When you hear God’s voice, don’t hesitate to respond.
You’ll remember the scene from yesterday’s reading. Jesus is having lunch on the Sabbath with a hostile crowd of Pharisees. Our passage today is about the banquet at the Kingdom of God and Jesus tells this little story. There’s this guy throwing a party. Of course, he invites all his friends. But they are like, “Oh sorry, can’t make it. I think I’m uhh… washing my hair.” Super lame excuses why they can’t come to his huge bash. Undaunted, I mean, he’s cooked all this food and the band is already warming up, he tells his servant go out and pick up the street people, undocumented day laborers, kids in the hospital, anyone you can find. And even then, there was still room for more. But those haters who made up excuses won’t be enjoying any of it. The Pharisees as much as anyone had been waiting for the coming kingdom. When “…a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” that would have been like their rallying cry. Did someone just yell “Go Chiefs”? But instead of echoing “YEAH!” Jesus tells this story. It’s no secret who was originally on the invite list. The Pharisees he was having lunch with were the same ones trying to cut to the front of the line for the banquet in the Kingdom of God. And yet, here’s Jesus going all around Galilee summoning people for this great supper, but they are all suddenly too busy to make it. If they didn’t like him before, they pretty much hate him now. First, everyone is invited. The author, Luke, would have seen thousands of non-Jews respond to Jesus within his lifetime. Second, don’t miss out. There is a place for you in God’s kingdom if you’re willing to respond. Don’t be too busy to be part of what God is doing right now. Be ready and respond. Luke 14.15-24 [NLT] 15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” 16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorThe Pastors of Cornerstone Wesleyan Church Archives
July 2017
Categories |