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, "Before we bought our car we used to go to church on Sundays, 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, or new someone 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 the spouse or children or relatives or friends drive us away from our God. Try never to be too busy to pause for prayer; try never to be too busy to find time for your friend or your dear ones especially God.
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." (Phil. 3:8)
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, "Before we bought our car we used to go to church on Sundays, 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, or new someone 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 the spouse or children or relatives or friends drive us away from our God. Try never to be too busy to pause for prayer; try never to be too busy to find time for your friend or your dear ones especially God.
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." (Phil. 3:8)
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