WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:07.759 Thank you for listening to an audio resource from Stanwich Church, located in Greenwich in Stanford, Connecticut. 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.880 The vision of Stanwich Church is to know Christ and make him known. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:30.320 The Old Testament lesson for today is from Isaiah chapter 25, verses 6 through 9. 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:35.359 This can be found on page 696 of your Pew Bible. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:46.799 Our scripture readings for today describe a future feast prepared by the Lord for all people who accept the invitation, extended by grace to participate in his joy and salvation. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:53.600 A reading from Isaiah chapter 25, beginning with verse 6, with the sixth verse. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:11.599 On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:21.200 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:23.599 He will swallow up death forever. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:26.959 And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:31.920 And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:33.920 For the Lord has spoken. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:38.480 It will be said on that day, Behold, this is our God. 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:42.239 We have waited for him that he might save us. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:43.200 This is the Lord. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:44.319 We have waited for him. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:48.480 Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:11.840 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters, and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder crying out, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.199 Let us rejoice and exalt and give him glory. 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:21.199 For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:29.919 It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:34.080 And the angel said to me, Write this. 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:40.159 Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:44.719 And he said to me, These are the true words of God. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:49.840 May God add his blessing to the reading of his holy word. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:58.240 One of the privileges of being a pastor is I get to celebrate some of your most important days. 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:05.840 I'm coming up to fall season, and I am going to be officiating at three weddings of Stanwich people. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:09.280 I've already done two this summer, and we're filling up for next summer. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:10.479 It's kind of crazy. 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:14.000 But I want to show you a photo of one of my favorite weddings. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:20.000 That is one handsome guy. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:25.439 You can tell that he lived in the Tom Sellick Magnum P.I days. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.120 Because that's what we all did with our hair back then. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:35.280 And it also tells you that if you hang on to your hairstyle and your clothes long enough, they'll come back in style. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:38.879 Because that mustache is around a lot today. 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:42.879 After that wedding, there's another one that's really special to me. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:45.039 This is my daughter Linnea. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:52.000 It's the last wedding that I did here at Stanwich before leaving from Chuck 1.0. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:54.719 And uh we knew we were leaving. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:55.759 It was July. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:58.000 It was going to be out of the house in a couple weeks. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:02.080 What furniture we could give to them they were going to take across to California. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:04.879 A lot of emotional experiences. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:07.599 I walked Linnea down the aisle. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:12.560 I guess it shows that some guys become finer wine over time. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:18.079 Come on, Gelani, that was pretty good. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:23.279 But got up to here, Pastor Nathan introduced the whole process. 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:27.920 He put the stole on me, and then I stepped in to officiate the wedding. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:33.600 First thing that they had in their wedding was a worship song that they chose called Reckless Love. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:38.399 And it goes like this: Before I spoke a word, you were singing over me. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:40.959 You have been so, so good to me. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.959 Second part, before I took a breath, you breathed over me. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:47.360 You are so so good to me. 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:54.000 We only got into about three words in that praise song, and I just started weeping. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.800 You know, the kind where you need a towel, there's snot running down your face. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:02.639 I'm taking my glasses off and cleaning them multiple times. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:09.199 And my youngest son, Jordan, is right here, is one of the groomsmen, and he goes, Dad, you better get it together. 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:12.079 Joy. 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:16.720 There's probably no greater joy than a wedding celebration. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:20.319 I've told all three of these couples this fall, enjoy this day. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:24.560 It's the only day in your life where everybody will be happy for you in the room. 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:28.319 Except if there's some exes in there. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:30.879 You gotta watch out for those that you invite. 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:37.360 We're in our table series where we've been celebrating two things this summer. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:47.360 The first is this God sets a table and he's calling us in hospitality or something like that, to come to the table. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:50.000 He wants us to be there. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:56.480 And then he turns around and he hands to us as his sons and daughters all the invitations to take out to others. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:03.759 Because there's a wedding feast that's going to be greater than any wedding feast that we've experienced to this day. 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:06.240 It's the marriage feast of the Lamb. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:16.319 So let's go to Revelation 19 and draw a few principles from it from the text and then give some application to us that will help us in our own walks with the Lord. 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.199 Revelation chapter 19, you heard it read. 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:21.839 Now, this is the Revelation to John. 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:26.879 Or if you have an older Bible, it says the apocalypse given to John. 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:28.959 Now we heard the word apocalypse. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:33.839 We think of a sci-fi thriller with all kinds of monsters and beasts. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:37.600 But if you read Revelation closely, you can get there. 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:41.199 Because there's bulls and there's dragons and there's beasts. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:44.879 There's an imagination of everything that's going around. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:48.560 But apocalypse simply means the unveiling. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:52.240 It's the unveiling of what is to come. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:07:00.079 I had Isaiah read for you first because really revelation is not first about looking forward. 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.240 Revelation is about looking backward. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:06.240 You need to understand the Hebrew scriptures to understand what's going on in Revelation. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:11.360 Because there's scripture after scripture that's being fulfilled. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:14.240 We sang it today, or I heard it, something about promise. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:15.519 Did you sing the word promise? 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:17.920 Or was that in Mike uh John's prayer? 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:19.040 Shout to the Lord. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:20.639 Shout to the Lord. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:21.680 What's the line? 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:26.160 Nothing compares to the promise I have in you. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:32.879 Revelation is about fulfilling all these promises that God has been giving to his people through the centuries. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:42.000 The danger in reading revolution is to turn it into somewhat of a hermeneutical crystal ball that you'll be able to figure out the day Jesus is coming back. 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:45.600 People have been trying that for a long time and they're dead. 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:49.199 We're still waiting for Jesus to come back. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.199 But this is an unveiling to a group of people who were in trouble. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.480 I'm going to remind you of this regularly at Stanwood's Church. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:04.560 It's hard for us to read the Bible today because of our level of comfort. 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:08.480 The early church was in trouble for their faith. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:12.079 The first four centuries, they had no power whatsoever. 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:17.600 Actually, the church started going downhill the minute we were authorized by Constantine. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:23.040 We had more spiritual authority when we had less power. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:35.600 And for people that are in trouble, when you hear that Jesus is still on the throne, you kind of go, because your life doesn't feel like Jesus is on the throne. 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:37.440 So this is what's given to them. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:46.639 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder crying out. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:54.000 You can't help but see when you read through Revelation all of this heavenly light show. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:59.759 There's lightning, there's bolts of thunder, there's crying out, there's loud worship. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:05.679 When I was a young pastor, I was part of the resistance movement against praise music. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:13.919 I thought only hymns and quietness were holy. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:18.159 I was stuck on one verse, be still and know that I am God. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:21.279 It doesn't say be silent and know that I'm God. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:24.960 Be still is a state of peace, not about noise. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:31.600 And then I heard this preacher say this if you don't like loud worship, you're not gonna like heaven very much. 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:36.879 And I gave up the resistance and started coming in. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:39.279 So I love loud worship. 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:43.600 I love moments of quietness when we just still ourselves. 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:47.600 But all of those are precious places of meeting God. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:52.879 But this is one of those exalting places, and it begins, hallelujah. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:10:00.240 This word is a borrowed Hebrew word, halal, which is praise, and Yah, which is short for Yahweh. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:01.360 Praise Yahweh. 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:11.519 It makes us think of the last five Psalms of the Psalter, 146 to 150, where it begins with hallelujah, and it ends with hallelujah. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:18.320 It's a call to our vocation for life, we're to bring praise to God. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:20.879 Everything we do is a place for praise. 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:24.960 Do you know the word hallelujah only occurs four times in the New Testament? 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:28.240 That was surprising for me when I found that. 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:30.559 They're all four in this chapter. 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:34.320 In getting preparation for what's about to happen. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:40.080 For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns, let us rejoice and exalt and give him glory. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:43.679 Giving God glory is everything. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:48.720 We sang that other song, every chance I'll get, I'll bless your name. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:52.559 People say to me, Why do you always say bless the Lord? 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:55.360 Because every chance I get, I'll bless his name. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:05.279 I want everything of my life from the mundane, which doesn't seem very spiritual, to the highest spiritual experience to be a reflection of the glory of God. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:07.279 Because that's why I was created. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:08.960 That's why you were created. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:12.080 You know what the Westminster Catechism says. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.200 This, what is the chief end of man and woman? 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:17.759 Oh, please. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:19.360 You know it. 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:21.360 What is the chief end of man and woman? 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:24.000 Wow. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:28.399 Are there any Michigan fans in here? 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:32.879 You weren't that quiet last night, were you? 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:36.960 To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:42.080 That's not something we simply wait for then, but that's something that I'm doing right now. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:48.480 I'm in the process of this anthem and this song and this echo of heaven. 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:55.519 See, most of Scripture, as I'm reading it now, has this one illusion that keeps coming: the meeting of heaven and earth. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:02.639 And when God sets a table, it's the meeting place of heaven and earth, where we get to experience the fullness of God. 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:06.240 And then here's the climax of this glorious moment. 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:11.039 For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:16.399 It was granted her to clothe herself with fine liven, bright and pure. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.000 Katie already let the cat out of the bag. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:23.360 I'm not sure what that phrase means, but she let the cat out of the bag. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:29.360 That's the bride is us, the church. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:42.320 We cooperate with the Holy Spirit in preparing for this great feast when he, the groom, is going to unite us as one in him forever. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:46.799 What's powerful about the language here, it says it was granted her to be clothed. 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:49.039 This is not something we do in our own effort. 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:55.840 This is the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus operating through us to get us ready for that glorious day. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:59.039 It's an amazing gift. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:04.399 Now, to understand what's going on here, you need to really understand a Jewish wedding. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:07.440 There are three stages to the Jewish wedding. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:11.600 The first is the betrothal or the engagement. 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.440 It was as significant as the marriage itself. 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.720 We might, in an engagement, think, you know what, this isn't going to work. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:19.919 I'm going to back out of it. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.320 That didn't happen in the biblical world. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:34.080 When you made the engagement, you were in, and the way you did that is there may have been a wheat harvest fest, and the women would come out and dance, and a guy would go, Yeah, I kind of like that one over there. 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:37.200 Dad, let's figure out what we're going to do. 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:44.720 And you go to the bride's father and you negotiate a bride price. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:47.840 Now that's not something we think about. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.080 Pretty much the bride pace falls on the father of the bride today. 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:54.799 Right? 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:56.720 Usually the one that pays. 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:01.039 But then the groom's family paid for the bride. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.440 And negotiation would be could be very intense. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:09.600 When we lived in Mali, it's still an arranged marriage culture. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:15.840 I would have men all the time ask me if they could negotiate for my daughter Linnea. 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:22.159 And I found it as a great opportunity to create a laugh, and I would say, sure, I'd be glad to do that. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:30.879 That'd be a hundred camels, a hundred cows, a hundred sheep, a hundred goats, five Mercedes, and three houses. 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:33.919 That way I didn't have to tell them no. 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:36.000 They could just tell me no. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:42.240 But that whole negotiation was important because the price said something. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:46.240 Then was up to a year of preparation. 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:48.879 The bride would prepare herself. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:51.759 This is why you have this image to the fine linen and the cloth. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:53.600 It's kind of like a year of spa. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:59.600 Think of Queen Esther when she's being prepared to go to the king. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:01.360 A whole year of spa. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.039 You didn't know when that time was going to be up. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.960 You remember the parable Jesus tells of the ten virgins? 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:15.600 They need to keep their lamps lit because you don't know the time in which the coming. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:20.960 But the male, he was preparing a place for his bride. 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:27.279 If his family had a house and there was enough room, they would build another room on that for her. 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:34.240 If not, he would get another place, and he would spend the whole year preparing that house for her to come join. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:45.679 And then when the time came, this is the third part of the wedding, he would send his entourage to get the bride, and she would come and stay in that room that he had prepared. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:51.279 Once she was there, he would come up to the door and he would knock. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:00.159 And she would say, What have you paid for the bride price? 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:04.639 He would wait a while and he would knock one more time. 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:20.240 Is my bride in there? 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:22.320 And she would open the door. 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:27.679 And that would be the beginning of a feast that would last for seven to fourteen days. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:41.200 Of fine wine and choice food is stated in the Isaiah passage, of celebrating the union of these two coming together. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:46.320 What's the so what of this passage? 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:50.960 It's found in the actions of Jesus. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:17:03.759 If you remember when he was with his disciples on that last couple days before going to the cross, he says, I'm going to prepare a place for you. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:09.200 And when I come back, I will find you. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:11.759 And you will be with me forever. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:19.200 And at the beginning of Revelation, it says this behold, I stand at the door and knock. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:26.640 If anyone will open the door, I will come in and I will sup. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:30.720 I will feast with them forever. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:39.839 Jesus is standing at the door today, and he's saying, You are welcome to open the door to me. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:45.200 If you've never opened the door to Jesus, today is the day to open the door. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:52.400 He is the ultimate host and is waiting to meet us at this table. 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:55.279 But there's a now what of this passage. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:01.119 The now what is found in the verse that we didn't get to at the end of the passage. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:03.039 It says this. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:09.920 Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:14.079 You've all been invited. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:16.480 You've heard the invitation. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:22.720 But what about the people in our lives that don't know they're invited to this table? 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:34.799 What about the ones that we work next to or we go to school with or who are in our neighborhood who don't know that there is a God waiting to sup with them? 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:41.759 You know, a recent Barna study that was polling people that are unchurched. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:50.000 I think it was around 75% of the people who are unchurched said they would go to church if somebody would simply invite them. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:02.640 There are people out there that don't know they're invited to the greatest feast ever. 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:07.359 Why would I hide that invitation? 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:15.039 Over the course of this series, I've been reminded of different tables that I've sat at. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:20.160 I've had the privilege of eating in multiple places around the world. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:31.839 Whether it was in a bowl, around a bowl in Africa with four of us and scooping the food with our hands and eating it and belching really loud to appreciate the cook who had done it. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:36.079 I remember the first time that Ingrid and I had paella together. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:38.640 We were celebrating an anniversary in France. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:39.759 We didn't have a car. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:48.640 Anasi was about 45 minutes away from Albertville, so we took a train six hours to Anasi so we could have an anniversary dinner together. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.799 And we went into this little restaurant. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:57.759 The guy's wife was Italian, he was Spanish, and he sat at our table the whole night to enjoy the meal with us. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:00.319 We were the only people in the restaurant. 00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:15.359 I remember when a family here at uh Stanwich were part of the Societe Française took me to one of their celebrations, and there were seven courses perfectly paired with every kind of wine that you could want. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:18.000 That's an Uber ride home night. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.880 I mean, I could just go over, my mouth is watering right now. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:31.920 I mean, think of what it says in Isaiah: a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, a rich food full of morrow. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:36.880 But that banquet we're going to be at is going to be far more greater than that. 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:45.039 I'm reminded of the first full meal that I had with a French family in Alberville. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:48.160 It was an evening like that. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:51.440 We started at eight o'clock and ended at one in the morning. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:53.599 Never left the table. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.920 But the celebration wasn't just about the food. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:02.960 They actually brought out some spirits that had been in the family since the 1930s. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:05.680 This is how special the event was for us. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:10.720 And we went through course after course, but we were there to celebrate Toma. 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:13.680 Because Toma was their older son. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:22.000 And at a baptism service, I watched while he looked longingly at his brother Mark get baptized. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:24.400 And I could see a hollowness in his life. 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:28.319 And I said, Tomas, can we get together? 00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:33.680 And I simply invited Tomas to be a part of God's family. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:35.759 And Tomas said, Yes. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:44.640 See, that celebration had foo, but the best part of the celebration was Tomas was now invited to the table. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:47.359 And a part of what God's doing. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:53.519 Who in your life is waiting to be invited to your table? 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:59.200 And then maybe even a step beyond to an alpha table. 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:01.279 God's the great inviter. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:07.200 As his children, we get the privilege of being inviters as well. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:08.160 Amen. 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:30.000 To learn more about the mission and vision of Stanwich Church and how you can get involved, please visit Stanwichchurch.org.