This is the manuscript of the first sermon in the "Responding to the Parables of Our Lord" series.
As followers of Christ, we need to look to him and listen to him. Jesus spoke powerfully to his contemporaries and to us through his parables.
- Realize what you will miss if you excuse yourself.
- Recognize the foolishness of excusing yourself.
- Remember the eternal consequences of excusing yourself.
Scripture
Luke 14:15-24 NIV [15] When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” [16] Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ [18] “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ [19] “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ [20] “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ [21] “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ [22] “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ [23] “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. [24] I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”
Introduction
As followers of Christ, we need to look to him and listen to him. Jesus spoke powerfully to his contemporaries and to us through his parables. “Responding to the Parables Of Our Lord” is my next series of messages.
How do we interpret parables? We have been taught that they are “earthly stories with heavenly meanings.” That is true but how do we find the point of a parable and apply it to our lives?
First, we must remember that generally parables express only one or two central truths. In other words we have to be careful that we don’t get lost in the details of the story and miss the main message.
Secondly, to find out the central point in a parable it helps to look at the context in which Jesus spoke it. Was he answering a question? Was he responding to something that someone said or did?
In our scripture today we read a parable that gives us some samples of excuses that three guests made for not attending a banquet.
So here's my sermon text for today;
Text
Luke 14:17-20 NIV [ [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ [18] “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ [19] “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ [20] “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
Jesus used some powerful images to bring home an urgent warning.
“DON’T EXCUSE YOURSELF FROM GOD’S BANQUET”
I. Realize what you will miss if you excuse yourself
II. Recognize the foolishness of excusing yourself
III. Remember the eternal consequences of excusing yourself
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to us that Jesus told this parable of the great banquet at the dinner party to which he was invited. When you read the entire 14th chapter of Luke 14 we find out that Jesus had been invited to eat at a prominent Pharisee’s house. Before the meal he healed a man.
Luke 14:1-4 NIV [1] One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. [2] There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. [3] Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” [4] But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.
He healed this man in front of his host and the other guests. Then he taught a lesson on humility, by pointing out the way people picked seats of honor at the dinner table.
Luke 14:7-11 NIV [7] When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: [8] “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. [9] If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. [10] But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. [11] For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Finally, just before telling the parable of the great banquet Jesus told his Pharisee host to be generous to those less fortunate by inviting them to luncheons and dinners.
Luke 14:12-14 NIV [12] Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. [13] But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, [14] and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Perhaps to break the awkwardness of the situation, someone at the table with Jesus said, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” It is true that those who will feast in the kingdom of God will be blessed. But eating at God’s banquet in eternity begins by eating at his banquet today.
So seizing the moment Jesus took up that thought and told the parable of the great banquet.
So now let’s get into the meat of the parable which is three excuses for not attending the banquet.
God has truly heard all the excuses ever given. And sadly the majority of the ones He has heard are related to His free gift of forgiveness and salvation. In our foolish pride, sinful lust, and spiritual stupidity, we humans have sent a constant flow of excuses to the LORD. Through these excuses we are often rejecting his love and turning our noses up at His desire to have a close relationship with us.
Ok let’s get into it.
I.
Luke 14:16-17 NIV [16] Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
Since his listeners were at a dinner party they would have been familiar with the customs of that day connected to banquets. The person giving the banquet would send out an initial invitation to his guests. Then when the day arrived and everything was ready he would send out his servant or servants with the final call to come to the banquet.
Let's look closely at the scene Jesus described. This was no ordinary banquet that the man had prepared. It was a “great banquet.” And he didn’t just invite a few family members and some friends. No, he invited “many guests.”
In just a few sentences Jesus retold the whole history of God’s interaction with the Jews. The man in the parable is obviously the LORD. His great banquet was his plan to save his people from the bondage of sin. Once the curse of sin was cured God then wanted to have fellowship with his people and enjoy their company. He wanted their lives to be an ongoing banquet with their God. And he had now sent his “servant” Jesus to tell them that everything was ready.
Before we look at the excuses the guests made for not attending we need to take a look at the menu for God’s great banquet. No longer shrouded in images and prophecies we have been given a clear picture of what God has prepared for us.
Of course the main entrée at God’s banquet is His Son Jesus. Those who eat Him who is called the Bread of Life will be satisfied forever.
John 6:35 NIV [35] Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Through him our sins are forgiven. He then fills our longing to be right in God’s sight through his perfect life. When we come to Jesus by faith we are given the perfection and holiness we need to be loved by God and to love him.
Plus this banquet is absolutely free. God prepared it. God has invited us to it.
Isaiah 55:1-2 NIV [1] “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. [2] Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Revelation 22:17 NIV [17] The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
God’s great banquet is free, it last’s forever, and you and I are invited.
II.
It's hard for us to imagine why anyone would excuse himself or herself from God’s great banquet. but as bizarre as it sounds, many people do exactly that.
Jesus continued the parable by turning from the person giving the banquet to those who were invited.
Luke 14:18-20 NIV [18] “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ [19] “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ [20] “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
These are some of the lamest excuses ever made. Who in their right mind would deliberately skip the banquet the man had prepared? Free food. Good food. Good company and time with friends.
When we connect the parable to the spiritual point Jesus was making the excuses the guests made take on even greater significance. We see a very “subtle” rejection of the invitation. These guests politely say “no thanks” to the invitation to the banquet. They have things in their lives that they believe are more important than attending the man’s party.
I think that it is safe to say that the spiritual danger for us isn’t rudely rejecting God’s invitation. These people were polite in making their excuses. No, the greater danger for us is carelessness and apathy toward God’s invitation. We will let other priorities in life cause us to excuse ourselves from God’s great banquet.
At first glance our many excuses may seem legitimate and even righteous. “I have to skip church so I can work and provide for my family!” What could be more God-pleasing than taking care of your family’s needs?
But perhaps we have let our wants become needs and so we have to work all the time to pay for newer cars, bigger homes, satellite TV, and faster Internet access.
“We just don’t have time for family devotions!” Again that sounds like a fair excuse for not spending time in God’s word and praying. But what could be a more important use of our time than the study of God’s Word and having a conversation with Him.
“If I go to Bible Study on Wednesday over half the day will be lost. I have a lot of stuff to do.” Sure there may be times when we have things to do. The last thing I want to do is make the study of God’s Word an obligation or a rule. But are some of the things we do really a higher priority than studying and eating more of God’s spiritual food?
“Sunday is my only day to sleep in and I need Sunday to get ready for another busy week at work.” Sounds like another good excuse. But in the end it doesn't hold water.
In all our excuses the problem lies with our priorities. First things must be kept first. As Jesus said to Martha,
Luke 10:41-42 NIV [41] “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, [42] but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Jesus told us what our priorities in life should be;
Matthew 6:33 NIV [33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
When we make God the first priority in our life our material needs will fall into place.
Not only is it foolish for us to excuse ourselves from God’s great banquet because of what we miss, it is also foolish because of how worthless anything else is. The things of the world that pull us away from the LORD won’t satisfy us. They never last and they never deliver what they promise.
Listen to what it says in 1 John 2:15-17,
1 John 2:15-17 NIV [15] Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. [16] For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. [17] The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
This is a warning about letting material things keep us from God’s banquet.
Excusing yourself from God’s great banquet of salvation is utter foolishness. No person, place, or thing is worth missing it. All the wealth of the world and all the pleasures of our flesh amount to nothing in comparison to eating what God serves for the soul. His banquet feeds our hunger and thirst for righteousness. His food and drink make us spiritually alive now and will give us life forever in heaven.
III.
Realizing what we would miss if we excused ourselves from God’s banquet is certainly reason enough not to do it. And recognizing the foolishness of such an action in light of the sad substitutes we find apart from God’s banquet is obviously also a good reason not to do it.
But finally the most compelling reason not to excuse ourselves from God’s great banquet is the eternal consequences of our actions. I’m talking now specifically to those who have not accepted God’s invitation to His great banquet and eternal life delivered through Jesus.
John 3:16-18 NIV [16] For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Jesus ended the parable with the words of the man who was giving the banquet God,
Luke 14:24 NIV [24] I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”
Because God’s people, the Jewish elite, had hardened their hearts to his invitation they would be excluded from the banquet in time and in eternity. Never would they taste of it. Forever would they be barred from it!
Since the man giving the great banquet wanted his house filled with guests he sent out an open invitation to everyone.
Luke 14:22-23 NIV [22] “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ [23] “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
Now we have arrived at the main point of the parable There is still room there—room for you. If you excuse yourselves you will find yourself separated from God forever. If you make excuses now you will stand without excuse before Jesus on the Last Day.
Recall the polite excuses of the guests in the parable. They all thought they had better things to do than to go to the man’s banquet. They were polite in declining the invitation, so perhaps you can fool yourself into thinking that as long as you are polite to God and nice about saying “no thanks” to his invitation things will be fine between him and you.
But in the end you aren’t going to be given a second chance once the doors to God’s banquet room are shut. The excuses we make now for not eating God’s spiritual food will have eternal consequences.
Jesus said
Revelation 3:20 NIV [20] Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Today is the day to eat with Jesus by putting your faith in him. Now is the time to eat at God’s banquet so we can eat at it forever together.
In the parable of the great banquet Jesus warned us about making excuses for not attending God’s great banquet. Jesus’ words encourage us to realize what we will miss if we excuse ourselves. He also wants us to recognize the foolishness of excusing ourselves. And finally he would have us remember the eternal consequences of excusing ourselves. With that in mind let’s eat now at the great banquet so that we can eat at it forever.
Here's how to accept the invitation to God’s great banquet
Romans 10:9-10 NIV [9] If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Dear Jesus, I don’t want my sin to separate me from you any longer. You promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.
“I confess my sin, and I believe you are my Savior. You promised that if I confess my sin and trust you, I will be saved. I trust you when you say salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today, I’m turning over every part of my life to your management.
Sermon Audio
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