Scripture Anchor Isaiah 40:3 (ESV) “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” Matthew 22:1–14 (ESV) – The Parable of the Wedding Banquet King prepares a feast Sends servants—no one comes Guests busy with work, business, comfort Some reject the invitation violently Point 1: A Heart That Is Too Full Cannot Receive the King Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Your heart can fill with: Stress: deadlines, taxes, errands Obligations: school events, commitments Anxieties: finances, shopping, schedules Distractions & noise An overcrowded heart leaves no room for Jesus. Matthew 22:10 (ESV) “…those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Point 2: The King’s Invitation Is for Everyone Not just the elite or religious Not just the perfect Invitation extends to: The broken The overlooked The outsiders The unexpected The “bad and good” Mary’s Example (Luke 1:35 ESV): “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…” Key Truths: The King invites. Only those who make room in their hearts experience the miracle. Only those who surrender receive what God wants to place inside them. Christmas is about your heart making room, not just your calendar. **Point 3: You Can’t Enter the Kingdom Wearing Your Old Clothes** Matthew 22:11–13 (ESV) “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ … ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.’” Key Insights: The King provides the garment. The garment = Christ’s righteousness (Isaiah 61:10 ESV) “He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” Accepting the invitation without the garment = rejecting God’s gift Takeaways: The invitation is free The garment is provided You choose whether to wear it You cannot make room for Jesus while holding onto sin, pride, bitterness, or self-righteousness. Point 4: Make Room and Wear the Garment Overcrowded hearts King’s invitation The garment He provides Reflection: What’s taking up space that shouldn’t? Will you accept God’s invitation today? Will you wear His righteousness? Action Steps: Make room in your heart, in your priorities Make room for Jesus This Christmas, let’s do something radical: make room for the King and the garment He offers. **Closing Scripture** Isaiah 61:10 (ESV) “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness…”