Luke 14:15-24
The “great banquet” symbolizes the kingdom of God. In our culture it indicates that it would be a grand event. It would be a time of grand entertainment for those attending.: one to make reservation (RSVP) and the other to announce that the banquet was beginning.
The first group invited symbolizes the religious leaders of Israel. These are the people that we expect to attend because they appeared to be the most intellectual. Surprisingly, the first group refuses to come into the kingdom of God. While they are invited, they pull back at the sight of the feast and offered excuses as to why they could not attend.
After the first group refuses, a second group is invited. This group consists of the outcasts of society—the poor, disabled, blind and lame. These people in the city (are Jewish), but are the people one would least expect to attend because they appear to be unworthy. This group comes at once and enjoys the blessings of the kingdom of God.
After being told that the second group has come and there is still room, a third group is invited. This group consists of people out in the “highways and hedges” in verse 23 and avoided by Jews. These people are outside the city are Gentiles and most unlikely people you would find at a Jewish banquet.
Like the second group, this group comes at once and enjoys the blessings of the great banquet (the kingdom of God). Then, the announcement comes that the original invitees will never share in the kingdom of God.
The man at the feast said, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” . Jesus replied with the parable and, said, “Yes, those who are in the kingdom of God are blessed and you can only enter by grace. Those who are full of pride will be offended by grace and will not enter, but those who are humble will be thankful for grace and will enter.”
The man at the feast was looking forward to the blessing of eating bread in the kingdom of God, while he did not realize that he was feasting with the King. He spoke of the kingdom as a far, future event, but Jesus taught that it “is at hand” or soonest.
This parable is very interesting because the excuses given are inappropriate. The first group invited had been told to prepare for the banquet. While they did not know when the banquet would will happen, they were supposed to be ready.
For the first to make an excuse about buying a field, the second to make an excuse about buying five yoke of oxen, and the third to make an excuse about being married; they are sending the signal that they have changed their mind and do not want to come.
The people at the feast would have known this and immediately recognized the foolishness behind these excuses. They were thinking, “You cannot attend the banquet because of a business or because of your family? That is ridiculous, go to the banquet!”
Why did Jesus tell this parable at this time? He did so because He was talking to people who were offended that a disabled man had been healed, they seek as “elite guest” , and they refused to be friends with outcasts. The people at the feast could recognize the foolishness of the people in the parable but were unable to recognize their own.
We, in 2020, often recognize the foolishness of the people at the feast, but are unable to recognize our own.
Freedom and democracy are great gifts that many of us take for granted. The price paid to provide those blessings was so high. Most of the time, we approach our freedom with a sense of entitlement, I deserve this, I am owed this, this is my right, etc.
To be invited to be a heir of God’s salvation and all that its requirements is a gift from God’s mercy and grace, not something that we are owed. To turn down God’s grace, to turn away to his invitation of salvation, is to invite disaster and to insult the One who paid such a high price to give us this opportunity.
If you were saved by grace, why would you want to continue by your works? The same grace that saved you, sustains you. God’s invitation is from the heart. God’s love, like a generous banquet, is for all. The banquet are to be filled by people who might not expect an invitation. All are invited to prayer, to love and to worship Jesus.
God bless your heart.
Music for the Soul 