Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24

, Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Christ Unite

 

Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

 

Isaiah 55 (NIV)

1“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

2Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

3Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

4See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.

5Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”

6Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

7Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord , and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord .

9“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

13Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord ‘s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”

 

Matthew 22:1-14 (NIV)

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:

2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

4“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

5“But they paid no attention and went off–one to his field, another to his business.

6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.

7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’

10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.

12‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.

13“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

 

Luke 14:15-24 (NIV)

15When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

16Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.

17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22” ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.

24I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ “

 

Sermon

Are you hungry? Are you always hungry? Why are you hungry? We are hungry because we need food to live, survive. Is there other reasons why one feels hungry? Some people may feel hungry all the time. Why? Some people always feel hungry is because of psychological reasons. They use food to try to keep their mind occupy, remove their sadness, stress to satisfy them. But that don’t really work for them. How about some of you who have money, you eat but don’t satisfy? Why? Do you feel empty? How about those who are poor, they long for food but have no money?

Today’s sermons is about God’s food that can satisfy all of you. Free food invitation.

Have you been to church and got free food from there? I visited some churches before Covid-19 hit, some of them offer free lunch, dinner, snacks, pastries, coffee, tea. Do you look forward to getting these free food and seeing the people that serve you with the food? They are always cheerfully serving us with joy. The food taste good too. I enjoy seeing their smiling faces, seeing them serving us with joy. They are joyful because of God. God’s grace.

Some of us just celebrated Chinese New Year, we have sumptuous food from home and visiting relatives and friends. We enjoy spending time with our loved ones during this festive season. What if I tell you there is another kind of food that surpasses these food and enjoyment? You might ask is there such a food? Where can I get it? The answer is you can get it from God himself. He is inviting you to have this food and enjoy the wedding banquet. Is very special food.

In the Bible in Matthew 22 verses 1 to 14, the parable is actually about the king who is God the Father himself preparing a wedding banquet for his son Jesus Christ. He sent his servants who are God’s prophets, his people to invite people to his son’s banquet but the invited guests didn’t want to come giving all kinds of excuses. God was enraged and asked his servants to go out to the streets and invite anyone they can find. In Luke 14 verses 15 to 24 is telling the same kind of parable but in a slightly different way. The master is God the Father. In Luke 14 verse 21 God asked the servants to invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Luke 14 verse is actually referring to those spiritually poor and blind not knowing God. Their walk in life is crippled. They are not walking properly in their life which is spiritual walk hence is referred as crippled and lame. In both Matthew and Luke when it was first originally written it was referring to the Jews that didn’t accept God’s invitation to the banquet, hence God invites the Gentiles to the banquet to spend blessed time with him. Those who accept the invite, believe and trust in God are saved by him. They will enjoy the food he gives and able to go to heaven where there is celebration. Today the Gentiles is referring to us any one of us in the world, whether rich or poor and whatever health condition you are in, you are invited to God’s wedding banquet and is up to you whether you like to accept it. Only those who accept the invitation will get to taste the goodness of the banquet provided they are genuinely seeking God, believing in him accepting Jesus Christ into their lives.

Let me show you the scene where Jesus is standing at the door and knock, this can be found in the Bible in Revelation 3 verse 20.  Jesus says if anyone hears his voice and opens the door, he will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Him.

, Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Christ Unite

Now let’s look at the wedding clothes, the wedding clothes mention for invited guest must wear is their faith in God. They must be cloth with Christ. In Revelation 6 and 7 in the Bible, we are told that Christian are given white robe by God. Is the Son Jesus Christ wedding banquet which God the Father is giving, Jesus Christ will come and fetch his bride which is the church when he comes back. We Christian are his bride his invited guests, we need to be cloth in him and wait for him.

The Bible has the parable about the ten virgins in Matthew 25 verses 1 to 13 which is actually telling about Christian we must be ready and not leave faith, we must wait for Christ return and have our light always with us. Jesus Christ may come any time to fetch us. Those who want to be in God’s love feast but don’t wear the wedding cloths have blemishes, they are not cloth in white. They want to enjoy eating in the feast but don’t want to be associate with God, only want to enjoy feeding themselves enjoying the benefits. They try to enter the banquet but get caught. God will throw them out of the banquet.  Be careful, don’t end up like these people being thrown out of the wedding banquet.

When I read about the wedding clothes, I also thought of the armor of God that we Christian must wear. In the New Testament Bible in Ephesians 6 verses 10 to 18, God has told us to wear the full armor of God. Belt of truth buckled around our waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Take up the shield of faith, with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Are you cloth with the armor of God? Do you want to be cloth in white with Christ?

Would you like to be saved and enjoy God’s food? Do you know Christian actually eat God’s food for free and experience joy? Earlier I said God’s food you can get from God himself. God the Father & His son Jesus Christ who is also God. His word in the Bible. In Isaiah 55 verse 1, Jesus Christ is inviting you to drink from Him and eat from Him which is totally free. Water represent life, the living water of life. He is offering you eternal life when you drink and eat from Him which truly satisfy. You mighy be surprise. What! Eat and from Him? What do you mean? This is actually referring to Jesus body eat and drink from. He died at the Cross for our sins. His body is a living sacrifice for us to atone for our sins once and for all. Jesus during the last supper before he was betrayed, he took bread broke it and said this is my body which is for you, take eat do this in remembrance of me. After supper, he took the cup and said this is the new covenant in my blood, do this whenever you drink of it, in remembrance of me. Jesus body is the bread of life and his blood is the new covenant of grace forgiveness of sins in his blood. The wine in the cup represents his blood. The milk refers to nourishment to the body and soul. The water is the living water of life which is the holy spirit when you believe in Jesus Christ, you will receive the Holy Spirit. God is offering salvation for all who thirst, hungry and lost. Salvation is God saving you from death, sins so you can have eternal life. Salvation cannot be bought with money. It is free gift from God.

In Isaiah 55 verse 4 the person mention to be witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples is referring to Jesus Christ. God says all nations will listen to him. He has authority over all nations.

Verse 7 is telling people to turn away from evil and turn to God. God will be gracious to sinners that repent. God is pure & holy. He do not want people to have unclean sinful thoughts and do the wrong way. When one repent and turn from sins, God will not remember the sins. You are forgiven. Do not live in guilt and shame. God has forgiven you when you repent. That’s why verse 8 my thoughts are not your thoughts. Basically is 2 interpretation for this verse God do not have sinful thoughts and He will pardon and not remember sins of sinners who repent. God’s way is above man’s ways and His thoughts man cannot discern as His thoughts are higher.

Verse 10 is illustration example for verse 11 to show that God’s word will not go empty handled. It will bear fruit achieving God’s purpose. Let me read verse 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

Verse 12 is God promise covenant with you. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace when you believe and trust in Him. The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. This is illustration example of showing the happiness of clapping and singing with joy when one is saved.

In verse 13, it talks about thornbush, briers, pine tree and myrtle. Thornbush have a lot of thorns that hurt when you touch them. Same for briers who have a lot of pricks thorns that hurt. They are weeds and they get destroy. Pine tree is a good tree that is useful, provides shade, shelter and has medical benefits.  Pine is used for upper and lower respiratory tract swelling inflammation, stuffy nose, hoarseness, common cold, cough, bronchitis, fever, blood pressure, asthma, blood circulation, nerve malfunction, neuralgic disorders, rheumatism and many more. Do you know pine trees are also used for Christmas trees? There are various types of pine tree. Some of them can grow very tall over 75 meters. Dwarf pine tree are use as Christmas Tree for they grow max up to 1.5 meter. Let me show you some photos of the pine trees.

, Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Christ Unite

Dwarf Pine Tree

, Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Christ Unite

Pine Trees

For Myrtle, it is a flowering plant that has medical benefits. The fruit, leaves, and branches are used to make medicine. People take myrtle for treating bacteria, lung infections including bronchitis, cough and tuberculosis. It can also use for skin conditions clear up acne.

, Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Christ Unite

Myrtle

, Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Christ Unite

Myrtle

, Valentine’s Day Sermon 2022. Rescue. Food From God. Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 55, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Christ Unite

Myrtle Tree

These examples show that God will turn man who repents from one that has no fruit, weeds destroying hurting people to one who will bear good fruit be useful and help others. There will be healing to themselves and to others. There will be life instead of death.

Now let’s look at what does Psalm 34 verse 8 mean? Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Let’s look at the context of Psalm 34. Psalm 34 is written by David who escape to Philistine city of Gath from King Saul who was after him, Philistines is actually the Israelites enemies yet David choose to run to the Philistines. David has killed Goliath who came from Philistine, he was afraid the Philistines will recognize him so he disguised himself to be insane. When King Achish, King of Gath saw David, he didn’t recognize David and demanded not to see him as he didn’t want to deal with insane people. So David manage to escape from King Achish and stay safe. This incident can be found in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. David wrote this Psalm 34 after he escape from King Achish. God had heard David’s cries, prayers and answered them. He protected David and David wanted to express his gratitude and wrote this psalm. He had tasted the Lord is good and trusted God to provide him refuge. He felt blessed with God’s help.    

How does this verse apply to us? Taste is about trusting God. Believe and trust in Him. Taste is about our experience with God in our circumstances. Taste is about reading, understanding, remembering, absorbing and applying God’s word the Bible. This is spiritual food that satisfy the soul. The Bible God’s word is alive and active in our life in all seasons. God’s word is timely, it brings comfort, healing for the soul. Trusting in God is blessing as God knows you trust in Him and He will bless you when you put your faith in Him. Remember in the beginning of the sermon I mentioned about Christian in church who serve food to visitors. I mentioned they are joyful because of God. They have tasted God is good. As Christian we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We worship Him as our God. We taste His goodness. He is our friend, our brother, our counselor, our provider, our refuge, our savior, our God. He is the only one that can save us from our sins and forgive us and give us eternal life. He is a merciful and gracious God always loving us.

Will you come eat, taste and see that the Lord God is good and accept Him into your life?

Do you want to be forgiven and have eternal life?

Do you want to accept His love for you?

Do you want to be able to join the wedding banquet and see your loved ones in the banquet?

If your answer is Yes. Please pray this prayer. Dearest Heavenly Father, thank you for letting me come across this sermon and read this sermon. Thank you for your word. I like to be able to enjoy the wedding banquet. I like to taste you and your son Jesus Christ goodness. Please forgive me for being blind, not seeing you not knowing you in the past. I had walked the wrong path in the past. I admit I am a sinner and I ask for your forgiveness. Please forgive my sins. I am really sorry for not believing in you in the past. I have done, said and thought many wrong things that are basically going against you and your will.  I turn from my sins in repentance. I believe your son Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose from the dead. Thank you for sending your beloved son Jesus Christ for dying at the Cross for my sins.  I want to be in the right path with you from today onwards. I want to be in the light and no longer in darkness. Thank you for loving me, not forsaking me. Today I am awake because of you. I want to know you & your son Jesus Christ and accept both of you into my life. I open my heart and invite you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow you as my God, Lord and Savior. I want to be cloth in white, able to taste your goodness and be accepted in your wedding banquet. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit today the living water of life who will live in me, teach me and guide me in my life. Thank you for hearing my prayer and saving me today. I will always remember what you have done for me with a grateful heart. In your son name Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Congratulations for becoming God’s children. You are reborn today. Happy Birthday. Your new life starts from today. May you treasure it and walk together with God in your life. Do get a Bible, you can get the NIV or ESV Bible and start reading from the book of John. Do let your family & friends know of your new born faith, try to get your Christian friends to help you find a church for you to visit. Your Christian friends can help you with your walk in life to know more about God. If you don’t have any Christian friends, try to find a church near you and visit that church. If because of Covid-19, your country don’t allow any church visit, do watch and read church sermons online. Do pray about the church you are visiting, listening to. Ask God to help you discern whether this is the church for you and are they preaching correctly. Try to read daily devotional verse online at Christunite.com. You can also contact me if you like to share the good news too.

Hope you find this sermon useful. If you find this sermon useful, do share with your family and friends.

Thank you for reading this sermon. May you remember God’s love always. We love because He first love us. 1 John 4:19.

Blessed Valentine’s Day to you.

Janice Ong

Founder of Christ Unite

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