My wife and I were blessed to attend a wedding of a sweet woman and her now husband this past weekend. Everything about the service and the reception proclaimed God, family, and friends. The setting was perfect, the people involved were truly their supportive community, and the smiles and joy from start finish told the story of their life and their love. It was great.
After the service, the attendees milled around the lounge area, helping themselves to appetizers and conversation, as the wedding party and families got pictures. Then there was movement as people started making their way into the reception area where seats were being claimed by those whose names were on place cards. It was weird seeing your own name, probably because someone else wrote it; someone else recognized you, made a place for you, and called you to this place for this specific reason—to honor and celebrate the couple. There was no questioning why I was there. It wasn’t for me or for my wife. We were there to lift up Jessie and Alex.
But wait…go back. Place cards. A card that records your name so you know your place. And the place? At the table that surrounds the ones we’ve been called together to honor.
My plate and place card at the wedding guest table.
“For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” —John 5:22-24
In the larger context of this passage, Jesus relays to His hearers that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. He is to be honored, and when He is honored God is honored. To dishonor the Son, is to dishonor God (Who has given Jesus all authority). Here’s the bottom line: we obey the word of God, the commands of Jesus, and honor God and eternal life is in store. But if we disobey the word of God, the commands of Jesus, and dishonor God then eternal damnation is our destiny.
We can have a place with God…if we put our faith, hope, and trust in Jesus. And an enormous tell as to whether we have put our faith, hope, and trust in Jesus is in our obedience to Him. Those who have faith in Jesus honor His word. Those who honor His word have faith in Jesus. But we dishonor Him when we dishonor His word, and vice versa.
There’s a place for you and for me, as long as we honor Him. But if we come to the table, to the banquet, to the feast, and we come for the wrong reason or we change the reason, we dishonor the One who has made a place for us. Scripture records at least 9 references in the New Testament of servants being cast out for their dishonoring the Master.
My hope in writing this is to help us realize the importance of what it is that God has done and said. He has gone to GREAT LENGTHS to make a place for you. That place is prepared. But with that place comes the expectation of understanding why you are there—to honor Christ. Eternal life is a great reward for those who choose to honor the Lord; there is something to say about the guests who have been called according to the purpose of the event and understand that purpose AND are willing to fulfill it. Be that person, the one who is called, comes, celebrates, and joins in the Master’s rest.
And a challenge: for those who have wandered from the purpose of being at the table, help them remember why they are there and what it took to secure that place for them. Let them know that the Son is to be honored, that His word is to be obeyed, and that eternity rests on their coming back to their senses. Love them that much.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” —Romans 8:28 ESV
—Pastor Whit
Read more inspirational messages regarding faith by checking out past Whitt’s End articles.