPECIAL FRIEND, A NEIGHBOR AND SOMEBODY I HAVE KNOWN FOR 50 YEARS WHO IS AN ELDERLY MAN WHO HAS TWO MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMORS.

REMEMBER HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS.

OTHERS?

 >> [INAUDIBLE] THAT RACHEL IS AT THE POINT OF DEATH AND IS EXPECTED TO GO AT ANY TIME.

HE WANTED ME TO LET HER FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT IT.

BOW OUR HEADS FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION.

LET US PRAY.

LOVING GOD, WE COME TO THIS PLACE FOR MANY REASONS.

WE COME TO THIS TIME IN OUR WORSHIP LOOKING FOR MANY THINGS.

HELP US FIRST AND FOREMOST TO SEEK YOU, HELP US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WORSHIP IS ABOUT EXPERIENCING YOUR PRESENCE.

WHILE STRENGTHENING OUR RELATIONSHIP TO YOU.

SO THOUGH WE COME FOR MANY REASONS LOOKING FOR MANY THINGS, HELP US TO FUNNEL ALL THOSE THINGS SO THAT WE MIGHT COME OUT TO EXPERIENCE YOU THIS DAY SO THAT WE MIGHT BE RENEWED IN YOU, THAT WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND ONCE AGAIN THAT YOU ARE REAL, WE GIVE THANKS THIS DAY FOR FAMILY AND FOR FRIENDS.

WE NAME THEM IN OUR HEARTS.

WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THOSE CLOSE TO US WHO ARE RECOVERING FROM VARIOUS ILLNESSES, AND WE PRAY THAT THEY HAVE FELT YOUR PRESENCE AND DISCOVERED YOUR PEACE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND THAT THEY MIGHT GROW CLOSER TO YOU.

WE PRAY FOR PEACE, FIRST IN US, FOR THAT IS THE ONLY WAY FOR THE WORLD TO BECOME PEACEFUL.

KEEP THOSE THINGS THAT HINDER PEACE WITHIN US OUT.

ENVY, GREED, YOU KNOW THEM ALL, THOSE ARE JUST A FEW.

WE THANK YOU THAT WE ARE ABLE TO WORSHIP THIS DAY, SIT FREELY IN THIS PLACE TO OFFER YOU OUR PRAISES, TO BE TRANSFORMED.

GIVE US THE COURAGE TO BE OPEN TO THAT TRANSFORMATION AND WE ARE GUIDED BY THE PRAYER THAT JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES. SO WE SAY BOLDLY TOGETHER ‑‑ OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN.

HALLOWED BE THEY NAME.

THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US, AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY.

NOW IS OUR TIME OF OFFERING, ALWAYS TO REFLECT ON THE GENEROSITY OF GOD.

LET US GIVE GENEROUSLY.

HELLO.

THIS ISN'T IN THE PROGRAM BUT I AM SINGING A TRADITIONAL SPIRITUAL.

SO HERE WE GO.

(MEGAN COLEMAN SINGING A CAPELLA)

OUR SCRIPTURE READING IS THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET.

IT WAS A BANQUET THAT YOU WERE TO BUSY TO GO TO.

LET US HEAR THE WORD OF GOD.

ONE OF THE DINNER GUESTS ON HEARING THIS SAID TO HIM.

BLESSED IS THE ONE THAT WILL EAT BREAD IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND JESUS SAID TO HIM,

SOMEONE GAVE A GREAT DINNER AND INVITED MANY.

AT THE TIME OF THE DINNER HE SENT HIS SLAVE TO SAY TO THOSE WHO HAD BEEN INVITED TO SAY COME EVERYTHING IS READY NOW.

BUT THEY ALL ALIKE BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSES.

THE FIRST SAID I HAVE BOUGHT A PIECE OF LAND AND I MUST GO OUT AND SEE TO IT.

PLEASE ACCEPT MY REGRETS.

THE OTHER SAID I HAVE BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN AND WILL TRY THEM OUT.

ANOTHER SAID I HAVE JUST BEEN MARRIED AND THEREFORE I CANNOT COME.

THE SLAVE RETURNED AND REPORTED THIS TO HIS MASTER.

THEN THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE BECAME VERY ANGRY AND SAID TO HIS SLAVE.

GO OUT TO THE STREETS AND THE LANES OF THE TOWN AND BRING IN THE POOR, THE CRIPPLED, THE BLIND, AND THE LAME. 

AND THE SLAVE SAID TO HIM, SIR, WHAT YOU HAVE ORDERED HAD BEEN DONE AND THERE IS STILL ROOM.

AND HE SAID, GO OUT TO THE ROADS AND LANES AND COMPEL PEOPLE TO COME SO MY HOUSE WILL BE FILLED AND I SAY NO ONE THAT WAS INVITED WILL TASTE MY DINNER.

I AM INSTRUCTED THAT THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS.

>>I GUESS IT IS MY JOB TO TELL YOU WHY IT IS.

LET US PRAY:

WE PRAY FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN THESE MOMENTS, O GOD.

NOT ONLY TO OPEN OUR HEARTS THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE WHAT YOU HAVE FOR US THIS DAY.

AMEN.

HAVE YOU EVER MADE A DISCOVERY THAT YOU THOUGHT SO GREAT THAT YOU WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS?

HAVE YOU EVER MAYBE FOUND A NEW HIKING TRAIL AND YOU COULDN'T WAIT TO TELL YOUR HIKING BUDDY, I FOUND THIS GREAT PLACE.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW YOU.

OR MAYBE IT WAS A RESTAURANT, A RESTAURANT THAT YOU THOUGHT WAS THE GREATEST THING, YOU HAD JUST DISCOVERED IT AND YOU COULDN'T WAIT TO TELL YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS.

SOMETHING REALLY GOOD YOU WANTED TO SHARE.

YOU WANTED TO SHARE THE JOY OF THAT EXPERIENCE.

I HAVE SUCH A PLACE, IT IS A PANCAKE PLACE.

LIKE I TOLD THE MORNING CROWD, BIG SURPRISE.

IT IS A LITTLE PLACE IN GATLINBURG.

I HADN'T BEEN THERE IN A LONG TIME AND RECENTLY I WAS ON A RETREAT IN GATLINBURG.

I WANTED TO TAKE MY FRIEND THERE AND I BUILT THE PLACE UP.

WE GOT DOWN TO THIS LITTLE PANCAKE PLACE AND WE ALL ORDERED DIFFERENT PANCAKES AND I WAS OVERJOYED THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING THE PANCAKES.

I WAS PROBABLY ANNOYING ‑‑ DO YOU LIKE THEM?

ARE THEY GOOD? ‑‑  I WAS OVERJOYED TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THEM AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

THEY WERE GREAT PANCAKES.

HAVE YOU EVER DISCOVERED SOMETHING SO GOOD THAT YOU WANTED TO SHARE THAT JOY THAT YOU EXPERIENCED, WHATEVER IT IS? 

I REMEMBER IN SEMINARY OUR NEW TESTAMENT PROFESSOR WAS A BIRD WATCHER, AND I AM NOT A BIRD WATCHER, BUT HE WAS AN AVID BIRD WATCHER.

HE WOULD TAKE US OUT TO LECTURE BUT THEY WERE REALLY BIRD WATCHING LECTURES.

I REMEMBER AS WE WERE OUTSIDE ON THE SEMINARY CAMPUS AND HE WOULD TALK ABOUT THESE BIRDS, BIRDS THAT I HAD NO IDEA EVER EXISTED, BUT HE SHARED WITH SUCH EXCITEMENT, SUCH EXUBERANCE, ABOUT EACH BIRD.

HE REALLY FELT THAT HE WAS SHARING THIS SECRET JOY WITH US.

HE WANTED US TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY THAT HE EXPERIENCED EVERY TIME THAT HE WOULD GO BIRD WATCHING AND DISCOVER A NEW BIRD.

THAT GOT ME TO THINKING ABOUT CREATION AND WHAT IS THE INTENTION OF GOD'S CREATION.

AND THAT PERHAPS IS JOY.

AND THAT GOD IS WILLING TO SHARE THIS WONDERFUL CREATION WITH US SO THAT WE MIGHT EXPERIENCE JOY.

AND I KNOW THAT IS SOMETIMES HARD FOR US TO SEE AS WE LOOK AROUND US AND WE SEE EVIL ALL AROUND THE WORLD, AND WE THINK WHY?

ALL THE EVIL IF WE ARE TO EXPERIENCE SUCH GREAT JOY AND I KNOW IT IS EASY TO BLAME GOD FOR ALL THE EVIL, BUT IF YOU READ THE STORY OF CREATION THE WORLD GOES CRAZY AFTER THE PEOPLE SHOW UP.

AND WE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE JOY IN GOD'S CREATION.

WE HAVE THREE THINGS:  ONE WE HAVE THE POWER, WE HAVE THE POWER TO EXPERIENCE, TO EVEN MAKE JOY OUT OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US.

WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE JOY.

AND GOD HAS EVEN GIVEN US A LITTLE WISDOM.

A LITTLE WISDOM SO THAT WE MIGHT DISCERN JOY AND THESE THINGS HELP US:  POWER, FREEDOM, WISDOM, SHARE IN GOD'S JOY.

I REMEMBER GROWING UP, I HAD A NEIGHBOR, JIMMY WILSON, HE WOULD COME AND VISIT HIS GRANDPARENTS EVERY OTHER WEEKEND AND THIS ONE PARTICULAR WEEKEND WAS HIS BIRTHDAY SO THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY AND ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN  WERE INVITED.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF JIMMY WOKE UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED, OR MAD AT HIS GRANDPARENTS, BUT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THE PARTY HE WAS NOT IN A GOOD MOOD.

HIS FAVORITE CAKE WAS CHOCOLATE CAKE AND HIS GRANDMOTHER MADE HIM A CHOCOLATE CAKE, AND JIMMY SAID I DON'T WANT ANY CHOCOLATE.

BACK THEN THE BIG THING WAS GI JOE'S AND ACCESSORIES, AND A LOT OF HIS FRIENDS HAD BOUGHT HIM THOSE THINGS AND THOUGHT HE WOULD BE EXCITED.  AND HE SAID I DON'T WANT TO PLAY WITH GI JOE TODAY.

WE TRIED TO MAKE IT A GREAT BIRTHDAY FOR HIM AND HE WASN'T HAVING IT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, HE WASN'T HAVING IT.

WE COULD NOT FORCE HIM TO BE JOYFUL.

WE COULDN'T FORCE HIM INTO JOY.

BECAUSE JOY IS FINALLY SOMETHING THAT A PERSON HAS TO EXPERIENCE WILLINGLY.

GOD FORCES NO ONE.

REMEMBER POWER, FREEDOM AND WISDOM.

GOD FORCES NO ONE INTO JOY.

OUR PARABLE THIS MORNING HAS THIS HOST WHO WANTED TO THROW A GREAT PARTY.

HE SETS THE STAGE FOR HIS GUESTS TO EXPERIENCE JOY.

AND THE HOST GETS REJECTED.

AND THE EXCUSES ARE NOT THAT BAD, REALLY.

BUT THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE ‑‑ EXCUSES TO NOT EXPERIENCE JOY.

AND HIS FIRST REACTION IS ANGER.

HE IS ANGRY BUT I DON'T LIKE TO THINK OF GOD AS ANGRY.

I DON'T LIKE TO THINK OF THE WRATH OF GOD.

BUT WE NEVER GET ANGRY ABOUT SOMETHING UNIMPORTANT TO US.

I THINK I WOULD BE MORE UPSET IF THE HOST WAS INDIFFERENT.

WELL I DON'T CARE IF ANYONE COMES TO MY PARTY.

THE HOST CARES ABOUT HIS GUESTS SO THIS ANGER GOES ‑‑ THERE A DEEP FRUSTRATION AND SADNESS.

SO WHAT DOES HE DO?

HE EXPANDS THE GUEST LIST.

NOW WHO EXPANDS THE GUEST LIST?

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING TV ‑‑ THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE WITH STEVE MARTIN WAS ON AND HE ONLY WANTED 100 GUESTS AND THEY WANTED 500 BUT HE WANTS TO PARE IT DOWN.

HE EXPANDS THE GUEST LIST.

MAYBE JESUS IS TRYING TO EXPLAIN HIS MINISTRY.

MAYBE THESE INVITED GUESTS WERE THE RELIGIOUS ELITE AND THEY DIDN'T WANT ANY PART OF HIS IDEA OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

SO THE HOST GOES AND CALLS THE POOR AND THE HURTING AND THE SERVANTS SAY, WE HAVE MORE ROOM.

GO TO WHOMEVER ‑‑ LIST EN ‑‑ GO TO WHOMEVER YOU FIND.

NOW CAN YOU IMAGINE?

IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T GET INVITED TO PARTIES.

 CAN YOU IMAGINE IF YOU ARE THE PERSON WHO IS ALWAYS ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, IF YOU ARE NOT THE POPULAR KID OR THE COOL KID?

IN OUR DAY OF REALITY TV I AM THINKING OF [INAUDIBLE] AND IN THE OLDER DAYS CANDID CAMERA.

MAYBE HE HAS CREATED HIS OWN CIRCUMSTANCES, MAYBE IT IS THINGS THAT WERE DONE TO HIM AND HE IS INVITED TO THE PARTY.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IF I AM THAT PERSON I AM LOOKING AROUND FOR THE CAMERA. 

NOW COME ON ‑‑ THIS IS A JOKE, RIGHT?

I DON'T GET INVITED TO THESE KIND OF PARTIES, I DON'T HANG AROUND WITH THESE KINDS OF PEOPLE. 

AND THE SERVANT SAYS NO, YOU ARE INVITED TO THE PARTY AND WE HAVE SOME NEW CLOTHES FOR YOU TO WEAR.

THE HOST WANTS ME?

I DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS GUY.

YES, THE HOST WANTS YOU.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE FACE?

PROBABLY THOSE WHO ARE AMAZED THE MOST APPRECIATED THE INVITATION THE MOST.

THEY DIDN'T GO TO PARTIES.

THE OTHER THING AND THIS IS THE BAD NEWS PART OF IT.

WE CAN MISS THE PARTY.

FOR MANY REASONS, YOU PICK.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE MISSING GOD'S PLAN FOR JOY, ONLY YOU KNOW.

THERE ARE MANY REASONS.

I HEARD A STORY THIS WEEK.

A FELLOW WAS COMING HOME AND HE WAS ABOUT TO COME INTO THE HOUSE AND THERE WERE SHOES ALL OVER ACROSS THE ENTRYWAY.

HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY THERE HAD TO BE SHOES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THERE WAS ONLY HIM AND HIS WIFE AND HIS DAUGHTER.

FOR SOME REASON THEY COULDN'T PUT THEM WHERE THEY BELONGED, SO HE TOOK SOME TIME AND PAIRED ALL THE SHOES TOGETHER AND THEN HE WENT INTO THE HOUSE AND YELLED FOR HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER.

NO ANSWER.

HE CAME INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND THERE WERE COATS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY JUST COULDN'T HANG UP THEIR COATS AND SO HE TOOK ANOTHER 15 MINUTES OR SO AND HUNG THE COATS UP.

WONDERED WHERE HIS WIFE AND CHILD WERE, WENT UPSTAIRS AND HIS WIFE HAD LEFT CLOTHES ALL OVER THE BED , AND HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE CAN'T PUT THE CLOTHES AWAY, WONDERED WHERE  THEY WERE, AND TOOK TIME TO HANG UP THE CLOTHES AND THEN GOT IN THE SHOWER AND WAS THINKING ABOUT WORK AND HOW HIS COWORKER WAS TRYING TO GET HIS JOB.

HE THEN CAME DOWNSTAIRS AND WAS STILL WONDERING WHERE WAS HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER?

HE STARTED GOING THROUGH THE MAIL AND SAW A NOTE FROM HIS WIFE.

IT SAID:    FRANK, LAST YEAR YOU FORGET HER BIRTHDAY PARTY AND DON'T FORGET THAT TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY AND WE ARE TO BE AT THIS PARTICULAR RESTAURANT AT 6:00 O'CLOCK.

HE HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE PARTY.

HE LOOKED AT THE CLOCK AND IT WAS 6:30 P.M.

HE WAS MISSING THE PARTY.

FRANK WAS A VERY CONSCIENTIOUS FELLOW, HE PUT THE SHOES IN THE RIGHT PLACE, THE COATS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT HE WAS FORGETTING THAT HE WAS INVITED TO A PARTY.

SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES I THINK THAT WE THINK GOD IS A USED CAR SALESMAN.

AND GOD SAYS, THIS IS FOR YOU.

THIS FERRARI, YOU ARE INVITED TO EXPERIENCE THIS FOR FREE.

IT IS ALL YOURS.

AND WE CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

AND WE GO AROUND AND WE OPEN THE HOOD TO MAKE SURE THERE IS AN ENGINE IN THERE AND WE GO AROUND KICKING THE TIRES MAKING SURE THEY ARE GOOD TIRES BECAUSE WE CANNOT IMAGINE THAT GOD WOULD BE SO GENEROUS, THAT GOD WOULD WANT US TO BE FILLED WITH JOY, EXPERIENCE JOY AND SHARE JOY.

THAT IS ALL THE HOST WANTED.

IT IS ALL THE HOST WANTED, FOR THE PEOPLE TO ENJOY, TO EXPERIENCE JOY.

ONE NIGHT WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD, THE DOORBELL RANGE LIKE CRAZY, SOMEONE WAS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR.

MY PARENTS AND I WERE ASLEEP AND MY DAD GOES TO THE DOOR WITH THE BASEBALL BAT, AND HERE WE GO TO THE DOOR ‑‑ MY FATHER, MY MOTHER AND THEN MYSELF.

WE OPEN THE DOOR AND IT IS MY UNCLES, IN OUR TRADITION WE HAVE LARGE GATHERINGS. 

OUR FAMILY IS LIKE MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING.

WE HAVE THESE GREAT GATHERINGS.

THEY MOVE FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE. 

THEY MIGHT BE AT THIS HOUSE FOR ONE WEEK AND THEN THEY MOVE TO THE OTHER HOUSE, BUT THEY DON'T TELL THAT THEY ARE COMING ‑‑ BUT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE READY.

THIS PARTICULAR GATHERING WAS HELD AT MY AUNT'S HOME AND THEY BROUGHT IT TO OUR HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT TO CONTINUE THE FESTIVITIES.

MY FATHER OPENED THE DOOR  AND ONE UNCLE HAD  AN ACCORDION, ANOTHER A HARMONICA, AND SOME AUNTS WITH FOOD.

I WAS REALLY WONDERING IF MY DAD WAS GOING TO USE THAT BASEBALL BAT.

BUT HE DIDN'T.

THEY ALL CAME INTO OUR HOME AND MY MOTHER WAS COOKING IN THE KITCHEN WITH MY AUNTS AND THEY WERE SINGING AND THEY WERE THERE UNTIL 2:30 A.M. IN THE MORNING.

IT IS MIDNIGHT, IT IS LATE.

GO TO BED ‑‑ WE HAVE WORK THE NEXT DAY.

BUT WE WERE NOT GOING TO MISS THE PARTY AND WHAT A PARTY IT WAS!

I THINK THIS IS WHAT THAT PARABLE IS ABOUT.

SOMETIMES WE GET FOCUSED ON THE LITTLE THINGS, AND WE FORGET WE WERE CREATED FOR JOY FOR THIS CREATION AND OTHERS.

WE GET SO BOGGED DOWN THAT WE FORGET THAT OUR GOD IS A JOYOUS GOD AND A GOD THAT INVITES US TO LIFE, THAT IS THE PARTY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT IS KEEPING YOU FROM THE PARTY.

IT IS DIFFERENT FOR EACH OR US AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN OUR LIVES, SO I CAN ONLY SAY, THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

THINK ABOUT HOW YOU ARE MISSING THE PARTY, IF YOU ARE.

OR MAYBE YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT IS.

DON'T MISS WHAT GOD IS OFFERING YOU.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE SHOES, THE COATS, THE MAIL, THE CLOTHES OR WHATEVER THOSE REPRESENT FOR YOU.

DON'T MISS THE PARTY.

THE GOOD NEWS IS EVERYONE IS INVITED.

EVERYONE, EVERYONE.

AND ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN SAID, AMEN.

AS WE REFLECT ON WHAT GOD IS OFFERING US WE WILL STAND AND SING OUR HYMN OF REFLECTION, NUMBER 565.

LET US STAND AND SING.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

WE HAVE COME TO OUR TIME OF COMMUNION.

CHRIST INVITES ALL WHO SEEK HIM TO THIS TABLE.

LET US SHARE IN OUR PRAYER OUR CONFESSION.

(PRAYER OF CONFESSION READ) 

IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST WE ARE FORGIVEN.

LET US REMAIN SEATED AS WE SING OUR COMMUNION HYMN, "BECOME TO US THE LIVING BREAD."

FOR I RECEIVE FROM THE LORD WHAT I ALSO GAVE UNTO YOU THAT THE LORD JESUS ON THE NIGHT HE WAS BETRAYED TOOK THE LOAF OF BREAD AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS BROKE IT, THIS IS MY BODY, DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

IN THE SAME WAY HE TOOK THE CUP ALSO AFTER SUPPER SAYING, THIS CUP IS THE NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD.  DO THIS AS OFTEN AS YOU DRINK IT IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

LORD YOU INVITE US TO THIS TABLE, HERE IS THE JOY OF THE PARTY.

FOR YOUR SON'S LIFE, DEATH, RESURRECTION, WE WILL BE IN YOUR PRESENCE, IN YOUR KINGDOM,  GIVE  US THIS BREAD SO THEY WE MAY KNOW JOY AND WE MAY SERVE YOU, IN CHRIST'S NAME.

GRACIOUS GOD, HELP US TO BE WITH YOU IN JOY AND LET US REMEMBER CHRIST THROUGH TAKING THIS CUP, AMEN.

WILL YOU JOIN ME IN THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING?

(PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING READ)

FINAL HYMN IS STANDING ON THE PROMISES, NUMBER 552.

WILL YOU RECEIVE THE BENEDICTION?

LET US GO FORTH WITH PEACE AND COURAGE KNOWING THAT GOD HAS INVITED US TO JOY.

BE NOT AFRAID FOR I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END.

AMEN.