I read through Jesus With Dirty Feet by Don Everts every so often. It is a great (can be read in an hour) reminder of what following after Jesus really looks like.

Everts provides the following definition of the church:

All of those steepled building you see around town?
Turns out none of them are churches.
(Those signs our front certanly are misleading!)

It turns out that church hs never been a buidling.
Church is all those Kingdom Dwellers put together.

The plural of "Jesus Follower" is "church."

It's nothing but a fancy way
for Jesus Followers to say
"we" or "us."

But church isn't a chance happening.

It isn't merely a fluke
than more than one person
happened to follow Jesus.

Church is not an occurrence.

It is the design.

I like the idea.

The plural of "Jesus Follower" is "church."

Simple.

But profound.

I love the lyrics to this song because they focus on two concepts that resonate deeply with me: 'Hope' and 'Home'.  For me one of the most memorable expressions of Hope is the last line of the movie The Shawshank Redemption, when Red says simply "I hope".  And for me Home is wherever love abounds -- a place Stu describes in verse three.

Recorded live in Ireland ~ Stuart Townend ~ "There Is a Hope"

RE:Chain of Memories ist ein 3D Remake des GBA Teils, der die Stories von Teil 1 und 2 der Serie verbindet und somit ein wichtiges Glied in der Story darstellt. Ursprünglich erschien das Game nur in Japan in der "Final Mix+" Version von Kingdom Hearts 2 (PS2) als Bonusdreingabe.
Die Chancen, dieses Spiel jemals ausserhalb Japans zu bekommen, standen denkbar schlecht, da die Final Mix Versionen von beiden Teilen nur für den japanischen Markt bestimmt waren und es nie eine Ankündigung einer Standalone Version des Spiels in westlichen Gefilden gegeben hat.
Nun ist der Release von Kingdom Hearts 2 schon eine ganze Weile her, die PS2 wird immer weniger mit neuen Spielen versorgt und der Fokus liegt auf den Next-Gen Konsolen.
Doch vor einigen Wochen gab es ein Gerücht, das vielen Gamern, die immernoch auf dieses Spiel warten, neue Hoffnung gab.
Mehrere angebliche Insider verrieten, dass Synchronsprecher der Kingdom Hearts Serie für ein Chain of Memories Projekt zusammengerufen wurden (das GBA Original hatte keine Sprachausgabe und die japanische Version von RE:Chain of Memories war, anders als Final Mix, was den von Final Fantasy bekannten "International Editions" gleich kommt, komplett in japanisch gehalten).
Und nun vor ein Paar Tagen die Bestätigung: Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories kommt im Dezember auf den US-Markt für den Preis von 30$! Endlich!
Nun bleibt nur noch abzuwarten, ob das Spiel es auch nach Europa und vor allem Deutschland schaffen wird.
Das ist aber doch stark zu bezweifeln, da Kingdom Hearts immer für eine recht aufwendige Lokalisierung stand. Somit müssten für jedes Land, Deutschland inklusive, die original Synchronsprecher lizensiert werden, was für ein so kleines Projekt doch ein wenig viel Aufwand darstellen könnte und ein zu hohes Risiko sein könnte.
Ich denke, WENN es nach Europa kommt, dann nur mit englischer Sprachausgabe (was mich persönlich auch nicht wirklich stören würde...).
Wir können nur hoffen.

Währenddessen können wir auf neue Infos und Videos der beiden nächsten Kingdom Hearts Teile auf dem DS und der PSP warten. Der DS Teil wurde übrigens auf Februar 2009 (Japan-Release wohlgemerkt) verschoben.

Nun noch etwas in eigener Sache, was mit KH net so viel zu tun hat:
Sparkster!
Im Moment spiele ich das Super Nintendo Spiel Sparkster, welches ein Teil der Rocket Knight Adventures Serie vom Sega Mega Drive ist und ich denke, ich werde die Tage ein Review dazu schreiben. Vielleicht sogar ein Video-Review!

bai o/

nerdmedia

"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Mt 6:31-33.

Do you see that word first in the last sentence above?  In the original language it is a word (proton) which means first of all (like our word prototype).  It means to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness as a priority.  Not merely as one of the things you occupy yourself with, but as the thing which is first and foremost in your life.

As a priority, not merely as important.  A lot things are important.

Greg Boyd is a maverick, no doubt about it.  Out of step with almost everybody.  Probably why I have liked him for years, liked his thinking so much at one point it cost me a friendship.  A recent post on his blog caught my attention. What follows is an excerpt from it.  No doubt, many of you will not like it, some just because Greg Boyd wrote it, but read it, then post a good comment against what he says, I had a hard time disagreeing much.

The tragic truth is that the church in America is profoundly broken. Instead of addressing our own massive shortcomings and sin, however, many leaders are trying to get us to focus on fixing Caesar! We aren't doing what we're called to do, in part because we're so busy trying to get Caesar to do it! We're ignoring the log in our own eye while trying to find a speck in Caesar's! We're doing very little of what Jesus called us to do and spending a lot of time doing things Jesus never told us to do. Instead of bleeding to transform the world through the self-sacrificial power of the cross, we're trying to transform the world through the self-serving power of the sword. Instead of feasting at the banquet of God's humble, servant love, we're joining in the world's scramble to scarf up a morsel of power that falls from Caesar's table.

How we need to be freed from the illusion that we're doing anything kingdom by voting a certain way every couple years! How we need to wake up to the truth that we vote for or against the Kingdom every day of our life. We vote by how we spend our money and time. We vote by where we live, who we hang out with, the kind of car we drive and the kind of clothes we wear. In the Kingdom, we vote with our lives, not in a booth expressing our opinion about what Caesar should do.

 You can find the entire post right HERE.

We get it all backwards and twisted sometimes. Let's promote Him and His kingdom, not our own agendas!

-Mark (reminded of 1 Cor. 10:31)

We just want to welcome any and all to visit this new site and get to know us.  We are just a few of the members at the Alabaster Church of God in Alabaster, Alabama that want to tackle this world of technology and bring the Kingdom to the world wide web.

We are going to try to keep you posted on what God is doing at ACOG, provide some Kingdom insights and hopefully some Kingdom discussions.  As in any church, there are a lot of things going on.  Time is valuable and sometimes scarce.  But we just want to assure you of our commitment to this project.  We take the work of fellowship and exhortation seriously.  So we will be here as much as we can. 

There are a lot of things that are going on in this world right now that might bring some down.  We just want to remind you that it is a great time to be alive and in the Kingdom of God.  He seems to show off the most when everything seems bad. 

The light is always brightest after coming out of darkness. 

Praise God and we love you all.

This quote from Greg Boyd brilliantly sums up my views.

How we need to be freed from the illusion that we’re doing anything kingdom by voting a certain way every couple years!

How we need to wake up to the truth that we vote for or against the Kingdom every day of our life.

We vote by how we spend our money and time. We vote by where we live, who we hang out with, the kind of car we drive and the kind of clothes we wear.

In the Kingdom, we vote with our lives, not in a booth expressing our opinion about what Caesar should do.

What you don't get to read in the comments are the words Linda shares with me day after day, encouraging, hopeful, consistent, loving, rebuking, exhorting and caring.  She doesn't just read what I write, she lives with what I feel, fear and sees me struggle and goes on loving me, faithfully.  For those of you who do not know our past, you do not know what she has lived through, including the loss of our son Paul Scott, disappointment in me, the rejection by a faith community she thought was different, leaving a home she loved and work she excelled in and was affirmed by, walking together with me through some very difficult days while consistently and honestly affirming that her God will not leave us or forsake us.  That we continue to walk together and enjoy most of life together makes me a blessed man.  She seldom grows weary in well doing...  Since I do, it is good the Father put us together.

This blog has always been about the things I am thinking and feeling.  I make no apologies for it.  It is a blog, a journal, it is not intended to speak for anyone other than me.  I am grateful that there are many who read it and learn from it.  From time to time my angst does come out but I have discovered that even those posts speak in a helpful way to some of you, who also struggle with down times, doubts, disappointments and fear.

So today I offer this:

God is sovereign over all things, including nations, economies (stock markets, housing, inflation, etc.) and people like us. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is yours... You rule over all. (1Chronicles 28:11-12)

God's sovereign oversight is never shaken and His purposes are never compromised. In other words, He does not worry when banks fail nor does He call emergency sessions in heaven when markets tumble. Remember this and stand firm...I am God and there is no other...My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all My purposes. (Isaiah.46:8-9,11)

Our sovereign God also has tender compassion for our current situation. He cares about the issues of everyday life that concern us. Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand so that at the proper time, He may exalt you, casting all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (1Peter 5:6-7)

Frankly this sovereign, compassionate God is our only real source of hope.  Join me in refusing the CNN-Fox-NBC-ABC-CBS-MSNBC-NY Times-Newsweek, etc, view that the promised solution for our ills rests in market adjustments, economic forecasts and different political leadership. That is a lie that produces anxious fear. Our God alone will see us through. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. (Psalm 20:7-8) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way... The Lord of hosts is with us. (Psalm 46:2,11)

Our lives never have been, nor will it they ever be, defined by our bank accounts, credit rating, mortgage status or retirement fund balance. We are so much more. Jesus said, ‘Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)

We must trust God for today, and only for today. Each day is a decision to rest in Him, just for this one day. Then tomorrow we get up and do it again.  We must over and over again refuse to ask "what if?" questions. Following Jesus is nothing if not an everyday decision to trust our Father.  It is about faith. (period)  Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matt. 6:34)  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. (Lam. 3:22-23)

Thanks for reading.

In Genesis We See Creation, Fall, and a Promise

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. On the sixth day God created Adam. This newly created man was to be God's ruler on earth. He was to have dominion and authority (some theologians say that Adam was God's 'vice regent' -more on this in a later post). However, Adam and Eve rebelled against God and were kicked out of their garden paradise (Genesis 3). From this point forward sin corrupted everything. God destroyed the earth with a flood, save Noah, his family and the animal kingdom. This didn't wipe out the problem (sin), but it did allow a restart with a righteous lineage. In Genesis 11 we see nations formed at the Tower of Babel with the division of language and from one of these nations is the man Abram (Abraham).

God says to Abraham in Genesis 12:2 “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” And 18:18: “seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him...” There seems to be two ways in which Abraham will be great: (1) numerically and (2) as a blessing to all nations.

In Exodus God Establishes Himself as Israel's Ruler

6:7 “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” And after God delivered the Israelites: 20:1-3 “And God spoke all these words, saying, 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me...'” Thus, the Lord was to be their God. In Exodus chapters 21-23 God establishes the rules of this theocracy (theos- God; kratein- to rule).

God was to be the King of Israel

God had set himself up as king over Israel but, in 1 Samuel 8:5b, the Israelites said, “...appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." 1 Samuel 8:1-8 Makes the point that while God remained faithful since the time of Egypt, the Israelites were continually unfaithful. He was a good king and they were unfaithful subjects. God says in 1 Samuel 12:12-17:

“And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you. If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king."

However, in spite of their wickedness, God had a plan- He knew this would happen -in Deuteronomy 17 God gave instructions for how a king was to act if there ever was one and in Deuteronomy 28 He predicted Israel and her king's wickedness. However, the Bible is clear that God is the one who appointed them a king (Acts 13:20-23).

Saul the King

1 Samuel 11 tells us that the Ammorites were opressing Israel, but when Saul heard this “the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul” and he gathered the people of Israel and destroyed the Ammorites. And the Israelites made Saul their King. 1 Samuel, however, ends with Israel's enemies persecuting them on all sides, King Saul committing suicide on the battlefield, and all of his sons being killed in battle. Thus, the kingdom was left in utter disarray and under oppression from its enemies (1 Samuel 31).

David the King

David is appointed King and, for the first several chapters of 2 Samuel, we see that David defeats his enemies and changes the course of history for Israel. Then God makes a promise to David. 2 Sam 7:11-17:

"From the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'" In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

[take special note of “I will be a father, and he shall be to me a son” and “Your throne shall be established forever”]

Solomon the King

1 Kings 2: 10-12 says: “Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.”

The first 10 chapters of 1 Kings sing Solomon's praises. He builds and consecrates a temple unto the Lord and the Kingdom is having success like none other. 1 Kings 10:14-29 demonstrates the amount of wealth Solomon's kingdom had obtained. It was completely unparalleled. Can you imagine what the Israelites are thinking about God's promise to establish David's throne forever as well has his promise to Abraham to be a blessing to all nations?

A Divided Kingdom: The Kingdom of Israel and The Kingdom of Judah

1 Kings 11:29-33 a shocking thing happens: the prediction of the separation of the Kingdom:

“And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, "Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did.”

The History of the Divide

The Kingdom of Israel (Northern Kingdom) was obliterated in 720(s) BC, by the Assyrians who, after conquering the land, destroyed Samaria, its capital, and, according to the Bible, deported most of the occupants into exile, with the southernmost tribe, Benjamin, managing to survive by joining the Kingdom of Judah.

The Kingdom of Judah (Southern Kingdom) survived until 586 BC when it was conquered by Babylon, who ransacked Jerusalem, killed the heirs of the King of Judah before his eyes, gouged out the king's eyes ensuring that would be the last thing he saw, and then deported the population into the Babylonian Captivity.

Hope of a Messiah King

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever...

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

So, the Jews or Israelites, then, need another drastic change of events like when David became King, one to destroy their enemies and establish their Kingdom. The Jews need a 'new David.'

]]> http://framytangel.wordpress.com/?p=104 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:27:48 +0000 framytangel http://framytangel.pt.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/rest-assured/ I have carefully and marvelously molded you into the person who you are
supposed to be, so that you might further My Kingdom.  You have sought
Me in obedience, and you have asked Me to align you in the purpose you
are called to. Now, keep yourself in the center of My will, where there
is fullness of joy and peace for evermore.

The time is at hand for you to launch out, that I might manifest My
Kingdom through you, on earth as it is in heaven.

The enemy has sought you out to destroy you, but he cannot. I created
the blacksmith who forges a weapon fit for its work, and no weapon
that is formed against you shall prosper. I will never allow anything,
or anyone, to destroy those whom I have anointed to show forth My
Kingdom on earth.

Rest assured that I will accomplish My will through you. Go forth in
the assurance that I will back you up every inch of the way, just as I
backed up My Son when He was on earth.

So, do as you see Me do, and say what I say.

15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender to you.
16 "See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,"
declares the LORD.

-- Isaiah 54:15-17 (New International Version)

The apostle Paul described the spiritual blindness that envelops the world and pointed out the source of that blindness. "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4). Who is the god of this age? He is none other than Satan, the great fallen superangel (Ezekiel 28:14-17). He is truly this world's ruler. Jesus Christ recognized that, saying that in the judgment "the ruler of this world will be cast out" (John 12:31).

Although we cannot see Satan, his influence on the world is pervasive. Paul understood this, telling the members in Ephesus, "And you He [God] made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:1, 2). The result of the devil's influence is that, before conversion, "we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others" (verse 3).

Satan spiritually influences humanity to reject God and God's law. Under Satan's influence, "the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can [it] be" (Romans 8:7). Separated from God, man chooses to go his own way, with devastating and tragic results. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).

Satan's influence is so great that he "deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). The entire world "lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19). Under Satan's influence, humanity has rejected God's revelation and guidance and built societies and civilizations on a wrong foundation.

When Jesus Christ returns, "the kingdoms of this world [will] become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15). Satan's world, built on a foundation of lies and deception, will come crashing down, replaced by the Kingdom of truth and light.

In grade five we had a teacher who decided that us kids needed to learn the consequences of our own actions, not a bad idea. It is good for them to understand that if they continue to climb on a chair that you have told them not to, time and time again, they will fall off and hurt themselves. This strategy, however, proved disastrous when applied to my schooling. When it came time to hand in an assignment, I would tell her that I had not completed it, and that was that. She did not make me do it and hand it in late. She did not even really scold me for not getting it done. She would just walk over to her book and put another zero behind my name.

Well, when it came time for our report cards to go home, I realised what the consequences of my not doing any work was. The list of grades on the left hand side of the page was English F, Social F, French D, Math D, etc. As soon as I opened that envelope my heart sank. I prayed and prayed as I sat at my desk that afternoon that God would find a way to make it all ok. That he would change the grades on the report card. That there would be a fire in the school erasing all the records of this horrible tragedy. That someone would steal my bag with the report card in it.

Nothing happened and the bell rang for us to go home.

As I rode on the bus I prayed even harder, for the whole 45 minutes of it (quite possibly the longest I have ever prayed). I prayed that my sisters had done worse that I had. As we got closer and closer to my stop I began to get desperate. I prayed that we would get into an accident and my report card would get lost, or that I would come down with some horrible illness that would make my parents happy that I was alive so they would not care about my grades, or even better, that my sister would come down with the illness.

None of this happened, however, and when I got home my mum promptly asked for my report card. I stood there sweating as her eyes narrowed at the numbers. To make a long story short, I REALLY got in trouble.

That night I was so angry at God. Why had he not done what I had asked him to do? Why had he not done what I expected? I thought he was supposed to answer my prayers. Who gave him the right to not do what I asked? By whose authority was he refusing my request?

Now, it may not have been quite as blunt as I was when I was ten, but I would bet that there are times in all our lives when we have felt similar feelings toward God. There have been times in which we have been begging God to do something for us, but he refuses and we lash out in anger.

Or maybe God does something in our lives that we do not expect. Maybe he sends a whole bunch of rain so that our crops are ruined. Maybe he takes away someone we deeply love. Maybe, just maybe, he does something in our lives that we are not happy about, something we do not expect from him. Something we find it hard to forgive him for.

We lash out at him in anger, “Who gave you the right?”

This is exactly the attitude of the religious leaders when they come up to Jesus in the temple courts in verse 23.

"Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”" (Matthew 21:23, NIV)

See, just the day before, according to Matthew, Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem in a way that effectively declared himself king. Then he went into the temple and turned everything upside down. He over turned tables spilling money and other goods across the well worn stone. He released livestock, driving them out with a whip, as John tells us. Then he takes off to Bethany, a small village just over the hillside from Jerusalem, leaving the religious leaders to clean up his mess. It is no small wonder that they storm over to him in the morning, when he has the audacity to come back, and demand to hear his authority.

“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

“Just who do you think you are? We are the ones who are in control here. You will do what we expect you to do, what we tell you to do. You had better step in line if you know what is good for you.”

Jesus responds with a little reminder, a reminder of their rejection of the ministry of John the Baptist, the one who had pointed out Jesus as the coming Messiah.

"Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." (Matthew 21:24-27, NIV)

Jesus reminds them of the one who was sent before him, the one who prepared the way, the one who showed the religious leaders of the day who Jesus was and where his authority came from. Turn with me to John 1: 19.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.^"

They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No."

Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?^"

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ” Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ (Jn 1:19-30, NIV).

Jesus reminds the religious leaders of the testimony that John had given about Jesus. This is why they respond as they do. If they said that John was a prophet, then they would have to agree that Jesus's authority came from God.

"Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness (John told you who I was), and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him." (Matthew 21:31-32, NIV)

Even after you saw these people who you thought were not worth anything turning their lives around and following God, even after you saw this you did not believe in me.

"Listen to another parable," says Jesus. "There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. (Mt 21:33)

In using the image of the vineyard Jesus uses an old prophetic image that would have been unmistakeable to his listeners. Turn with me a moment to Isaiah 5.

"I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.” The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress." (Isaiah 5:1-7, NIV)

The vineyard is the house of Israel, the tenants are its leaders. Jesus is telling the religious leaders that they are going to be removed from leadership and replaced.

"“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

This replacement is an extension of the people of God past the national and ethnic boundaries of the Jews. The new people are all those who follow Christ and believe in him. This is the true change of leadership. Jesus tells these leaders, these leaders who have rejected his authority in favour of their own, he tells these leaders in no uncertain terms that he is the one who is in control.

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes’? “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them." (Matthew 21:40-45, NIV)

What the leaders took to be bad news is really the best news of all. The fact that they are not in control, that we are not in control, of our lives or of God's plan gives us freedom from all kinds of worry. Jesus quotes from one of the Messianic psalms, a song which was given to the people to help keep their hope alive. A song which had been sung as the people awaited the coming of their true king, their anointed one, the Christ. A song which was fulfilled in Christ. Turn with me to Psalm 118:22.

"The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar." (Psalm 118:22-27, NIV)

In quoting this psalm Jesus is inviting the religious leaders to see him for who he really is. To see him as the king who has come to save his people from oppression. To join the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. To sing with the little children, “Hosanna to the Son of David.”

Jesus is not telling them that they are not welcome in his kingdom, rather he is telling them that they are more than welcome. He is urging them to let go of their own pride, their own expectations, their own demands, and see Jesus for who he is. To see Jesus as the beloved Son of God offered on our behalf.

Jesus invites us to do the same. He invites us to listen to the testimony of John. He invites us to join the festal procession proclaiming his as king. He invites us to see him as the only way to God. He may not really seem to be the most attractive figure to follow, but he calls us anyway. If we are angry at God because he seems to be doing things we do not want him to do, or his is not doing what we want him to do, we have to remember that it is not we who are in control, but Jesus. When we come to him he makes us into his people, into his body, into a people belonging to God.

Peter puts it this way in 1 Pt 2:4-10.

" As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:4-10, NIV)

When we let go of the choke hold on our lives and open up to the guidance and love of Christ we are made into the spiritual house the God is building through us. We become the agents of change in our lives and those around us. We become the tenants of the vineyard that God has made for us. Only when we follow Jesus, God's beloved Son, can we become the beloved people of God.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)

May we all experience the grace and mercy that God is offering us.

Come, with boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

But this is not the point, we want to be entertained but not at the expense of capitalizing on people’s miserable life and distinct cultural traits. This should not be taken lightly by the Filipinos and any other Nationalities who may fall victim on racist discrimination. It is not a matter of being sour with reality that we are a source of domestic helpers for many countries in the world, but don’t we deserve a little respect and to be treated as humans? 

As reported by ABS-CBN on-line: “Indignation over a “racist”  and "anti-Filipina" comedy sketch aired over British Broadcasting Company United Kingdom’s (BBC UK) “Harry and Paul” are increasing with the launch of an online campaign and petition.” This serves them right but again who cares? This is racist mentality and with the so called “white man’s pride” in them, they can’t be compelled to apologize. Oh no, not at all, she is just a lowly Filipina maid what’s the big fuss about it. Nevertheless there is a need to teach these modern-day barbarians some lessons in good manners and right conduct to respect all people regardless of colors, creed, religion and nationalities. Without it you have no place in this civilized world. 

I am glad that some concrete actions are being initiated by people all over the world to address this blatant case of racial and economic discrimination. Not because she is employed as a maid, for she has no better economic opportunities than this at home, that you can treat her this way more than an animal. This is sending a wrong signal to other nationals to treat Filipina maids this way. This is further aggravates the situation where most of the Filipina maids are in—sexual and physical abuses from their employers. 

Right now the Philippine Foundation has launched an online petition “to show BBC UK that the behavior illustrated in their show would not go unnoticed.”

"Called Dignity and Respect for the Filipino Worker Campaign, the online petition stated that “the Filipino community in the United Kingdom hereby condemns the BBC and the Harry and Paul Show for their tactless and insensitive behavior and for inciting stereo-typed racial discrimination, vulgarity and violation of the maid's human rights. The show demeaned the dignity of honest labor while promoting the sex industry, domestic abuse and maltreatment of the blue-collar worker that effectively sustains this economy.” 

On her part, Akbayan Rep. Riza Hontiveros “urged the DFA to file a complaint before the British government and demand for an apology from BBC.”

"This has to be corrected. Otherwise, it would become easy for other media outfits to use Filipina workers abroad as an object of sexual ridicule. We are not asking for BBC to be politically correct. What we want them to recognize instead is that the exploitation of women should not be used as an object of ridicule," she said. "The media should be a partner against human trafficking, and not an unwitting promoter of abuse because of insensitive and racist portrayals of women in trafficking."

"We hope that the UK government would likewise look into this issue and correct this sickening joke. UK has laws on equality and respect for diversity, and it has repeatedly made statements against human trafficking."

Representing the sentiment of the entire country and the people, “the Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday condemned a BBC skit in a segment of a popular comedy show aired in the United Kingdom that portrayed Filipino women as sex objects.”

Sila'y mga tao ring katulad ninyo

Sila ay mga tao ring katulad ninyo, huwag hamakin at gawing isang hayup o laruan. Masyado na ninyong inaapakan pagkatao ng mga katulong na Pilipina. Sana ito na ang huling panlalait ninyo sa mga kababaihang Pilipino na kung ituring ninyo ay parang mga busabos lamang.

At sana naman ay laging handa lagi ang ating pamahalaan na pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga kababaihang pinagsasamantalahan  sa ibang bansa. Kahirapan ang nagbunsod sa ating mga kababayan para mangibang-bansa at magtrabaho. Dahil ditto marami sa kanila ang napahamak. Marami din sa kanila ang hindi man lang nadamayan ng ating mga opisyales at embahada lalo na sa Middle East.

Sa halip na pulitika, sana serbisyong kabuhayan at kaunlaran ang inaatupag ng ating pamahalaan nang hindi na aalis pa ang mga kababayan natin para makipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa kung saan sila ay laging napapahamak.

As I begin supporting my ministry by working outside of the church organization, I begin to see that people really do want to know and talk about Jesus. But in the past when I would speak to people about Jesus as a professional minister I believe I’ve short sold him. First, bear with me as I list the obvious. He exceeds any value we can tag to him. He covers and addresses life’s issues to the point that we can embrace a peace that passes understanding. And I’m finding that people want to converse about how he has or can affect their life. Jesus is still cool, and you don’t have to whisper his name to people like you would if you were embarrassingly telling someone you like the Jonas Brothers.

However, when discussions about Jesus focus on adherence to a particular dogma or scheme of doctrinal bullet points the short sale of Jesus reaches the stage of negotiation. Believe this, this and that and he’s all yours. Act like this, this and that and you’re in. But Jesus is so much bigger than that, right?

You see, selling doctrinal propositions or moral codes to people in order for them to gain Jesus is like selling a property for way less than its actual value…a short sale. The value and worth of a life with Jesus far exceeds the limitations we place on it through these efforts. I concede that theology and morality are included in the value of following Jesus, but these claim only small percentages of the unspeakable value available in fully knowing and experiencing Jesus in real life, where teens backtalk and bills arrive at neck-breaking speeds.

People want Jesus to touch their lives. They don’t care to view him through the lens of a particular, and often disconnected, set of beliefs. They aren’t ready to pay the upfront fees of moral conformity. They want to know how he can help through the strain of broken marriages and bank accounts. Where is he at when people have to struggle paycheck to paycheck just to eat Ramen Noodles? The message that offers the ultimate hope without short selling Jesus announces that he does have something to do with the ugly details of wrecked lives. In fact, those are the very situations he wants to impact.

From now on I’m trying not to short sell Jesus. Merely believing a few things or acting in certain ways in an attempt to own him through such payments cheapens his perceived value. In the real world the life he offers is worth so much that we cannot begin to afford it. You can’t short sell him because he isn’t for sale. And he knows deeply our inability to make such a purchase. That’s why he has gone ahead and given it to us.

I find myself in a funk lately, maybe even a depression.  Not sure which is more severe.  Kind of like the difference between a recession and a depression economically, the difference really doesn't matter, they are both not good.

It is hard for me to put my finger on what produces these down turns in my economy.  I just know it is really hard to just pull myself out of them.  I think it was author Ruth Barton, who I heard at a conference in Nashville 5 years ago, who said something about how important it was to pay attention to "what lies beneath."  I think she meant, if I remember right, that we need to pay attention to the stuff that is just beneath the surface that drives our actions, reactions and our feelings.

I am not always sure what it is that lies beneath but often it comes as a sense that nothing is really wrong but something just ain't right.  Here are some things that percolated up as I started writing this:

A sense that I am still "paying" for, dealing with, struggling with, the big mess of nearly 3 years ago.  The action that precipitated it is now at least 4 years old and still it all seems unresolved in so many ways.  There has never been any real closure for me, my family or, I suspect, for the "other side".  Part of the struggle for me is the "other side" doesn't seem to care about closure. I guess for them it probably is closed.  I am pretty sure all that stuff is part of what lies beneath that puts me in a funk.

Disappointment seems also to "lie beneath".  My expectations of where I should be in life compared to where I am, financially, career, security etc. often leaves me disappointed.  I know I am not alone in this, most, if not all of us, have a gnawing insecurity about where we are that has us frustrated, concerned, fearful, among other strong emotions.  It used to be I was never satisfied and, sure that is still part of it, but I can't get past the notion that this is more than just my dissatisfaction.

Missing our kids and grandkids, missing the life and work we used to have, missing a place to call home, missing a familiar routine, all that missing lies beneath, even though we are in a good place, with good people who love us and care about us.  Perhaps if I didn't have memories of what was, then what is would "feel" better.  It isn't really about where I am or who I am with, both in most ways are really good, what lies beneath, I think, is the sense of loss of not having what I worked my whole life to have and I don't mean just in a material sense.

There is probably more, but...

What lies beneath the surface of your life? For some, it may be strong personal insecurities that have a way of driving and shaping what you do and what you feel. Lots of us have strong feelings of personal inadequacy we have learned to keep at bay.  For many what lies beneath is a deep seated anger that, if it ever got loose, could be really bad. What is it for you?

The stuff that lies beneath can be controlled and kept down most of the time but I can't help but think that not dealing with it in some productive way, is dangerous.  I know there is a lot of work to be done in my life, spiritually and emotionally, and the Spirit is working in me, mostly it seems, to force me to pay attention to the stuff that is bubbling up from way down deep that has me in an emotional recession.

I know I am not the only one with stuff that lies beneath.  What about you?  Care to share what you do about your sub surface junk,  other than trying to ignore it?  I know it would help me and probably a whole lot of other people, who are trying to be honest with what is inside, to read what you do about it.

3 Jn 2
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.     KJV

Many today take this as a promise of the Lord for their own prosperity; and I am not going to argue with that stance. I will pass by the statement that it is simply John's wish for his friend.

We will assume it is God's 'wish' for us all.

However, there are many who claim this verse, but do not see the condition that is attached to it. Most all the promises in the Bible are conditional. They are conditioned upon some act or belief within the human who would benefit from the promise.

This is no exception.

The condition is given as: even as your soul prospers. That means "in the same manner as," or, "to the same degree."

Yes, everyone wants prosperity. Yes, everyone wants to be in health. But few are willing to ensure that their soul is prospering first of all, before their bank account.

Indeed, most people are doing what they can to make sure that their soul does not prosper!

The soul is the seat of the mind, will, and emotions.

Is your mind prospering?

I didn't say, "Do you (in your mind) see yourself as prosperous?" I said, "Is your mind prospering?"

Is your mind getting richer in the things of God as each day passes? Are  you being transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom. 12:2)? Is your mind always filled with the good things listed in Phil. 4:8?

If not, then it is doubtful that your soul is prospering.

Do you lay down your own will to take up His will on a daily basis? Do you lean to your own understanding, or do you find yourself at all times trying to find the will of God for each new situation throughout your day (Pro. 3:5)?

If not, then it is doubtful that your soul is prospering.

Are you a slave to the rollercoaster of your emotions? Do you go by what you 'feel' rather than what you know?

If you do, then it is doubtful that your soul is prospering.

Your bank account and the health of your body are both tied into the propserity of the soul in this verse.

Even as, ie., in the same measure that your soul propsers.

Seek first, only, and always the Kingdom of God, and all the things you need to manifest properity will be added to you (Matt. 6:33).

When Christ comes unexpectedly at the end of this Age, He will redeem his people from the Earth.
The dead in Christ will rise first followed by those who are alive in Christ. This is the first ressurrection and the rapture (or the Harvest) at the End of the Age.
Hence, all believers will be called up to be with Christ when he returns and they will remain with Him forever. (1Thess 4:17)
They will stand before The Judgment Seat of Christ and will reign with him for 1000 years in Heaven over the Nations on Earth and will be rewarded for the things that they have done in the Body.
When Christ returns with his army of Believers, he will defeat the Beast and the False Prophet and the Kings of the Earth. He will separate the nations into the Sheep and the Goats.
The Dead outside of Christ will not be raised until after the Millennium.
Satan is bound for the duration of the Millennium and then is released for a brief time before being thrown into to the Lake of Fire where the Beast and the Antichrist were thrown.
At the End of the Millennium, the Dead in Hades and the Sea will be raised for Judgment at the Great White Throne. Those whose names are not in the Lamb's Book of Life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire which is the second death.
Death itself is thrown into the Lake of Fire.
Finaly, when all things have been put under Christ's feet, the Son hands the Kingdom back to the Father.
God then makes all things New.
The New Jerusalem descends from heaven as a Bride beautifully adorned for her husband.
God lives with Man on Earth in the New Jerusalem which is composed of New and Old Testament believers.
The Nations are outside but are allowed to bring their glory into the New Jerusalem once a year and are given the Leaves of the Tree of Life for healing.

http://www.truthinlove.com
http://www.truthinlove.com/References/millennium.htm

The Bible begins and ends with God creating (or recreating) the heavens and the earth the way He intended it to be.
In the third chapter of the Bible (Gen 3), Satan enters to corrupt mankind and lead man away from God's purposes.
Not surprizingly, it is in the third last chapter of the Bible (Rev 20) that Satan exits (he is thrown into the Lake of Fire along with Hades and death and all those whose names are not in the Book of Life).
In between the first three chapters and the last three chapters of the Bible, God sets about redeeming man and restoring man to his purposes and in so doing, brings Glory to Himself.
If Satan would like to remove one chapter from the Bible, it would be the third last one; the one in which he is judged and thrown into the Lake of Fire.
This is also the Chapter that deals with the Millennium. The Millennium reveals how God deals with His people and the People of the World (ie the Nations).
If Christians are to go to heaven after Christ returns, it will be during the Millennium.
It is during the Millennium that Christians are rewarded for the things that they have done in the body.
When Christ returns at the beginning of the Millennium, the Nations will be sorted into the Sheep (who were kind to God's people) and the Goats (who persecuted God's people).
At the End of the Millennium, all enemies are put under Christ's feet and Jesus hands the Kingdom back to the Father.
God then lives with man in the New Jerusalem on a New Earth surrounded buy the Nations who refused the Mark of the Beast and were kind to God's people during the Great Tribulation.

http://www.truthinlove.com
http://www.truthinlove.com/References/millennium.htm

ONLY BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS GO TO HEAVEN AND ONLY BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS WILL BE PART OF THE NEW JERUSALEM (THE WIFE OF THE LAMB)

What's more, ALL born again believers go to heaven to reign with Christ for the Millennium and then descend to become the New Jerusalem in eternity.

http://www.truthinlove.com
http://www.truthinlove.com/References/millennium.htm

On Sunday morning, Lynley left very early for specialling at Crewe corps, so I was left to lead our family service, which also included our harvest altar service. Harvest thanksgiving gives us all an opportunity to take our focus away from ourselves and all that would distract us, and enables us to reconnect with our Creator God and His gracious provision to us each. We used the 1957 Panorama spoof film, "Spaghetti harvest" to illustrate how disconnected we have become from the source of our food - often not knowing where our food has come from or how far it has travelled. Our Scriptural emphasis came from Luke 12:13-32 (building a bigger barn) and Leviticus 19:9-10, which speaks of God's desire that His generosity towards us should inspire generosity from us towards others. Our thanksgiving to God comes with the responsibility to make His agenda for social justice and transformation our agenda. In an all-age, interactive, messy "sermon" we walked through Psalm 65 and thought about the grandeur and intricacy of creation, and all the variety of God's provision - not just for our basic needs but also providing for our salvation - our inclusion in His family. Drawing a parallel with our disconnection from the source of our food, our response time encouraged people to be intentional about living in relationship with God and being connected with Him, recognising that so many of our problems have their root in our natural tendency to live life independently.

In our evening service it was good to have Lynley back, and she led a really helpful time of sharing and encouragement (testimonies). We continued the themes of Kingdom justice, picking up on The Salvation Army's published theme of "Glocal Harvest" which my friend Major John Ager has written about here. We also featured the same Powerpoint meditation, using Tim Hughes' "Whole world in His hands"  as accompaniment. We looked at the Kingdom parables in Mark 4:21-33 considering how what we may consider to be small acts can have big impacts in God's economy.

So every morning we would get together for spiritual practices/disciplines.  The entire week we focused on the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.  Some mornings we would have worship and others just time of deep reflection on the passage.  For instance, the first morning we read through the passage twice coming to the conclusion that the passage is about the announcement of the Kingdom.  Then we went out into the neighborhood along Commercial Drive just to observe the culture of Vancouver and specifically the Grandview-Woodlands neighborhood.  Our challenge/mission was to figure out what other kinds of kingdoms were being announced in that culture.  It was very interesting exercise and we found many other kingdoms being announced - from consumerism, hedonism, drugs, anarchy.  We only found one poster that would seem to announce the Kingdom in some way, and that was a World Vision poster tucked behind a couple of concert posters on a billboard.  So we came away from day 1 asking this question:  What does it mean to proclaim/live out God's Kingdom in a particular culture?  And that was the morning of Day 1.  For the rest of the week we wrestled with the same passage.  We would ask different questions, imagine and studied the cultural context in which he spoke and who might have been in the crowd listening and interpreting his message.  Read what different authors and theologians had to say about that particular passage. 

Every afternoon we would do two things:  activities to better understand/get to know the community and activities to build community with each other.  So one activity that we did, that I will blog about in much more detail later, was walk around the Downtown East Side for about four hours on Sunday. The DTES is an area of contrasts, full of life and hardship, business and poverty.  Our task that day was just to take the city in, experience the tastes, smells, sights, sounds.  Just try to understand the culture and its complexity.  Later that week we would go back again and learn more about the history of the area and do some ministry work, which again I will blog about in more detail.

As far as building community with each other, on the second day we all created a symbol timeline.  A map explaining our jouney to that point using symbols instead of words.  It was one of the most incredible experiences being able to share our stories and hear other's stories.  We had to do it in small groups, but we made it a point to share with each other and hear everyone's story.  So one night we ended up staying up until 2 a.m. to do so, but is was one of the best experiences of the trip.

So one of the fun, touristy activities we were able to do the first Saturday was go to Granville Island.  Granville is a small area just south of the downtown (opposite the bay of downtown) that attracts locals and tourists alike.  It has a huge indoor market place with several restaraunts, art shops, and bakeries.  The area also had many street performers and a local brewery.  Below are several photos along the bay where we ate that day.  Make no mistake, Vancouver is a beautiful city!

[caption id="attachment_44" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="High rise condos everywhere! The city makes a concious effort to move up and not out."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_45" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The weather was perfect!"][/caption]

Matthew 22:1-14

The first story about the Wedding Feast ends with the reception hall being filled with just about everybody you could imagine.  But at the conclusion of the story (unique to Matthew & probably existed as a separate story) things take a different turn.
"But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?'"
The improperly attired guest was left speechless, or as the more forceful Greek expression actually puts it, "His mouth was stopped!"  There was nothing he could say in answer to the host.
Whoever comes is welcome.  But what's this about special attire? When the guests are gathered in from the streets without warning, it doesn't seem quite fair to expect sartorial elegance from them!
Now why did Matthew add this concluding parable of the improperly clothed guest?  Obviously, the evangelist purposefully juxtaposed these two parables of Jesus.
Yes, everyone & anyone, the somebodies & the nobodies, the salaried & the hourly wage earner, the native born & the latest arriving immigrant, black & white, rich & poor, Republicans & Democrats, Knights of Columbus & the Eastern Star, are all invited to participate in God's Kingdom.
But just because all are invited doesn’t mean there are no expectations of the guests.  Something more is needed than just our mere presence.  You don't get credit just for showing up.
"Sitting in a pew thinking that will make you a Christian is like, as Garrison Keillor (Lake Wobegone) once said:  sleeping in the garage thinking that will make you a car.” You don't get credit just for showing up.

A Methodist minister & her husband were invited to a costume party one Halloween.  They got all dressed up.  By the time they got to the party, things were in full swing & everyone was having a blast.  She soon discovered why when she had a glass of the punch.  It was heavily spiked, and people were already pretty tipsy.  She was surprised since the couple that invited them was older & pretty conservative.  Mostly, she was surprised they invited their pastor.  She didn't want to be rude so she & her husband danced & chatted with folks.  After they had been there an hour, they discovered when people started removing their masks, that the party they were supposed to be at was two doors down.

God has invited us all, but many of us have been attending the wrong party.
The parable says that an appropriate wedding garment – which is Kingdom talk for new life, righteous conduct – is expected. As Paul wrote to the Galatians (3:27): "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ," literally, "worn Christ like a garment".
You don't go blithely into the kingdom dressed in any old clothes.  You have to put on a new attire, a new attitude, a new way of seeing, a new behavior, a new being.  You have to put on Christ.