Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church
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Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church
Are You Part of the Chosen? | Matthew 22:14
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Before we get to the message, I did forget to mention the fasting and the prayer, prayer meetings we've been having all on Tuesdays this month. It's been really good. I encourage you to be a chance to come up Tuesday night and uh have a prayer meeting with us. It's really a blessing. And uh I encourage you to get a chance to come to that. Uh, if you would uh turn to Matthew chapter 22, Matthew chapter 22. It's kind of uh almost the same story as the end of the Sunday school lesson, but it's got a few more details. That's why something awesome about having uh the four writers of the one gospel, the one great news, the life of Christ. We get different details that some that God wants uh some writers to write about. And it can be the same event, but some details are kind of not, say, left out, but they remembered or are led to write certain things. So we're gonna look at Matthew's, the marriage supper, the marriage feast that the Father is invited to. We're gonna jump all the way down to Matthew 22 and look in verse 14. It's the very end of this parable. It's not in Luke's account that we looked at Sunday school lesson, but he says this one verse in Matthew 22, verse 14, Jesus says this, for many are called, but few are chosen. Let's go to the Lord in word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we just hope we bow before you. Lord, just thank you for the beautiful day, for the opportunity to be here this morning, to worship you in spirit and truth. Father, I pray we realize and understand what it means to be chosen, that uh that we choose you because you have chosen us. I just pray, Lord, for your preaching grace this morning. That you just hide me behind the cross. I just remain there. We realize and understand. We all realize and understand when we read your word, it is your word, power of the Holy Spirit teaching us and guiding us, opening our eyes to the words that's not just paper and ink, that is you speaking to each and every heart. And I pray, Lord, that we just take your word and understand it and apply it to our life and just and be the chosen people you've called us to be. Uh we do pray, Lord, for the lost among us. We pray that today might be the day they'd be saved. For any other decision that needs to be made, Lord, I pray it be made today in accordance to your will. Again, we love and we praise you. We ask forgiveness of sins when we ask it all in Jesus' name. Amen. So the title of this message, Are You Part of the Chosen? Really makes you think. That's what I like about asking questions. That's what Jesus was the master at. He'd ask questions. And this makes us think. So really ask yourself, am I part of the chosen? I didn't say are you part of a church? Are you part of the chosen? And so many people have this mixed up so upside down, so wrong. The Jews, especially, they're like, Well, we're God's chosen people. Well, what did God's chosen people do? They crucified Christ. So do you want to be part of that chosen group? No. That we reject and neglect and re-re uh have nothing to do with Jesus? That's not at all what Jesus is teaching here when he says that for many are called, but few are chosen. Of course, what he's saying is this called for what? To be saved. The only way anyone's ever going to be saved or has been saved is by being called by the Holy Spirit of God. He calls us to himself, to him, for us to be saved. It's for our benefit. He died for us. But the chosen part is not for we can stick out our chest and say, Man, I've been chosen of God. No, that's not at all what it's about. What he's saying is that few are chosen, is the thing is he's saying is few people will choose him. Will choose him. They will dedicate and live their life for him. For him. And that's what we're going to look at today. It's so very important that we understand that. Because it looks like for many are called, but few are chosen. Like, it's not, it's not how we would see it and understand it. It's God is saying, I've called you. I have called you. Well, you receive the calling and will you choose to live your life for me? That's the chosen people. Well, the Jews were chosen with a mission, yes, in the Old Testament, to be the example, to be the salt, to be the light. But what did they do? They rejected Christ. They killed Christ, so they lost that privilege. And who's that privilege to today? It's to us, the church. We are chosen, yes, with a message to be the salt and be the light. But are we, we're called to do that. But are we the chosen people of God? Is our church and every New Testament church in the world making a difference? The only church that makes a difference for the Lord are those that choose God, that chooses to keep him first in all things. The only way God's going to change your life is when you choose him. Choose him to put him as a Sunday school lesson was about. Putting him first, the devotional was about. Putting God first in all areas of your life, not just Sunday morning. Not just Sunday morning. Yes, I am thrilled you're here. If you're here for the right reason, if you have chosen God, that he is first in your life, and he makes a difference in your life, and you make a difference for him. The chosen are those that are led by the Lord, that God uses, that are obedient to the word, that yield to the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00And that's really what it is. When God calls us, we choose him. We ask a question again. Are you chosen of God? Are you the chosen? Jesus said very plainly that few are. They're hard to find. They're hard to find.
SPEAKER_01They're hard to find, the chosen people of God. They're so rare. They're so rare today that people will have, well, I got this going on. I got this special event I've got going on. Whether it's a basketball game or a baseball game or whatever it might be, family situation, you might have. I got this, but I got this too. There's always gonna be a conflict. There's always gonna be a struggle.
SPEAKER_00So who do you choose? What do you choose? Well, you choose the things of God. Guess what? You're chosen of God. Because you choose Him. Because you choose Him. So there's three things today we're gonna look at. The Jews were called. The Jews were called. We are all called. But God has standards.
SPEAKER_01That's the third point. God has standards. And then lastly, the fourth thing is gonna be the application. But the Jews were called, and that's what this parable is about. We look at it, we look in verse 1, Matthew 22, it says, and Jesus answered and spake unto them by parables, saying, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding or invited to the wedding, and they would not come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them what you are bidden or are invited. Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen, my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come unto the marriage. Here's the thing I'm gonna pause and ask you. Was the king inviting them just hoping they would come? No.
SPEAKER_00He was inviting them, expecting them to come.
SPEAKER_01Do you ever invite somebody over to your house? Careless? Do you care less if they come or not? You invite somebody to do what? You expect them to come. Especially most women. Most women, when they say they're going to have a dinner party or have family over, guess what? They'll buy so much food. I mean, Tina's the worst that a lot of ladies are, but not because they want, there's no way they ever want to run out of food. So what do they do? They expect everybody to show up.
SPEAKER_00Guess what? Jesus and God is no different. He has made this peace, everything's ready. He expects people to come. He expects God, he expects his people to be what? His people. Plain and simple. But he says, here's the thing. Come. Come unto the marriage. But they made light of it in verse 5 and went their ways. One to his farm. How important is that? Well, some days it's very important, but guess what? What's more important?
SPEAKER_01Coming to God. What's the other one? And another to his merchandise. And the remnant took his servants, those that were left, took his servants and entreated them spitefully and killed them, slew them. And when the king heard thereof, he was wroth, he was angry. And he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were invited or bidden were not worthy. What have they done?
SPEAKER_00They had rejected the Lord. They had rejected the invitation to the marriage feast. And what did Jesus say about their hearts?
SPEAKER_01He told us in Matthew 15, he says, You praise me with your lips. You praise me with your lips, but your hearts are far from me. They would follow Christ when he would feed them or work a miracle or things would be awesome physically, or when it was convenient, when it wasn't something that had come along better, but they rejected the truth. And in Matthew 10, Jesus sends disciples, the Jews, to the Jews first as an example, as a real example of what Jesus is teaching in the parable. Turn to Matthew chapter 10, keep your place here, but turn to Matthew chapter 10. We'll see Jesus, Jesus sends his disciples on their first mission, and who their mission field is. It's exactly like the parable that Christ is talking about at the end of his ministry. In Matthew chapter 10, look in verse 1, he says, and when he called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits and to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Then he names all the twelve. Then we get jump down to verse five. It says, These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them, saying, Look what Jesus says to his disciples on their first mission. He says, Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans. Enter ye not. But what's he say? But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It's exactly like the parable is saying, that those were invited first. Then he says, Also go ye preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He says, Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, raise, cast out devils, freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses, nor script for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor your sta uh yet staffs, for the workman is worthy of his meat. And as whatsoever city or town you shall enter, inquire in it, is it worthy, and thereabide till you go thence. Then he says, And when you come into a house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace be come upon it. But if it not be worthy, let your peace return unto you. Look what he says in verse 14. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or that city, shake off the shake off the dust of your feet.
SPEAKER_00I'm here to tell you. You can take this, wad it up, and throw it in a trash can. But God is ready to shake the dust off his feet for our country. I believe it. We have rejected him and rejected him and rejected him and rejected him. We see the situation and stuff that we're in today. And I don't know how this war is going to turn out. But I know it's very serious. It's very serious. And so what we need to do is be serious with God. Be seriously living for the Lord. Because here's the thing God told his disciples to shake the dust off your feet. The very dust off your feet of those that will reject you. And so we see that they were chosen, yes, with a purpose, but they rejected Christ. And we're going to see that the uh what God did, what'd he do?
SPEAKER_01Well, the Jews rejected him, so he calls the Gentiles. Turn back to the parable in Matthew 22.
SPEAKER_00We're all called because we're we're all Gentiles.
SPEAKER_01And we see in the parable that the Jews they killed the messengers, which was like the prophets and things of the Old Testament. And they said they weren't worthy. So we get to where part where we're all called. Look at Matthew 22, verse 9. He says, He says, Go ye therefore to the highways, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage, or invite to the marriage. And he says, So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all as many as they could say, found. And he says, What? Both bad and good. I look at it and think about like the Gentiles or to the Jews, it'll be, well, all right, we'll get to Gentiles, and we'll also get to Samaritans. Those that are really bad. Just all people. Go invite everybody. And the wedding was furnished with gifts.
SPEAKER_00We've all been invited, and guess what? A lot came. A lot came. Remember what John says? Turn to John chapter 3.
SPEAKER_01Think about all people being invited for salvation. What did Jesus say in John 3.16? He says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. That's all people. Then look what Jesus says in verse 17. It says, For God sent not his son to the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. And he said, He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already. That's why we have to come, they have to come to the supper. They have to come to Christ to be saved. But people what? Reject it. Reject it and reject it. And then Jesus explains the condemnation in verse 19. And he says, And this is the condemnation that light is coming to the world, and men love darkness rather than light. They whether they go to their fields or their merchandise or all stay in the things of the world. That we just read, because their deeds were evil. He says, For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither come unto the light lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth come unto the light, that his deeds may be manifest, that they are wrought in God. And he's talking about all people. All people. And what did Peter say? Turn, if you would, to 2 Peter real quick. 2 Peter chapter 3, I want you to read one verse.
SPEAKER_00Think about when all people were invited. 2 Peter 3, look in verse 9. It says the Lord is not slack concerning his promise.
SPEAKER_01Some men count slackness, but as long-suffering. You want to know why Jesus hasn't come back yet? Here's that verse. He's long-suffering, wanting people to choose him, to accept salvation and live a life for him. He says, but is long-suffering to usward. But just like the days of Noah, guess what? That long suffering ended and the flood came. But what's he say? Why is he long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance? That's what God wants. God wants all people to be saved. Why did God want all people to be saved? Everybody said, well, because he loved them. Yes. But also, what did God give? He gave his son. Just think if you gave your child, say, I'm going to give my child, Lord, for people that hate me. But how many people do you want to be saved? Well, if you gave your child who you dearly love, you'd want all people to be saved. Not just a few. That's why it just infuriates me when people say, Well, Christ ain't enough. Well, have you gave your kid? I guarantee if you gave your child, you'll say, Yes, he was enough.
SPEAKER_00He was enough. So think about that. Think about that. They were called, but they're not chosen. Not chosen. Why? We're going to see. We're going to see. Because God has standards.
SPEAKER_01That's the last point. See, man wants to do all these things in their mind about getting to come to heaven, go to heaven, and come to Christ and all that because, well, I'm good, or God is love and all the different things, and God is this, this, and this. He is love, but he's so much more than love.
SPEAKER_00He's judgment. He's compassionate.
SPEAKER_01He's long-suffering, all those different things, but he's holy, he's righteous. And we're going to see his holiness and righteousness in the next two verses, because he has standards. And he, in verse 11, it says, When the king came in to see the guest, he saw there a man which had not on the wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how cameest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Why was he speechless? I believe it's because he was embarrassed. He thought he could just slip right in there and just join right in, have a big old party, and say, Man, everything's going to be great. I'm going to spend all the time and presence up here in the Lord. Nobody's going to slip into heaven. Bible says every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. People want to live like the devil, and they think God's going to open them, just welcome them with open arms. That's not who God is. God is so holy, so righteous. He's so holy. What do you tell Moses when he approached the burning bush? Basically, don't take another step. If you don't take off your shoes, you're going to die because you're on holy ground. And I believe if Moses had even just gone a centimeter further, he would have been dead. He's in the presence of God. In Jesus' day, talking about the wedding, the guests were provided with a like a white gown to show respect for the Father and for the ceremony that was going on. But here's what's so amazing about it is respect for the Father of the Son. Not like our world today, it's all about the bride. In Jesus' day, it was all about what? All about who? All about the Son. Remember what Jesus says in John 3.16? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. It's all about the Son. The man would not put on the garment representing the holiness and righteousness of Christ. So he was rejecting Christ. He was rejecting, not having any respect for the servants, no respect for the Father.
SPEAKER_00He was going to just show up. So this so if you don't have Christ and you stand before the Father, guess what?
SPEAKER_01You're going to be like this man. You're going to be speechless and terrified and cast out. Look what he says in verse 13. Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, take him away and cast him into outer darkness. There should be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The man was removed not because God is cold and God is evil and God is unfair and God is unjust. He was removed because he was only willing to come to Christ, come to God on his terms. Like so many people today want to come to God on their terms. Live in a homosexual relationship, being adulterer, a thief, what liar, what? But I'll repent and I'll do all this. No, you're not. You're not going to come to Christ living like the devil.
SPEAKER_00It's not going to happen. God will reject you. He was removed because God has standards.
SPEAKER_01God has standards. He wasn't willing. That man was not willing to meet those righteous standards. It reminds me of a story I heard this past week. Guy's coaching a baseball team. Season's about to start. One of his better players, pretty good player. Terrible attitude. Just a terrible attitude. Won't listen. Coach has warned him and talked to him and says, Man, one-on-one with him said, You need to just be better. Just be a better teammate. The final straw was a running drills and stuff, and the kid cusses the teammate.
SPEAKER_00Coach says, All right. Talks to the AD and said, You're gone. AD says, Do what you gotta do. But tell the mom or tell the parents that he's off the team after you do it. So he tells the kid that you're off the team. I've had enough. He calls the parent and says that uh your son is no longer part of this team. Because of attitude effort, the whole nine yards. And so he informs the parent and they get upset. They're upset. But guess who they're upset with? They get upset at the coach. And they tell the coach, she says, why didn't you call me? Why don't you tell me having these problems? And the answer of the coach is epic. He answers and tells the parent, that's the most crazy thing I've ever heard. Why would I call you? You don't play for me. Your son played for me.
SPEAKER_01And he knows what my expectations are. He knows what the standards are, and he's not meeting those standards.
SPEAKER_00So of course, they threaten to go above the coach, to go to the school board, to go to the super, go all these different things. But here's the thing they don't play for the coach. That's what the world tries to do today.
SPEAKER_01Try to do all these different things, try to go around God. And I'm gonna do this, this, and this, and this, then I'm gonna get to go to heaven. That's not how it works. That's not how it works. Why? Because God has standards and God doesn't change. The Bible says about Jesus, he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13 8. Malachi 3 6 says, God does not change. His standards will never change. He is holy, so guess what? We must be made holy. And the only way we're made holy is when we repent of our sins, call upon the name of the Lord, and Be saved. And here's the thing. What salvation is. I love what Paul Washer said about a meeting he went to. He was a few minutes late. And he shows up and said, Man, guys, he said, I'm sorry I'm late. He said, I was fixing a flat. I can't remember exactly how the story goes. I'll just say this. I went. He said, I was fixing a flat, helping somebody fix a flat, and I got hit by a Mac truck. Running by 75 miles an hour, just got bullnosed by a Mac truck. He said, But here I am. He said, Do you really believe that story? Do you think I can stand in front of a Mac truck going 75 miles an hour and be not just demolished, not just be changed? He said, Here's the thing about salvation. You come into the presence of Christ and you are truly born again. Guess what? You're going to be hit with something greater than a Mac truck. And your life will should be changed. Oh man, that's a great illustration. God, it is so true. Is your life changed? Are you closer to Christ today than the day that you were saved?
SPEAKER_00I pray that you are. I pray that you are. Because we are going to have to give an account for every idle word that we speak, the way that we live our lives.
SPEAKER_01And just like the man that was cast out of the wedding feast, he was speechless because he did not choose God. He did not choose God. So look back at Matthew 22 and look at verse 14. Jesus says, For many are called, but few are chosen. They're all called. The Gentiles, the Jews, the Gentiles, all called. Well, what happened? Only a few choose Christ. So are you part of the chosen? Are you living up to God's standards? Matthew 6, 33 says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Romans 12, 2 says, 1 says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, you present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Are you doing those things? Think about your life.
SPEAKER_00Are you willing to fast for a day?
SPEAKER_01Are you willing to come to a prayer meeting on a Tuesday night? Are you willing to come to church on a Wednesday night? I thought, but it's all week. I'm just going to ask this question. Next business meeting. Just next business meeting. Somebody puts on the agenda. Let's just raise their any new business. See us how the business meeting goes. Any new business?
SPEAKER_00Somebody say, Yeah, I think we ought to vote on whether or not we cancel Wednesday night services permanently. How would you vote? How would you vote? Or never have another prayer service. That's not having any prayer service. I got time for that. How would you vote? Somebody said, Well, I gotta work. Guess what? I work.
SPEAKER_01I get up at 4:30 every single day to go to work. And I'm not boasting on myself. The only reason I haven't done it, God gave me the ability to do it. He may take that away tomorrow. But I'm not trying to put myself on a pedestal. But here's the thing: I am the Under Shepherd.
SPEAKER_00I'm trying to be the example. Not to follow me, but to follow Christ. So what's so important? What's so important? Think about it. What's most important? Sunday morning breakfast, nine o'clock. Great fellowship, great food. What's so important? God requires a lot more from us than just showing up on a Sunday morning. Look what Peter says in 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2.
SPEAKER_01He's talking to those that would were following Christ, that were choosing Christ. When he says in verse 9, 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9, he says, but you are a chosen generation. We are here like yesterday. I mentioned it on Wednesday night. I think we mentioned it on Tuesday night. We had a prayer meeting. That we're here for such a time as this.
SPEAKER_00Anyone remember the message from last week? I didn't think too many people remembered it. Because there weren't too many people here Tuesday night, even less people like Wednesday night, Sunday.
SPEAKER_01Are you ready for the rapture? I'm telling y'all, and I'm not here to scare you, because I have no idea. I have no idea how that how this war is going to escalate or de-escalate or be peace or whatever.
SPEAKER_00But I'm here to tell you, I believe it's a lot more serious than we actually understand. That we need to be praying for all our military men and women.
SPEAKER_01That they do not try to put one boot on the ground over there. But they're sending thousands of Marines at this very moment.
SPEAKER_00The thing I read said it may take them a month in one of the ships that they're in to get there. So just pray for them. But be thinking about how we're living our life. Are we living a life where our prayers will be heard? Because what does Peter say?
SPEAKER_01He says, but you are a chosen generation. Those that choose God. He says, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. Are you peculiar? I promise you. If you're here tonight, you'll be very peculiar. If you're here Tuesday night, you'll be even more peculiar. If you're here Wednesday night, guess what? You'll be extremely peculiar. Because you've set aside a few moments of your routine day in life to come and pray and look to the Lord for guidance, that you'll be praying for our country. Because our country needs prayer. But it's not just our country. Who's the light of our country? Our government's not going to save us. It's the church. The church has to stand upon the truth and be the light. Or the light, one day we'll be out of here. Peter says it. You're a peculiar people. Be that peculiar people. You should show forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. We're so blessed. We are so very blessed with an amazing opportunity to be what? Be part of the chosen. If you would, please stand. Miss Michelle and Brother Matt would come forward. I just challenge you to think about your life. Think about where you're at and you walk with the Lord. Is he first in all things? If he's not, make him first. Put him first. It'll be the greatest life you'll ever live. We'll give you a peace and a joy that we can't understand. Is a struggle real? Yes, because we're in this flesh. Just tell him, Lord, give me the strength to keep you first. And guess what? He will. But it starts with salvation. You have to be saved first, but not just be happy and content with being saved. But you want to be a servant, you want to be a disciple, and you want to grow in your faith. So I encourage you if you've never been saved, be saved this morning as we sing.
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