In this timely and challenging message, Sue Brown directs listeners to essential truths found in the Gospel accounts and the book of Revelation. After a prayer for anointing and understanding, she reads a series of scriptures that lay out the path of Christ and the requirements for His followers. This reading emphasizes the authority of Scripture over temptation, the nature of God's invitation, and the absolute necessity of watchfulness as we await the Lord's return.
Main Points for Readiness and Repentance:
-- Fulfilling All Righteousness: The message begins with Jesus’ baptism, highlighting that submitting to God's ordained process is "fitting" for us to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15).
-- Living By the Word: Jesus' temptation in the wilderness establishes that the definitive defense against the devil is not physical provision but relying on "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
-- The King's Wedding Feast: The parable illustrates God's widespread invitation to salvation, the rejection of that offer by some, and the ultimate necessity of having the proper "wedding garment" (righteousness/faith), because "many are called but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14).
-- Be Ready, For You Do Not Know the Hour: The final portion focuses on the signs of Christ's return, warning against the complacency of the "evil servant." The core instruction is to "watch therefore" and "be ready," as the Son of Man comes at an hour we do not expect.
-- Zealous Repentance and Invitation: The reading closes with an urgent call from Revelation: to buy gold refined in fire, be clothed in white garments, and be zealous and repent. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, offering intimate fellowship to all who will open it.