Why Do We Come to Church?

Why do we attend church? Do we need a special invitation? Do we come to church just for curiosity's sake? I've heard even some people say, well, I'm funding the ministry and say, well, are there dateable young ladies that I could come to church to see if I can get married? Is that the reason why we come to church? Maybe some people come to church because they already have all the answers. You see, they use the Internet. They've got all the answers. And so they want to know if the church is teaching according to their knowledge. And if not, then that person will make sure that he wants to teach the ministry the truth. Is that why we come to church? Some people come to church because they feel good when you come to church. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel better. And so religion has become less and less about personal sacrifice and change and more about feeling good, personal fulfillment, in other words, a social club. You see, brethren, we come to church to learn God's Word, to listen attentively, like we heard in the sermon. To learn to obey, as we heard in the sermon, it's our duty to obey, to learn God's love, to be like God. And what is God's love? God is love, and to learn to be like God. But that seems to be decreasing in today's world. Life has really changed in the last 150 years. It's interesting when we go to Maloch in Brazil that they only have electricity for the last five years or so. So it's amazing that they lived there without electricity. But you think about it. In 1879, Thomas Edison developed the first light bulb. Okay, it was about 150 years ago. In fact, in 1886, Carl Benz, from where you get to Mercedes Benz, you know, that heritage, Carl Benz developed the first car based on gas, based on gasoline. And since then the world has used these technologies and has made great changes. And then about 40 years ago, the term Internet was first used in 1974. And then, about 35 years ago, IBM launched the first personal computer. And I will probably remember that first personal computer, which had like one byte of memory or whatever it is. I'm exaggerating. But, you know, it was a great thing. But it commercialized that whole computing world into a different, old way. And what we have is a dramatic impact on people's lives today, through technology. People's attitudes have changed because of technology. Children like to touch. You know, I mean, if you have children, you know, they go and they want to touch. So, that's one of the things you learn. When you've got children around, all the things got to go a little higher up, you know, because they like to touch. They like to touch. Well, they like to touch that our little grandson that cannot speak, he knows how to get an app with Dr. Seuss up. And he can't speak. He's fifteen months and he does a selfie. He's fifteen months. Now, some of you might not even know what a selfie is, you know? You take your own photo of yourself. He can't even talk. He says, bah bah bah bah bah, you know?

Brethren, we're living in a different world. We didn't have that twenty years ago. Imagine these children twenty years from today. I mean, it's just... I mean, you could do a Google search. Now, Google is a verb, right? You know, let me Google. It's a verb. I mean, twenty years ago, what was the word Google? What had meant that? You do a Google search and the word, keep the Sabbath. Well, I did. And in split seconds, gave me seven million answers on keeping the Sabbath. Seven million. Well, then I did the same thing in Portuguese. And he gave me four hundred thousand answers.

You know, think... knowledge is proliferating in ways that you and I never imagined. And you know, the problem is, you give people the hundreds of answers what they do. They're going to pick up one that pleases them and it suits them, and that is the truth. I thought in the internet, and that is the authority! Well, it might be a lot of junk. There's no authority, because, you know, I mean... Like we always say, it's not the TV that's bad. It's the wrong use of the TV that's bad. It's not the internet that's bad. It's the wrong use of the internet that's bad. You know, and that's important for us to remember. But the point is, this technological change of society has impacted how we worship God. It shouldn't, but it has. Let's be real. Let's look at facts. It has impacted how religion is being taught.

And therefore, today, coming to church to a lot of people, is more about personal fulfillment than obeying God. And it is sad. But you know what? It's like you have a basket full of rotten apples, and you put a good apple there, sooner or later it's going to be affected. And to have that apple not be affected, it's quite a task. And that's where we are. You and I are like... trying to be a good apple. I didn't say a good apple, because none of us is good. So we try to be a good apple, but the world is rotten with apples. So it affects us. I know it should, but it does. But what we have is a time of knowledge and people running around. Look at us! In a month, I went to Brazil with Isaac, and we came back, and with my wife, and we went to Dallas, and back... Would you have done that a hundred years ago? Impossible! Impossible! So turn with me to Daniel 12. Because God prophesied this would happen at the end time. So turn with me to Daniel 12. So we're going to start reading from verse 1.

Daniel 12, who starts reading from verse 1. At that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands, watch over the sons of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble. There's going to be a time of trouble. Here was the great tribulation as we talk it in the New Testament. A time of trouble. Such as never was since there was a nation. Even to that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered. So after that time, God's people will be delivered. Christ is going to come back, and God's people will be delivered. Everyone was found in a book. What book? The Book of Life, of course. The Book of Life. Who will return to the Book of Life? They will be delivered. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. There will be a resurrection. Some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting content. Yes, and we know, right? Reading in the Book of Revelation, yes, there's actually two, I mentioned at least two resurrections. The first one, and then a later resurrection, a thousand years later. So, instead, some to everlasting life, some to everlasting content. Those who are wise, those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the filament. In other words, those who are wise will have God's glory as sons and daughters of God. Obviously, much lower to glory than God and the Son themselves, but will be like that filament. And those who turn many to righteousness.

In other words, those that, through doing God's work, bring many people to repentance. Help in the process of bringing many people to repentance. Like the stars forever and ever. In other words, they'll be like the stars and they'll have eternal life.

Verse 4, But you, Daniel, shut up the wards and seal the book.

Yeah, close the book. Close the book.

Until the time of the end.

And many shall run to and fro. And that's what we do. Many people today run to and fro. You know, some of you are living in Tennessee, you know, it's kind of around the corner. Well, a hundred years ago, it wasn't around the corner. You know, we go different places and run to and fro. And knowledge shall increase. You know, for you to have a library, a library, you know, think about a library, a library for a lot of books, with a lot of information on your laptop. Like you can have today with the Internet. It's amazing. You know, in a library, you've got some good books and you've got bad books. That's what the Internet is. It's a library on your laptop. That's what it is. Right? And therefore, you have access to that. And in all days, you would have to say, I'm looking for this. You go to the library and I bring it in. Oh, I don't know what book it is. Okay. Okay. Maybe it's in that book, you know, and then you'll come back with the book and then you'd sit and search. Oh, I found it. Maybe I haven't found it. Well, it's not. Now you do click, click, click, bang! I even found it. If I'm looking for a scripture and you know, I have Bible programs and some Bible programs, I enter the words. They've got to kind of enter it exactly or near exactly. And it gives me the structure where it is. And I don't have to enter the words in sequence. I can say in sequence or not in sequence. But if I do it in Google, I get it quicker. If I'm looking, I'm not sure exactly what it is. And I enter something like that, like this. Bang! I get the answer in Google. I don't even need a Bible program. Well, a Bible program is useful because it gives the Hebrew and the Greeks and different other things. Yeah, they all have there. But sometimes when I can't find something and I can't quite think of exact words, it's amazing. Knowledge has increased. In other words, knowledge is our fingertips. But knowledge is not wisdom. Knowledge is not even understanding. You know, if you think about knowledge, it's just knowledge. Then you take that knowledge to have some understanding and wisdom is applying the right thing at the right time.

But knowledge has increased. It does not mean that people have become wiser. No. You see, so knowledge has increased. Life is now a race. Life is a race. I mean, Kathy and I, as I said earlier on, what happened? Two months have disappeared. It feels like there's just one month. I mean, we've been cheated. One month has disappeared. It's just gone so quick. Life is a race. And we are definitely in the time where knowledge has increased. There's no question. This is a proof that we are in the time of the end. There's no question about it. I mean, this is a simple proof to read in the time of the end. And let's continue reading then, starting from verse 6.

And when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, shattered, not just shattered, completely shattered. All these things shall be finished. Brethren, it means we've got a little bit of time to do the work. Because when this comes, this Great Tribulation comes, for that period of 1216, the power of God's people will be completely shattered. And when it's done, it shall be finished. We've got a little time, brethren. And we're going to take our Christianity very seriously. Because you and I don't know how long, how much time you have. For what? Any of us could die tomorrow. So that's how much time we have. We have one day, if we die tomorrow. So we have as much time as we live, or as much time till these things start happening.

And although I heard verse 8, I did not understand. Then I said, my Lord, what shall the end of these things be? What shall be the end? And it is verse 9, Go away, Daniel, for the words are closed and sealed till the time of the end.

Brethren, the words are closed and sealed till the time of the end. Verse 10, Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, the wise will understand. Brethren, God's purpose is what? To purify His people, rather than making them feel good. What then is it that the wise will understand? What is it that the wise will understand? Is it the wise are going to understand that 1260 days, under 1290 days, under 1335 days? Is that what we are going to understand, to be wise? You see, the problem is many of us have focused on the tweaks, the prophetic tweaks, not on the trunk. To the point that when you focus on the tweaks, you know, if you go and really grab on to the tweaks, sooner or later those tweaks will break and you'll not be connected to the tree anymore. You'll be somewhere out on the floor with your nose broken. So we're going to grab on to the trunk of a tree so that we don't miss the bigger picture. You see, the big picture is not the 1260s, the 1290s, the 1335 days. What is the big picture? What is the big picture of the book of Daniel?

What is the big picture of the book of Daniel?

You see, Daniel, if you just go back to the beginning of the book, Daniel, he was one of those men that was taken captive, but he was selected with a few others to have some special training. So you see, in the third year of the reign of Joachim, Daniel 1.1, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged. That's about 605 before Christ. And the Lord gave Joachim, and then so, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, you know, so they took over Judah. And then look in verse 3, then the king instructed Ash-Thanas, the master of his Enochs. Interesting. So Daniel probably was an Enoch.

They did something to him. So the master of Enoch to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles. Young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge, and quick to understand, who had the ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the audience.

And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training. And went through a three-year training college for them. So at the end of that time, of the end of those three years, they might serve before the king.

And now, from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel and Ananiah, Misha'el and Azariah.

And then if we jump a little bit further to verse 18. Now at the end of the days, that is, at the end of those three years, at the end of the training, those three years training, at the end of the days when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the Enoch brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

And the king interviewed them, and among them was none. Among them all none was found, like Daniel, Ananiah, Misha'el and Azariah. Before they served before the king. You see, God blessed these people with extra wisdom. And continuing verse 20, and in all matters of wisdom and understanding, so it wasn't just knowledge, it was understanding and wisdom. It's more than knowledge. About which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in and all Israel. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus. In other words, Daniel continued that role for the next 66 years.

He continued that role for 66 years in 539 BC. So you can see that Daniel had a responsibility by God to do a certain job. And let's look, therefore, at the big picture of Daniel. And the big picture of Daniel is in the next chapter. And that's this great statue. It's this great statue that you read in chapter 2. And it says, now the second year, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams. And his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. And so there was this dream, and then go on, and you know, look at verse 5.

The king said, my decision is firm. If you do not make no other dream to me and its interpretation, you will be zapped. That's what it is. Goodbye. Cheers. Not only do you have to tell me what the dream is about you, you've got to tell me what the dream was. And I said, come on, you're nuts. I can't tell you what you dreamt last night. So then, looking a little bit further, in verse 19, and it says, then the secret was revealed to Daniel. Daniel used glory, and then I said, look, God reveals dreams. The secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.

And so Daniel blessed the God of Heaven. So he gave God the honor and glory. And then, continue in, let's look in verse 28. And Daniel says, but there is a God in Heaven who reveals secrets. And he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. So, about the future. Your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed were these. So he describes the dream, which is that image of God, a great image.

The head, verse 32, was of fine gold, his chest and arms of silver, his belly and thighs of bronze, and his legs of iron, its feet partly iron and partly clay. And in verse 34, and you watched, while his stone was cut out without ends, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces.

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, the gold, were all crushed together and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. So this is a history of the kingdoms of Gentiles from the time Judah went down, the kingdom of Gentiles from Babylon, all the way till the time of the end.

And then right at the end there would be a stone made by no man. In other words, it would be Christ coming from the Father and then struck the image, destroyed the kingdoms of this world completely. It became a great mountain. It was a great kingdom, the kingdom of God on earth and filled the whole earth. It spread to the whole earth. So, look at verse 44. Look at verse 44. In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom. In the days of those kings, that's the stone. God will set up a kingdom. What kingdom is that?

That's the kingdom of God. A kingdom which shall never be destroyed. In other words, it's eternal. From there onwards it will be eternal. And the kingdom shall not be left to other people. In other words, there will be no elections after four years about having somebody new to rule in that kingdom. Those people will be forever ruling in the kingdom. And it says, it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, all the kingdoms of the world that have lived from Babylon all the way to the top of Christ. They will be wiped out like dust and blown away like the wind blows away.

And that kingdom and it, the kingdom of God, shall stand forever. So what is the big picture? What is the big picture of Daniel? It's about that, yes, there's going to be problems, but at the end of those problems, Christ will come and set up a kingdom on earth, and that will bring peace to earth once and for all. Yes, temporarily, at the end of a thousand years, God will allow Satan to cause a little bit of havoc, to teach a few other people a lesson, but that kingdom will never be destroyed and will be lost forever.

And so, what is the big picture? Is it about us feeling good? Is it about the 1290 days and the 1260 days and the 1335 days? Or is it about the establishment of the kingdom of God, which is our hope? And that is embellished, let's say, a little bit more in Daniel 7, where he describes these beasts. You can see from verse 4 through verse 8 or so that it talks about a lion in verse 4 and verse 5, another beast like a bear. In verse 6, a leopard, which had four heads. And then in verse 7, a fourth beast, worse than all the others, with ten horns. And then there was a little horn that came up, and it's all prophetic, and I've covered, I've had explanations about those in other sermons in the past, and maybe I'll go through it again sometime in the future.

But it's showing things that are going to happen, but look at it in verse 9.

It says, And I watched till thrones were put in place, and the ancient days were seated. And then God established the kingdom of God on earth. Look a bit further ahead in verse 17. It says, These great beasts, which are four, are four kings which will arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High, it was God's brethren, God's people, the people of God's church, the saints of the Most High, shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. That is the big picture. And look at verse 21. I was watching, and the same horn was making war against the saints and prevailing against them. Yes, they'll be right towards the end when that Satan and the inspires the leadership. And as we read in the book of Daniel at the end that the power of God's people be utterly shattered. Yes, he was prevailing against them. He was winning right at the end. It's going to appear that he's going to win. But we've got a better time now, brethren, to preach the gospel and to get ourselves right with God. But look at verse 22.

That is the big picture. There is a hope. We've read the end of the story, and we know who is going to win. And that's our hope. And look at verse 27. Then the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole earth. And it was the greatness of the United States of America, of Britain, of Germany, of Russia, of all the countries, of China, of Korea. The greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the sites of the Most High. And his kingdom, that's the kingdom of God, reigning on earth. It was the government of God reigning on earth. He's an everlasting government, an everlasting kingdom, and all the minions shall serve and obey him.

That's the big picture, brethren. That is the big picture. We've got our hope.

That gives us hope. Now, with that in mind, how does that affect you and I?

We live in a society now that is basically loud as sin. I'm sorry. The society is loud as sin. It's lukwok, and it's affecting a lot of brethren in the Church. Regrettability is. And therefore, unfortunately, the Church tends to follow along behind society.

And so, we've got to be careful that we're not comparing ourselves to society, but we're comparing ourselves to God and to his word. That's what we've got to watch out. And you see, so society has got its own cliche, which is just becoming bigger and bigger. Oh, just believe in Jesus. Give your heart to the Lord, and you'll be saved. That means you've got to do nothing. Just be happy. Just get a shot of happiness.

That is the way of get. We come to church because we follow the way of give, the way of love, the way of God.

You see, brethren, we don't believe in the fight for love. We believe that obedience is also required. You and I have got to do our part. And our practice demonstrates what we believe. So if our practice, in the way we come to church, if our practice, in the way we care or don't care for the brethren, is along the attitudes of our well, it's okay, then maybe we'll be affected by society. And we need to look at ourselves in the heart and say, are we really changing? Are we maybe ever just ever so slightly, not that we've gone all the way down the cliff, but ever so slightly moving that direction? We need to recalibrate ourselves to be like a compass check. Every day recalibrate ourselves to be fully in sync with God's Word. Otherwise it will happen to us what Christ said in Matthew 7. Turn with me to Matthew 7, verse 21. Matthew 7, verse 21 to 24. It says, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Not everyone that says, oh, Jesus, I love Jesus, will enter the kingdom of God. But he who does the will of my Father, some of these people even say, no, no, no, we don't follow God's commandments, we follow Jesus' commandments. I don't know if you heard that. I have heard that. Well, it says, Christ says, that he who does the will of my Father, which obviously is Christ's will, because they won, they in sync.

In heaven, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in heaven? Then we preach in church about Jesus. Have we not cast out demons in your name? And have we not done many miracles in Jesus' name?

And yes, many have.

But look at what Christ says to them. And then I'll declare to them, I never knew you.

Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness, you will break God's laws.

I think we all need to look at this very seriously, myself included. And we need to analyze ourselves. None of us is good. If you say you don't sin, then you're a liar. It says elsewhere, right? So we all have to kind of not again recalibrate ourselves. You see, look at Eve. Eve was the first human to sin. Well, and Adam was right beyond her, don't worry. But why did she do it? Why did she sin? And why did Adam sin? Was it because she was poor and desperate?

Had her life been harsh and oppressive?

Was Eve angry and offended?

Had she been beaten and abused? No. Did she have a bad childhood?

Was she sad and unfulfilled? No. She just wanted to feel good.

Look at Genesis chapter 3 verse 6. Genesis chapter 3 verse 6.

Genesis chapter 3 verse 6.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, oh, it's going to make me good, feel good. I have a nice happy stomach. Oh, it's going to be right. And it was pleasant to the eyes. Oh, it's going to make me feel good. It's pleasant, looks good. And the tree desirable to make one wise. Wow, I'm going to be smart, clever. And she took its fruit and ate. And she also gave it to her husband with her. And he also ate. So he was not far beyond it. So, brethren, it is okay to want to feel good. I mean, who doesn't want to feel good? But that's not the purpose of religion. That's the difference. That's the difference. You see, the world today is full of things to make us feel good, materialism. And if that becomes a God and a priority, it's nothing bad to have a car, it's nothing bad to have a home, it's nothing bad to have a refrigerator. But if those things become, oh, I had to have a better car and a better car and a better refrigerator and a better TV, if those material things become a God, that is a problem. The world today is full of sexual immorality. The world today is full of things, wanting people to want to feel good, to be lovers of themselves. And therefore, those are the modern-day idols. Think about it. Oh yeah, it's not necessary that you have a statue, but you have a different idol. It's things and materialism and wanting to feel good. It's the modern-day idolatry. If we have a religion that is all biced in words and no action, then that religion is in vain. That religion is in vain. That's what Christ said. Look with me to Matthew chapter 15. Matthew chapter 15, verse 8 and 9. Matthew 15, verse 8 and 9. These people draw me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips. Yes, people go to church. Most people feel good. They say good words. Some of them are very nice people.

Honor me with their lips. But their heart is far from me. In other words, their actions are not there from the heart. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines, the commandments of men. But it's always been so that mankind, all from Adam and Eve, as we saw, all the way today, people want to feel good. It's always been so. It's basically a problem with human nature, they want. Human nature has this inclination, this pull to the flesh. But the point is, now at the end time, is worse. It's amplified. Nothing new, it's just more amplified because of the things that we have in society today. Turn with me to 2 Timothy, chapter 3, and it shows how it is amplified. 2 Timothy, chapter 3.

2 Timothy is just off the first Timothy, just in case.

2 Timothy, chapter 3. We're going to start reading from verse 1. But know this. In the last days, perilous times will come. It's the last days. It's the time of the end. There's going to be difficult times. For man will be lovers of himself. In other words, they'll want to feel good.

Lovers of money, boastless, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unfanful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, despises of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure.

To feel good. To feel good, rather than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness. Yes, they go to church. They're very happy. They go to church. They get a good feeling. Well, some of them, nowadays, well, they don't even go to church. They listen to it on the web, you know? No, we need to go to church. Why? To get the point that I'm saying is that we go to church to serve. To learn to practice love.

To know, first-hand, the brethren that need help. That we can care for them. That then, during the week, we can pray for them. We can find them. We can contact them. And we can hear their problems. We can care for them. That's why. But you see, today, people have a form of godliness, but deny its power. What is the power? The power of God's Holy Spirit, which is that power that helps us to change from corrupt human nature to divine nature. And we're not using that power effectively. And it says, from search, people turn away. So, we must use that power to overcome, to change. God has given us power to change. So, let's use it. If we don't do it, what happens?

If we don't do it, what happens?

Look at Zechariah chapter 7. Look at Zechariah chapter 7.

Zechariah chapter 7. Zechariah, Malachi, and Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Zechariah chapter 7.

And we're going to start reading in verse 8.

Then the Lord of the Lord came to Zechariah's sign. Thus says the Lord of hosts, Execute through justice, show mercy and compassion, Every one to his brother. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you, plan evil in his heart against his brother. But they refused to heed. They did not listen, as we heard in the sermon at, they did not pay attention.

And so the religion became pious, religious, but in vain, because they were not practicing through justice. They're not putting it. They refused to heed. They shrugged their shoulders, and they stopped their ears, so they would not hear. So they would not listen. They plagued their ears. Yes, verse 12, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the word of the Eternal. And as we heard in the sermon at, it's our duty to listen. We owe it to God to do into practice. They refusing to hear the law and the words, which the Eternal of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. You see, that's the problem. They did not listen. Thus great wrath came upon the Lord of hosts. So if we don't do, yeah, we can say the right things, but if we don't do it from the heart, it says God will get very cross. Therefore it happened, verse 13, that just as he proclaimed, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not listen. What does that mean? That means that people pray to God and say, God, please help us, and God will not listen to our prayers.

It says the Lord of hosts. You see, God calls us. We've been called. You know, no man can come to the Father and this, we've called. You and I are called. We've got that privilege. John 6.44, we're called. Now, are we responding? Are we responding and doing the things that we know we're supposed to do? Are we just kind of shrugging the shoulders, it says there, shrugging the shoulders, stopping the ears, and says, I'm not going to listen to that. I'll listen to this, but not to this. You've kind of become, well, I listen to certain things, but not others. We've got to be careful, brethren. We've got to be careful. Because otherwise, then it becomes like the parable of the wedding. Remember the parable of the wedding? You know, it comes just before Matthew 24, the time of the end. Just before that, Christ, Matthew 23, really gives a fresh view to the Pharisees. And just before that, it's like the parable of the wedding. So let's look at that parable of the wedding, Matthew 22. Matthew 22.

It says, the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son. The kingdom of God is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son. That's a parable which is talking about God the Father arranged a marriage for his son, Jesus Christ.

And sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding, and they were not willing to come. So he went out to his people and to his servants, to Israel, to Judah, and says, Come, and they were not willing to come.

Why?

Why?

Again he sent out to other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, see, I've prepared my dinner, my oxen, in fact, cattle, I kill them, all things are ready, come to the wedding of Christ.

But they made light of it.

Do we make light of the calling we have, or do we take it seriously? Are we jealous about the calling we have, or we make it light?

So they made light of it and went their ways. Went to his farm, and out of his business, oh, no, I've got other things to do. And the rest, the rest, see these servants, treated them, spiteful them, kill them!

Even Christ came as the very Word of God, as the Son of God, and they killed him.

And when the king heard about it, when God the Father saw it, he was furious.

And he sent out his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burnt up their city. So he did in A.D. 70, on the 40th year after Christ being destroyed, killed. Amazing, isn't it? 40th year? What does 40 mean? Interesting. And burned their city. Yes, A.D. 70, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. God was furious. And then he, verse 8, the king said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. The Israelites are not worthy. Therefore, going to the highways as many as you find invited to the wedding. So he started inviting Gentiles.

So those servants were out in the highways, and gathered together a whole room they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was full, and many are being converted from the Gentiles. Yes, some Israelites do, from Gentiles. And when the king came in and see the guests, he saw that a man would not have a wedding garment. Hey! Why are you not dressed properly?

Spiritually speaking, symbolic, that he did not purify himself. We read in Daniel 12, Mary will be purified and made white. So, symbolically, physically, symbolically, as well, meant that we have to get ourselves ready. So, some are Christians, but they're not making themselves white and ready. And he said to them, friend, how did you come here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. He didn't have a word to say. And the king said to the servants, bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cost him into utter darkness. They'll be weeping and ashing of teeth, and there was a second death. For many are called, but few are chosen. Why? You see, God is very calling. The wise will understand. What is it that the wise will understand? What is a big picture? Not a 1216, a 1290, a 1335 days. What's the big picture? There's a kingdom. We have to ready ourselves. And the wise will understand that we've got to put it to practice. We've got to love. We've got to change. We've got to become zealous. We're not coming here to feel good. We're coming here to obey Him, to be like Him, to be like God, to put on love, exercise love. You see what's happening? Many come to church just to feel good. Isaiah chapter 30. Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 30.

This is the time of Israel before Israel went into captivity. That's the northern kingdom, Israel. Isaiah chapter 30.

I'm going to read verse 8 through 11. Isaiah 30, 8 through 11. Now go and write it before them on a tablet and, although don't scroll, that it may be for a time to come, forever and ever, that this is a rebellious people, lying children. Children will not hear the law of the Lord. Then on listening, who say to the seers, do not see, and to the prophets, do not prophesize right things, speak to us smooth things, so that we feel good.

Teach us smooth things. You don't have to change. Come as you are. Don't change, don't repent, don't put on the wedding moment. That's what they say. Speak to us smooth things.

Get out of the way, turn the sign from the false, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. They actually don't want the truth. They want their own thing. They still want to say, well, we're religious, but they want their own thing. They want smooth things. Things that makes them feel good.

Isaiah spoke against those people who wanted to hear things that would make them feel good. But Israelites did not listen, and they went to captivity. Some hundred and fifty years later or so, we've got Ezekiel talking to Judah before they go to captivity. And look at Ezekiel 33.

As for you, Son of Man, the children of your people are talking about you besides the walls and the doors of the houses. They speak to one another. Everyone's saying to this brother, Come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord. Come to hear. Go on to the Internet and listen to this wonderful sermon. Oh, it's a wonderful sermon. Come and listen to it. And so they came to you, and they swived on their computer, and they sat around, and they put it on their laptop, as my people, and they hear your words. But they do not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, like syrup, but their hearts pursue their own gain.

Indeed, you are to them as a very lovely song. Oh, wasn't the sermon so good? Man, you've got to come and listen to it. Man, it's going to really make you feel good! But what are you doing about it? You see, people come to church, forget for the way of get, not for the way of give. And we've got to practice the way of give, which is living and doing God's way. You see, it's a very lovely song. One who has a pleasant voice, who can play well on an instrument. For they hear your words, but they do not do them. For when this comes to pass, surely it will. Then they will know that a prophet has been amongst them. And this happened the time of Ezekiel before Judo went to captivity. It's happening now. God's ministers are preaching God's word, and regrettably, people are not becoming convicted. See, that's what God's spirit is supposed to do. Look in John 16 verse 5. John 16 verse 5.

John 16 verse 5.

Christ is saying, He's got to go, and then it says, But now I go away to Him who sent me, and none of you asked me, where you going? Verse 6, but because I've said, He says to you, you're sorry, your sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is your advantage that I go, that Christ goes away, for if I do not go away, the help of God's Holy Spirit will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send Him to you. I'll send God's Holy Spirit to you. And when He has come, when the Holy Spirit has come, when it has come, it will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. In other words, you and I are to be convicted in our hearts to understand what sin is. And that conviction leads us to repentance, and that repentance leads us to a way of righteousness. And that way of righteousness is because we know there's going to be a judgment, and we're going to be rewarded according to our works. And God's Holy Spirit, therefore, is there to help us, to repent us.

So brethren, why do we come to church?

That's why Paul, in Hebrews 10, verse 24, told us why we come to church. Look with me, please. Hebrews 10, verse 24. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. We come to church not to feel good, even though, yes, you're in God's Word, yet in God's Holy Spirit, does my test feel fulfilled, because it's the only thing that really is fulfilling. But the real purpose is to serve, to stir us up to serve with the love of God for the brethren and good works. That's why we come to church. And therefore, verse 25, we're not forsaking the assembling ourselves together. We come to church so we get to know about each other's problems, each other's issues, each other's difficulties. And therefore, as we do that, we exhaust one another, we encourage one another, particularly as the day is approaching. That's why we come to church. It's not a feel-good religion, but it is the gospel of the kingdom of God that gives us the hope, and we come to church to love all of God's words, to listen to them, and to become like God, because God is love. And therefore, we do that to serve, to give, to a way of giving. We come to learn about who has needs so we can care for them, so we can pray for them, so we can talk to them about that. And remember, brethren, it was prophesied at a time of the end some of us will do that.

Malachi 3, verse 16. Malachi 3, verse 16. The last book of the Old Testament. Right at the end, Malachi 3, verse 16 says, Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another. And brethren, we are blessed in this country that we can congregate. They are in other countries where people are literally thousands of miles from one another. And how do I encourage those people to congregate? To those people, I have to encourage them to at least listen to the sermons on the Internet, and then talk to other brethren, and phone them, and talk to them, and encourage one another. So I encourage them on the Sabbath to do that, to visit them, quote-unquote, at least, telephonically, because they are too far away from one another. But we in this country are blessed that we are, reasonably, near one another. We need to take the opportunity to assemble ourselves together, so that we can care for one another, so we can fear the Lord, and we can speak to one another, and then the Lord listens and heard them. So a book of remembrance was written before God. A book of God is not going to forget for those who fear the Lord, and who made a tide in His night.

Brethren, we are not called just to feel good. We are called to do good, no matter of how that feels.