Replay | Joining God's Party with Chris Schlotterbeck

Welcome to Hub City Vineyard.

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Thank you and enjoy the message.

Welcome to the Vineyard.

And see what we are going to learn today is that God wants us to celebrate and party.

Right?

Like some people are just like, what is going on here?

What is happening?

This is a little outside of my box.

But don't worry, I am the pastor.

And have been so for the last 13 years.

And I must add that I have never been more excited about sharing this simple truth with

all of you today.

Because see as people, we have a tendency to live separate lives.

See we compartmentalize our life and live in boxes.

Meaning we tend to act certain ways and do things based on how we feel and what we feel

is appropriate as to who we are around and where we are.

So I do certain things with these people certain ways and well when I am at church, I have

got to be proper, I have got to put on my mask and things are different.

Like we are having a party here.

This Sunday we are just simply having a party and see some people feel there is no place

for celebration, excitement, dancing, fun at church.

And see people feel what happens at parties here on earth have no place or do not apply

to God.

While other people feel that what happens at parties here on earth is so much more cooler

or fun than what they could ever experience while connecting with God.

And see in both circumstances we have it completely wrong.

It's upside down in fact.

God is a God who values celebration.

And if you think God is too serious to value a party, just look at the life of Jesus.

If you think that having people over might be messy or loud or confusing, remember that

is exactly how Jesus lived his life.

Jesus knows the power of parties.

In fact, if you strip parties from the accounts of Jesus' life, if you strip parties from

the accounts and stories that Jesus tells about God's kingdom, a lot would be missing.

It would be like just scratching out part of the New Testament saying it is not even

there.

If Jesus was not teaching about a party or celebrating at a party, quite often he was

walking towards one or walking away from one.

Jesus created a huge controversy in fact in the way he partied.

And I believe that Jesus is saying to us, you can't live out a message of joy, hope

and love without fun and in the midst of being a mess.

We can't fear the messiness.

We have to fear being too religious that we don't even truly know what it means to love

our neighbors.

See this morning we continue our current series, Why Don't You Be My Neighbor?

And we are simply going to break down an encounter between Jesus and a tax collector that leads

to an invitation to a party.

Which brings us to our first thought today.

You see Jesus, he sees beyond current choices and mistakes.

Luke chapter 5 verses 27 to 28 says later as Jesus left the town he saw a tax collector

Luke 5:27–28

named Levi sitting at his tax collectors booth.

Follow me and be my disciple Jesus said to him.

So Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

Now some of you, you may know that Levi also went by the name Matthew and this encounter

is also recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Mark.

Because this very person Levi also known as Matthew wrote the gospel of Mark.

And see this man he had two different names for two different cultures.

Meaning Levi was his Jewish name and his family would have known him as Levi son of Alpheus.

We must remember that Levi of course was a tax collector and very unpopular individual

in his day.

Matthew was the name Levi used within the Greek culture where he worked as an independent

contractor with the Roman government.

And see not only was Levi unpopular he was hated, despised, a traitor within the Jewish

culture because we have to remember that at that time the Jews were living under Roman

oppression.

And Rome would have tax collectors collect the tax from the Jewish people.

Levi was the man of course that collected these taxes.

And Rome as for a certain amount of tax to be collected for the state the tax collector

had the freedom to set how much money they would collect from the people and above what

was required for Rome the rest they kept for themselves.

Therefore tax collectors were viewed as thieves.

They were defiled because of their contact with the Gentiles those outside the Jewish

culture.

They were not permitted in the synagogue or in any worship setting whatsoever.

They were complete outsiders.

So think about it.

This man had two different identities.

And if you really look hard at yourself quite often within our culture this happens at church.

People lived two completely different lives.

One during the week Monday through Saturday one on Sunday.

But Jesus saw him.

And when we read saw him we think oh he kind of just looked at him he made eye contact with

him.

But the word seen in Greek means to look at or to contemplate.

See Jesus didn't just notice Levi.

He just didn't walk by with a glance.

No he saw who he was who he was called to be and who he could become.

Other than that Levi was a tax collector we know very little about this man or the life

that he was living.

But we do know that Jesus had a call on his life that God had a call on his life.

And for Levi this would be the greatest invitation that he had ever received in his life.

I mean think about it.

Here you have Jesus.

You know some people consider him a rabbi.

Some people consider him just an incredible teacher.

Other people mention the word Messiah.

And everywhere Jesus went there was miracles and healings and just these teachings that

just everybody was in awe of.

And then suddenly he looks at this man named Levi who had just forgotten an outcast an

outsider.

He couldn't be around anybody.

He was living two totally different lives.

And he gets invited to the party.

See Jesus sees beyond current choices and mistakes and the same is true for you and

me.

Philippians 1 6 and I am certain that God who began a good work within you will continue

his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

We're a work in progress.

We're never going to be perfect.

We're going to make mistakes.

We're going to say the wrong words.

But we must remain focused on Jesus daily.

We need to go to him.

We need to look to him for grace and forgiveness because 1 John 1 8 through 9 says if we claim

we have no sin we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

But if we confess he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all

wickedness friends Jesus sees beyond your habits your hang ups your hook ups your mistakes

he sees beyond them which leads us to our second thought.

God calls people to celebrate and enjoy life.

Luke 5 29 to 30 later Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor

and many of Levi's fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them.

So notice the first thing that Levi did after leaving everything remember Levi left everything.

He literally got up from his tax collectors booth left it all behind and followed Jesus

and he says I need my friends in on this.

He wanted to invite them in.

He wanted to celebrate the person that he had just met.

The opportunity.

He didn't want to leave.

He didn't want to follow Jesus without his friends getting in on it.

But the Pharisees and the teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus disciples.

Why do you eat and drink with such scum?

See the Pharisees felt that no one should be having this much fun.

There is no way this could be the Messiah because he is attending this party with scum.

He is having fun and celebrating life and see here is the problem.

The Pharisees had forgotten in becoming religious that God actually enjoyed parties and celebrations.

They had forgotten it.

And for many of us let's be honest we feel the same way.

For many of us we envision God as this cranky policeman whose primary interest is to keep

us in check.

To make sure that we are walking and living the right way.

But if you look into the Bible the Old Testament you discover a God that is quite the opposite.

In fact you will discover a God who is all about celebration.

He is all about hey let's fire up the grill, crank up the music, invite the whole neighborhood

for a bash.

How do I know that?

Well look at Exodus 12, 14.

This will be a memorial day for you.

You will celebrate it as a festival to God down through the generations.

A fixed festival celebration to be observed always.

See in the Old Testament God established seven major festivals.

Those festivals were Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, the Feast of Pentecost,

the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

And these were Israel's block parties.

The people all came together and they celebrated God.

They remembered what He had done and how they had helped Him.

And within that celebration the people would bring the best food, the best drink, and they

invited everyone to be a part.

The annual festivals were a time of rejoicing, singing, celebrating.

Look at Numbers 10, 10.

Glow the trumpets in times of gladness.

Sounding them at your annual festivals at the beginning of each month.

I mean it's like these parties, these block parties, these celebrations, they went on

for weeks.

And it was all about singing and song and celebration.

Why?

Because God's creation is not about misery.

It's not.

God's kingdom is called for celebration and God invites us to celebrate what He has given

us each and every day.

We need to just simply celebrate the gift of life.

I mean the people of Israel's national life was to be characterized, summed up, they were

known for a continual celebration of God.

They rejoiced in victories as when David returned from defeating the Philistine, 1 Samuel 18

6 says, when the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed

the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul.

They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.

I mean does this reflect your life every day?

Do we celebrate all that God has given us?

We know our houses, our homes, the food that we have, the cars that we drive.

Do we celebrate the children that we have, the families that we have, the health that

we have?

It's all calls for celebration because God is the one who gives it.

But unfortunately within our culture, our third thought, life should not be defined

by disappointments.

Luke 5, 31 to 32.

One of the Pharisees had just called out Jesus said, what are you doing?

Partying and celebrating with this scum.

Jesus answered, he said, healthy people don't need a doctor, sick people do.

I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are

sinners and need to repent.

And friends if you're anything like me, we become so focused on our disappointments and

frustrations.

It steals our joy.

It steals our joy.

It robs our joy.

I mean I'll be honest with you.

Here we are celebrating in South High and again just being honest, I've never been more

excited for a Sunday morning than this Sunday morning.

And we don't even have a building.

Like we don't.

And week after week I ask, well when are we going to start?

When's it going to happen?

And week after week I just feel like the answer is, oh we are close.

And I cannot tell you how frustrated I am.

And it steals my joy.

It steals my joy.

And then I become angry and then I think about the permit people in the county and I'm like

am I speaking positive about the county?

No, never.

I'll be honest, every time I tell the story about Washington County I have nothing positive

to say.

But I live here.

I should.

And that's just, again that's an example of the enemy stealing my joy.

And I was encouraged.

I was sent a text last week by Chris Rudisill and he was connecting to God in worship and

he was talking to people and God whispered in his ear, we believe that God speaks to

us today.

He can speak to any of you today.

He sent me a little message and he said, I heard this from God today.

He said, South High is not a holdover until the new building is complete.

It is where God has placed us to reach His people.

And I believe that now.

And I believe that now.

And see we have to realize the next time you are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, defeated,

disappointed, just remember Jesus understood the same feelings.

And not only did he understand them but he experienced so much more.

Look at Isaiah 53, 3-4 which is a prophetic writing about what Jesus will experience.

He was despised and rejected.

A man of sorrows acquainted with deepest grief.

We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.

He was despised.

And we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried.

Our mistakes, our sins, our frustrations, our anger.

It was our sorrows that weighed him down.

And we got his troubles.

We are a punishment from God.

A punishment for our sins.

Does that make sense?

Like Jesus took on and understood our frustrations and our anger.

He understands it but yet through it all he was nothing but joyful.

Hebrews 12.

Because of the joy awaiting him, now notice that he was focused on the joy of the kingdom.

He endured the cross disregarding its shame.

Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.

Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people.

Then you won't become weary and ever give up.

I mean what promise of hope that all of us have.

Jesus does not want us to focus on the future joy of heaven.

He doesn't want to think I just can't wait until I get there.

It's going to be a great celebration.

No more crying.

No more.

No more.

No he wants that joy right now to explode within us.

Because our fourth thought this morning.

God's kingdom is a party.

God's kingdom is a party.

Luke 5.29.

Levi gave a large dinner party at his home for Jesus.

He was there, taxman and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner.

And remember this party who was it for?

Was it for Levi and his change in life he had?

It was for Jesus.

Levi wanted all of his friends to meet this man that changed his life.

He said come you've got to meet this guy.

Listen to Jesus' teaching on God's kingdom in Matthew 22.

The kingdom of heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding

feast for his son.

And a great wedding feast in Jewish culture.

Let me paint a picture for you.

A great wedding feast in Jewish culture is not a drive up wedding chapel in Las Vegas.

Like it doesn't just happen real quick.

Wedding feast in Jewish culture lasted for days.

I mean remember Jesus' first miracle recorded in John's gospel was turning water into wine

at the wedding at Canaan Galley.

Jesus is saying that everything he brings to earth for you and me, forgiveness, grace,

mercy, joy, it's like a party.

It's like a party that continues on as people celebrate God's goodness.

God's kingdom breaks into our world, into our everyday lives.

And friends it's a party.

And you say well Chris how is it a party?

Look at John 15.

I have told you these things that you may be filled with my joy.

Yes your joy will overflow.

Jesus never called this going to church.

Everyone hear that?

Like Jesus never referenced what we're doing here as going to church.

Like that's something that we made up.

That's something that you and I made up.

He didn't use that terminology.

And see we have reduced God's kingdom to going to church.

Let's just go to church.

And if something more important or more fun comes up we're going to tend not to go to

church.

True or false?

That's because we've stripped the fun out of what God's kingdom is all about.

You know Friday night I went to a football game.

And it was a big football game.

Friday night lights.

And we drove down to Maryland and we went to the game and this stadium was packed.

I mean we're talking 60,000 people.

Every seat full.

People mad at each other.

Yelling at each other.

Screaming at each other.

Once they got in the stadium everything was just okay.

In a matter of five minutes the party was over.

Does that make sense?

Like the party was over.

By half time half the stadium was empty.

Everyone just left because there was no joy to the game.

And see the same happens with you and me.

We put things in front of church because we think those things are more fun and exciting.

Well this party is what it's all about.

No.

There's nothing better than God's party.

And we need to re-orchestrate our thinking.

It's not about going to church.

It's about celebrating all that God is doing.

Think about Levi.

He goes, come and celebrate life with me.

The religious leaders, the Pharisees, they struggled with this concept because they viewed

their relationship with God as getting smaller not bigger.

They didn't want God's kingdom to be bigger.

They wanted it to be smaller.

Well only these people can come into God's synagogue or temple or God's house.

They have to be free of sin.

They have to look like me.

They have to dress like me.

They have to be just like everybody else.

You see God is calling you and me not to become like those religious leaders.

Not to become so strict and religious that we begin to decide who's in or out.

Well I know they're in heaven.

They're okay.

They're doing the right thing.

And I'm not inviting that person.

Like I was having a conversation with someone, counseling them and sharing about Jesus.

They wanted to meet with me and they were like, yeah I haven't been to your church yet

because the person that invited me said, oh I don't want you to come.

You're not ready.

You don't believe.

I looked back at them and said, no we want you there.

I'm the pastor and I don't care what you believe.

But I know what I believe and I know what God wants and you're called to be in one of

those seats.

But that's the way we get when we don't look at God's kingdom as being a party but as being

to, oh that's just the place that I'm going to go to on Sunday.

Feel better and it's just going to help me get through the week.

God is inviting us to join His party.

And it should be a party like no other.

And what does it look like?

There's four simple ways that we join in God's party.

And the first is this.

We all need to be expansive.

Luke 5, 29.

Levi gave a large dinner party at his home for Jesus.

Everybody was there.

Does everyone hear that?

Everybody was there.

Taxmen and other disreputable characters as guests.

Now notice what it says.

It says as guests.

It doesn't say oh they were just on the outside looking in.

They were peeking through a window.

They were guests at the table.

Galatians 3, 8.

What's more, the scriptures look forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles

right in His sight because of their faith.

God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago in the Old Testament.

All nations will be blessed through you.

All nations will be blessed through you.

Friends we need to be expansive.

We need to realize that God's kingdom is for everyone and we have to be willing to open

the doors and let them come in.

I want to share with you just two quick.

I received these emails this week.

Just two testimonies about what God is doing in people's lives.

I left the individual's names out just because that's just being the right thing to do.

But I just want you to hear what God is doing in our community of faith.

I don't know how to thank you or put into words the impact that you and HCV have had

on my life.

I was a heroin addict and couldn't stay clean.

I came into church and reconnected with God and my life has changed so much.

I just prayed and tried to do everything that you suggested and counted down the days to

church again.

It was the only hope I could find some weeks.

And I will continue to come and pray and hopefully someday soon I can help other addicts.

I don't know if I'm saying the right thing but you said pastoring was lonely.

I hope you're never lonely.

I don't have a house yet or a car and I can't invite you to dinner.

I really don't want a lot of people to know my past but I want you to know you saved my

life.

Now I hear it out there's more.

I am so grateful.

I have a decent job now.

I have money saved towards a car and I've reconnected with my family.

Thank you so much.

I feel like it's not enough but thank you.

That's right.

That's not my words.

Now listen to this one.

This year has been by far the hardest year of both my wife and I's life.

In January my wife lost her mother to suicide.

Our life instantly went into a tailspin.

The questions, the sadness, the anger filled our hearts.

I was afraid my wife would never be the same.

My wife and I were both raised in strict Catholic homes but found ourselves far from the church.

We had no sense of community.

With the stigma of suicide we felt out of place at our church.

We are encouraged to attend HTV by my sister and brother-in-law and many times throughout

the years I attended only a few of my niece's dedications.

One day while I was driving a wave came over me and I can only explain it was someone telling

me I needed to come home.

I started to tear up and I knew then I was being called back to church, back to the Hub

City Vineyard.

I called my wife and asked her if she would be okay if we attended that Sunday service

at HTV.

That week we both wept when we got back to our vehicles.

Every word you said resonated with both of us.

It was a wow moment.

Our lives have changed since that day.

Our faith is stronger, our marriage is stronger than it has been in years.

And with great sadness and many reminders of what happened in January we were both the

happiest with ourselves than we have ever been in our lives.

We are both better people because of God, you and the HTV community.

Though many things are different now we have the word of God and HTV to thank for getting

us out of the darkness.

So from the bottom of my heart I thank you.

If you are ever available for some mission barbecue let me know.

I will take you to lunch.

I think you all know what my answer to that was.

Friends we have to become expansive.

Some people, listen, some people considered Levi's friends scum.

And let's be honest there are people in our community that look different than us, different

cultures, different genders, different economic standings, different political affiliations.

Some are Steelers fans.

But God's kingdom is expansive and includes everyone.

Listen to Revelation 7.

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count from every nation and tribe and people

and language standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.

They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands and they were

shouting with a great roar.

We have to become open to being expansive.

We have to invite people from all cultures, right, from all over the world into our community

of faith because that's what reflects God's heart.

That is God's kingdom.

Right?

God's kingdom is not a middle class white American.

It's an expansive community of all tribes, all races, all ages, all genders.

And guys we need to invite them in.

We need to be open to what God is doing in our midst which moves us to our next step.

We have to be centered.

Luke 5, 29 to 30 later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor.

Jesus was the guest of honor.

Levi was focused on Jesus.

Think about it.

Levi dropped everything.

He left everything behind and this was a wealthy man.

Probably one of the more wealthy, right, within the Jewish culture because he was stealing

from his own people.

He dropped everything and he followed Jesus.

Jesus became the most important thing in his life and if we're honest we have a lot of

other things in our lives that's more important than Jesus.

When Jesus is the most important thing in our life we want to share it with our friends.

Now hear me out.

I thought about it as I was reading through the text this week.

I guarantee you all of Levi's friends didn't show up.

I guarantee you.

I bet he invited every one of the people that he knew that was close with.

I can guarantee you not all of them showed up.

Some were too busy.

Some were not interested.

Or dare I say some were critical and negative and made fun of him.

He's not the Messiah.

I don't need to meet him.

But he still had the party.

He still had it.

He didn't get frustrated and he didn't beat himself up.

He said, no come.

We're going to have a party like no other.

But the Pharisees, the teachers of religious law, they complain bitterly to Jesus.

Why does he eat with such scum?

And see we have to avoid becoming bounded to a set of rules or regulations.

Well this is what you do in church and that's it.

You can't have panda games.

What do you mean?

You can't have beach balls bouncing around or a wave.

A DJ in the lobby.

Sinners.

Scum.

But that's what's happening today.

There are people in our community that will say that about me and about you because you

come to this community of faith.

Well that's not God.

How does God have fun?

How does God, no it's got to be, you've got to be strict.

And the text is clear.

That's just religion.

It's the religious leaders.

The religious leaders, they allowed their view of God and His kingdom to become smaller and

isolated so that everyone that was included in God's kingdom looked, talked, and acted

like them.

That's what happened.

And if we're not careful, we can do the same and that's just not from God.

We have to remain focused on Jesus and allow Him to be the center of who we are and what

we do.

Look at Colossians 3.

Don't shuffle along eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you.

Look up.

Be alert to what is going on around Christ.

That's where the action is.

See things from His perspective.

And what is God's perspective?

Let's have a party.

Let's invite people in.

And when we seek His kingdom, seek the kingdom above all else and live righteously, He will

give you everything you need.

I mean, we have all the fun and excitement of a party without the headache of a hangover.

It's true.

I mean, in the book of Acts, we so soon forget that the early followers, when they were filled

with the Spirit, they were accused of being drunk because they were joyful.

They were celebrating.

They were partying.

So that challenges us to number three.

So remember, what do we have to do?

Be expansive.

Be centered.

We have to be inviting.

Levi gave a large dinner party at his home for Jesus.

Right?

Think about that statement.

He was there.

There are a lot of people in our tri-state area that are not connected to a community

of faith.

Recent statistics say that only 31% of Maryland residents recently polled attend a church.

So I added some numbers because, of course, we reached West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

So that means that there are roughly 122,500 people in the tri-state area not in a church

this morning.

That's a lot of people.

Chances are, you know a few.

True or false?

God wants them to be a part of his family.

And he wants you to go and get them.

And you say, well, Chris, why would I do that?

Why would I invite them?

Did you hear those testimonies?

That's not me.

That's not Red.

That's not the worship team.

That's not the welcome team.

That's God.

And that is what he is doing in our community of faith.

Why wouldn't we want to celebrate that?

Why wouldn't we want more people to be in on that?

After all, in Luke 14 it says, the servant returned and told his master what they had

said.

His master was furious.

Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town.

Invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.

But there was still more room.

God said go out into the country.

Go out into the lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come.

And what were they coming to?

They were coming to a party.

They were coming to a celebration like no other.

And when it says they are urged, anyone you find, that means that we practice hospitality.

Romans 12, always be eager to practice hospitality.

Always be eager.

But we have to remember friends that we are called, our fourth and final one, to celebrate.

We are called to celebrate.

This whole Jesus thing is fun and exciting and inclusive.

We are called to be overflowing with joy.

Psalm 145, your all inspiring deeds will be on every tongue.

I will proclaim your greatness.

Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness.

They will sing with joy about your righteousness.

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with an unfailing

love.

Remember, when we celebrate, God desires that we express our love to Him in what?

In joy.

With our entire being.

He says allow your body to reflect what your heart is doing, your excitement, your passion.

First Peter 1, you never saw Him, yet you love Him.

You still don't see Him, yet you trust Him with laughter and singing.

Because you kept on believing you'll get what you're looking forward to, total salvation.

With laughter, with singing, with clapping, with trumpets, with cymbals, with tambourines,

with drums, with voices, with everything we got.

We are called to what?

We're called to celebrate.

Now before we get into it, before we close, I've been praying all week for you and I just

felt like God took me back to that part of there's going to be so many people here that

are going to walk into this place and you're going to be disappointed, frustrated, upset,

angry, just where you are in life.

Maybe you made a bad decision, a bad choice, maybe you just had a breakup, maybe you lost

your job, I have no idea, but you are going to come into this place feeling that way.

And God is challenging me to challenge you to say this.

He's going to supernaturally change that feeling through your worship.

Not through my prayer, but through you celebrating what God is doing in our midst.

He's going to supernaturally change your life.

Do you believe that?

Because this is a party.

And we need to radically change how we view church.

We don't go to church.

We show up, have fun, celebrate and party.

Until you celebrate with me this morning.

Alright, let's stand to our feet.

Let's sing like we've never sung before and I want to challenge some of you.

You need to win.

This is all this means.

I'm winning God.

I am winning today and celebrating what you're doing in my life.

There's no impossible.

I believe that you are working now.

Pour it out.

Oh pour it out.