S121701 The best Christmas party Revelation 18:5-9
A short story by
Scotty Killingsworth
We joined the party on the sixth day of creation. It was indescribable.
There was an explosion of treats that had never been tasted before. The decorations used every color that the eye could see and were lavishly and artfully displayed. The music was the symphony of creation. The morning stars were singing together, and the trees were clapping their hands for joy. All creation joined the majestic chorus of joy and praise to the Creator for such a party as this.
No one knows for sure how long the party lasted. You know how time passes when your having fun. The passing of time in a perfect situation is relative and one day seems like a thousand years and a thousand years pass as one day. However long it lasted you can be sure of one thing—it was grand—it was extravagant. Nature was at peace as the Lion and the Lamb danced together. Little children played with wasps and bees as we play now with fireflies. Nature missed no opportunity to produce treats for all of the human senses. There were lemonade springs and the bubble gum trees and soda water fountains free for all to enjoy.
The party would still be in full swing if some fool had not broken the universal party rule. The universal party rule is—you trust the host. By trusting the host it means you don’t make up your own rules. The universal party rule says you enjoy only the treats the host gives you. The host is infinitely wise and knows intimately those who attend his party. If the universal party rules are followed the party will last for forever. The eternal host alone is wise enough to make the universal party rules. All that was asked of the people at the party was to obey the universal party rule. It doesn’t really matter whether or not they understand the rational behind this rule. All the party attendees have to do is trust the host to know best.
We don’t know how long the party lasted, but here is how it ended. As things were in full swing a woman began to wonder why a certain party treat, she discovered growing on a tree in the very center of the party place, was not on the list of party treats. It was on the list of forbidden treats. It made her a little angry. Was The Eternal Host saving it for Himself? Was He keeping something from his guests that would make the party even more fun?
Another of the beings at the party encouraged her doubts. “He’s got his nerve”, the serpent said to the woman. “I think He is waiting until we leave so he can eat it all by himself”. As the woman and the serpent discussed the hosts’ audacity the woman came to a tragic decision. She decided to break the rules and not trust The Eternal Host. She took the treat to her husband and together they ate it.
With one bite the party ended abruptly. One taste of the treat stopped the music as if someone had tripped over the cord and unplugged some universal boom box. The heavenly music of creation was replaced by a seismic groan. The morning stars sang together no longer. The trees clapped their hands for joy never again. The lions began to attack, kill and eat the lambs. Wasps and Bee’s became angry and started stinging. Treats and flowers were choked out by ugly poison ivy, and the beautiful roses grew knobby protuberances, which developed into thorns. The lemonade springs and soda water fountains dried up and the bubble gum trees became blighted. The light of creation, which revealed all the colors of the spectrum, went out and the guests ran from the party place. When the lights went out the people at the party were banned from ever returning. The fat lady stood up and sang, someone poured the coffee on the fire and the party was over.
After the party ended things went horribly wrong. There was violence all over the earth. The thoughts of man were of evil continuously. Mankind put our best minds to work on a project to take back the party. We invented religions we hoped would change God’s mind about how He banned us from the party. We sacrificed our enemies and even our children hoping God would see how desperately we were to get back to the party. One time a powerful man made his subjects build a huge pyramid-like structure that would reach up to heaven. This man, Nimrod was his name, climbed to the top of the ziggurat and shot an arrow up into heaven hoping to kill the host. He was really stupid. The arrow fell to earth with no blood of God on it. He had not killed God. Nimrod had just wasted his effort. He had just found out how impossible it is to reenter the party by human effort.
The Eternal Host was so disappointed with the human beings He created for the party. The Eternal Host decided to destroy them and everything on the surface of the earth. He would send a cleansing flood to wash away this ungrateful and disobedient thing he had created that doubted his goodness and broke the universal party rules. As He was gathering the storm clouds and summoning the underground water systems to erase the filth from the earth he found a man named Noah who was different. This man was doing the one thing that was requested of all the people invited to the party. He was obeying the universal party rules. Maybe there was just the slightest glimmer of hope yet for this irreverent creation. The Eternal Host was so happy to find a man like Noah. This odd fellow had a heart of love for the Host. Through this obedience God granted grace to the man and instructed him to build a boat. Noah saved the human race and the animals that live on the earth. The hope of a party was still over, but who knew? Maybe God would do something to change the rules.
The faintest hope of the possibility of the party ever starting again was whispered to a Mesopotamian idolater. God, The Eternal Host, invited this pagan to trust him. He invited this man to leave everything behind, to trust this invisible God and follow Him to a place He would only later reveal. This guy, Abraham, was really good at the keeping the universal party rule. The host indicated that the faith of this guy named Abraham would indeed be the way back to the party. The way back was a journey of faith. Will you take it with me? God asked. The Mesopotamian idolater named Abraham said, “Yes”, and he did! Well, he had good intentions, but he never really made it to the party land, but maybe his children will.
One of his ancestors followed the party rules and found himself second in command in Egypt. His position helped the other sons of Abraham through a drought. The Eternal Party Host rescued these sons of Abraham by a string of miracles and another universal party rule keeper named Moses. Moses took Abraham’s family back to the potential party land.
Another ancestor organized all the sons of Abraham into a mighty nation, and ruled them as king. His name was David. The kingdom was not the party they hoped it would be and eventually things drifted into darkness and sadness again. David contributed to Abraham’s list of descendents, and one them was really different. This unique son of David was born in Bethlehem, the ancestral home of David. At his birth heavenly messengers announced to shepherds that the party was about to start again. The messengers said the party was about to start again because of a baby that had just been born. They said, “Go and see”, and they did. Later scientists from Mesopotamia saw an anomaly in the night sky. It was so unique they took an 800 mile camel ride. Their astrological science was very sophisticated. It was so accurate the anomaly in the sky was a sign of a great king being born. They came all the way on camel back to see this king! The newborn king was a distant grandson of the great king David, and an even more distant grandson of Abraham. Maybe the Eternal Party Host was really going to make the party possible again. The shepherds and the scientists and many others came to Bethlehem and saw the baby. It was a grand thing to see. Everyone had a little more hope than ever before that the party might once again be available.
The unusual child all but disappeared into obscurity for about 30 years.
The Mesopotamian scientists passed their journals to their apprentices and shepherds told the story around the campfires about that night when then baby was born. Time went by. The child dropped out of public sight. His parents traveled to Egypt for a while and then returned to a town called Nazareth where the child was raised in obscurity. Things went back to pretty much normal for most of the world and everyone put the hope aside and probably it began to fade a little. Would we ever get to attend the eternal party? Guess where this son of Abraham, son of David, son of Mary, the special child-now a man, is found after the long silence? He is at a party! Now just where did you expect him to start fixing what was so terribly broken?
His first public appearance was at a wedding party celebration. There was a problem that arose at this wedding party. It was going to end prematurely because the human host had run out of wine. Guess what Jesus does? He performs a miracle that insures that the party runs it’s full course. He turns the water into wine. Catholic Christians believe he performs a miracle every time they drink the wine of communion. They believe it becomes His blood. Baptists believe in communion miracles too. We believe he turns the wine of communion into grape juice.
Jesus loved parties. What would expect the son of the Eternal Party Host to be like? He is accused of being a wine bibber, and an associate of sinners. Do you remember how Nimrod and others like him tried to force God the reinstate the party by human effort? Well there were people who lived around Jesus who had developed their own way of trying to force God to start the party. They tried to persuade God to start the party by being stern, legalistic, traditional and perfect. By the way God was not impressed. There was only one way to start the party again and it was not possible for a normal person to cause it no matter how bad they wanted it, or how hard they worked. It would take a miracle for the party to ever be started again.
There was something about a party Jesus could not resist. I wonder if the reason He is so drawn to parties is because as the Son of God (The Eternal Party Host) being at a party is in his blood. He even told us that He attended the original party. He went on to say that because He is so special that He will live forever, He would be The Eternal Host of the final party too. Could it be that this special son of man and Son of God came to invite us to the party?
Jesus was a very complex person. He knew stuff. The stuff he knew was beyond what people knew. He was kind to children and loved to laugh, but he cried when his friend died. Isaiah said Jesus would be a man of sorrows. He referred to him as a man with a first hand knowledge of grief. Was Isaiah talking about Jesus? How could he be both a party guy and a man of sorrows? Could it be that basically he is full of joy, and on the other hand he knows what it will take to start the party up again? Is his sadness connected to the price he would have to pay to restart the party? I believe his sadness came from the unspeakable sorrow of the way he would die. The price to be paid to start the party would be his death on a cross. Somehow the decision Adam and Eve made that ended the party would have to be paid for because God loved the world so much.
Jesus seemed drawn to Jerusalem, to Passover, where a confrontation between good and evil seemed imminent. He is swept along with unflinching resolve into the fury of the moral storm. He silently allowed his accusers to question him. He meekly submitted to a death sentence. As unspeakable cruelty was being unleashed on his body He blessed his tormenters. He was heard praying for them and forgiving them for their ignorance while unbearable pain was flying through his body. He gagged for air for a few hours. His pain was horrible. His shame was complete because the price for us cost him everything he had. But, He paid it all.
Well, if he was the hope for the party, that hope now was snuffed out. Like the flame of a candle in a gust of wind Jesus died. His body slumped lifeless on a cross. He grew cold. He was laid in a dark tomb and despair gripped the earth again just like it had in Eden. Somehow this time the despair seemed worse. It seemed like some faint hope had been extinguished forever. His sad and disappointed followers went back to their homes and former occupations. They were mostly just empty as the promise of hope had been broken. They had lots to talk about, but they spoke in tones of sadness and depression.
But that was Friday night.
Saturday for Jesus’ ethnic group was a holy day. It was especially holy on this Saturday because it was the day of sacrifice. His followers had no party in their hearts at all. They didn’t laugh at any jokes. They were not very hungry or thirsty. They just sat and stared. Finally the day ended and they found a little peace in dreamless sleep.
Sunday morning came in clear, comfortable and cool. It seemed like a day full of promise. Women who loved Jesus moved toward the cemetery to finish his burial rituals. They found the stone that sealed his tomb had been rolled away. The tomb was empty. They were in a world of stress as they considered what had become of Jesus’ body. Had the Romans taken his body away for some political reason?
One of the ladies, named Mary, saw what she thought was a man working in the cemetery garden and she turned to ask him if he had information about the body of Jesus. It was then she saw that it was not a gardener. It was Jesus, and he was alive.
The first sound of the party broke through the sky like all the glass in the world breaking at one time. Some guy said like he was starting a stock car race or a football game, “Are you ready for some party?” The earth groaned in anticipation. The trees lifted their hands to clap and the stars of the morning showed up for choir practice. Jesus was alive. The party—the greatest party ever—had just started.
The hope that the party might be starting sounded so good to people. They remembered He told them that He was the resurrection and the life. If we believe in Him (the original party rules) we will be able to join the eternal party again. Our greatest hope has just been spoken.
Here’s the deal. The party starts the moment we accept the free invitation Jesus paid for on the cross. The party continues here in our lives until we die then it is moved to a new place. We join with all those invited to the party in heaven. Those who wish to attend have been invited. The invitation says, “Whosoever will may come.” Jesus has paid the cover charge and you are qualified to attend if you live by the party rules. You must trust the host. You must believe that the host knows best and not make up the rules as you go.
The party is called the marriage supper of the Lamb. Don’t miss it.
John described it like this: Revelation 19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!"6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: ’Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
The sermon
Burden of the message
The people on their way to the party collectively are called the church.
To be part of the church you must play by the party rule—trust the host.
Basic Truth
Those of us on the way to the best Christmas party have a mission. We are to bring as many with us as we can. We are to live and act in ways that do not discourage potential party attendees. Our story is the story of the love of the host. Our passion is love for God and love for those who are going with us to the eternal party.
Burning Question
Are you going to go? Are you going to take anyone with you?
You can go or not go. It is up to you. Remember the party rule! Trust the Eternal Host.
Life application
Shelly decided to live by the party rule and was on her way to the party. She had just gone through a religious experience that totally changed her life, and as a part of her new life she wanted to become a part of the church. She was running on high speed, and had high hopes. She was going to save the world, or at least the part of it she could reach. She watched her language. She pronounced Jesus with seven syllables, and made sure to use the word "blessed" at least once in every sentence. She started attending Bible studies and promptly made everyone there uncomfortable. But she meant well. No one could blame her for her enthusiasm, because she had just recognized who Jesus was, and we could all remember how that felt. Shelly was on her way and many would go with her because of her love for God and people.
Then Shelly came to a church business meeting. She bowed her head during the opening prayer, and then studied the minutes of the previous meeting like they were Holy Scripture. She listened intently to the various committee reports, and nodded as though she understood it all. Then came Phil. Everyone knew what happened when Phil opened his mouth, you just never knew what the topic would be. Everyone knew except Shelly. Tonight the topic was the new church organizational plan and the worship style. Phil’s philabuster became personal and negative and he ended up reminding everyone of how different it was back when they attended that other church. Everyone grinned at each other. "There goes Phil again. He’ll get tired in a minute and wind down." Everyone but Shelly that is. She was amazed. This was the "church." The bubble had been burst, and the air fizzled out all over the room. That was the night the party started to end for Shelly.
Conclusion:
Following the party rules is essential
How we live on the journey to the party matters a lot to those going with us.
