Series: Party for Jesus Week 3 (Guest of Honor) 12.18.05

Well, if you haven’t figured it out by now then I don’t know how to tell you other than Jesus is our Guest of Honor. In fact he isn’t only the guest of honor but he is the guy who brought this party together. Jesus started inviting people to this party 2000 years ago. And if you haven’t guessed by now this party is the kingdom of heaven. Now it’s our turn to keep people informed about this party. But because Jesus is the guest of honor, because he is the master of ceremonies there are a few things I think you should know about him. That’s why today I’m going to talk about Jesus the Messiah and 3 reasons Why He Is So Special.

Reason 1 – He includes everyone.
– Matthew 9:9-10 – “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow me,’ And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.”

– Jesus is always calling us to join him. Look back to when he called the disciples, he told them, Matthew 4:19 – “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus is saying to his disciples, “Hey, you follow me and I’ll show you how to teach others about God’s love.” So the disciples followed him and they eventually went out and taught others the same things Jesus had taught them, and this continued on and on and now it’s our turn. Jesus includes everyone because he knows that God created everyone equally. That’s why Jesus would hang out with prostitutes and lepers. He knew God loved them, he knew that they needed some love, but Jesus didn’t just stop with them he wanted to spread it to everyone. That’s why we are here to include others.

Reason 2 – He knows how to capture a crowd.
– Matthew 4:23-25 – He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

– Now I’m sure if there was someone going around curing every disease and illness among the people that he or she would surely draw a crowd. But, Jesus didn’t just heal people with physical problems he healed those who were hurting inside. He did this all by proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. I don’t know about all of you but the fact that Jesus was drawing a crowd by proclaiming God’s word is pretty unbelievable. Why? Well every week churches across the people proclaim the gospel but no one comes to listen. Now I’m not judging how people run their services but the way Jesus must of told God’s word and God’s love must be pretty amazing. Not only was it amazing but it was brave, it was courageous. Jesus is going around upsetting the Sadducees and Pharisees. Because he loved God so much Jesus put his own life on the line to spread God’s word. He gave his whole self to God. Jesus showed his passion for truth and people are drawn to the truth.

Reason 3 – He brings the love.
– John 1:1-5 – “In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God. He was present to God in the beginning. Through him all things came into being, and apart from him nothing came to be. Whatever came to be in him, found life, life for the light of men. The light shines on in darkness, a darkness that did not over come it.”

As I said Jesus spread God’s love, he brought the love and when he did this great things happened. People were cured of sin. In this passage from John it says, “Whatever came to be in him, found life for the light of men. The light shines on in darkness, a darkness that did not over come it.” That means when you let God in your life, when you let his love into your hearts your defeating evil. The darkness is temptation, it’s sin, it’s evil and by putting God into our lives we are getting rid of it. When we bring Jesus into our lives, when we bring God into our lives we are freeing ourselves from sin and temptation.