Lunch is served (or) What’s Your Excuse?
The feast was ready.
I had spent two days making the pulled pork, baked beans, and my wife made coleslaw, and three of the most amazing desserts you have ever seen. Now it was all ready. The problem was, of the seven people I had invited, only one guy had shown up. The rest of them had good excuses for not coming:
“I have a funeral I have to go to.”
“I got called in to work.”
“My kid has a soccer game.”
All good excuses, but it didn’t help my situation. I had enough food to feed way more than seven and only one guy to eat it. What to do?
It happened to be a very nice day (few and far between in Oregon) and all the neighbors were out working in their yards. So, my wife and I went around the neighborhood, explained our situation to our neighbors, and invited them all. Some came. One guy I had to practically drag over to my back yard. Not to brag or anything, but those who came enjoyed a wonderful meal.
Jesus told a similar story:
Luke 14:16-24
But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 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.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. 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.’ 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. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”
Jesus was always talking to the “religious” guys of his time. They were called Pharisees. It’s no different here. He was telling them, without coming right out and saying it, that God was ticked at them. They had become too religious to be able to hear God calling them. So now God was sending His invitation out to everyone. “Come and feast at my table.” And the final group of people in that story weren’t only invited, they were “compelled” to come. That’s a pretty strong word. It means, “Make them an offer they can’t refuse.”
So what group are you in? Are you an invited guest who’s making an excuse, trying to get out of it? Are you one of the “poor, crippled, blind and lame?” Are you feeling a little forced, compelled.” It doesn’t matter what group you’re in, don’t be left out.
The invitation has been given. God wants you at His table. The banquet is laid out. Every good thing imaginable is there. There’s your seat right there. Are you going to take it?
Or are you going to make another excuse?
1 year ago