Dear Church Family,

Have you ever received an invitation to a reception—perhaps a wedding or special event—and thought, “I’ll respond later”? You put the RSVP card aside, thinking you have plenty of time, only to forget the return date until it’s too late. That sinking feeling when you realize you missed your chance to respond is frustrating. You meant to be there, but your delay in deciding kept you from the celebration.

In Matthew 22, Jesus shares the parable of the wedding banquet, where a king sends out invitations to his son’s wedding feast. Many who were invited refused to come, giving excuses or simply ignoring the call. The king then opened the invitation to everyone, sending out his servants to the streets to bring in anyone willing to attend. In the end, the banquet was filled with guests, but not all were prepared for the occasion, and one was even thrown out for not wearing wedding clothes.

This parable reminds us of the reality we’ve been discussing in our current series on Heaven and Hell. Just like the people in the parable, we are all invited to the greatest celebration—eternity with God. Yet, responding is critical. It’s not enough to know about the invitation; we must decide to accept it. Ignoring the call, putting off the decision, or assuming there’s plenty of time can lead us to miss the opportunity entirely.

This is the time to search our hearts. Have we truly responded to God’s invitation? Are we ready for the banquet? And more than that, are we actively part of the commission, going out to invite others to join in? The gospel message is urgent and requires a decision. As we continue this series, let’s be sure we’re not only prepared ourselves but also inviting others to take their place at God’s table.

Don't wait to RSVP—now is the time to make a decision.

Loving you all, 
Michael