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 never announced;
and when the day came and all things were ready, servants were sent out again
to summon the already invited guests. To accept the invitation beforehand and
then to refuse it when the day came was a grave insult.
This
is what the people in the gospel did. They 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 us to be so immersed in our business or profession that we have no time for
God, for our family or for our dear ones.
(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 prayer and 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 countryside for the day." It is perilously easy
for a new game, a new hobby, new T.V. program, new something, even a new
friendship, to take up 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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