3 Foolish Responses

Good afternoon, everyone! I've been so busy in the past couple of weeks and I've just had no time for blogging at all. We've had so many things to do, so many places to go! It's nice to start settling down a bit and making more time for the blog. Tonight, I want to post some older sermon notes from a couple weeks ago from the sermon entitled 3 Foolish Responses to The Lord's Invitation. We read in Luke 14:13-24.

So, let's begin.

The Invitation - 

God bids everyone to His eternal feast, yet not everyone will come. This parable talks about God's invitation to us all, the invitation to join Him in Heaven one day. The Bible is very simple if you really take the time to read it. This is about salvation, a plain plan that God created for all of His children. All these people had to do was simply come. They didn't have to go home from work and get cleaned up first - God planned on cleaning them up, Himself. They didn't have to pay an entry fee - God paid that fee when He sent His son to die on the cross. The only requirement is that they simply come to Him as they are, with a willing and faithful heart.

¹⁶ Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
¹⁷ And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready

These people were offered an amazing feast, already prepared, already fixed. They weren't required to bring parts of the meal or help set the table, they just had to come and dine. When you think of it this way and read the parable that Jesus spelt out for us, it seems to silly. If you were offered a place at a table, just covered in your favorite foods and the most refreshing drink for free, would you take Him up on the offer? Well, I don't know if you would, but I most certainly would accept the offer pretty happily. But what did these people do when offered a seat? Let's see.

The Excuses - 

Guess what the people did? They began spewing off excuses! Let's read about them, one by one.

 ¹⁸ And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

• The first made valued his land far more than this offer of a feast (Read: salvation.) He was more concerned about his possessions and in turn, the possessions began owning him. My Pastor and several other men made the point that he had apparently bought land without even seeing it beforehand! Tell me, would you buy something like that without actually seeing it? Feeling the soil? Making sure it's good land? If you wouldn't, you are probably wiser than this guy. But if you think about it, maybe we aren't much wiser! How often do we put material things in God's place? God owns and controls our land, our livestock, our everything! Which means He can do whatever He wants with it. This man put so much in fallible land without paying the Creator that controls it any mind.

¹⁹ And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

• The second man valued his animals (and material things, as well) more than this offer. Like the first man, he had apparently never even seen these oxen before! He put too much weight into his animals and not enough on his own spiritual health and eternity. This is something that I need to watch, myself. If you know me well, you'll know that I love my animals. But we must remember that, even though the Lord has given us these animals to help us prosper and enjoy them, we can't let them become god's in our life or come before Him. 

²⁰ And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

• This man claimed to care more about his family than God, but if he truly cared about his family, he would see a need for their spiritual appetite to be filled up at this feast. His marriage removed his appetite for God. Men are supposed to be the leaders in a marriage, despite how busy life may be or how much your family decides that they want no part in church (whether it be because it's turned boring or because they are mad at the Lord) he should be the one to decide to get stronger roots in God's family. If you truly love your family, lead them to the Lord. Nothing comes before Christ - not even a spouse.

Closing Thoughts -

²¹ So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
²² And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
²³ And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
²⁴ For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

As we read through this parable, we will see that most of the excuses come from one main thing - busyness. If you are too busy for God, you are too busy. We also learn that God does NOT accept excuses. He has given us enough grace to last a lifetime and He will not continue to wait on you to be "ready" for salvation. He has given us everything, far more than we deserve. Don't take Him for granted and treat Him like a genie in a bottle, as if He's your personal slave. Don't wait - we are never promised a tomorrow. These people waited too long, and in the end, they never got to taste the Lord's supper.

If you are making excuses about getting saved, baptized or maybe even rededicating, take time and pray that the Lord opens your eyes and heart. Don't let your heart become hardened while you wait for the "perfect time" when life is simpler because that day may never come. Satan wants us to wait as long as we can, because he knows that one day, our life will end and we'll see the Lord on the judgement seat.