Sunday Message - Today Jesus 123

09/09/07
<Matthew 22:1-14>

MANY ARE INVITED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN

• We’d just ended the healing messages and the church’s thanksgiving service. No matter what
weaknesses we still possess, the healing process has already started in us
• It is all right that we still have a bad temper because God’s word has already came to us
• We must receive grace and see that we need to get close to God together
• It does not mean that our family is good just because there are no quarrels. Our family is good
only when God’s plan has come upon our family
• Perhaps we are born to get worried or agitated easily. However now, we are able to quiet down
ourselves before God. When we do that, we will hear God telling us, He already loved us
• God wants us to be strong and courageous. God has a lot of plans for us
• What does it mean to be strong and courageous? Does it mean not having any weakness at all?
No, being strong and courageous means we must not forget that God loves us
• Only those who are loved will be able to stand out, receive strength and follow God, regardless of
how weak they are
• God loves us now. Are we still able to experience God’s love even when we are in agony?
• It is a fact that God loves us. Thus, do not be deceived by Satan
• All the believers now know how they must put in efforts to do something for God. However, they
cannot see that God has loved them
• God wants to tell us today that many are invited but few are chosen

<Matthew 22:1-14>
• v3 God is convicting our hearts daily
• v4 God’s love is fully prepared
• v8 Many church goers are not deserving too
• v11 We are invited. However, did we put on our “wedding clothes”?
• v12 Have we accepted God’s love for us? Or are we only concerned over our personal
things?
• v13 A lot of believers go to church and end up getting accusations or into arguments

1. My banquet is prepared and everything is ready. You are invited to the banquet
1) 3 types of Kingdom: the one to come, the current one and the ever-expanding one
* Jesus Christ emphasizes we “must see it now”
<Luke 17:21; John 3:3, 14:6-7, 14:16-26; Matthew 12:28, 16:19, 18:20; Luke 10:20>
• What does it mean by “everything is ready”? It means the heavenly kingdom, which
consists of 3 types (future, present and ever-expanding)
• The present kingdom is the most important. If one cannot see the current kingdom, he will
not be able to see the kingdom that is to come
• Jesus Christ wanted Nicodemus to receive grace there and then
• Our faith must expand now
• The kingdom will come upon us when we cast away the demons with the Holy Spirit. And
we must cast away now and not wait till tomorrow
 • Before a person can go into Heaven, he/she must go through the fire. Some will be burnt
completely (i.e. not saved). Some will only be left with their lives, with everything else
completely burnt (i.e. salvation with shame <1Cor 4>, just like Lot)
• There are some who, while living on earth, continue to rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance,
healing, given experiences regardless if they have problems or success. Such people are
already being burnt in their lives on earth daily.
• Their lives will be even brighter after going through the fire. Therefore, what they receive
are the unlimited grace and crown
• Everyone will be burnt after they die. What is left of us, after being burnt?
• Those who are being burnt daily now will become brighter after going through the fire of
heaven

2) Come to the banquet and enjoy to the fullest, for everything is ready
• Who did Got prepare the banquet for? It is prepared for His Son, Jesus Christ
• Everything was prepared for the sake of Jesus Christ. What was prepared? It is the
answer
• In other words, it is the Cross of Jesus Christ. We will not be healed and will not be able
to judge anything if there isn’t the Cross of Jesus Christ
• The Cross of Jesus Christ becomes the criteria for all our judgements
• Does it mean a family is no good if there are quarrels occurring everyday? A family can
be blissful and peaceful; but without the Cross of Jesus Christ, this family is truly no good
• A person who doesn’t know the Cross will not know anything
• All God’s creation will praise Him. In other words, God is glorified when everything
functions in accordance to what God has planned
① Spirit <Matthew 12:28-29> “drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of
God has come upon you”
<Eph 1:3; Jas 1:17-18; Jhn 14:16-27; 1Cor 2:15, Gal 5:22-23>
• We will only get healed when our spirit works according to the truth of God

② Heart (mind) <Matthew 11:28-29>. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… you will
find rest in your souls… for my yoke is easy and my burden is light”
• Having peace, joy and vision daily is more important than us having 3 meals daily or
having a blissful family
• Do we have such desire? We need to get down our yoke and burden

③ Body <Romans 12:1-2>. Glorious image; temple of the Holy Spirit; vessel filled with
treasures; living sacrifice; living; healthy; peacefulness
• Our bodies are not dependent on our beauty. How we use our body is more important
than its appearances
• Can we comfort others with our mouth? Are we able to listen to God’s voice with our
ears? Can we bless others with our hands?
• Our clothing will only appear nice when it correspond with our manner and speech
• Can we display God’s beauty through our lives and bodies? If we can, then our
clothing is only there to compliant us

④ Living <Philippians 1:12>. Join up and hold together with things from heaven, earth,
past, present, and future so as to receive crowns daily for all things
• We must live with a goal
• We will “die” if our success and everything we do has no relation with eternality
 ⑤ Interpersonal <Ephesians 2:1-22, 4:1-16>. Be the source of all blessings, to bless those
we love, those who are always with us, and all people
• We are already the source of all blessings. Therefore, no matter who we are with, we
should always be thinking of how we can give in and how we can bless others
• When we see the people around us are not happy, we should realise that it is
because our strength is lacking
• Interpersonal relationship is about influencing and touching each other. When a
person is tired, the people around him will slowly become tired also
• He cannot because we also cannot

⑥ Finance <Philippians 4:11-19>. Become heirs of God. Enjoy the riches of the universe;
be contented; be a good steward; win souls
• Having more wealth doesn’t equate to being better. Only God’s provision is the best
• A person who cannot enjoy God will not be able to enjoy anything, no matter how
much he has
• In fact, what God has prepared us is the whole universe
• Have we ever stopped to see how beautiful the things God has prepared for us are?
• Most people are too busy to notice the riches that God has prepared for us

3) The banquet meant for the son = can enjoy all the heavenly blessings only through Jesus
Christ
• Who has a problem that is not solvable by Jesus Christ?
• God’s love is already upon us. Do not look for it else where
• God’s love doesn’t come together. It is already upon us now
• The sisters in our congregation are the most beautiful. Why then, are they not joyful?
• The brothers in our congregation are the most mature at their age. A lot of people who are
in their thirties still engaged in conversations filled with meaningless words, or dirty jokes
• Our brothers and sisters are of global standards. Therefore, we are the most different
• God wants us to be people of global standards. Thus, He allows us to go through fire.
Otherwise, we will still be talking about useless things even when we reached age 40-50
• We are the main characters of this world. Therefore, we are special
• Everybody’s attention will always be upon the main character, regardless of the role he
plays in a movie
• Therefore, our lives must become “specialised”, “main characterised” & “movie-lised”
• The main character will not worry over very minor things
• All these come from the content / nature of our lives
• Our emotions and perspective must coincide with God’s

4) He sent His servants out a couple of times to invite people to the banquet = Prophets,
apostles (Bible) / Pastors, Evangelists
* Even now, God is still using all sorts of method to invite people into heaven to enjoy all
blessings
• God sends out His servants to invite people frequently, throughout history
• God’s grace has never changed <Rom 1:21>. However, men are not able to see it and
denied it
• The lookout of men is just like that of the Israelites, where many are invited but few are
chosen
2. Many are invited but few are chosen
1) From those invited Israelites, few are chosen = the history of Israel had proven this
<22:3> “They may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never
understanding”. Therefore, their belief has often become “routine, legalistic,
mysticism, humanism, worldly, etc”
<22:5-6> Why are they weak repeatedly? Because, their life motives and goals are never put
on loving God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness. Therefore, they have never
known Jesus Christ
<22:7> The result is that they continually face God’s serious judgement and discipline upon
them throughout history
• God came to invite people to His banquet time after time. However, none was interested
• God had been inviting the Israelites into the Canaan Land but none of them was
interested
• God wishes all believers to go to church on Sunday but some rather go to work. They are
scared of their bosses, more than then being fearful of God
• Those who look for God only when it is convenient for them to do so will never be able to
find God. They could only find the golden calf, or idols
• Why the Prophets in history and the Pastors of this era often cry? It is because, they saw
that the believers are more concerned over their personal desire or the lust for their flesh
• We should not be looking for God only when it is convenient for us to do so
• We ought to pray first, if we really have some difficulties going to church. God will open up
a way for us when we have the desire to seek God
• Those who ask will be given. Our problem is, we do not ask

2) Many are invited to the church, but few are chosen = there are many people in the church, but
very few are really able to enjoy God’s kingdom
* <22:11-13> because they’d not put on their “wedding clothes”
= “he has clothed me with garment of salvation and arrayed me in rode of
righteousness” <Isaiah 61:10>
= “fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. Fine linen stands for the
righteous acts of the saints” <Revelations 19:7-9>
= Do not know “Jesus Christ” <Gen 3:15>. Didn’t wear the garment of skin <Gen 3:21>
• The Israelites represented the Church
• Everyone likes to take the broad path = things that can easily satisfy their physical needs.
They are more concerned over the carnal things than the spiritual things
• E.g. People are not so interested in the message for Spiritual Healing. They are only
interested in children or financial healing messages
• Many believers like to listen to spousal messages that teach them how to understand and
treat each other better, so as to achieve a blissful family. They are not interested at all in
knowing how a couple must have family gospelisation within God’s plan
• Men do not love God because they cannot see God
• A person who really loves God will want to follow God even when he is weak because he
knows that there’s answer in God
• We must put on the wedding clothes = we must be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ

3) Many are invited but few are chosen = Many people have heard the “gospel” but those who
really understand, believe and follow are very rare
* They are always learning, but never understanding the “mystery of Jesus Christ’s Gospel”
<2Ti 3:7; Isa 6:9-10>
 * They do not understand Jesus Christ because the motives and goal of their lives do not
coincide with God’s purpose and goals
* They do not know God’s purpose and goals because they do not understand their
“fundamental problems (i.e. flesh, roots of sins, evil spirit)”
• Why are there people who do not love God? Because, they do not see the sins and ways
of the world are of harm to them, when they are with the people of the world
• A person will only avoid something when he realises that the thing is harmful / bad for
him. Men will only cleanse themselves after knowing how dirty they are
• God will definitely reveal Himself to us when we really have the desire to find Him
• A lot of people thought that the love of Jesus Christ is the same as the love they’d
received from their parents or spouses. They have not received the Spirit of Sanctification
• Their understanding towards the love of Jesus Christ is very shallow. How much a person
is willing to give in will depend on how much he has received
• E.g. Two persons. One had a debt of $10, while one had a debt of one million. If both their
debts are cancelled; the one who has the bigger debt will definitely be more thankful

3. Only the “blessed ones” will be chosen and be able to enjoy the heavenly banquet
• In fact, many people in the church are chosen
• There are many people willing to find God or hunger for God. The problem is their churches
do not give them the word that they need
• There are four types of chosen people. Though they had all received the same grace, the
degree of love they have received is different
1) Those who listen and treat “God’s word (Bible)”, as the “calling and words spoken to men by
God Himself” are already blessed. They have placed their lives on God and God’s word
<Hebrews 4:12>
• Only those who treat God’s word as God are called Christians. They are already loved
• They will not deny the sovereignty of God’s word no matter how weak they are
• Even though these people are in agony and weak; as long as they have the yearning to
seek God, they will receive conviction from the Holy Spirit
• We will receive evidences. God’s word need to be confirmed
• This first type of believers will still walk their own ways. They will only think of God when
they face some problems

2) Those who will prepare their “wedding clothes” after hearing the Word are already loved.
Their lives’ purpose and directions have changed
<Romans 6:1-11; Eph 1:1-23, 2:1-10; Isa 61:10; Rev 19:7-9>
• Those who go to God in their “wedding clothes” are those who “need Jesus Christ today”
• Those who are willing to die and resurrect with Jesus Christ, after seeing their own
limitations, already have a born again life, purpose, concern, interest and plan
• Those who put on their wedding clothes are not those simply accept the word of God. The
purpose and direction of their lives were already changed
• They want to live for the Lord. Their life goals are different

3) Those who always rely on the mystery of Christ Jesus’ Gospel to enjoy all heavenly blessings
are already loved. They will use the great strength and power in their lives <Philippians 2:5-
11, 3:7-14>
• This third type of people had already seen through the mystery of Jesus Christ. They’d
received the spirit of healing
• Therefore, they had gotten the way for spiritual, living, physical, and interpersonal
 • They will go into concentration prayers to receive answers whenever they face any
problems
• They will display God’s glory, use God’s authority and experience God’s mighty strength
• They live their lives by relying on the love of Jesus Christ <Gal 2:20; Php 1:20>
• Jesus said, those who die for the Lord would live. Those who want to live would die
• The Gospel must be preached no matter what we do
• We must not be thinking of our past failures continually. Neither should we be afraid of
tomorrow’s failures

4) Those called to be “servants of God’s kingdom”, to share the “Gospel of Jesus Christ and
God’s kingdom”, and will invite others, are already loved
<Matthew 10:1-41, 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Isaiah 60:1-5>
• A person who is most blessed is able to pass on, the kingdom he had received and enjoy,
to others
• The most important thing is to exchange our money, gifts, time, perspective, wisdom for
souls and disciples
• This is the conclusion of our Christian living / Belief
• A person who has received the answer will be able to influences others in his fields
• Satan is most frightened of such people because no matter where this type of people go,
they will cause others to live

• Everyone faces different problems. Their level of understand towards God are also different.
Therefore, towards some, God will set them free as soon as they had pleaded to Him.
However for others, God will let them go through their problems by relying on Him
• It is too easy for God to free a person. However, those who continue serving and loving God
despite being in pains will receive crowns.
• Those whose problems are not resolved immediately will be able to see God’s perfect will in
each and every of their footsteps
• God’s covenant is the same for everybody. Then, why is there different level of being loved?
This is due to the different degree of covenant each individual has established with God.
• Some people establish the covenant with God with some conditions, just like Jacob.
• Some people know that their lives and everything they possess had all come from God. They
are willing to live for God and give everything they possess to God. Thus, they are willing to
follow God without any conditions attached
• God will lead us to Him even when we are weak, if we are willing to follow Him without any
conditions attached

Sharing and Prayer Topics

1. “Many are invited but few are chosen”: Have I truly understood the essence of this word of
the Lord? And do I also understand the reasons why many Israelites and churchgoers are
not chosen? Do those factors always appear in my life?
2. There are many beloved people in the church. However, the degrees of being love differ
from individual to individual: Using the contents of “Main Point 3” to discover the reasons
for the different in degrees. At the same time, confirm which degree / level of love, are we
at right now. How can we advance to the “next higher level”?
3. The Lord says, “I have prepared my dinner… everything is ready. Come to the wedding
banquet”. Do I often receive hints or burdens? Ponder about this: How can I completely
restore and enjoy the perfect blessings that God prepared for my spiritual, living,
interpersonal, finance and ministerial-serving, in Jesus Christ?