Manchester Lutheran Church

What’s the only way to make God angry?

When I talk to people on the street, my message is this: God is in a good mood with you! Your Father in heaven loves you! Jesus has taken away all your mistakes and shame! God’s Spirit is trying to give you assurance He cares!

But, so many people assume God is in a bad mood. They think God is angry and frustrated. People assume God is angry because they do bad things God thinks are bad.

God’s Law describes what he thinks a life of love looks like. And people think that God is angry because none of us behave this way.

But God’s not angry because we do bad things! That’s why Jesus died for us! So, because of Jesus, God is not angry with you for any of your mistakes.

But, there is one way to make God angry. Even this amazing, forgiving, kind, loving God.

Jesus says in v. 16:

A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.

That man is just like God! That’s how God feels!—He’s generous! He is kind and wants to share good things with you! He loves everyone.

And God has set a day when Jesus will come back, make the whole world perfect again, and he’ll hold a massive party for ever and ever.

Imagine a party like that! Being with someone who has all the riches in the world, someone who loves you so much he died for you, someone who wants to be your friend and invented fun.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to be invited to a party like that? Well that’s what the man in Jesus’ story does, v. 17:

And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

And God’s Gospel is his great invitation to you and everyone else. Come and get to know me. Come and hear how I love you. Come and enjoy being with me now and forever. Trust me—I’ve removed all the problems in the way—it’s going to be awesome!

God is the God of parties and invitations. He’s not in a bad mood with people who make mistakes. He’s not angry with people who do things wrong.

But! There’s a problem, vv. 18-20:

But they all alike began to make excuses.

God has made this really kind and loving offer… …which cost him. He died to give it to us. And while we all have important things in our lives… …it is not good when we use those important things as excuses to ignore God’s offer:

The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’

And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’

And another said,  ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

Your job, your school, your social life, time with family… …these are all good and important things. They’re your vocations God calls you to walk in, and they’re really important. If you trust God and so live life, earn money, serve others, then this pleases God, he is happy with it.

But, these people mis-use these good gifts of God, and turn them into excuses:

Oh, I don’t have time to go to church, I’m too busy. I’m tired of hearing that Jesus died for me, I just can’t be bothered doing it today. I don’t care that God promises to look after me, I want to make sure I look after myself.

How do you think God feels about excuses like these? Horrible, dismissive, flimsy excuses.

Well… Jesus warns us, it is rejecting God’s kind offer that makes God angry, not being bad or making mistakes.

Don’t take my word for that. Look at v. 21:

So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry

Jesus is telling this story in response to something a man said in v. 15:

“Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

And that’s absolutely true! Everyone who is in the kingdom of God is blessed!

The Apostle Paul writes to the Colossians:

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

God isn’t angry with you because of your mistakes: He wants everyone to be in His kingdom. Jesus died for that.

But rejecting his kindness does make him angry. But, even when he’s angry, God is kind and generous.

Look at what happens next in vv. 21-23

So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

Even when he’s angry: God is generous! He’s kind! He invites other people! I’m not like that! When I’m angry: I attack, I accuse, I get bitter. But, God’s anger drives him to be even more kind to others!

God wants his party to be full! And God is not pretentious: he’s not hoity toity. He’s not picky about who’s invited. He goes out inviting everyone.

This is God’s heart. To forgive, to love, to guarantee a wonderful future. And he’s given us the amazing privilege of sharing that good news with other people.

Because, he wants you, he wants everyone you know to be with him. To enjoy him now as their friend, and to enjoy that his great future, his party, to come.

So what’s the only way to make God angry?

It’s not your failures, your mistakes, the things you’re ashamed of. Jesus died for all that: God is in a good mood, welcomes you in and takes those things away.

The only thing that makes God angry is rejecting his invitation, v. 24:

For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Turning away from his love. Making excuses—even with otherwise good things.

But even when he’s angry, God is still full of grace. He keeps inviting. He sends his invitation further. He still wants you, your friends, family and neighbours to sit at his table forever—and enjoy him.

So don’t make excuses. Hear and believe his invitation—that he loves you.

And once you’re in — go out. Be the servant in the story. Go to the streets, the corners, the edges, and take this invitation to others.

Because God—who is generous and kind—wants his house to be full.

Jesus didn’t make excuses, or turn away or hesistate. He came. But he died a death, even on the cross, to cover all the excuses and mistakes you’ve made. And he rose again, went ahead of us, and has prepared a place for you.

It’s ready. It’s waiting. He’s worth it.