<TITLE>06. Par 45-56</TITLE>L-45   And now, Jesus had twelve men around Him, that kept the people away from Him, 'cause they'd just come in upon Him. And so they... I'm making this in a drama, so that everybody can catch it. And so we find that, in this, Jesus' men, he must have come... Let's say he come to Philip. And Philip might have said something like this, "Sir," or, "Young fellow, we would certainly like to let you see the Master, but--but He's so tired. We, we just got to watch Him, because He--He just goes till He almost drops. And we've been in so many meetings and so forth, lately, till, I'm sorry, I don't believe we could do it."

L-46 "But," he says, "I--I have a note here, that comes from a very important man in religious realms. And it's an invitation for your Master, which will be a great--great thing if--if He shall go. And I must see Him. Because, I been commissioned, that I must take this note to Him, and see that He gets it personally."

L-47   So, finally, they took him up to the Lord Jesus. And while He was looking at him, the Lord Jesus; perhaps leaving His place (pulpit) from where He was speaking, where the disciples and them had fixed for Him to talk from. As He was looking, why, He looked upon the young man. He must have liked him.

L-48 And the young man told Him. He said, "I am on a--a errand, Sir. And there's a very high-ranking man down in a certain city. And he's a Pharisee, the strictest of the religions. And he's--he's making a--a dinner, a great time, a banquet. And he wants You to come, to be the guest of honor. And he's... Many would like to attend this banquet, but he has selected You. And I been three days trying to find You, across the country. And I was certainly happy to get here, Sir. And I'll deliver this note to You, from it, and from him."

L-49   And He took the note and read it. And we find out that this certain Pharisee had... was making a feast, and--and had bid Him to come down and be a guest of honor with him. So, Jesus standing for a few moments and looking at the young man.

L-50 And yet as busy as He was, but you can never invite Him but what He'll come. I don't care what the situation is, He'll come.

L-51 He said, "You tell your--your master that I'll be there. On this certain day, at this certain time, I'll be there."

L-52 And the courier must have smiled, satisfied, and turned away, and run off down the hill to take the good news back to his master, that he had succeeded in getting the message to this One that he wanted.

L-53   What was the matter with that courier? How could it be? Was he conscious of what he done? The first time, maybe, in his life, that he ever stood in the Presence of Jesus, and never even asked forgiveness of his sins. He never--he never took the opportunity.

L-54 Oh, how it's the same way with people today. Many times they--they realize that they're in His Presence, and--and never ask forgiveness.

L-55 Well, that, he--he maybe never presented the opportunity another time, and turned down his last opportunity to ask forgiveness. How could he ever have done that? How could this boy ever so been wrapped up in bringing this message from his master, that he failed, in the Presence of the Son of God, to ask forgiveness? It was all a business affair.

L-56   And, you know, that's something like the people today. Church, Christ, has become a--a--a business affair, or social affair, to join church and get just in a little better social standing for your business or something. You stand out a little better in the neighborhood. It isn't a thing of--of really coming and repenting, like a--a sinner should do. Many times, in church, people are brought right in the Presence of Christ, and turn away and do as rashal a thing as this courier did.


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