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JoyceEdwardsMatthew224Twoyearsagoaseaofpeopleoranestimatedaudienceof2millionconvergedonWashingtonD.C.towit-nesstheinaugurationofthefirstBlackPresidentoftheUnitedStates.ThisseaofpeoplewitnessedanhistoricalhappeningthatwillberecordedinthehistorybooksofAmericanandper-hapsevenworldhistory.ThelovelyelegantgownwornbyMicheleObamawillbedisplayedintheSmithsonianInstitutealongwiththegownswornbypreviousfirstladiesandfortherestoftheirnaturallivestheObamaswillneveragainbewhattheywerebeforeNovember42008.TheseaofpeoplethatfloodedWashingtonD.C.willcherishtheirexperiencesfordecadestocomeshar-ingthosemomentswithanyonewillingtolisten.Whatssointerestingaboutallthehappeningsthattookplaceistheeffortandpreparationittooktoeffectuateallthoseextraordinaryevents.Canyoujustforaminutevisualizejusthowmuchtimewasspentbyeachindividualpersontomakehotelplaneandalltheotherreservationsneededtoaccommodatetheirneedsforattendanceatthosehis-toricalgalaaffairs.IheardjournalistoranchorwomanRobinRobertstalkabouttheeffortshermotherunder-wenttopurchaseapairofwarmlongjohnssoshecouldbravethechillingtemperaturesexpectedinWashingtonD.C.Preparationsandreservationsofeverysortwereengagedbythatseaofpeople.AstheTVcamerascapturedalltheexcitementofthatgreatoccasionIwonderedhowmanyofthatseaofpeoplehadtakentimetomakeplanspreparationsandreservationstoattendthemarriagefeastGodisplan-ningfortheLordJesusChrist.IsntitamazinghowweprepareourselvesforeveryimaginableoccasionhereonearthbutwhatplanspreparationsandreservationsarepeoplemakingtoattendtheLordsmarriagefeastYesindeedwearedirectedtogivehonortowhomhonorisdueandtheinaugura-tionofPresidentObamawascertainlydeservingofhonor.Butthatdayhasdawnedandanotherdayawaitsus.ThisisthedaythatwillfarsurpassthelikesofanythingthatoccurredthedayPresidentObamawasinaugurated.Itsinterestingtorecognizethatthemajorityoftheseaofpeopleinatten-danceattheinaugurationofPresidentObamahadnotreceivedaninvitationbutsimplyattendedasspectators.ThatrealitycanbelikenedtotheLordsmarriagefeast.AsMatthew223mentionsacertainkingsentforthhisservantstosummonthemthatwerebiddentotheweddingandtheywouldnotcome.ItshighlyunlikelythattheinvitedgueststoPresidentObamasinaugurationdidnotcomebuttheScripturestestifythatthoseinvitedtothekingsmarriagefeastwouldnotcome.WhatatragedyitwillbeforallthosethatreceivedaninvitationtothemarriagefeastoftheLordJesusbutrefusedtocome.DoyousupposethoseinvitedtoPresidentObamasinaugurationrefusedtoattendSuchanaffrontwouldbeunheardofunlesstheinviteeshadsentaRSVPexpress-ingregretsbecauseofanothermatter.Theinviteeswouldneverhaveignoredtheinvitationandwaiteduntilthedayoftheeventandjustnothaveshownupbutthatspreciselyhowtheinvitedguestsrespondedtotheking.Thentoaddinsulttoinjurytheinviteesstillrefusedtocomewhenalimowassenttopickthemup.IntodaysworldeveryconceivableTVnetworkandnewspa-perwouldheadlinetheincident.Itwouldbeanimplausibleorunbeliev-ableoccurrence.YetthisisexactlywhatwillhappenwhenthekingGodAlmightyinvitesgueststothemar-riagefeastofhissontheLordJesusChrist.Ifthisseemsabsurdorhideousthesituationgetsworse.Aftertheinvitedguestsrefusedthelimoridethekingsentmorehonorablementopersuadetheinvitedgueststocomebuttheykilledthem.Finallythekingsenthisservantsintothehighwaysandby-waysandtoldthemtoinviteanyonewillingtocome.Thepeopleinthestreetswerethrilledbyhavingtheprivilegetovisittheking.Thesimilar-ityisthattheweddingwasfurnishedwithuninvitedgueststhesameasthemajorityoftheguestsattheinaugura-tionwereuninvitedbutthedifferencewasthatnoonehadtogooutandfindpeopletoattendtheinaugurationtheycamewillingly.JustasPresidentObamasinaugura-tionwasntanordinaryoccurrencehewasthefirstBlackPresidentofUnitedStates.InlikemannerthiswasntanordinarymarriagefeasttheKingofkingswashavingamarriagefeastforHissontheLordJesusChrist.Thestreetpeoplethosenotformallyinvit-edecstaticallyacceptedthesummonsandmadethemselvesreadytomeettheking.Theyprobablypreparedtheirbestattireandsprayedthemselveswiththeirmostexpensiveperfumes.Butwhenthekingappearedinthereceptionhallheobservedaguestthatwasntdressedinproperattire.Eventhoughtheyallhadbeenextendedasummonsthereisacertainprotocolthatmustbeadheredtowhenyougobeforetheking.ThinkaboutitifyouhadbeeninvitedtoPresidentObamasinaugurationyouwouldhavedressedinyourbestattireandsomefolkswouldhaveboughtabrandnewoutfit.Infactprobablymostofthespecta-torsespeciallythosethatmadeplanehotelandotherreservationsboughtbrandnewoutfitsandtheywereonlyspectators.Butonemanacceptedthesummonstoattendthekingsmar-riagefeastbelievinghecouldattendanywayhechosetoyetwatchwhathappenedafterthekingobservedthemansattire.Thekingbeckonedthemanandaskedfriendhowdidyoucomeintothemarriagefeastnothav-ingaweddinggarmentortheproperattireforsuchasplendidaffairThemanwasspeechless.WhentheLordJesusChristtaughtthisparableHewasreferringtotheJewandtheGentilebutwecanlikenituntothechurchedandtheun-churched.Thechurchedarethosewhorefusedtocomebecausetheytooktheinvitationtoolightlycare-lesslyandindifferentlyandtheydidnotRSVP.Inspiteofthechurchedfailuretorespondandtheirrefusaltocomethekingmadeseveralattemptstohonorthemashisguests.Finallythekinginvitedtheun-churchedandtheun-churchedwereexpectedtocomedressedappropriately.Itdoesnotmatterwhetherwearechurchedorun-churchedwemustbedressedfittingly.Beingdressedproperlymaynotnecessarilyrefertoclothesitcouldrefertorighteousnessorunrigh-teousnessbeingsoberorintoxicatedhavingrepentedorbeingunrepentant.RegardlessJesuswaslettingusknowwemustcomedressedinthepropermanner.Whenthemandidnothavearesponsethekingorderedhisser-vantstobindthemanhandandfootandtakehimawayandcasthimintoouterdarknessbutthatwasnottheconclusion.Jesuswentontosayformanyarecalledbutfewarechosen.ThesecompellingwordsoftheLordJesuscontainthemostprofoundmes-sageoftheentireparable.Althoughwemayhavereceivedaninvitationwillwebeamongthosewhowillactu-allybechosentoattendthefeastMatthew221-14entarylifestylecanhavethesamenegativeimpactonyourhealthassmokingapackofcigarettesdailyStudyhealthtopicsontheInternet.Therearemanyhealthrelatedwebsitesthatarewrittenforpeoplewhohavenomedicaltraining.OnegoodexampleiscalledMedlinePlus.YoucanalsolookupinformationonwebsitesfortheAmericanDiabetesAssociationtheAmericanHeartAssociationtheAlzheimersAssociationandtheAmericanCancerSociety.Therearemanyothersyouwillcomeacrossinyoustudy.Theknowledgeyougainwillhelpyoutohelpyourchurchmembersandthecommunityaroundyourchurchaswell.Adviseyourmemberjusttogogetcheckupsandseeadoctorasneeded.Thisisimportantasititpossibletohaveanumberofdiseasessuchasdia-betesheartdiseasehighbloodpressureprostatecancercoloncancerbreastcancerandothersandfeelperfectlywell.Screeningisneededtofindsomeserioushealthproblemsearly.Somescreeningscanevenbedoneinyourchurchsuchasbloodsugarcholesterolandbloodpressureexaminations.Ifneededhavehealthprofessionalscometoyourchurchandtalkabouthealthmatters.Thismeansyoucanhavehealthseminarsatyourchurchperiodically.Itrustthisinformationwillhelpallinyourcom-munityandyourchurchtolivelongerandbetternnnHEALINGHaveYouAcceptedtheInvitationIsntitamazinghowweprepareourselvesforeveryimaginableoccasionhereonearthbutwhatplanspreparationsandreservationsarepeoplemakingtoattendtheLordsmarriagefeast...WhatatragedyitwillbeforallthosethatreceivedaninvitationtothemarriagefeastoftheLordJesusbutrefusedtocome.6BODYOFCHRISTNEWSMAY2011TellthemwhicharebiddenbeholdIhavepreparedmydinnermyoxenandmyfatlingsarekilledandallthingsarereadycomeuntothemarriage.Ifyouhavequestionsorcom-mentsregardingthismessagepleasee-mailatanointedwordministryymail.com.PastorJoyceEdwards...continuedfrompage5ByPastorJoyceEdwardsSCRIPTURE