A King Fit for a Feast

Thank you. Thank you, Jennings and Macy. Thank

you, choir. It's now time for children's church.

We have any kids six and under? For the rest

of us, we will be in Matthew. Matthew chapter

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

15. Matthew chapter 15. Verse 32. Just one verse

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

today to start with. I don't want you all to

get too excited. I think we're going to get out

of here quick with just one little verse. Matthew

Matthew 15:32

chapter 15, verse 32. We'll read the verse, then

we'll pray. Now Jesus summoned his disciples

and said, I have compassion on the crowd, because

they've already stayed with me three days and

have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them

in the way hungry, otherwise they might collapse

on the way. Let us pray. God, we come to you

this morning and we thank you for your good words.

I pray that your Holy Spirit would be among us

today. I pray that you would help us to be free

of the distractions and the worries of this world.

I pray, God, that you would help me to preach

your word in a way that brings glory to you.

God, I pray that you take away any fear or any

pride that I have today, that your Holy Spirit

would just help me to recall the things that

you would desire for me to say today. I pray

that if there are any in this room today, God,

that are hungry, that they would come to you

and that they would be filled this morning. I

pray that you would meet us where we are today

and that every word that is spoken be for your

glory and your kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray

it. Amen. I'd like to share with you a story

this morning, if I may, for a few minutes. There

once was a king of a wonderful kingdom. a kingdom

so vast that it stretched as far as the eye could

see in every direction. The northern part of

the kingdom was the old city, with buildings

of old that had a certain rustic charm. The north

was home to the kingdom's vineyards, which created

some of the finest wine that you would ever taste.

On the western part of the kingdom lie the coastline.

pristine beaches and quiet coastal communities.

It was home to the fishermen of the kingdom who

constantly searched the depths for some of the

finest catch of the sea. The eastern part of

the kingdom was the largest part of the kingdom.

It was home to a group of nomads. They constantly

roamed the land that was full of rolling hills

and majestic snow -capped mountains. moving their

herds from pasture to pasture. And finally, there

was the southern part of the kingdom. The southern

part of the kingdom was the kingdom's crown jewel,

for it was there that stood the king's palace

and all of its grandeur. And the southern part

of the kingdom stood beautiful trees, trees that

were almost perfectly straight and stood so tall

that it was as if they reached into the heavens.

Meandering through the southern kingdom was a

mighty river, which meant that the southern kingdom

was perfect for planting gardens, of which the

kingdom did, and produced many great fruits and

vegetables. One day the king was traveling throughout

his kingdom and recognizing the beauty of all

of his land when suddenly he was struck with

an idea. The king said to himself, I have the

finest of wine, the delights of the sea, the

fattest of cattle and gardens so green. From

the north to the south, from the west to the

east, from the abundance of my kingdom, I desire

a great feast. So the king returned to his palace

with its long halls and its many wings. He gathered

his servants and he told them his plan. And soon

the word spread throughout the land. By the decree

of the king, from the greatest to the least,

the king says, prepare for me the feast of all

feasts. The king established the date. The feast

would take place on the fifth day of the seventh

month. This brought some fear to the people of

the kingdom, for the date was only three months

away, but nevertheless there was great excitement

in the land as everyone prepared to bring the

king their best. Everyone got to work. The vineyard

farmers to the north picked their most exquisite

grapes to make the finest wine that would ever

touch the king's lips. To the west, the fishermen...

continually searched the depths for the finest

fish of the sea. In the east, even the nomads

were excited. They picked out their most choicest

of cattle that had grazed in the luscious of

pastures and would provide the most tender of

meats. Certainly, they thought, it would be the

best that would be at the feast. The gardeners

in the south were happy because the timing was

perfect. That was just about the time that all

the crops would be ready for harvest and they

were going to pick the freshest of the fruits

and the vegetables that would surely please the

king's palate. After a couple of months had passed,

the time of the feast was approaching. All of

the kingdom began to make their way to the south.

From the north, from the west to the east. From

the greatest to the least, everyone headed south

for the most exciting of things as they went

to prepare a feast fit for a king. As the people

arrived, the king's servants began to get the

food and they began to prepare for the feast

that would soon be upon them. The king sent word

to the carpenters in the land. for them to construct

a table that would be worthy of such a feast.

And so the carpenters approached the woodsmen,

and they chopped down the finest of the trees

that the southern kingdom had to offer, trees

that were so large that it was as if the whole

earth quaked as the trees would hit the ground.

The craftsmen got to work constructing a marvelous

table. A table that was so large that it took

250 men to move it into the palace courtyard.

The table was an astonishing 500 feet long. The

table was made of the finest of woods. Two -thirds

of the way down the table were wings that extended

off of each side of the table to make sure to

have enough room to hold all the excess of food

that had been brought. The wavy grain of the

wood had a certain sheen that glowed in the midday

sun. The legs of the table and the edge of the

table were adorned with hand -carved images of

animals and fruits and sea creatures, all of

which would be represented at the great feast.

At the head of the table sat the king's chair.

However, it looked more like a throne than a

chair, with its back so tall that it would stand

six feet above the king's head once it was seated.

The table was set and the time was drawing near.

Soon the day would be upon them. And as the sun

arose the next day, the day of the feast had

arrived. The crowds of the kingdom began to gather.

Every soul in the kingdom was there to witness

this great feast. They got there early and they

all got their place and it wasn't long until

the king's servants began their work. At sunrise,

the table began to be set. The food was brought

out one by one. All in the crowd looked on and

they smiled as they saw their contribution placed

on the table, knowing that surely the king would

be pleased with what they had brought. The table

was set with the fruit being closest to the king,

followed by the vegetables and then the seafood,

finally the meats at the end of the table. A

few feet off to one side of the great table was

a bronze vat sitting on a wooden stool that held

hundreds of gallons of the finest wine the North

could produce. For five hours the table was set

until finally... It was time for the feast to

begin. The king's herald approached. All hail

the king of our wonderful kingdom. The king came

dressed in his finest attire. The crowd watched

expectantly. The king walked to the table and

began to inspect the feast, but he remained silent.

Oh my, the crowd thought. Is the king disappointed?

The king continued to walk up one side and down

the other side of the table looking at the feast,

never saying a word. Now the king knew the greatness

of his kingdom and he was even quite aware of

the greatness of his subjects and what they could

do. But even the king was amazed at the feast

that had been prepared. The king went to his

chair and took his seat. All watched quietly,

anxiously, waiting for the king to take his first

bite. However, before the food ever touched his

mouth, the king paused. Oh my, the crowd thought.

There was silence. The only sound that could

be heard was the light brushing of the wind that

went through the leaves on the trees. It was

a silence that only lasted for a few moments,

but it felt like an eternity for the crowd watching

on. The king motioned for one of his servants

to come over. Oh dear, the crowd thought. Soon,

the servant went and talked to the carpenters.

the carpenters to the woodsmen, and soon they

all left. The crowd was confused. Too afraid

to leave, they all stood there, waiting and watching

in the silence. An hour passed, and they could

see the king's servants approaching from a distance.

They were carrying something, but they couldn't

quite make out what it was. The crowd that was

closest to the king could faintly hear the king

saying, Hurry, hurry, the sun will set soon.

Hurry, hurry, it's already noon. As the servants

approached, the crowds could see that they were

carrying chairs. They were quite basic, and the

crowd could tell that they were hastily made,

but for two hours the king's servants continued

to bring chairs and place them on both sides

of the table until hundreds of chairs were set.

Once the last chair was set, the king rose to

his feet. From the north to the south, from the

west to the east, our kingdom from its abundance

has provided us with this great feast. But a

feast this large cannot be eaten alone. So therefore,

by the command of the king, from the greatest

to the least, I invite all of you to join me

for the feast of all feasts. And shock! Nobody

moved. The king left from the side of the table

and began to take his servants one by one and

seat them at the table. Eat, eat, he exclaimed.

The king walked alongside the table and approached

the crowd. Come, come, he shouted with glee.

And finally a young boy darted. For the fruits.

Then another for the meats. And slowly but surely.

The whole crowd began to make their way. To the

table. Everyone in the kingdom. From the north

to the south. From the west to the east. All

ate together from the great feast. The woodsmen.

With the carpenters. The carpenters. With the

fishermen. the fishermen with the servant, all

in the kingdom ate of the great feast. It was

a feast that had never been seen before. The

people ate into the night. There was singing

and there was dancing. As one person would leave

the table, another one would approach the table,

and all would continue to eat until they had

eaten their fill. At midnight, all the food was

gone and the last person had eaten of the feast.

All in the kingdom had eaten that day, all but

one. The king had gone without. But nevertheless,

the king was full of joy that day. knowing that

he had fed all in the kingdom, even though the

food of the great feast had never touched his

mouth. Now listen all from the greatest to the

least, from the north to the south, from the

west to the east. Find you may a feast fit for

a king, but it's a rare thing to find a king

fit. For a feast. Ladies and gentlemen, Jesus

has prepared the table for us today. From the

abundance of His kingdom, Jesus invites us to

come today. Jesus saw the crowds in Matthew chapter

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

15 and he looked on them with compassion because

he knew they were a people who were hungry and

a people who needed to be fed. And Jesus was

a worthy king who said, I will give all, everything

I have to feed the people. In the story of Jesus

feeding the 4 ,000 in Matthew chapter 15, Jesus

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

provided a miracle that day to feed the people.

But there was a greater hunger that you and I

have. A hunger in the soul. Of the desire for

our sins to be forgiven. And Jesus provided for

that hunger as well. For he was a king who was

worthy. He was a king who gave everything for

us so that we could be provided for. He was one

who was nailed to a cross so that our sins could

be forgiven. Just as Jesus fed those people in

the crowd of 4 ,000, so Jesus desires to feed

you and I today. Are you hungry? Are you searching?

Are you seeking? Do you want to be filled today?

You can only be filled by trusting in Jesus Christ.

Jesus calls us to eat of His flesh and drink

of His blood, not in a physical sense in John

John 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6, but in a spiritual sense, knowing

that that's the only thing that will sustain

us. It's the body of Jesus Christ that was nailed

to the cross for us, and His blood that was shed

for us. It is through that that we can be filled.

It is through that that we can receive eternal

life. In Luke chapter 22, There was a dispute

Luke 22 · chapter mention

among Jesus' disciples about who is the greatest.

Jesus said this in verse 30, For who is greater,

the one at the table or the one serving? Isn't

it the one at the table? But I am among you as

one who serves. It's a rare thing to find a fit

king for his job. But Jesus was the king who

was worthy of what he did. Jesus said, yes, the

one seated at the table is greater, but he said,

it is my desire to serve you and to give you

an example of how to live. Jesus gave his life

for us so that we could be forgiven. And so it

should be for us that we should follow Jesus'

example of service. That we would serve others.

as Jesus has served us. In Isaiah, we see a beautiful

prophecy. Isaiah chapter 25, verses 6 through

Isaiah 25:6–9

9, is a prophecy about God in all of His glory

and His taking care of all of His people. It

says this, The Lord of hosts will prepare a feast

for all the disciples on His mountain. A feast

of aged wine, choice meat, finely aged wine.

On this mountain he will destroy the burial shroud,

the shroud over all the peoples, the sheet covering

all the nations. He will destroy death forever.

The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every

face and remove his people's disgrace from the

whole earth. For the Lord has spoken. On that

day it will be said, Look, this is our God. We

have waited for Him. And He has saved us. This

is the Lord. We have waited for Him. Let us rejoice

and be glad in His salvation. The Lord of hosts

has prepared a feast in His kingdom. And the

entrance to the kingdom comes. Through Jesus

Christ the King. The table has been set. Your

chair is waiting. And the King invites you today.

From the greatest to the least. Jesus invites

you to attend the great feast. Will you be one

who stands in the crowd? And misses the meal.

Or will you be one who comes to the foot of the

cross to kneel. Jesus has called you today. To

his grace and his mercy. He desires to forgive

your sins. And give you peace and joy and a love.

That only he can. But you must. Accept his invitation.

The king is calling today. Come, come. He shouts

with glee. Will you accept his invitation? Let's

pray. God, we thank you for Jesus Christ. We

thank you that he is a worthy king, dear Lord.

That He was a King that did not come to be served,

but to serve. And to give His life as a ransom

for many. God, we thank You that He has provided

for us and prepared for us everything we would

ever need. Through His death and resurrection,

God, our sins may be forgiven. That our souls

may be filled. God, I pray that if there is one

in this room today that does not know Jesus Christ,

Has never put their faith in them. Maybe they've

stood on the sidelines dear Lord. And they've

seen the greatness of Jesus Christ and his kingdom

from a distance. I pray today that they would

hear the invitation of Jesus Christ. That today

you call them God. That it doesn't matter who

we are. Rich or poor. From the greatest to the

least dear Lord. You call us today to attend.

The feast of eternity in the presence of Jesus

Christ. So God, I pray that if there are any

in this place today who do not know you, that

in this moment, as we're about to have an invitation,

God, that they would repent of their sins, that

they would pray to you now, that they would ask

you to forgive them, that they would come to

you, Lord. God, I pray that there are any today

who made that decision, who are praying right

now, who have put their faith in Jesus Christ,

that as we sing in a moment, that they would

walk forward, that they would come up front,

dear Lord, that we can rejoice with them. And

I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. As we

stand and sing, if God has spoken to you today,

if you're ready to accept the invitation of Jesus

Christ, as we sing, I encourage you to come forward.

and make that decision now. have repented of

your sins, that you have placed your faith in

Jesus Christ, and that you are ready to follow

Him for the rest of your life. Absolutely. Amen.

Come this way. I want you to turn. Turn this

way. There you go. Cross your arms. Nick, I baptize

you in the name of the Father and the Son. Accepting

Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Praise the

Lord. So I want to ask Claire to come stand forward.

I want everybody to come hug her neck and hug

Nick's neck. And just tell them that we're proud

of them. And it's great. It's great to see the

Lord at work. So we're going to pray. You guys

just hang out up here. Everybody's going to come

congratulate y 'all and celebrate with y 'all,

rejoice with y 'all. I'm going to ask Brother

Ernest to be a stand by the back door. If you

want to give to that special offering, you can

do that. Thank you all for coming today. Michelle,

would you close us with a prayer, please?