Luke
14:15-24
15 One of his fellow guests on hearing Jesus said to him: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" 16 Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. 17 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.' 18" 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.' 19 "Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' 20" And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' 21 "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.' 22" The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded-- and there's still room.' 23 "The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! 24 Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party. '"
Food for thought!
In Palestine, when a man made a feast, the day was announced long beforehand and the invitations were sent out and accepted; but the hour was not announced; and when the day came and all things were ready, servants were sent out to summon the already invited guests. To accept the invitation beforehand and then to refuse it when the day came was a grave insult.
In the parable the master stands for God. The originally invited guests stand for the Jews. Throughout all their history they had looked forward to the day when God would break in and come, and when he did, they tragically refused his invitation. The poor people from the streets and lanes stand for the tax-gatherers and sinners who welcomed Jesus in a way in which the orthodox never did. Those gathered in from the roads and the hedges stand for the non Jews like you and I, for whom there is still ample room at the feast of God. Both nature and grace abhor a vacuum. So, when the Jews refused God's invitation and left his table empty, the invitation went out to us, non Jews.
This said, what happened to the Jews, can happen to us! The people in the parable made excuses that do not differ very much from ours today.
(i) The first man said that he had bought a field and was going to see it. He allowed the claims of business to usurp the claims of God. It is still possible for a man to be so immersed in this world that he has no time to worship, and even no time to pray.
(ii) The second man said that he had bought five yoke of oxen and that he was going to try them out. He let the claims of novelty usurp the claims of Christ. It often happens that when people enter into new possessions they become so taken up with them that the claims of worship and of God get crowded out. People have been known to acquire a new car and then to say, "We used to go to church on a Sunday, but now we go off to the country for the day." It is perilously easy for a new game, a new hobby, new something, even a new friendship, to take up even the time that should be kept for God.
(iii) The third man said, with even more finality than the others, "I have married a wife, and I cannot come." It is one of the tragedies of life when good things crowd out the claims of God. There is no lovelier thing than a home and yet a home was never meant to be used selfishly. They live best together who live with God; they serve each other best who also serve their fellow-men; the atmosphere of a home is most lovely when those who dwell within it remember that they are also members of the great family and household of God.
15 One of his fellow guests on hearing Jesus said to him: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" 16 Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. 17 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.' 18" 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.' 19 "Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' 20" And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' 21 "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.' 22" The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded-- and there's still room.' 23 "The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! 24 Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party. '"
Food for thought!
In Palestine, when a man made a feast, the day was announced long beforehand and the invitations were sent out and accepted; but the hour was not announced; and when the day came and all things were ready, servants were sent out to summon the already invited guests. To accept the invitation beforehand and then to refuse it when the day came was a grave insult.
In the parable the master stands for God. The originally invited guests stand for the Jews. Throughout all their history they had looked forward to the day when God would break in and come, and when he did, they tragically refused his invitation. The poor people from the streets and lanes stand for the tax-gatherers and sinners who welcomed Jesus in a way in which the orthodox never did. Those gathered in from the roads and the hedges stand for the non Jews like you and I, for whom there is still ample room at the feast of God. Both nature and grace abhor a vacuum. So, when the Jews refused God's invitation and left his table empty, the invitation went out to us, non Jews.
This said, what happened to the Jews, can happen to us! The people in the parable made excuses that do not differ very much from ours today.
(i) The first man said that he had bought a field and was going to see it. He allowed the claims of business to usurp the claims of God. It is still possible for a man to be so immersed in this world that he has no time to worship, and even no time to pray.
(ii) The second man said that he had bought five yoke of oxen and that he was going to try them out. He let the claims of novelty usurp the claims of Christ. It often happens that when people enter into new possessions they become so taken up with them that the claims of worship and of God get crowded out. People have been known to acquire a new car and then to say, "We used to go to church on a Sunday, but now we go off to the country for the day." It is perilously easy for a new game, a new hobby, new something, even a new friendship, to take up even the time that should be kept for God.
(iii) The third man said, with even more finality than the others, "I have married a wife, and I cannot come." It is one of the tragedies of life when good things crowd out the claims of God. There is no lovelier thing than a home and yet a home was never meant to be used selfishly. They live best together who live with God; they serve each other best who also serve their fellow-men; the atmosphere of a home is most lovely when those who dwell within it remember that they are also members of the great family and household of God.
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