What we do as a church is Christ Centered, Visionary Leadership, and Growth Oriented. How we do it is All-Inclusive, Excellence, Effectiveness. Today we will look at the 4th core value of being "all-inclusive."

What is 'all-inclusive?' It is about increasing our circle of love and acceptance. Peter struggled with increasing his circle of acceptance. He knew that Christ died for all people but his own culture was a stumbling block to realizing the revelation of the cross. If God was helping Peter he is certainly helping his church understand in practice what we know in theory. The Kingdom of God is a net not a fishing rod. It is all-inclusive not exclusive. It is not our job to sort it all out on the front end. We do not decide who is acceptable and who is not because all are unacceptable but have been accepted him Christ. We are becoming the church that does not care. Care about where you came from, what you did or did not do, and your grades as a student, career or lack of it.

(Luke 14:12-24) Message:"Then he turned to the host." The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be-and experience-a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned-oh, how it will be returned!-at the resurrection of God's people.' 'That triggered a response from one of the guests: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many." When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.' Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.' Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.' The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded- and there's still room.' The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party."

What is just as important as where. Where God says something is just as important as what he is saying.

The house of the Pharisee was an exclusive group not all-inclusive of group. In that inclusive setting he taught them about the inclusive heart of God. (Luke 14:12) "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor." Behind this gathering was a small world of "bless you bless me. I'll pay you and you will pay me. Invite me and I will invite you." They were meeting together but not reaching anyone. (Luke 14:13-14) "Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be-and experience-a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned-oh, how it will be returned!-at the resurrection of God's people." (v16) "Yes, For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many." If you are a guest then your name and address is known. Who you are is relatively known. The gathering that Christ is describing in this story is like the one he is literally in. (v18-20) Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, "I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets." Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets." And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife." All those people you know by name and address will not come. We hold out for friends, family and relatives to respond to our exclusive invitation. But the exclusive circle will never fill the house. (v21) The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here." People who you do not know get invited. You do not know their names or addresses.

People who would never have dreamed that you would invite them. Go beyond the invited to the excluded. (v22) The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded- and there's still room." Even when you invite the excluded there is still room for more. Go beyond the invited to the excluded then to people beyond the immediate community. (v23) The master said, "Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full!" The uninvited fill the house. Church is intended to be filled with people you don't know at first.

How do you make someone do something? You remove the choice of whether they want to or not. How do you remove the choice? Don't ask them if they want to be included but accept them and take it for granted that they are included. It is not manipulating or deceiving because it happens to you all the time but you are not aware of it.

If you are vegetarian the choice to cook that roast beef has already been made. I have never seen a vegetarian shouting that the buffet should be shut down just because meat was served. Meat eaters and vegetarians are both included in the buffet. Have you been to the salad bar and seen the choices that have already been made for you? Fruit salad, Cobb salad, Caesars salad, green salad, garden salad, Greek salad and chief's salad. The dressings have already been chosen thousand island, blue cheese, and ranch, Italian. The choice has been removed from you that would be exclusive to and all-inclusive. It has gone from guests who are known to faces, names and addressed that no one knows. Have you seen someone pile their plate up with food you would not touch? You might not touch it but you have paid for it. (Song of Songs 2:4) ,I."He has taken me into his banqueting hall…" The table of the Lord welcomes anyone.

Some cat and dog owners will decide for their pet what it will eat based on their choices. If the owner does not like liver or kidney or tongue or rabbit the animal will never get to taste it for themselves. A church decides for people what God has for them and will never have for them based on our choices. So the choice is removed.

The Day of Pentecost was a buffet. (Acts 2:5) "Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven." (Acts 2:7-11) Utterly amazed, they asked: 'Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" An exclusive group of 120 Jews in the upper room were speaking the all-inclusive language of God that reaches every nation under heaven. (Acts 2:41) "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." God took away the choice and invited the excluded.

My choice is taken away. I put my trash out on Thursday but no one checked with me if that was convenient for me. The city 'made me do it' by taking that choice away from me. There is a flat fee for gas, electric and water. I decide how much I will use but the flat fee is not something anyone asked me about. I can negotiate the price of a purchase but the State of Washington has taken the choice of how much tax to pay.

The excluded are included and invited. There are some things you must never ask. 'How do I look in this dress?' 'Does this fit?' 'Do I look good in this?' 'Shall we have your parents around this Easter or mine?' Don't ask 'are you open' 'is it convenient' 'is the timing right' 'is this a divine appointment' 'I don't want to offend' 'I don't want to upset' never spend all you time loading up the front end with all kinds of objections like 'I have just purchased a field' 'I just got married' or 'I purchased some oxen.' Did Christ ask the 5000 if they were hungry? He included them all in the fives loaves and two fish meal that became a feast. Did he ask the people on the mountainside if it was all right to teach the great Sermon on the Mount? Did he ask the children if they wanted him to bless them? Did Christ ever ask you if redemption and salvation would fit into your life and schedule? He took the choice from you. While you were in your sin Christ died for you. Before you knew your life had been kidnapped he ransomed you.

Festive Events to include the excluded:

" October 31st Harvest Party

" November 10th-12th Worship Conference

" December 15th Banquet

" December 23rd Carol Singing

" December 24th Carol Service