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Tag: Christ

  • Banquet of the King in the House of Wisdom – 6

    Banquet of the King in the House of Wisdom – 6

    The Parable of the Wedding Feast

    Matthew 22:

    And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,

    “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.

    If you have been following our series on wisdom you will already recognize that the banquet prepared for us by the king anticipates words of wisdom from our host. Recall also that many proverbs of wisdom from scripture were given to us by Solomon, King of Israel, son of David.

    Before we continue let’s reflect on the King and Son mentioned.

    Matthew 1:

    The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

    It is highly significant that the crowds of Jerusalem recognized this worker of miracles and teacher of parables as ‘the son of David. Jesus further frequently as the ‘son of man,’ meaning ‘a son of adam’ or human born in the flesh like you and me.

    For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. – Matthew 16:27

    Let’s be clear: Jesus’ claim to His place in this parable is Son of the King, Almighty God. He has both prepared the table and invited the guests.

    You have read the Law of Moses, witnessed the faith of Abraham and sung the Psalms of David. Though you read the wisdom and Proverbs of Solomon, you deny that the Lord tore away his kingdom, then restored Israel for a time.

    Servants of the Son of Man proclaim His message and the King now invites you to His banquet.

    Will you accept the invitation of the LORD?

    The King ‘sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast’, honored guests who claimed Abraham, followed Moses and were among the chosen; ‘but they would not come.’

    A Second Chance

    MATTHEW 22:

    4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off…

    God has prepared the feast of feasts for the Son of glory. Therefore Prophets like Ezekiel, God’s messenger frequently called ‘son of man,’ invited family to repent and come to the feast.

    2:3  וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי בֶּן־אָדָם שֹׁולֵחַ אֲנִי אֹֽותְךָ אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־גֹּויִם הַמֹּורְדִים אֲשֶׁר מָרְדוּ־בִי הֵמָּה וַאֲבֹותָם פָּשְׁעוּ בִי עַד־עֶצֶם הַיֹּום הַזֶּֽה׃

    Ezekiel and other repentant men begged God’s chosen to also repent of their sins and humbly return to the King of creation. Most refused, yet he LORD shows mercy and compassion for those whom He loves.

    To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.  – Daniel 9:9-10

    Will your repent and return to your Lord?

    Matthew 22:

    … the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

    Certainly that had been the experience and lament of Daniel when a remnant of Israel survived in Babylon.

    A New Invitation

    8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.

    Would you be a ‘worthy guest’ of the King?

    Would the King ask you, a sinful Samaritan of sorts; a gentile, even a non-Christian?

    Hear how the Lord has reached out to many to celebrate the wedding of the Son.

    9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’

    10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

    ‘Both bad and good’ certainly includes you and me? Look at the definition of the greek word meaning bad, πονηρός ponēros.

    • pressed and harassed by labours
    • bringing toils, annoyances, perils
    • of a time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness
    • in a physical sense: diseased or blind
    • in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad

    Do any of these describe your present life?

    We are invited.

    Will you accept the invitation of the King to the Banquet for the Son?

    To be continued…

     

  • About Roger, a 21st c. Christian Author

    I first wrote for myself

    Roger Harned, born in Ohio in the USA. I grew up in a small village listening to many stories of family and others every day. I grew up listening to good preaching as well.

    I’m a storyteller, some may say an author. I read and write out of my love for understanding the hearts of others, more specifically the Lord. My writing career had been a private pastime which included lyrics, poems and scribbled ramblings on the youthful musings or love.

    Did I mention my first love was music? As a teacher listening to music entering the hearts of others, I arranged what I hoped would be heard. Yet mostly, it was not. A conductor dreams of becoming a maestro and leader of the genius of others. A woman once called me ‘maestro’ after hearing me conduct the Cortland Community Band in a 30th anniversary concert. One fan, for whom I am thankful. Even so I did compose many songs which never had an audience. Great music, silent for all time.

    Now I orchestrate words for others lead by the Creator of all readers. I pray that the Lord brings hearers of the word to my exposition of scripture.

    We listen to a lyrical love of a Savior who loves us sacrificially. Once born again in the Spirit of the Living God, my writing flowed from the Word, Christ Jesus.

    Since that time twenty some years ago, the Bible speaks volumes to a silenced soul with prophetic conviction I sometimes tremble to share.

    The written of the LORD humbles my flesh and refines my soul.

    A Perfect Author draws new readers to His Love

    Any preacher could tell you (in private) that expository preaching is nothing less than revealing an unfolding story of a Perfect Author. No man in the pulpit or arena is up to it. The Author of Scripture IS the LORD, who reveals to mortals by the Spirit what must be written and proclaimed.

    Only One Son of Man, God Incarnate, taught perfect Law and unerring prophesy to the elect and adopted of the LORD.

    John 1:1-4

    I’m not the Author, only a messenger

    Readers here will not be particularly interested in what I have to say, but what the Lord has to say. I try not to say too much, as is the reaction of Prophets before Almighty God. Isaiah 6:5 

    Links provided here from my personal research direct the reader to scripture or trusted scriptural authority from more studied teachers of the faith. Again, any faithful writer about God will direct you to the Lord’s story and not our own imperfect application. I pray that the Lord draws you to explore further the great richness of scripture behind these links.

    Let the Spirit speak to the depths of your soul from scripture.

    “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

    2Timothy 3:16-17

    My author blog

    Roger Harned - Author blogThe Lord led me to this place because a publisher convinced me that authors need followers. To that end I also promote my posts on other social media such as FaceBook, Pinterest and Twitter. Therefore your follows are most appreciated.

    In addition to excerpts from my book and writings, may posts explore scripture in brief posts directed to our 21st c. attention spans. Therefore many posts from my series will conclude with the well-known cliff-hanger: “To be continued…”

    I’ve never relished the challenge of painting a fancy resume. Let the Lord and others witness my contributions in exposition, prophesy and witness.  And may Christ Jesus speak through me and my writing always glorify the Lord.

    I love scripture, first and each time I study a passage of the Bible the Lord reveals more of His story. I credit many favorite authors and some dedicated instructors of writing and theology for my love of words and writing skills. Anything you may glean from the more than five hundred posts on talkofJesus.com is a gift from the Lord. Yet many more-gifted authors before me greatly influence my appetite for context and application.

    I rely on the Lord and the Holy Spirit for direction of my ‘talk’ of Christ Jesus in this place. I pray you will share the Lord, that by your social witness talkofJesus.com will impact the heart of another in some way.

    Roger’s Personal Post Script

    P.S. On a personal note, I was married for more than twenty-two years to a beautiful soul who was raised Catholic. She suffered cancer and died in her fiftieth year. As a result, our only daughter and I grew into a deeper faith in Christ.

    I was raised in the Methodist church and have been active in lay ministry and teaching in several denominations. The Holy Spirit brought me to my knees before the cross, a story told also on my searchable website.

    I’m a sinner, redeemed in Christ, an unwelcome ambassador in this decaying world. Therefore I live here as one longing for God’s love in an eternal world of light and joy. Here I have also suffered divorce, survived cancer and found a place and purpose in my work and in the heart of my wife.

    The goal of Christian Social Witness is to SHARE the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    And as for my book and my work, I leave you only with today’s hope for tomorrow’s joy. Please remember me in your prayers and pray that the Lord will continue that good work of this 21st c. Christian.

    I pray, if it is the Lord’s will, your eternal soul and mine, through the love and grace of Christ Jesus are:

    To be continued…

     

     

  • (Go into all the world and) SHARE the Gospel – 2

    (Go into all the world and) SHARE the Gospel – 2

    The Great Commission

    Preach the gospel (KJV & others); proclaim the gospel (ESV & others); share the good news: kēryssō  euaggelion – publish good tidings to every creature.

    “You share everything else on social media, why not share the good news of Jesus Christ”

    Jesus, the Messiah of God died for our sins and is risen: therefore you may have eternal life in Him! Good News, a gospel we should long to share.

    Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

    What an amazing end to a Son of Man crucified on the cross! Jesus appears many times to many followers; He IS alive in body and spirit. Jesus tells not only the eleven to share the gospel, our Lord commands more followers who witnessed his resurrection and by His command those who will follow.

    20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

    More to Come

    You could say the the Gospel began in Genesis. It the the privilege and duty of Israel to share the truth of the One Lord with everyone. John’s gospel reveals to us that in spite of the fall of adam, the Word was present not only from before Abraham, as Jesus claims, but from before the beginning.

    John 1:1-5

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

    Jesus IS the Word and the Light. Even after a fallen Kingdom of David, Jesus claims the eternal Throne to which He anointed Kings and Prophets by the Authority of the LORD. And the Good News gets even better.

    The Resurrection of Christ

    1 Corinthians 15:1-6A

    Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

    For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time…

    20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

    Mystery and Victory

    Paul encourages believers with words oft’ repeated when mourning the death of a loved one.

    50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

    “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
    55 “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”
    56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

    58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

    How do we share the Gospel now?

    Since Moses, after Abraham, in the Kingdom of David and for centuries witness of the Lord seemed local. It still is, for our neighbors see Christ in our daily lives better than anyone. (Or at least, they should.)

    Israel and the nations were built on the foundations of family, grown in the love of communities. Yet empires fall by the dividing hand of evil and conquered in disobedience to the Lord. I will repay, says the Lord, the God of Israel.

    Sharing good news was easy and local, just tell your family and friends who are so much like you. Now that the world is connected, yet disjointed, our families are broken. Our values are lost in a world of competing idolatries and waring followers of false prophets. These listen and look for light and hope, which is distant yet connected through social media.