<TITLE>07. Par 30-34</TITLE>L-30 And finally, pushing his way down the hill, after catching his breath and pushing his way into the crowd, he must've got... It might've been Nathanael, or maybe it was Philip, 'cause he was kinda the outer guard. Peter, and Luke, and the scribes that were writing down what He did and what He said was standing next to Him.
Peter seemed to be the great strong fisherman, that if they broke through the--the line of the other apostles, was rather a strong man, could push them back and keep them away from Him.

L-31 And as this courier came into the first line of guard, it might've been Philip. And he said, "I must see your master. I have a message from my master to your master. And my master is a great man. He is one of the greatest outstanding men of our community. He is a Pharisee. He's a rich man, and he's worth much money. And he has sent me to speak to your master." And Philip, of course wanting, as a Christian man, to do all that he could to--to help him, brought him up close.
And finally, he pushed a way through until he met Simon. He said, "Simon, this courier is on a very important errand, and I must get him before the Master." And Philip pushed on by Peter, and got up. And finally the courier was brought face-to-face with Jesus. There He stood, His lips cracked, His eyes weary; speaking, His voice hoarse from the dust from the people's feet.

L-32 And the courier said, "Sir, I am sent to tell you that my master has honored you with an invitation. He's going to have a feast. A great banquet is going to be given. He does it annually. And he--he wants you to attend this feast."
How could he say such a thing? How could he, standing in the Presence of Christ for his first time and then have to carry on some kind of a business about his self-styled religion.
Oh, I wish I could've stood there. The first thing I would've done, would've been fell on my face before Him, and asked forgiveness of my sins. But that's just about the trend of the day. When people come face-to-face with Him, they got other things they got to talk about instead of about our sinful condition.

L-33 And this courier, standing there, delivered his message. And I can imagine seeing our Master watch the fellow with pity and thinking, perhaps, that he was passing the greatest opportunity that ever lay before any human being, was to stand in the Presence of Jesus Christ.
There He was, but (You see?), He'd come in a... God had come in the form of a Man, and he didn't know it. And there he stood. And Jesus, with all of His busy schedule, with thousands of places to go, and all that He had to do, I can see Him in politeness, and gentleman-like, nodded His head, said, "Tell your master I'll be there."
What do we learn here? That He always comes where He's invited (That's right.), always comes where He's invited. "Tell him on that such-and-such a day, that I'll be present on that day. Because he has invited Me, I will be there."

L-34 Now. And then after that, the courier must have turned his back, and walked away, and breathed a breath of satisfaction that he'd done something great. What had he done? He'd let slip away from him the greatest thing in all the world, the opportunity to fall at the feet of Christ.
I wonder if many of us don't do that. Maybe we've done it this week. We might do it tonight: turn your back upon the opportunity to be saved, and have Eternal Life, and then turn away from it. Some people sometimes come sick, and get healed, and then walk away thinking that they have achieved exactly the main thing that they come for. The best thing to come for is to find Him as your Saviour, is to know Him, Who He is in your life, have the assurance.
People today are like people gone by years ago. They try to dodge the issue. It's like the... It's like the loaves and fishes. He was a great prophet as long as He healed the sick and performed miracles. But when He begin to tell them the truth, they begin to turn away from Him. He wasn't popular no more then.


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